On Tuesday we drove to Calais to take the Eurotunnel to the UK. Having lived in this house for almost 3 months I am very embarrassed to admit that the clocks have all been set to English time by the owners. As I never have appointments to keep, I had not realised this error until this latest journey. I had set my cell phone to the same time with all good intentions to leave here at 5.30 am. It is a 6 1/2 hour drive and our time slot for the tunnel meant boarding time was 1.20. I realised the time frame error just before Rennes when I saw the time on one of the overhead road signs. I should have been more aware of the error in the time as it was quite light when we left home. Oh well ............ it meant a hectic journey to reach Calais in time and we literally did just make it. At least the satnav warns me of speed cameras but just hope I did not get caught. Once again I discovered that driving in London is not much fun as the satnav persists in taking me straight through central London with its congestion zone charges. Decided that I would take a detour and ended up totally lost, driving around for what seemed for ever trying to find our destination.
Our stay was short and busy as we had a lot to do. Did have time to meet Bronwen and Austin and catch up with news. My return journey was fine as I knew the route to the North Circular and once there was directed out of London by the satnav without any problem. We stayed overnight in Folkstone, did try to take some pics as it was a very lovely clear day and I could see the French coastline from my hotel window. The hotel is right by the harbour and with my internet booking I managed to get a very special rate. Think this room is used specifically for these special bookings, right next to the lift shaft which creaks and groans 24 hours a day as well as being by a concrete parapet with enormous seagulls who woke me up in the early hours with their shrill calls. This hotel is a haven for the elderly on coach tours and is straight out of Fawlty Towers. We decided to have a meal in the 'Victorian' dining room. I don't think that the decor has changed since the 1920s and it looks like a perfect setting for Agatha Christie's Poirot!
Discovered that we really are out of touch. We returned home on June 8th which is a public holiday in France! The roads and service stations were absolutely hectic and I was really glad to get home only to discover a broken cat..............................
Megan had phoned me on Thurs to say that Mischka had returned home in a rather forlourn state, not sure what had happened to him. Well he had a front paw which he could not stand on and it just dangled in a strange fashion and his back leg (on the same side) also appeared to be damaged. This meant searching the internet to find a vet in Pontivy, thanks to Google managed to find a vet who spoke a reasonable amount of English. Took the foolish child there and discovered that he had been in a fight with a torn back footpad as well as teeth holes in the front leg. Still cannot understand why the paw is so floppy but after two injections, one painkiller and an antibiotic with further tablets for the next 10 days the sad kitty returned home. Must say that I was almost in tears in the morning as I thought he was not going to survive. He is still pretty miserable but just as naughty and wants to go out in the garden even though he can only hop along. He is a funny little cat, very aloof from our other furry children and usually very capable of looking after himself even facing off the little cheeky dog from the neighbours who takes great delight in chasing my cats home!
So the end of a rather eventful week. Have stitched a couple of bears and put another little girl on e-bay.
Hannah is made from vintage long pile and a pattern which I have not used for some time. With the addition of a polymer clay teddy pin and flower on her head I think she looks very sweet.I have almost completed my third beaded cabochon, will try and take some pics this week to put on my blog.
Now it is off to bed as it is very late and yes the clocks are now all correct!............
No one realizes how beautiful it is to travel until he comes home and rests his head on his old, familiar pillow. ~Lin Yutang
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