That looks lovely, Stella! You are lucky with your neighbour!
Ahemā¦ I should perhaps mention that her lovely husband once āborrowedā a bottle of brandy ā¦ āshe just needs a cupful for le puddingā ā¦ but we never got the bottle back.
Bless him (RIP), I reckon he kept the rest for sipping privately, in his shack at the bottom of his gardenā¦ where he would also, secretly, smoke the forbidden cigarettesā¦ 
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That looks very like the bread nd butter pudding that I make with the Panattone.
Just back after a couple of weeks in the UK, and what a joy to be back, despite it being absolutely baking. So lovely to have all the space to roam around in again and not feeling like Iām in Shoppingville/Eatingville 
Reinforces yet again the decision to move 
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We went out to do some shopping. A Degustation at our fvourite vigneron, Domaine Michel at Quintaine in the Maconnais.
Then on to the Relais DāOzenay to celebrate my 75th birthday.
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Happy birthday Jane! Xxx
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I waited for the afternoon when the sun had passed behind the trees, and then set about chopping down a dead tree that was threatening 2 fences and also my swimming pond. The problem was that it couldnāt fall outside the fence because the trees in the forest were propping it up.
It felled vertically, its severed base resting on the edge of the pond, I pushed it away from the pond and towards one of the fences. it fell exactly right, I chopped it small enough to lift it over the fence, straightened the fence and collapsed gratefully into the pond, which is what I went up there for because I had forgotten all about the tree. 
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Happy birthday Jane! Many happy returns of the day 
Well done Jane.
Happy birthday Jane! Hope you had a lovely time! 
Thank you.
I know the years are knocking on as I canāt take the heat as I used to.
Also our family from Munich are here and they got the news that the house they are buying has completed.
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Yet another dog in transit from the south of Spain. Choco is a Braque who looks so much like a Marron Dobermann that the asso has decide to re-home him.
The 3 of us are supposed to be meeting a transporteur professionel (yes I know, I have refused in the past, they are so unreliable and sometimes criminal but this dog is already on the way and the new owners canāt go) at Cestas service area south of Bordeaux at 7.30 this evening. He will come home with us for the night and I will deliver him alone tomorrow morning not far from here.
The reason the owners canāt go is that their son needs meeting at Limoges airport. I did offer as an alternative to meet the son instead (having just done that with my own and know the ropes) but, while they trust me with their dog, it seems not with their son.
Sorry a less cheerful edit, but relevant, the autoroute past Cestas is closed due to fires and I expected it as I can smell them from here again. So am in limbo due to not knowing which way they are going to avoid it. I canāt even work it out for myself because I donāt know their planned onward route. So does anyone in the area know if the A64, A65 & A 62 are open?
Todayās cheerful news: we had an early morning appointment for a contre-visite at the CT centreā¦ and our car sailed through without a hiccupā¦ hurrah.
Beaming smile from the technician as he changed the stickers on the CG and the screen.
Weād never had a āfailureā before, so this was a new experience.
(which I donāt want repeatedā¦ much too nerve-wracking)
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I hardly dare mention it but, finally, I will be picking up Choco this evening, not at Cestas but halfway between because a Bordeaux member is doing the first bit. The poor dog has been all around Belgium and Germany in 24 hours, not to mention the full south to north of Spain beforehand.
It all could have been avoided if I had been given a contact phone number for the van. I did ask for it twice.
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I hope all went well David?
Last night around midnight I went out to close the garden gate and felt something wonderful. There was a very light downpour, could barely feel it, but did feel it ā it was almost like powdered rain ā it was raining ā and it felt cold on my skin! And it grew heavier and heavier over the next 30 minutes or so into a steady downpour. Then to be followed by lightning flash after flash, and then thunder, and heavier rain. About bloody time!
My bedroom was lit up ā flickering like a movie theatre - and then I fell asleep to the music of thunder.
Cool grey sky this morning. Wonderful!
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And todayās cheerful news isā¦ due to the drop in temperatureā¦ I am prepared to cook !! and we shall be enjoying a piping-hot Sunday Lunchā¦ hurrahā¦ no salad today
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Same here, lovely soaking rain all night and still now - I was afraid we would have terrible destructive washing-away rain but no, thank goodness.
I love thunder and lightning, it was proper son et lumiĆØre last night!
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Iām very pleased that you are all getting some relief from that scorching intensity and I am trying VERY hard not to be too enviousā¦ 
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