The Last Day

The View From My Kitchen Sink


They are still in their beds...I'm having a peaceful cuppa alone, in a mostly empty house.
The guy who came to buy sonny's old bike woke me. He wanted to come by at 6.30 AM to see it. I said I really don't do mornings..so I'll leave it in the front garden and if you want it, take it and leave the money in the post-box.

He must've pulled up in a truck...the thing was growling and lots of big door sliding going on. I went out and collected my €20 from the post box as promised :)

It's difficult to believe the amount of stuff we got into my car yesterday...every nook and cranny is stuffed with something. I should've taken a photo. It'll be just me and hound in that car. I just love that car...its so versatile for an active family (is that us?) it's as ugly as all hell, but a real work-horse.

Of course hubby and I had a row about how to pack. In my defence I say loud and proud...I.am.a.great.packer. I like to travel light light light. Hubby is a squirrel and wants to keep everything...even the bulky packaging on things. His catch-phrase being..."that won't take up much room..."

But he did it, got everything but the kitchen sink in!

Bump in the Night.

A rainy night in Paradise, well Gran Paradiso National Park, to be precise. Getting in training for home I guess. Camping in the rain. Wasn't heavy enough to test the tent for irish conditions though. We remain confident camping will be possible...with the addition of wellies and rain-gear!

But we had our dinner in the tent, 5 adults...with 3 kids asleep in the same tent.
A bbq is challenging in the the rain...The Jones's camping gaz stove was definitely more impressive,effective and nourishing in these conditions. So anyone looking for up-coming birthday ideas for hubby! No pressure.

The first night the dog kept waking us, growling and worrying about something. I was not very appreciative of her protective instincts. Anyhoo the second night as I brushed my teeth in the rain and spat into the ditch in the dark...a fox came walking through the tents, calm as you like, and got to about 10ft of me before my dog spotted this trespasser from the previous night, and lept after it. The fox heeled around and fled crashing into a near-by tent and escaping into the forest. The occupants of the tent, didn't get out to investigate the low-level crash. So the next day as hardy climbing types emerged from it I explained what went bump in the night.

EDITED TO ADD:
The potty was fantastic...bring one, bring one...even if you only pretend its for the kids :)

Lovely Neighbour Gravely Ill

Our neighbours and grandparents to one of princess's classmates invited us for aperos this evening chez-eux to say adieu.

We sort of rushed home from our trip to Italy to be here on time and found a note stuck to the door, from her daughter, that A had a major problem in her brain and was in hospital and it was very serious, that it was difficult to explain in english.

Its so sad, I hope she will be alright, although it sounds very ominous. Hubby was talking to A's hubby (who was very emotional) and it seems she is in a coma and gravely ill, following a ruptured aneurysm. (discussion in french so hubby not confident he got it straight) She is a fit and wiry lady, although looks older than her 60 years, probably due to the typical local mixture of sun, cigarettes and black coffee.

She is a fluent english and german speaker and told me at our party that my french had improved hugely. They have been married for 32 years which is a major achievement in these parts. She loves kids, and really enjoyed all the little kiddies at our party. We often met them dropping and picking up their grandkids at the school gates.

Dunno what to do to help out her hubby. If things were less chaotic here, I could do dinners for the freezer. But that could push me over the edge right now. Any ideas welcomed. Please say a little prayer that she will pull through.

Sunday Morning
I just stopped her husband, to ask how she is and he said she died yesterday.
Poor man was emotional. I didn't know what to say...especially in french.
Hard to believe we were sitting together on Tuesday and on Saturday she's gone.

Wrapping Up

Well with all our cleaning and organising the house looks worse and worse.
It's like a body that's been disemboweled....everything's on the surface.

Hubby bought a 450litre roof box yesterday to help.
Then in a fit of anti-help he removed 60% from the stack of DVDs I laid out to give away....grrr.
Nobody has called to buy our stuff.

