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Posts Tagged ‘family’

We stayed out until 2am last night, which must be a record. Except for Jerome – despite being the youngest in our party, he’d crawled back to our place at midnight to catch up on his sleep. Investment banking isn’t quite the glamorous career it’s made out to be – this was his first night of decent sleep in a week!

The extra hour of sleep afforded by the clocks going back was a real blessing, and all three of us woke up with very sore heads this morning. Aude and Jerome decided to do some shopping while I prepared a traditional Sunday roast of roast beef, roast carrots and parsnips with honey and cinnamon, roast potatoes (roasted with the goose fat from our Christmas goose last year) and sautéed cabbage. It was just what the doctor ordered.

The weather today was unbelievable – warm and sunny and totally out-of-character for this time of year. We sat in the garden to eat our lunch, not believing that it was nearly November.

I cut the grass yesterday – the third time I’ve cut it for the “last” time of the season – but this time I think it might actually be true. I really can’t believe that this good weather can continue for much longer – the cold, dark nights of winter are really just around the corner.

Lunch in the garden

A traditional Sunday roast, taken untraditionally in the garden

Matthew gets stuck in!

Matthew gets tucked into his food…

Jerome at lunch

I’m convinced that Jerome only comes to stay with us so that he doesn’t starve.

Naughty cat

Lunch, if I must say so myself, was absolutely delicious. Even Daisy agreed.

Daisy and Matt

Daisy and I clearly do not share the same enthusiasm for the camera.

Summer weather

Warm and sunny in the last week of October? I wouldn’t have believed it if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes.

Jerome

Jerome poses for the camera.

Well, the weather didn’t cooperate, but otherwise we had a lovely weekend in Normandy visiting Aude’s grandfather.

Having narrowly avoided the Friday evening proposal-writing session at the office, I ended up spending several hours talking to my mother on the phone on Friday evening – and subsequently didn’t get to bed until nearly midnight. Which, with my early starts most mornings, qualifies as “late” these days.

We set off early on Saturday morning (too early, actually – I prefer my weekends to start after 6am!) and caught the 8am Eurotunnel to Calais. From Calais, we drove down to Montreuil sur Mer where the Wine Society has their European shop, and restocked our wine cellar. On the recommendation of the shopkeeper, we decided to try a local restaurant for lunch but changed our minds when we were put off by the proprietor.

She was the stereotypical arrogant, rude French person that every English-speaker fears – the stuff of whom legend is made. And Aude was right there beside me to witness it all – and agreed with my assessment. It’s people like this that are giving the French a bad name.

It was all our fault, you understand. We’d entered the restaurant at 11:50am. Aude had politely asked, in French, whether they were serving lunch yet or whether we were too early. “You’re too early,” came the reply. “Come back when we’re open!”

We asked what time they opened. “12 o’clock!” she said.

We should have recognised her displeasure at having arrived ten minutes before the designated serving time and left then and there. But since there wasn’t a full menu posted in the window, we asked if perhaps we couldn’t have a quick look at the menu. I’ve never seen such a roll of the eyes or heard such a sharp intake of breath. Who were these two idiots in her restaurant, so mal élevé?

We left the restaurant, wishing her a future of bankruptcy and food poisoning. We had a steak around the corner instead.

Lunch behind us, and with a boot full of booze, we headed down to Normandy to meet Aude’s grandfather. Luckily, we had a much warmer reception when we got to the Manoir where we were staying (more about that with photos to come later). We were greeted like long lost friends. The hotel and room were beautiful, with a warm log fire to greet us.

We spent the afternoon visiting with Aude’s grandfather and looking through some old family photographs. Jerome, if you’re reading this, I’ve seen the photographs of you in the pyjamas with bunny ears. God help you if you should ever decide to go into politics.

We had a lovely meal yesterday evening with Aude’s grandfather at a restaurant in the centre of town, then went back to his place this morning with a charcuterie and had lunch with him. We hit the road around 2pm with the best intentions of seeing some of the Norman coast, but it wasn’t to be. It poured with rain all afternoon.

Our plans thwarted, we headed straight for the tunnel and caught an early train home. Short of my mother calling, I should be in bed by 10pm tonight, ready for another week!

Aude and an apple tree

Aude picks an apple, the fruit that made Normandy famous…

Aude and more apples

Aude in front of the Manoir

Aude and her new boyfriend

Tired of having only one boyfriend, Aude chats up some of the alternative Frenchman. Her first effort isn’t terribly successful, landing her a boyfriend a lot like most of her ex’s.

Aude and her new boyfriend

Her second effort was more successful. She caught this good-looking fellow, but eventually rejected him because she found him a little two-dimensional.

Aude hiding in the flowers

Suddenly, every Frenchman in town heard that there was a young single girl on the market. Aude had no choice but to hide for cover.

Aude and her grandfather

Aude and her grandfather outside his house.

Matthew with Aude's grandfather

Matthew and Aude’s grandfather. For the record, he doesn’t hate me (despite the body language here). It’s just that Aude and auto-focus have an uneasy relationship, and this was the only shot that was even remotely in focus!!!

Aude  and her grandfather

Aude and her grandfather in front of his house in Orbec.

Matthew and Aude's grandfather

Matthew and Aude’s grandfather. I haven’t farted. Honestly. Please see my previous comment about Aude’s auto-focus ability.

Aude's grandfather

Aude’s grandfather as we had lunch together.

Aude’s grandfather paints, so I thought I’d post some of his paintings here.

Painting

Painting

Painting

Painting

Painting

Painting

Painting

Painting

My cousin Caron came across this old photo of the two of us the other day. What can I say? Sometimes a photo’s worth a thousand words!

Matthew & Caron - young


One of the reasons I wanted the new 35mm lens is that it captures the world very much as the human eye sees it, making it a great “walk-around” lens. To that end, I thought I’d include pictures of “us as we are.”

Jerome and his Blackberry

Jerome, surgically attached to his Blackberry

Matthew pulling a face

Matthew, pulling faces as usual

Aude on the phone

Aude, on the telephone

Daisy having a bath

Daisy, cleaning her arse