Not a sunny day, but warm, with little wind and no rain, almost what the doctor ordered. Lazy day, ate our pain au raisins from the supermarket. I accessed the Internet, emailed, blogged etc, while Linda & R went off to view L’s vegetable and flower potâge. Mike had to take cycling clients to the airport in La Rochelle. Rosemary, Linda and I went out to a vide grenier (aka car boot) in a nearby village. En route, the petrol light came on, but it was easy to fill up at the supermarket under Linda’s expert tuition. She said how the government had reduced the price per litre by 5 cents, to try and boost the economy.

The boot sale was depressingly large and every stall had to be examined. But fairly early on, lunch was purchased, sausage and frites and a glass of rosé. We sat at a table with a French couple, with whom Linda chatted and who had done well buying clothes for their grandchildren. It was an all-day event; it was even open during the French lunch time period. Not to miss their lunch, many of the car booters were sat around groaning tables behind their pitch, reluctantly getting up to deal with a passing purchaser. There was entertainment with some youths playing English rock songs. They did break for lunch. Rosemary actually made a couple of purchases, a roundish shaped Ricard water bottle and an old French linen shirt come nightie.

Back at the gîte supper was dutifully prepared, BBQed spatchcocked chicken, sausages, and roasted veggies from Linda’s veggie patch. The odd glass was drained.