A good day

As I didn't have to worry about client breakfasts this morning, I didn't set the alarm and thought I might have a nice lie-in - so naturally I was wide awake at 7.00am - typical!

Actually it wasn't a bad thing to be up and alert and raring to go. I got up and made myself a pot of coffee and some fruit and yoghurt and went back to bed with my computer and worked out the website re-write that I have trying to get head round for a couple of weeks. It was a productive morning.

By the time I had finished that and showered and dressed, the sun had emerged (at last) - so I wandered down to the square to see what was going on, taking a book with me in case I ended up on my own. The book proved unnecessary as first Cathy and the Patrick joined me for a very pleasant couple of hours.

However, I was determined not to waste another day and so headed back to sort out the Apartment suite for the guests that will arrive on Sunday. On a sudden whim I decided that all the windows needed cleaning too so set about the two sets of double windows that open onto the street plus the two sets of internal double doors with fanlights above and the oval window over the stairwell.

Having got started I couldn't stop and so attacked the dining room windows too as well as giving the dining room and the main living room a good top to bottom clean.

Fortunately Bob called to ask if I wanted to play boules, otherwise I might have ended up cleaning everything. Boules had been planned all week but called off each day due to the weather - being English we are very philosophical about our sport being called off because of the weather - but when the opportunity arises we rush to take advantage.

I jumped on my bike and cycled down to the banks of the River Aude, just in front of Patrick's place, which is the current arena of choice, mainly because no-one else seems to use it. David was already there, ominously practising on his own. We started to play as we waited for Bob to arrive and no matter how good my boules were, David's were better - the score was an embarrassing 12-0 by the time Bob arrived.

Still, it's first to 13 so that game didn't count and we started a new one and suddenly I couldn't do anything wrong and ran out the winner of the first game quite easily and then also the second game with a bit of a late comeback after a slow start. I'm not boasting - it was more luck than judgement - but it was a very enjoyable two hours spent in the harmless pursuit of a bit of friendly competitive sport, with La Cité de Carcassonne as a scenic backdrop, the fast flowing river providing the background soundtrack and the moon and stars and low flying bats above. Bob had thoughtfully brought along a bottle of wine - just in case the exertion made us a bit thirsty!

By the time we had finished the light had virtually disappeared into night and we were in fact hungry, not thirsty. A straightforward steak and chips supper at 'La Magnac' was a perfect end to a very good day.