The 'Dreaded-Lurgy'...

Both Pauline and I are 'holed-up' with the the 'Dreaded Lurgy' and are feeling a little sorry for ourselves...though we know this little virus is nothing to what others may be going through. It is the fact that this nuisance is, as the Oxford dictionary puts it,  "any illness that is not very serious but is easy to catch" and we cannot fulfill our social commitments and invitations. 

In an effort to keep myself amused I have been working away on my project www.about-paris.com - have a look, tell me what you think -  plus checking out the origin of this  'Dreaded Lurgy'. *Apparently the term originates from an episode of the "The Goon Show" in which an epidemic of "The Dreaded Lurgi" was said to be about to sweep across Britain. It turned out that the lurgi was in fact a fictitious disease created by brass instrument makers who had claimed that no brass band player had ever died of the lurgi (thereby increasing sales hugely).I suppose you might say we've been 'Spiked'

One reassuring thing is that some Australians have come with a herbal tea to help us through this not so difficult time. If we do need to go out for 'supplies' we can buy these 'T-shirts' to warn fellow shoppers to keep well away.

* from Urban Dictionary

Brrrrr...

Although it was good to be under the winter sun on Sunday I didn't think it was quite warm enough for this...
the Kayak Club  at Descartes getting in some water polo practice.

Bon week-end...

Yesterday's visit to Descartes' market  and gardens under a lovely winter's sun  finished of a very pleasant weekend for us after celebrating the Chinese New Year in some style at Cally's on Friday and our Fete St. Blaise in the village on Saturday...it is good to be back in the swing of things.

Church on Sunday...how could we miss it?

On one of our walks along the river Ayr in the town we came across this church tucked behind the high street - we are ashamed to admit it but we  didn't even know it was there...and had been since 1654!!! 

 It is the town Pauline grew up in, she was born in Edinburgh and moved here when she was 11 but was of a different 'persuation' to that preached in the 'Auld Kirk'. This plus the fact that the town has grown around the church leaving only a long  narrow lane from the high street and a less than salubrious walk along the river to access it may just excuse her lack of knowledge.

This is the church where Robert Burns probably gained his first experience of the 'Kirk' as his father was a church member. This connection offers another excuse for our lack of knowledge of this particular church as it tends to play second fiddle to the 'Auld Kirk' in nearby Alloway made famous by Burns' poems.

NatAyr at its best...

Now we are back in France we can reflect back on some of the things we'll miss about Scotland and the town of Ayr in particular. There is the obvious one of not being able to visit Pauline's mum every day but we will miss the walks along the shore front and local parks and natures sky gallery that would delight us in its variety... 

Red alert...

Chateau de Chenonceau is paying homage to its Chinese visitors by acknowledging the Chinese New Year. The New Year this year falls on 19 February and from the 18^th until the 25^th the chateau is decking itself in the colours of China.

A traditional "Lion Dance" will close the festivities Wednesday, February 25 from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m..

On our way home...

                         

Plane to sea...

Caught this seaplane flying over the Ayrshire coast the other evening.

Castle in the Ayr...

Richard and Francoise were over from Paris and Pat down from Fife for a few days so we took them down to Ayrshire's premier castle, Culzean. We didn't go up in the air for the shot above - snapped the poster as you enter the grounds.

These are mine...

Group 'selfie'

The castle has beautiful grounds and formal gardens.

The snowdrops were out in force but little else...

Few people about to disturb the wildlife...lovely day

Here it is in black and white...

Recent visitors to Ayr asked us if you see horses on the beach,well here is the answer in black and white...

Red sky at night...

Here is the sun we arrived back to in Ayr after a great afternoon with old friends on Saturday ...rushed down to beach only to find my camera out of battery power...very frustrating!!!

Another winters walk...

 We have had some beautiful winter weather over the last couple of days and we were able to get back out walking ,  here is Friday's walk in pictures...