COLD DARK ROOM

[Kristoff]

So if each child brings a bouquet of flowers where do they put them all?

I have no idea! But it’s one of maybe two days of the year when teachers feel appreciated.

(Not my photos

 

[CarolM]

Good afternoon roomies.

I thought I’d share a few postcards of today’s adventures. Today we drove east into Provence which is famous for lavender, sunflowers (both of which have finished flowering) and the author Peter Mayle whose book “A year in Provence” ensured most of it is heaving with tourists... needless to say, we avoid the worst bits!

We started our day near one of those beautiful, but overrun by tourists, places - Les Baux de Provence. Les Baux was the centre for mining Bauxite (Aluminium ore) which is how it got its name. One of the old mines has been converted to Carrières de Lumières an amazing light and sound show where pictures are projected onto the walls and you can wander through the mine galleries watching the show.

There were two shows running - the first with 1960s music called Flower Power
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And the second, set to classical music, featuring Spanish artists like Goya and Picasso
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Wow

 

[CarolM]

We then drove into the nearby Alpilles hills for a picnic lunch
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And then to the “trogloydytic” Abbey of Saint-Roman near Beaucaire.

It is on top of the hill and the Abbey was cut into the rock. There are many grave cuts visible in the rock; they were crammed in and certainly didn’t respect the traditional east-west orientation for a Christian grave!
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There was a fine view across the Rhone valley towards the Alpilles... the cruise liner turning round gives you an idea how big the river Rhone is at this stage!
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Love love love these ones

 

[CarolM]

Good morning all. It was daughter’s turn to make dinner last night and then we went to an ice cream parlour in the town square after. Holiday calories don’t count, do they?
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Of course they don't!!

 

[CarolM]

Our Melissa! (Daughter’s name for every swallowtail of this kind.) We had tons of its caterpillars eating my parsley and dill in Turkey, so we collected and fed a few in jars to watch how they turn into butterflies.
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And that’s the story behind Kristoff’s picture:
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Really LOVE these two pics.

 

[CarolM]

Good morning, roommates!
School + afterschool activities have all started here, so I’m a busy class mom again. Husband’s conferences are starting too, and there are shirts I successfully neglected for many months that are now waiting to be ironed. I’m sure my freelance work will start trickling in soon too. The holiday is over.

Oh Dear.

 

[CarolM]

Greetings...

We saw this last Thursday on one of our longer paddles. Remember the old CondeNaste last page - “A Room With a View” ?

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Whahaha

 

[CarolM]

He was a stray and he’s skinny! The vet would like him to gain 1-2lbs.

I really think he was abused. He is head shy when you go into pet him, but loves to be pet. He tip toes to you but freezes when approached. He’s improved a lot in a week.
I’m on a mission to turn him around but also know the lasting effects will always be there.

He’s content sleeping and today he started actually running around the house but as soon as he sees me he runs away and back on the sofa.

Poor little thing.

 

[CarolM]

I am very tired of working late days!!! There is not enough hours lately and I’m missing my free time! Hubby comes home tomorrow & i’m sure glad.. we have plans to go to an atv Park for the holiday weekend!! Got a camper spot reserved and waders are packed!! Just wanted to check in and say goodnight.. read ya later!!

Know how you feel. I am missing my CDR time.

 

[CarolM]

That’s tough with the rescue dog. @CarolM had plenty of that with Scooby Doo. Carol, is he doing any better now?

LOL, Nope as far as the peeing goes. I just gave up and now keep heavy Jik etc in the house to clean it up and sterilize it now. But they do say that it takes a long time before they actually do start to get completely comfortable. So all good. We knew what we were signing up for.
The funny thing is that Stephen pretends to want to give Scooby-doo back everyday But I think that he loves him the most out of us all.

 

[CarolM]

It should be cheaper now...
Do look into Izmir, Kusadasi, the Aegean region. Or Cappadocia. Or Pamukkale.

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(Not my photos)

I want to go to Turkey now!!

 

[CarolM]

I have no idea! But it’s one of maybe two days of the year when teachers feel appreciated.

(Not my photos

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I actually like that idea. We do not do it in South Africa at all.

 

[CarolM]

Okay. Managed to get caught up again. Sjoe it has been and is a hectic week. Anyway I need to get back to work again. I will check in when I can. And will try and respond to posts when I can.

 

[Kristoff]

I want to go to Turkey now!!

It was even better in the first half of 2017. Because I was there [emoji56][emoji23]

 

[Kristoff]

Okay. Managed to get caught up again. Sjoe it has been and is a hectic week. Anyway I need to get back to work again. I will check in when I can. And will try and respond to posts when I can.

Have a good week, despite your hectic schedule! And do stop by anytime; we’re still here [emoji173]️

 

[Maro2Bear]

G’day alles..

Yet another very hot, sticky, humid start to the day here. Heat Index supposed to be 107 ish today on the East Coast...record breaking yuckiness. Calling for “Dangerous Heat Levels” - even too hot to be out kayaking.

Late breaking news on “illegal” turtle and tort breeding program uncovered on Majorca....

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Yeah, that doesn’t look right! I don’t have any recommendations, but back in Central Asia we’d get lots of used Western or Japanese cars brought from the Baltics (Latvia, Estonia). In many cases those cars would be redesigned or even reassembled there from junk and then sold cheaply to us. There must be some business there.

The parts I need are probably all over the planet. That model was from 1973 to 1984. A long run for a production car. But never bought here because they didn't meet our crash test criteria.
Some one I can trust to send me the part is my concern.
I successfully bought parts from Malaysia once. But the second time I had someone steal my money. Try to, anyway.

 

[JoesMum]

Late breaking news on “illegal” turtle and tort breeding program uncovered on Majorca....

At least they are breeding rather than smuggling wild caught animals... however, I guess the parentage of the adults can’t be guaranteed and the care of the torts and turtles looks far from ideal

 

[JoesMum]

Good afternoon. ‘Busy’ day here doing chores (sort of)

The Wednesday market needed a visit for food supplies. Some laundry needed doing, but it doesn’t exactly need long to dry here!

And now for an afternoon of reading and swimming. Life’s so hard sometimes

 

[JoesMum]

Very cute kitten that was watching us from a balcony as we walked in town last night