well, here I am again, talk about old dogs and new tricks.....and quite enjoying writing here, next thing I know, I shall be posting a picture in this blog...but there again, probably getting ahead of myself...I can post p[ictures in the ordinary KC section, but posting something here seems to be a bit complicated..it may only take me about another year to work out how to do it..did I mention, that when computer skills were handed out, I must have been in the next street with my friend, having tea....
so, let me tell you about our day in France yesterday, you have heard about the slight love/hate realtionship we have with our cousins across the channel in France, as in they think we are quite barbaric at times,and our women have big thighs and are not very 'chic', but they like to come over for holidays and buying things, and we think they do not take enough showers and smell of garlic (perish the thought!) and that their women have big bums...and yes, we love going there for holidays...and then we also love popping over for a day (they call them booze cruises usually) and stock up on wine, beers, champagne, all sorts of goodies that are so nice and cheap, and then we love having one of their slap-up dinners, and then we hop back onto the ferries, and go back home...our cars loaded down with treasures, and our wallets the lighter, but of course...we have saved sooo much!LOL..most of the towns near the channel would be lost without our visitors, and are totally geared for the invasion, with massive hypermarkets and warehouses, something for everyone! So, it being Jeff's birthday yesterday, and me having taken him over for the day as a surprise last year, he decided he wanted to go again...he found one of the many offers for a cheap crossing, plus a box of quite good wine thrown in, so that made it 6 good bottles of red, and the offer crossing, worked out at about £2 in actual money, so who could have refused to go? So, early morning saw us on our way to Dover...I have such a feeling of love for Dover, we used to live there for about 4 years when two of my boys were tiny....and I used to love it there, our bungalow was high in the hills, with a splendid view of the castle and a very old cemetary....Dover is only small, so you had to make your own entertainment with your friends...the winds in the winter used to be perishing and cut through you, but the lovely pebbly beaches...lots of our friends worked on the ferries or the hovercrafts,and used to bring me cheese and other goodies,and lots of freebie rides over in the ferries! This time it was all a bit different, the best laid plans of men and mice..well, there had been a strike by Seafrance of about 8 days now, meaning a part of the motorway was used to stack the lorries and various things, so we had to go out of our way a bit,but never mind.The French will strike at the drop of a hat, and blow the consequences, we used to be even worse in the eighties, but not so bad now.We took country roads, which was even nicer, and when we got to Dover, all the timetables had gone haywire, so we had coffee and waited our turn...the crossing itself was lovely, the brightest skies(for once I agreed to go above on one of the top decks),and we had a voucher for a free cooked breakfast if we wanted it, but could not be bothered, cappucino and shortbread it had to be.(this is where I shall try to insert a pic, if not, just ignore my attempt and talk amongst yourself)oh, he also bought me a new watch, I am not a watch person, and have quite a few already that I do not wear, but there was a new swatch with such a flat face, and a pinkish modern band, and very light, I weakened...
so, we got there a bit later than planned plus the hour of french time to add...we had intended to go to Boulogne or Dunkirk and eat there, but now not too much time left, so we stayed in Calais...Calais is quite interesting, in a rough and ready way, a most gorgeous Opera House, and the town hall is beautiful, the gardens are always lovingly tended,and there are huge hypermarket all over the town and outside....we ended up in the cite de Europe, which is a huge mall type of thing, but had everything we wanted....lunch, Jeff had a huge dish of moules (mussels)cooked in white wine sauce(they come in a metal huge pan, and you work your way through them, I cannot be bothered with it), we shared a starter which was so-so, I had spaghetti carbonara, lovely bread and some red...nice espresso with a tiny choccie....in about 4 weeks we are off again to France with friends, and will go to Dunkirk I think, one of my favorites is steak tartare, Jeff will not touch it, it is finest leanest steak minced,and raw, and it comes with a fresh eggyolk raw, and onion, capers,bread and all sorts of herbs you then mix it all up and have it with fresh bread and salad, delicious, Jeff hates to see me eat it, but it is very tasty....really it is!(perhaps I used to be a vampire in another life?)
then onto the shops...Jeff stocked up on beer for us and friends and sons, and some wine, and some pink champagne (my favourite),some spices, some sauce mixes ....honey and mustard, a huge bag of french bread (some for now, some to freeze)a huge carton of croissants already eaten by all...cheese, and some fish in sauce...not much this time, could not see any shoes I fancied, did fancy some things for the garden, but my favourite was a huge barrel (I mean huge)made from smooth wood....but so expensive and too big for the back of the car,and a stone lion too heavy, Jeff put his foot down.so...nothing for the garden, or rien pour mon jardin!!!!a quick walk in the usn, and back to the docks, in time for a ferry, which was packed. A save journey home, I fell asleep for a bit, and then the hour or so drive home....a nice birthday outing...