France, week 3 — Tuesday

Our final Matrix effort (this time, my drunken idea to have the clothes on), before Ben and Katie head off for home.

France, week 3 — Monday

The boys get stuck into building the dry stone wall connecting two terraces with a large flower bed— we'll have somewhere to plant flowering shrubs next year. Thanks for your muscles Ben!

France, week 3 — Sunday

Bubbles for breakfast drunk in honour of Ben's birthday. We looked after the children in the evening so Ben and Katie could grab a birthday dinner. In the evening Bea, decided to slip into something more uncomfortable—a fairy dress of Ili's. The rest of the boys followed suit and jumped into Katie's frocks and all pranced around merrily.

France, week 3 — Saturday

Actually left the comfort of the poolside today, and walked from the house to the village of Le Fel through the sweet chestnut forests. Really beautiful. Children walked well and had walking sticks carved for them on the way. Took us over three hours to get to Le Fel, and on the way we met with a 'neighbour' in the next hamlet who is setting up a conservation area and was very interested to hear about our lizard friend under the terrace (he lives in the same hamlet as Harry the pool cleaner) who he suggested was a Spanish Ocellated lizard, and quite rare in France. We also managed to squeeze in a quick wine tasting in Le Fel before Papa run back in 36 minutes (that bit is important) to collect the car and pick us all up from a cute little park at the pretty hilltop camp site.

France, week 2 — Friday

Not sure who had the idea to do some Matrix stunts into the pool (Papa?), but we had some superb fun doing it.

France, week 2 — Thursday

Pool activities got crazier by the day. The kids stayed up late with us tonight to watch out for shooting stars (in the picture they were painting their shooting star box). The first week we'd seen them aplenty, and in one night I remember seeing six. But of course, after all the swimming, the children were all knackered and crashed out one by one on the outdoor sofa.

France, week 2 — Wednesday

The boozing regime that started with Mum and Dad continued, and we quenched our thirst on a regular basis with Ben and Katie. From what I recall, Ben discovered just how fast you could roll down the steep bank one evening—and all we heard was the drunken thud at the bottom. All very amusing. The children got on well, and in particular Bea and Finn made good companions. Over the week they rescued drowning insects and huddled over injured crickets, and tatty butterflies that they netted off the pool.

France, week 2 — Tuesday

Mum and Dad left in the morning to travel back home. Ben and Katie arrived in the evening the same day. All the work in the garden is paying off, and some great sunny views have been opened up. Bea has a swallowtail butterfly here, which we saw pretty much every day coming to drink around the pool, or settling on the lavendar.

France, week 2 — Monday

Chris and Gawack working up a sweat for a beer.

France, week 2 — Sunday

Ili exploring the garden at dusk, and Gawack getting the BBQ going.

France, week 2 — Saturday

Before Freya arrives, Bea discovers that what will eventually become her bed, floats and is great fun to jump on.

France, week 1 — Friday

Plenty of time for piggybacks.

France, week 1 — Wednesday

Ili taking her first dip early evening, which turned out to be her favourite time for swimming. Bea chills out, taking it all in his stride. Chris and I managed to grab an evening stroll and a liquid picnic (apparently I came back a tad tipsy). 

France, week 1 — Tuesday

After only a couple of days, Bea is already swimming without his mask, which he never usually swims without—his first swimming achievement in the pool. Ili gets used to the water gently. The bottom picture is Bea with one of his many lizard friends. He found a wriggling lizard's tail one day without the rest of the body and was of course fascinated.

France, week 2 - Monday

Papa got started clearing the trees around the pool. Who said it would be a holiday . . . ?  Bea got to work painting the terrace.