I've just spent a week in Cornwall and am pleased to be home in Brittany again. The weather was misty, drizzly and grey there, and this afternoon here it is hot enough to sit out and read a book in a short-sleeved t-shirt - lovely! Twenty-five degrees at 3.00pm and my arms are red.
I read on the boat going over, which was quite a choppy voyage, and finished the Olive Harvest which I really enjoyed. My friend, June, from England had been staying for seven days with me and we travelled back together after a lovely week. I dropped her off at the Derriford Travel Lodge, whose car park entrance was frustratingly difficult to find, and then set off to stay with family in St Austell.
My oldest son let me stay at his house and this was my view from my bedroom/his office window one morning, with my old green Land Rover parked in the front.
To be frank, I felt pretty ropey while I was away and found it even more difficult to eat than I had here. The second day we went, with friends and my grandson to The China House in Plymouth to have a 4.30pm meal - they serve all day. I managed an onion ring and as the service was very slow it was a long sitting.
I completed two other books, mostly before I slept at night or when I woke, too early to disturb other people. The first Notes from an Exhibition by Patrick Gale, was a beautifully written book and I really enjoyed the way it was put together.
The second was another Anita Shreve book, Light on Snow, which I enjoyed too.
On the way home I started yet another paperback, which I have now left under my spare pillow, in case I can get into the habit of reading myself to sleep instead of watching television - it's Jodie Picoult's Harvesting the Heart. I don't feel like going upstairs to take a photo of it - maybe next posting.
When I got home and my worker/friend had unloaded all the stuff I seem to accumulate when I'm back in the UK, he broke some bad news. A heron had been down and eaten all my fish. There were twenty-seven fish, mainly quite large goldfish. My neighbour has a pond the other side of the wall from mine and she had frequently in the past lost her fish, but for some reason they had ignored mine until now. While I was looking out of the window this morning I suddenly realised that a heron had landed on the wall of the pond. He/she flew off to a tree top before I laid hands on my camera. You can just see the heron's silhouette in the second photograph.
I found it amazing that it could sit on what looks like such a weak branch/twig and lovely to see - I just wish that fish wasn't a priority on its menu.
It has been so lovely out in the garden this afternoon and on the east side of the terrace I saw a lovely combination of a newly flowered delphinium - in October! - and the holly with red berries.
It was my daughter's 24th birthday while I was back in Cornwall and she spent the evening with a friend and my son and I babysat. She is beautiful and still only looks about eighteen, often getting asked for identity when buying alcohol.
My neighbour popped in this afternoon to tell me that her third grandchild is imminent - her daughter-in-law's waters have broken - very exciting!
Three things I like:
1. Spending time with the family and coming back home again.
2. The peace here in my garden.
3. My cats sitting down with me to be stroked while I watch television.
