Sunday was very wet.  It appeared to rain all day, cold grey sky which never broke all day.  First we met a walking group over the underpass under the Pont d’Alma where Diana had been killed 10 years previously.  There were flowers and tributes to her placed on the Flame of Liberty monument (sited there in 1987).  The tour we were joining was a visit to the sewers of Paris.  Here we were taken down underground to see a main sewer flowing to a point where it is taken under the Seine to the Northern bank.  Interesting aspects where that rain water and waste water are all passed down the same sewers.  The Parisians also run their fresh water pipes through the sewers, telecommunications and also a very old pre-telephone pneumatic communication system.  This allowed you to send paper messages across the city very much like the old department stores.  This system is no longer used. The pipe under the Seine is cleaned by passing large wooden spheres through the sewer The sphere is a little smaller than the sewer, and causes the water flow fast and flush the grit and sludge out.

After the sewers it was lunch and then up the Eiffel Tower.  I walked up to the 2nd floor, (700 steps), while Rosemary took the lift (and of course got there after me).  I then took the lift all the way to the top.  You were not allowed to walk to the top.  The lift journey was a little scary, I was right against the door facing out of the tower.  The door was glass.  It made one feel a little insecure.  On top the feeling of height rather disappeared.  Views were not great because of the rain.

Back down again we walked to the Hotel des Invalides, we were waylaid on the way by a cup of tea. 5.5 euros for a tea bag and some hot water; world shortage of milk.  At the Hotel des Invalides took some pictures in the rain.

Supper was in an restaurant, again not value for money and not that good.

Rosemary arranged to go on a little trip with the Bedfordshire & Luton Geology group to walk and hear about the Fullers Earth Industry at Aspley Heath near Woburn Sands. Set out with plenty of time, but alas never found Aspley Heath until far too late. The navigation was a total mess. I shall have to buy a Tom Tom.

Instead we stopped at a good farmer’s market in Woburn and bought some good bread and then popped into see John and Carol, and have a bite of our bread with them (plus their cheese etc) for lunch. Then back home.

Being Mothering Sunday, we were delighted to have Selina and Graham over for supper and Rosemary very pleased to receive flowers, vase, chocolates and wine for combined Mothers Day & birthday gifts.  What more could a girl (?) want?

The cold spell has arrived, a quick reversal from the warm and fairly dry weather we have been having for the last few weeks. Forecast is lots of snow, but so far none.

Decided it was time to entertain a few people, so we had a dinner at home on Saturday, and entertained the Curds and the Willsons to roast pheasants (one of whom was shot by David L) cooked in a Gary Rhodes style with barley in a whisky sauce.

The evening started fairly early at around 6.00  Not much point waiting around on these dark and wet winter evenings.  A few G&Ts, then starters based upon a few Middle Eastern recipes.  The pheasants, cheese course (Rosemary had forgotten to remove pudding from the freezer) and finally the frozen Christmas pudding ice cream.

The mobile home has now gone. The new owner decided he could not move it, so he burnt it down. Two fire engines, and the police arrived. Very luckily the wind was blowing the right way, otherwise probably some of the other house’s could have been damaged. The flames leapt high into the air, clouds of black smoke and sparks were blown acroos the builds. Again luck was that these did not catch fire. Rosemary failed to take any pictures, something to do with not being able to operate the point and click camera.