Lesigny quinze août celebration..

It is the Lesigny annual brocante and classic car event today lets keep our fingers crossed for good weather!

Concombre anyone?...

After being away in Scotland for a week we came back to a glut of them!

...and thankfully a nice crop of tomatoes - especially as we hear many crops locally have been 'blighted'.

Missing seeing these...

Church on Sunday...St.Martin Basilica Tours

Well actually a basilica...took yet more photographs of the beautiful Saint Martin's Basilica on a recent visit to Tours.

Really must do a page on my website for this.

Bocante at Loches today...

Donkey ears and the naked traveller...

My trip to Scotland on Wednesday proved quite eventful and stressful...had booked Ryanair flight Poitiers (thanks for lift Norman) to Stansted...no problem other than had to sneak my oversized/overweight bag on-board which included my laptop with duff screen, kept thinking "don't ask me to fire it up" - they didn't. Taking it to try and get it repaired.

When I tried to scan my boarding pass at departures for my onward Easyjet trip to Glasgow it wouldn't 'work'. Had to seek out assistance where I told 'the man' I had a problem " sure do mate,you should be at Gatwick". Senior moment perhaps but I had in fact booked myself on a Gatwick flight!!!! By the time I had decided to go to departures I was too late even to take a very expensive taxi ride to catch it.

The first lady at the Easyjet help desk was not very sympathetic...shame but...the best she could do was 9.40pm to Edinburgh. She asked if I had the credit card the flight was booked on,no I didn't, had used Pauline's over the phone. Could I phone my wife so she could pay using it...don't have a mobile...let me use theirs but Pauline was visiting her mum at the hospital.Could I send her a text on her mobile...sorry don't know her number...it's in my laptop... remember the duff screen!

Used cyber cafe to let Pauline know I had my donkey ears on then back to 'help' desk where eventually convinced them (second lady very pleasant) to let me use my French card. I would however have to come back after my missed flight had taken off so they could rebook me - asked her what time it was now -no watch. I could see her incredulous look - who travels without a phone /tablet/laptop/credit card...not even a ### watch. (thus my reference to naked traveller)

Didn't end there,my hire car would be sitting at Glasgow waiting for me - off to hertz office - said I should contact Glasgow office - gave me the number but remember...no phone etc. Was kind enough to contact for me and allowed me to use their phone.

Long wait for Edinburgh flight - doesn't Easyjet's bag sizer look even smaller than Ryanair's? Managed to get my case through security without my laptop being checked and on board the plane but as I was one of the last to board...don't do the 'long stand' thing at airports - even less necessary now 'low-cost' carriers allocate seats- there was no room over head and I was rumbled - "it is obviously to large" but the cabin crew were so nice they simply tagged it and sent it back down to go in the hold -job done (with smiles). Don't you just hate these kind of travellers?

Arrived at Edinburgh around 10.30pm but then had to wait to get my case from baggage reclaim...long time since had to do that. The car hire offices at the airport are a 5 min (seems longer) walk from the main terminal and  I was greeted by pleasant young lady who (she told me) would be there 'til midnight. "did I have the credit card the car was booked with?...oh oh

Did eventually get the key-less car, another few senior moments of trying to suss it out - why do they assume we'll know? - before setting off. As you leave the compound you have to sign the paperwork to show you have checked the car for damage...in the dark?...said I could check it in the morning and phone in any problems.

Finally arrived in Ayr at 12.30am...quite a day!

I have featured the French cartoon character who goes by the name of Gaston Lagaffe (modified his pic to look more like me) before, here  - he just can't seem to put a foot right! on Wednesday I was that man again.

Loches Marché nocturne tonight...

Benchmarking the delivery performance...

After the appropriate testing period my repaired bench needed delivering up to number 33. My friend and neighbour David said there was no need to use my trailer as it was light enough to deliver by bicycle and to prove the point...

...he did!

Benchmarking...my little project.

All the wood on this bench from 'Le Bourg' had rotted so it gave me another little project.

Fortunately I had enough suitable 'exotic' wood in my wood store of the right dimensions to replace the seating area and then bought and stained softwood for the back...job done...only needs delivered.

Lighting the (one) way...that's what friends are for.

Here in Barrou they have decided that the street lighting should go off at 10.00 pm - in an effort to save money I suppose - that and the fact that the elderly population don't go out clubbing much any-more.

On the night of my birthday bash our neighbours put in a special request for the lights to remain on to allow us save passage home. The above shot shows the street lit only one way as the sign shows, as behind us it was pitch black! I can only assume they canvassed the neighbours to see who was attending and knew it was those and us down this end!

Such a shame...

Another village brocante day dampened by the elements...felt so sorry for stall holders...it did get better

...and better as the day progressed... 

but perhaps too late for some!

A(cro)ppropriate purchase - wanted €50 got them for €12 the pair.

Church on Sunday...St. Martin de Lignieres-de-Touraine

Today's church is the little church of  Saint Martin in the village of Lignières- between Azay-le Rideau and Langeais - not pretty on the outside...

but inside you'll find some 13th century frescoes

Susan and Simon and Niall and Antoinette have done very good blog posts giving great detail re these in past ,suffice to say worth a visit!

Where's Joan?

 More detail on my website here

Barrou brocante Sunday the 3rd

On Sunday we have our annual brocante here in Barrou which is always a good day as it brings all the locals out. If you are coming in the afternoon why not pop into No92 for a refreshment - be good to see you.

Can I also point out that our neighbour John Pierre who has the big house and barn opposite the filling station has a barn full of STUFF he will be delighted to show you.

In the evening you can head over to Angles-sur-l'Anglin for their spectacular fireworks display.

Medieval Festival, Chinon

Tomorrow...sadly we can't make it - I have a changeover to do at Les Balcons and Pauline is in Scotland. Would love copy of pics. if anyone does go.

Chedigny

After 15 years of blues festivals the Southern Touraine village of Chédigny last year decided to change its format and offer  the ‘Festival of the mouth and ears’ this year it is over two days, the 1st and 2nd August, which combines food and street entertainment.

More: www.festivaldechedigny.fr