La Rentree- but it`s been a good Summer

Kim and Al talking to a tree sprite

I'm  sorry that I have been what the Cornish call a bit seldom in posting new Arks, although in Cornwall the word is used to describe thinning hair,as in he' s a bit seldom on top.... my excuse is, of course, that Summer is a busy time and more time is spent outdoors than is passed in front of a key-board. I have reviewed my output since June, and apart from an outburst against the greedy French taxman, little has been added to the Ark's journal. That's not to say that we have been doing nothing, of course, rather the opposite!.
   After our usual mountain holiday in the Pyrenees in June, and a short stay in Orthez chez Arlette and  Laurent, we returned to La Mort Limouzin to tidy up before Al arrived to spend a whole three weeks with us. This gave us the excuse to play tourist and this year we excelled ourselves visiting the Futuroscope, the Puy du Fou , Oradour sur Glane and Saintes to mention just the high spots. On these  day-long visits, Al finds difficulty in walking but we were lucky and privileged to be able to borrow a wheelchair from our helpful local pharmacies, which made things much simpler. And aren't the French kind to disabled people! At the theme parks we got free parking close to the entrance, priority in the queues for the attractions and wheelchair access to the various scenes, often in the front ranks. Taking Al was not a disadvantage but rather a plus factor, though pushing the chair up some steep slopes was good exercise... Here again, some helpful French tourists gave a willing hand.
   We have visited the Futuroscope and the Puy du Fou several times already but we never tire of them, especially as they modify and  innovate each year. If you haven't visited them I urge you to go, you won't be disappointed.
     After all this excitement we were sad to see Al go. Mind you, she nearly didn't, she was flying back from La Rochelle on the 16th August the day when all France wanted to go to the Ile de Re. We were 90 minutes covering four k on the La Rochelle by-pass and nearly missed boarding, probably would have done except for Al's status. She said there were fifteen vacant places on the flight from people who had missed it and we saw several people in tears at the airport. Not a credit to the town. we will avoid this date in future!
    Well, after all this furore, we are finding it hard to return to everyday life, but we will manage it eventually. I might even resolve to blog more regularly...

  Bye for now, going to drink a soothing cuppa