Back in the groove

I am now well and truly back into the swing of things here in Carcassonne - guests in and out, ironing, cleaning, dinners, cycling and missing Debrah very much.

I had new guests on Sunday who left this morning. They were on a golfing holiday which is an unusual one because golf courses are few and far between in these parts - but they played the local course yesterday and said it was very good. Each to their own - they spent €50 each on green fees whereas I would spend the same on a fabulous lunch.

My other guests arrived yesterday with their 3 month old baby making his arrival known to everyone in the vicinity. I cooked dinner for them tonight - an enjoyable evening talking about London stuff and Languedoc stuff but they didn't overstay their welcome which is just as it should be. All the clearing up and washing up is done and dusted and my fabulous dishwasher is chuntering away as I type.

This morning I cleaned the stairwell and the courtyard outside. It was all looking a bit tatty and needed a bit of a sprucing. One of the drawbacks of firing the managing agents last year is that the weekly cleaner no longer comes to give the 'common parts' a bit of a tickle and a massage. The plan was that we would do it ourselves, between us, so to speak.

Well in reality that means me and the lovely Denis, on the very few times that he is here - today he vacuumed the second floor and I cleaned the first floor and entrance etc. Brigitte, La Presidente, is so sulky about the new chavvy rental neighbours next to her upstairs that she has given up altogether. She passed me today whilst I was cleaning the stairwell and said just a curt "Bonjour" - nothing more. Anyway, I can't be doing with moody women so I just ignored her too. She'll be back to her coquettish alter ego when she wants something.

I cycled both yesterday (on my own) and today (with Patrick). I have finally got a grip on the wind direction and now plan my route accordingly - out into the wind and back with it behind me.

My bike has had a lot of use this year and is well overdue a good service - it is filthy and the brakes need replacing and on the bone hard trails of the summer everything is being shaken apart. It was a bit Keystone Kops today with bits falling off every two kilometres or so - I finished the ride with the front mudguard strapped to the back of the bike. A trip to Decathlon looms tomorrow as I have guests at the weekend who want to use the bikes.

Debrah is working hard in London - too hard and too stressed as far as I can tell (was London ever any different) and for all my keeping myself busy here I would far rather be with Debrah - so roll on Thursday next week.