Less than a week left and we are getting really booked up.
I promised my neighbour (the one who minded my kids while we climbed GS) I'd babysit for her this week, but she hasn't given me a day...so we have been invited for aperos (drinks) two evenings with french neighbours. We are supposed to be going to Italy camping for 2 nights...now. But princess has the trots...since yesterday.
Camping and 3yo diarrhoea are not a good combo. I need to get my grey roots disappeared before I go. Costs me €70 here and €170 at home...so gotta make time for that...so my friend and hairdresser is coming at the same time as the rental agency are doing the "etat de lieux" (literally:the state of the place)

Our going away party went great.
We had a buffet...which apparently means "stuff your face" in french :)
Suitably elegant non? We had 50;50 french/english speakers.

Gotta go kids have made a mess with paint and hubby is having a seizure...Over And Out.

The Dog is Gone!!

Ended up a bit of a tug-of-love over the abandoned disabled pup, between two neighbours. So next-door came and collected her today...Yipee!

My stress levels remain high, as we have our going away party in one hour.
About 30 guests maybe...
Usual concerns about amount of food.

I'm tired and sweaty and my feet stink.
I've nothing to wear.....better have a shower anyway...........
Whose idea was this anyway...some days I wish I was an introvert.

Col de l'Iseran

I should really let hubby write this but ....he won't.
He cycled from our house to the Col D'Iseran today.
It's the highest road in France (2700 m)45km from our door and a really really really hard cycle. He had a crash in a dark tunnel, got blared at by a passing motorbike as he pulled himself together and shouted at by another passing motorist.(hope his mom doesn't read this bit) He's all bruised and scratched and got back on the bike and continued on another 25km.

One of his goals for this year was to be able to cycle as far as Val D'Isere and he's managed to go 17km beyond to one of the biggest Cols on the Tour de France.(Click on the title to get a description of the Col from other cyclists)

I am officially impressed.

Cleaning, Crapping, Cracking Up.

We are a little stressé chez-nous at the moment.
With packing and culling and being sad to leave.
And having a puppy pooing and peeing around the house as we try to clean, clean, clean. My animal welfare urges are driving hubby gaga.

So hubby and sonny headed off to the local golf club (aka ski slope in winter) to hit a bucket of balls (€2.50) using sonny's nifty golf set which we bought in a car boot sale (vide grenier = empty attic in french)for €5.

I got to wash a few walls (penance for animal welfare urges) and then went to the local pool with princess and her friend.
€4 euro in for access to one outdoor 50m pool, with top drawer diving boards, one indoor 25m pool with retractable roof, one indoor kiddy pool and one outdoor kiddy pool, extensive lawns and sun-loungers and trees for shade.

This in a town smaller than Tralee (pop 7000)

"When I was in France.........."

Star Gazing

Well puppy now has a name! I know, I know...
Sonny named her(Star), I had zero control.
I put posters all over the town (in dodgy french). With dodgy photos. Taking a decent photo of a pup is a struggle. Got lots of shots of butt, one paw, an ear.

I went to both local gendarmerie (police). They acted like I was carrying swine-flu, rather than a puppy. I went to both local vets, who gave me names of local farmers...who denied any knowledge of this dog on disability. Vet said she is a Berger de Savoie, but she looks very like an Australian shepherd.

So, Night #3 with doggie. Hubby intent on the pound tomorrow :( I might agree if she wakes me early again. On the upside she gets loads of oohs and ahhhs around town...3 people have expressed a vague interest in taking her...I wish I was a good sales person and could close the deal. She is also extremely trainable. After a shit-fest the first night...we were totally dry the second and she walked off lead and to heel for 2 miles tonight.

I tell ya, if there weren't passport issues, I'd LOVE to keep her.

Doggy Karma

Well doggie karma has bitten me in the bum.
This cute little puppy found us this evening.
He appears to be blind in the right eye, have a deformed left leg and and weak left ear. Lucky us !
He seems to be an australian shepherd of sorts.

We are going home in 2 weeks so NO WAY can we keep him. Would cost 6 months of quarantine and the divorce expenses.

But poor mite has obviously been abandoned because he is "handicapé" as the french say.

Just another thing to add to my TO-DO list...

