My daughter and nephew (who we have brought along with us) accompanied my wife and me on their bikes as we did a 6 mile run. We passed through a lovely village and some beautiful countryside.
Monthly Archives: August 2012
Camping view
We are staying for a couple of nights at a campsite by a lake near Dijon. Had a good drive down today, although got held up around Paris. This is the view from our pitch which overlooks the lake.
Franceward bound
So, last night we realised my daughter’s passport had expired a month ago, and we sail for France tomorrow. A frantic day ensued with a trip to Newport passport office where they kindly saw us without appointment and 4 hours later we had a new passport and were on the road.
This is the view from Dover where we are staying overnight to get an early ferry tomorrow.
Holiday read
The book for my hols arrived just in time – Steven Pinker’s [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Better_Angels_of_Our_Nature]The Better Angels of our Nature[/url]. It’s about 800 pages, and he argues that there is a downward trend in violence over the course of history from all perspectives (national, household, criminal). We feel as though our time is more violent, but comparatively, it isn’t. He sets out to explore the factors which have combined to produce this trend.
I thought it might be a reasonably cheery read, to think that actually we live in a good time in history, despite the current gloom.
And it’s long, so could keep me going, but I have some kindle books too as back up.
Pendleton post
Had a family meal near my parents’ place last night. British cyclist [url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victoria_Pendleton]Victoria Pendleton[/url] is from the village (Stotfold). The post office are painting a post box gold in the home town of every gold medal winner, so after the curry we tracked down this one. Photo taken by my brother as he had a flash on his phone.
Freaky eye
I had an appointment at the hospital today to test for glaucoma. This involved putting drops in my eyes which made the pupils dilate to this freakish state. Being out in the sunshine was painful. Tests inconclusive by the way, going back for more.
Gemau Olympaidd
A road sign warning that olympic games going on in Cardiff until the 10th. In Welsh. I don’t suppose we’ll ever see this again.
Surrender
Max, my sister-in-law’s dog, shows the stuffed cow who is boss
Just like Monet
some water lillies on the old Glamorgan canal
Pamplemousse
The French word for grapefruit is much nicer isn’t it? I have taken to having a [s]grapefruit[/s] pamplemousse for breakfast. I know it is occasionally used as an ingredient in salads and some starters, but the grapefruit is rarely eaten as a fruit except at breakfast. Is that just in the UK? Do other nations enjoy pamplemoussian delights any time of the day?
