Wednesday, 22 August 2012

The grandchildren are here.... :-)

2 of our Grandchildren are staying with us, Morgan & Bobbi, we had them last Summer for 5 weeks and had a great time, that much so they wanted to do it again this year..so here are a few photos of their adventure so far....

We have been out for lovely meals, been swimming in the River Charente, Canoeing, and been playing with their cousins Max & Rosie. Morgan & Max camped in the garden all night along with Morgan's grandad. Morgan & Bobbi cut the grass with grandad on the sit on mower, a big help for grandad. One evening we went to a funfair, which the children thoroughly enjoyed , especially the Dodgem's, and the inflatable slide.They played cricket in the garden in temperatures of 40 deg, far too hot, but didn't seem to bother them. Bobbi & Rosie helped me to bake some cakes, they actually tasted quite nice, so will get them doing baking again. Lots of fun playing on the Hay stacks and jumping from one to another.......Morgan & Bobbi are going to finish painting the wheelbarrow today (Max & Rosie gone home) so we can then go and buy some plants to put in it and put it in the orchard...what this space,..so much to tell.


Bobbi (blue dress)& Rosie

Morgan & Bobbi Canoeing with Nannie & Grandad

Morgan cutting the grass

Bobbi cutting the grass

Morgan & Max at Cafe Portebleue in Verteuil.

Bobbi..

Bobbi with the Chateau at Verteuil in the background

Bobbi & Rosie..

Morgan & Max luxury camping

Morgan, Bobbi, Max and Rosie at Poitier

All having fun at Poitier

All painting the wheelbarrow for the garden.

All on the inflatable slide

Morgan & Bobbi on the Dodgem's

All in the Orchard as it was very hot

Morgan and his Grandad, Max and his Grandad playing Cricket

Morgan & Max on our walk

Morgan having lunch at The Argentor in Nanteuil

Bobbi having lunch at The Argentor in Nanteuil

Lippy time

Morgan & Bobbi

Morgan , Bobbi and Max on the haystacks

All 3 with Maisie

Bobbi & Rosie helping me bake

Picnic by the River Charente

All swimming in the River along with a beautiful Swan

Morgan diving off Grandad's shoulders

Bobbi

Morgan, Bobbi and Grandad Canoeing



Tuesday, 21 August 2012

A catch up on my blog....


I haven't been on my blog for a while as it is in the process of being updated...a working progress..

I have been very busy as I have had visitors, my son and daughter in law with our 2 grandchildren Morgan & Bobbi. For the last 10 days I have had my sister & husband staying with their 2 grandchildren Max & Rosie, they went home today.

Morgan & Bobbi are staying with us until 3rd September, they have their Summer holidays with us, which is always an adventure. We have had a Mini Olympics, swimming competitions,Diving competitions, hunt the Ribbon.

Morgan found his Ribbon


Bobbi found her Ribbon



Max found his Ribbon


Rosie the Winner
   

Morgan,Bobbi,Max and Rosie




Bobbi & Rosie
Morgan & Max





A quick dip in the pool as we are having a heatwave..















Sunday, 29 July 2012

Cafe Portebleue in Verteuil

                               Another superb meal last night at Cafe Portebleue in Verteuil. 



                        The food was excellent, with fresh produce and cooked to perfection, 

Chicken on skewers with a Riata Dip

Scallops on Blackpudding

                              The staff are very friendly, helpful and can't satisfy you enough. 


Porc stuffed with Mozzarella and spinach, and the creamiest potatoes ever..

             Duck Breast with a Pineau Sauce.

Cheese

Cafe Gourmand

The ambience of the restaurant is very relaxing and it was lovely to hear the buzz of people enjoying their meals.


                                                I do highly recommend this restaurant.





The village of Verteuil sur Charente, which would be beautiful in any location thanks to its stunning Chateau and picturesque old houses, is made even more delightful by its setting on the banks of the River Charente, from which the village and the department take their names. Verteuil sur Charente is also set amidst the typical Charantaise countryside of sunflowers and corn, and is within reach of all of the most popular attractions of this region.









Friday, 27 July 2012

Our stay in Lincoln

While we were over in the UK visiting family we stayed with them in Lincoln. Lincoln is a beautiful Cathedral & University City, along with an amazing Castle.


Lincoln is built at the point where there is a gap in the Lincoln Cliff (a limestone escarpment running north-south and rising to 200 feet (60 m) in height, also sometimes called the 'Lincoln(shire) Edge' or 'Lincoln Heath').  Lincoln is thus divided informally into two zones, known locally as uphill and downhill.

The uphill area comprises the northern part of the city, on top of the Lincoln Cliff . This area includes the historical quarter, including the Cathedral.





 Lincoln Castle and the Medieval Bishop's Palace, known locally as the Bail (although described in tourist promotional literature as 'the Cathedral Quarter'). It also includes residential suburbs to the north and northeast. The downhill area comprises the city centre and the suburbs to the south and south-west. The aptly named street Steep Hill connects the two (although it is too steep for vehicular traffic, which must take a more circuitous route).






This divide marks out Lincoln from other historic cities in England and elsewhere in Europe. Whereas in most such cities, the chief historical buildings (cathedrals and castles) tend to be centrally located and intermingled with the present-day city centre, in Lincoln they are separate.

The divide was also once an important class distinction, with 'uphill' more affluent and 'downhill' less so. This distinction dates from the time of the Norman Conquest, when the religious and military elite occupied the hilltop. 





We saw this horse drawn carriage that takes you from uphill to downhill.