I posted his details on the anglo-french forum...they are suckers for a sob story....hopefully!

Landlady Checks out the House!!!!!

Well while stranded alone and sandwich-less (in hubby's ruck-sack) near the summit of Grande Sassiere. I got a text from our landlady that she wanted to swing-by to check out what needed repairing in the house, for the new tenants.

A silent scream crossed the Alps.
The dog is scared of thunder and being left alone and self-medicates with bits of the door frames.

So we spent today cleaning and tidying and washing and hubby, who is fantastic with a chisel and a tea-bag (he reckons he's been getting bad press on this blog lately...so expect some hyperbole for a time) So my handsome hubby with the help of sonny straightens out the damaged door frames and dyes them with tea-bags (my idea)

So the landlady arrives, makes a list of some trivial items and as she is ready to depart, satisifed that all is well...5yo sonny asks "Did you see the scratchs??"

Thank God she doesn't speak english!

The Photos Of Our Climb

Click HERE to see the photos of our climb.
Shame I can't embed them, but it just.wont.work.for.me.
I've "wasted" at least an hour on it already.

Grande Sassiere 3750m

 

So five of us are climbing/hiking this tomorrow.
Nearly 4 times higher than Carrantuohill.(The highest mountain in Ireland)
So, to put manners on it we are driving up to 2250m.
From there apparently no choice but to walk.
Have these people not heard of cable cars?

Over 2400m can induce altitude sickness.
Apparently if you are fat and slow,you acclimatise better.
Every cloud.... huh?

Hopefully I'll have the energy to edit this post tomorrow evening.
Estimate 7 hours up and down.
I am a bit nervous.

Wednesday Evening
Well I almost made it. I'm a bit bummed with myself, but I was scared.
Got to 3400 m out of the full 3750m
I stopped 50% due to tired legs and 50% due to fear of falling with tired legs on the descent.
I described it as like climbing a giant chocolate flake.
The rocks were loose and slate-like.The drops sheer.
Hubby got to the top with our two friends. The fifth memeber dropped out fairly early in the climb.
I'll post photos tomorrow. I'm wrecked tonight!

Bike's Here!!

We had to wait in all day for hubby's new "proper" road bike to arrive.
He ordered it on the internet from Germany.
He is currently assembling it excitedly...so much so, he isn't even giving out to me for lazing about on the internet.

How we are going to fit our 5 bikes on the car-bike rack I really don't know. Obviously we should sell one of the "crap" bikes but apparently hubby needs it for commuting...something you would never do on a proper bike ;)

Picture my poor yak of a car with 5 bikes on the back, a roof box and the whole rear FULL of our "precious" crappola, dog in the passenger seat, me driving, no radio.
Hubby and kids will be in the "proper" car with me trying to keep up.

Gotta go and make up adverts in french for some of the crappola that I've been cleared to sell:

4 winter tyres
A set of 2 french headlights.
BBQ
Ikea's cheapest double bed.
A single mattress
Ikea's cheapest armchair...although hubby wants to bring that home!

The packing to leave was so much easier as I did it alone.
now I have a hoarder "helping" me. Arghhh!

List For Camping with Kids on a Dry Campsite

The Potty is in the shrine so we don't forget it the next time!
Of course this is camping with a car in good weather on a serviced campsite.
The wild camping or hiking/camping list would need to be adjusted significantly.

I divide my list into
SLEEPING
EATING
WASHING
DOG
FUN

SLEEPING

Tent
2 double inflatable mattresses
Pump for above
2 Sleeping bags for kids
Sheets and duvet for me and hubby (slp bag too hot here with 100kg of hubby heater )
Pillows (use the small decorative pillows for the kids)
Kids teddies
Warm PJs or tracksuits
Lamp (have wind up one from Lidl)
Torches (have wind up ones from decathlon)
Duct tape in case of leaks in mattresses etc
Potty..usefull if kids or adult need peepee in middle of the night and toilets are far away or its wet.

