36. Domestic affairs

CAMPING TY-COËT - SURZUR, FRANCE

I knew, quite early in the day, that the big challenge was to be my attempt to make this blog interesting - such was the day.

Audrey started the day constructing icing mice with the materials gathered during yesterdays shop.  I stayed clear but she had a willing band of helpers, my sage advice being follow the instructions.  I was roused from my search for tomorrows camp site by the wailing and gnashing that is uttered by any enraged chief it was too thick so I added some water and now you have to go to the shop and get more icing sugar!  Half a kilogram of icing sugar having been consumed at this point. I declined and toughed it out.  In time Audrey's Café  opened and all was relatively calm again.  I took little notice as my search for campsites was not going well and it had already consumed about two hours.

The chief, Audrey's Café

My campsite challenge is thus

1. I set the search for <€25/night so that thins things considerably
2. It is now October and most campsites have closed
3. Many campsites do not take tandem axle caravans and it would not be an easy argument to make, turning up with the Giantavan
4. Pitchup is good but the pickings are lean
5. ACSI is also good
6. I seek places of interest rather than rural solitude.

The exciting news is that Jennifer is joining us for a few days, tomorrow, flying into Nantes, her old stomping ground, her birthday also tomorrow.

Not from the Hobby catalogue

Cliental waiting for the café to open

The afternoon was filled with four loads of washing as the camp laundry is only ten metres away.  The tedious part of this is that all the beds have fixed walls on three sides and four of them are bunks.  As I write, I am sitting under masses of washing, the heater turned to thirty degrees and the skylight open.  This is possible as the Giantavan has sliding doors between the living room / kitchen and the bunk room so the heat is contained.  There is also a second sliding door between the monsters and the virtuous, whichever side you are on.

On late enquiry I discovered that the local café had only served, for lunch, a range of biscuits, cheeses and morsels, generously coated in white icing.  Note to self be suspicious when all seems to be going smoothly and quietly.  They did manage to consume all the icing which is impressive. Audrey accommodated her diabetes by not eating at all which is why she was the nominated chief.

Iris did not bring her calculator which she needs for Mathsbuddy so I was delighted to get a lime green issue of the venerable of the Fx-92.  It's a Spéciale Collége from the Intermarch while getting the provisions for dinner.  Keys in French!