10 days with Ernie

Helen and Ernie flew out to France for a few days while Nick did some work on the flat and we all then flew back to London. It being half term, Pat and John were looking after Ernie as the normal child care arrangements were unavailable. That was the excuse anyway for them to see him again!

It was very cold and windy when Helen and Ernie arrived, but the weather improved a little the next day.

The first job of the day was a trip down to the the boulangerie to collect the bread. Ernie has a fascination for slopes and running up and down them, so any distance, no matter how short, can take a while as Ernie does a thorough investigation of the inclination. Add to that the 'traffic bollards' in the village which all have to be touched, plus the examination of the indicator lights on any parked cars, meant that everyone was ready for breakfast when we returned.




Later on the first morning, we went down to the small park I the village where Ernie met a young m'selle.















Ernie showed more interest in m'selle's dog, but despite his hesitation, Ernie was soon taken in hand











and the couple were examining pine cones together.












After lunch and a nap, it was time for the beach at Valras plage.










There is a modern amphitheatre very close to the beach where Ernie ran around and appeared briefly on stage. Obviously he was pleased with his performance - this is him coming backstage.

After dinner it was time to watch his favourite TV programme 'In the Night Garden' on iPlayer, bath and bed.

The pattern of outings, bread with Pat, out with John, a walk with Helen and then the beach continued.









Serignan Plage





















With the beach equipment trolley. Pat and Ernie had to take it to the bread shop with us one day.









Portiranges Plage : it was very blowy, so Ernie preferred to stay in and around the car park.












Of course there were other things to do in our house: the stairs were a great attraction of course, as was Grandad's computer.











The bin had to be collected.













Someone had to drive the microwave and obviously, we needed a committee! Fortunately, Nana was on hand to make the microwave work again when it locked them out.








Then it was time for us all to fly to London for the next stage.
We had three days of looking after Ernie while Helen and Nick worked. We resumed our normal schedule of visits to parks, calling into coffee shops and the daily shopping and cooking where necessary as well as giving Helen and Nick time to get out together.




Ernie by his pond, a cherished box he had been clutching in the buggy became something to pour with














with the inevitable outcome.












His beloved pigeons posing for him, for once, as they came to bathe and drink by the waterfall.













Birdies! The same word is used by Ernie for birds and planes. These crows had a nest just above the toddler playground in the Park.


One day we went by bus and tube to Covent Garden and one shopped while the other was on Ernie duty. Ernie likes buses and the underground, so we had no difficulty with that and what was probably 'big red bus' in Ernie speak was said every time one went by.

While John was shopping, Pat parked the buggy and we wandered around examining cobbles, curbs, grids, puddles, the revolving door of the Royal Opera House and the slope inside. As it was half term, there were many children around and lots of child specific entertainment. The queue for the London Transport museum was horrendous. Children were being entertained by a six foot high white ape, but Ernie was not amused. Come John's turn which was after lunch in the muffin shop, Ernie was ready to sleep so we both came out of Ecco with new shoes.


Another day we went to Islington by bus. Spring flowers were in the churchyard and we were able to buy great dishes at Ottolenghi's.








We managed to meet our friends Rachel and Brian at Pollen Street Social, a Michelin one star restaurant close to Oxford Circus. The food was excellent and the wine delicious, but the ambience (noise) could have been better.

On Sunday, we caught up with friends Jill and Terry for lunch in Stratford and spent a very pleasant afternoon catching up with their news.

We returned to France on Monday by EuroStar and TGV. The skies were blue all the way down France, but we had cloud as we reached the coast.

Our next trip is in two weeks time when we visit Madrid, Toledo and Lisbon before returning to London for a few days.

- Pat and John on tour

First signs of spring in the Languedoc

Unusually, this has been a very grey winter - it's almost like being back in the UK.





In the last week or so, we have started to see the first signs of spring. As usual, the mimosa on the way down to the supermarket is the first, welcome sign







A few steps further on, irises were in flower outside the house of some Dutch residents.









The almond trees are just beginning to flower.











With the sunny afternoons, we have been out walking, as have many other people in the village.






The hills were looking very clear and three dimensional









One day, we walked across to friends in the next village, then took their dog, Kaila, our for a walk in the fields








This is the approach to Pailhes, were Kaila lives.












On Saturday, we drove to Pezanas to see an art exhibition which included the paintings of a friend from the village. The location, the Hotel de Lacoste, from the 15th century was very impressive.
















Now we are preparing for Helen and Ernie's visit starting in a couple of days.



- Pat and John on tour