Summer's end - not yet

There has been quite an international flavour to the weekend guest list. At the end of the week I had an English couple, an Australian couple and a mother and daughter from California. They were followed by two couples travelling together from Minnesota. On Friday evening it was the six Americans here - which is a first for 42rvh.

In common with most of my previous American visitors, they were very enthusiastic, very inquisitive and very charming and appreciative. In my view an American with a passport has to be a good American - because they realise that there is life beyond the borders of the USA. I hope the dollar economy behaves itself enough for more of them to keep coming.

I know it's not yet Autumn but the seasonal produce is starting to reflect the change towards the new season. The market has pumpkin and pears and plums and muscat grapes and the first mushrooms. The peaches are still good but the melons are beginning to taste past their best.

So this evening's dinner reflected the change. The Summer melon salad was replaced by pumpkin soup, the tarragon chicken by duck confit and the roast peaches by the old favourite of all guests, hot chocolate fondant. I am already looking forward to casseroles and soups and crumbles.

But I don't want to wish away the Summer too quickly and the weather here continues to be fabulous - in fact better than it was a month ago because the temperature is more bearable in the high twenties rather than the mid thirties but with the same unbroken blue skies. It really has been the most fantastic week.

And with chocolate fondant re-appearing the danger is that my waistline will start expanding again so I need to make the most of this good weather and pound the roads on my bike. I have cycled 80kms this week before today and managed another 37kms today.

One of the side effects of my cycling exercise regime is that I no longer take the Audi out and the weather has been absolutely perfect for it. On days like these I like nothing better than a long drive with Debrah through the French countryside or down to the coast at Gruissan or Bages or Bouzigues or Collioure.

Well Debrah is in London at the moment so I better carry on pounding the pedals and hopefully pounding the pounds as well.