Bastille and all that

Back to reality indeed, the last few days have flown by in a whirl of arrivals and departures, dinners and canapés, cleaning and laundry.

Amy left on Sunday afternoon so that she would be back in time to get up to Lancaster University for her graduation ceremony which took place on Wednesday. Christian left on Tuesday because that was the cheapest flight and Debrah yesterday after the Bastille Day fireworks because she had to go back to the office in London and various guests came and went each day.

All of which meant that Debrah and I had no time just to ourselves over the ten days that she was here and we won't see each other again until 1st August when I next go back to London - no matter that it was all unavoidable, it was still slightly frustrating.

At least this year we got to see two firework displays. On Monday evening we went to Lagrasse for a little soiree with Michael and Nicole and a large part of the village all crammed onto their lovely roof terrace overlooking the old bridge over the River Orbeiu. Lagrasse hosts it's Bastille Day fireworks on the Monday night so as not to clash with the Carcassonne spectacular the following evening - and the terrace has a prime view because it is literally just 20m away from the bridge from which the fireworks are launched.

The 'pompiers' were in attendance to ensure that the surrounding countryside didn't catch fire but that was just a token attempt at health and safety. Our entire terrace of people was showered with the falling sparks as we were immediately under the exploding fireworks - excellent stuff but a bit too close and loud for some of the children who burst into tears at the sound of the first cannonade of explosions.

On Tuesday night we did the whole thing again from the relative safety of Patrick's terrace after hosting a wine tasting and a supper at 42rvh first. It was a fabulous display again and all those watching for the first time were totally blown away by it, although one or two churlish old timers were complaining about it 'not being as good as last year'. It's a fantastic 30 minute barrage of colour and light and sound - why do people have to find fault with something wonderful like a firework display?

Debrah did a sterling evening's work with guests. She provided the tapas with the wine tasting followed by a paella and the fig tarts that completed the pre-firework supper. At Patricks she rescued one guest who had been cornered by Bob, spoke to the other guests at length, was told she was "looking particularly magnificent tonight" by one of Patrick's Irish mates and was then berated by a French woman, who implied she was a bad wife for leaving me here alone! - said woman then proceeded to flirt outrageously with me and pretty much everyone else - thus confirming Debrah's views about their morals. She did well to contain herself or there would have been more fireworks than originally planned for the evening.

It's telling that their assumption is that I am the one being neglected - not that Debrah is being neglected by me here trying to maximise the summer season income before I go back to London to look after my wonderful wife. It won't stop her worrying but she doesn't need to worry at all.

Finally, today I am being hampered by my latest non-serious but slightly annoying injury. At the end of last week I went over on my ankle and then I did it again on Tuesday night. It's the same ankle that I badly strained whilst playing football way back when at University and every few years or so I seem to replicate it by being a bit clumsy. The result is a bit of pain and fair bit of swelling - an ice pack and foot up is the proscribed remedy but fat chance of that with breakfasts, shopping, dinners, cleaning and ironing to do - so I shall probably ignore it for now in true bloke fashion.

Besides, I would really like to go out cycling tomorrow.