EATING
Sharp knife
Plastic spoons (use old medicine spoons)
At least one plastic bowl
Fly swat or some bug repellent citronella.
Ikea plastic cups & plates..good for hot drinks too.
Camping table ( we use the kid's ikea table...have I mentioned ikea)
Camping chairs (borrow these for your initial trips)
Portable bbq &/or gas stove (stove better in cold when u need hot drinks)
Charcoal
bbq lighters
matches
bbq tongs
tin foil
chopping board
Water ( I have a camelbak that holds 2L acts like a tap)
Bread
Jam
Juice
Cheese
Yogurts
Home made burgers
Frozen Salmon fillets
Salad stuff
Milk
Cereal (eat out of cups)
Alcohol

WASHING
Matt for outside tent to faciliate donning/doffing shoes
Dust pan and brush (very very useful)
tea towel
Sponge scrubber thingy for dishes.
Paper towels
Rubber gloves (for my eczema..otherwise no.can.do.wash-up)
Towels
Clothes line and pegs
Shampoo, conditioner soap
Washing up liquid
Face cloths or wipes
Lots of little bin bags
toilet roll (lots of sites don't provide!Store some in ur pocket..ur sure to forget!)
Washing basin

DOG
Tie & Cable
Bed
Bowls
Food
Passport (we cross borders with her)

FUN
Sunscreen (prob not in Ireland :(
Bikes (we have bike rack on car and seat for 3yo)
Ball
Swim gear
cards or board games.

We store most of the stuff in 2 large plastic boxes which we keep in the tent. All of it fits in the back of our zafira

I'll leave the Kelly's to add the wet weather gear to the list.

Carry On Camping

Just back from two days camping in Val Ferret in Italy.
Only over an hours drive on "wibbily" roads, as sonny calls them.
Grande Jorasses campsite is nestled under the monumental rock towers of the Mont Blanc massif. €53 euros for 2 nights self catering! 50c for a shower token....or nothing for a wet wipe and an extra spray of deodorant.

It's at about 1500m (circa 4500ft) altitude so it was a little cold at night. Especially for sonny boy who kept wriggling out of his sleeping bag...eventually I "double bagged" him in tops and fleeces, track-suit bottoms and socks.

We all slept pretty well and ate well too. Homemade burgers the first night and omelettes the second. Local red wine and chocolate for dessert...yum.

I don't know how we are going to get camping in Ireland, apparently they've had the wettest July since the 1880s.

The only thing I regretted NOT bringing was a potty for princess as she kept insisting on multiple trips to the distant toilet block...just for the heck of it.

Cars aren't allowed up the far end of the valley so we waited for the bus. The driver stopped me and the dog getting on indicated she had to be muzzled. I insisted the rest continue on the bus (never one to miss a rare oppourtunity for alone time hehehe) The parkie indicated it was 3.5km to the "place" so doggie and I started walking. Then probably unwisely, since I didn't have a sports bra..started to run. Because I was unsuitably attired for running, I did it only when there were no witnesses. So I got up in 30 mins (it was 5 kms) and got applause from some of the bus passengers who saw me thrown off! I wrapped a scarf around doggie's dangerous bits on the way down and got a more lenient bus driver...so my boobs were relieved I didn't have to run down too.

There were lots of climbers at the campsite and when I googled it this evening I discovered that one of them died climbing Grandes Jorasses yesterday.
It is a massive rock tower and apparently 3 of them were climbing freestyle (no ropes) and one feel to his death. Very sad.

Tour De France

Do you really want to know about the recent comings and goings of the Tour De France?
Great guys, warriors even, drugs or not, that is some crazy achievement.
We cheered them on and got a wave from Nicolas Roche, which made our homemade irish flags worthwhile.
The whole thing might have gone a bit to hubby's head, seeing all these heros cycling the routes he does for fun. He just bought himself what he calls a proper bike! There have been divorces here over hubbies buying "proper" bikes instead of getting a proper car or getting the house done up. It's okay though, I approve! We're going home in a few weeks and he's keen to get the bike in time to try some of the cols on it and see if he can improve his times.

The guy on the far right of the photo in the black socks is Lance Armstrong...read his biography so he's the only one I know anything about.