Riding.

After getting back in the saddle again whilst in New Zealand I felt that I really wanted to continue now that we are back home. I spent quite some time on the internet trying to find somewhere where it was possible to go out for a hack in the surrounding forest. It's not easy here as riding seems to be much more regimented and based on lessons in the school. After a couple of enquiries I had a chat with Luc in  St Justin http://www.cheval-landes.com/P1.htm who is about a half hour drive away. He explained that he had a group of more mature people (!) every Monday morning and that every 3 or 4 times they would go out for a hack in the forest and the other times they work in the school. He invited me to go over the next Monday and see if I wanted to join them.

I duly went and met Luc, his wife Karine and the other riders. There are 6 other ladies and one (brave) man. The horses and ponies are all well schooled and are used competively, Luc and Karine compete in 2 star 3 day events. Very differrent mounts to the usual riding school hacks . Luc said that I would be riding Korigan, a Connemara, and explained that when we get there we catch the horse, groom him and tack him up. So, that done I got on him and we all rode up to the large manege where we had our lesson. It was hard work, it's a long time since I have done any serious riding but I thoroughly enjoyed the hour although I was quite glad when it ended as I felt that I had done enough!! It was easy to make the decision to carry on each Monday morning and hopefully it will get less tiring.
The second week we went out for a ride in the forest which is immediately adjacent to the stables. Hundreds of hectares of forest, pine and oak trees, in which it would be so easy to get lost. A relaxing hour after last weeks hard work!
Since then I have been another 3 times and we have worked in the school and I am pleased to say that I am now finding it much easier and so enjoying it. Luc is a good teacher and makes each lesson very interresting. One week we were cantering between bollards and did some jumping. One week we worked on transitions from walk to trot and to canter. One more lesson on Monday and then I shall miss 4 weeks when we are back in England but I shall be looking forward to returning when we get back.

Noces de Platine - 70 years married!

I collected the post one morning and found a card with a photo of an elderly couple that we didn't recognise and an invitation to help them celebrate a mass in the village church for their seventieth wedding anniversary. I asked our neighboours, Jeanne and Cristel, about it and they said that the family of the couple had invited the whole village to the mass as a surprise for the couple, Fernande and Albert. We arranged to go with them on Saturday the 15th September.

We all arrived at the church in good time and soon the church was full of villagers and relatives of the couple. The church had been beautifully decorated and had a festive feel. There were 3 priests in attendance, our parish priest, a priest from Aire sur l'Adour who was deputising for the priest from Grenade who was on holiday, and a priest from the diocese.
Finally, when all were seated , Fernande and Albert walked down the aisle, the same aisle that they had walked down 70 years previously. It was very emotional and we felt so priviliged to be able to take part in their celebrations. Fernande is 89, walks with a stick and is blind. Albert at 92 is upright and looks years less than his age. He carefully guided his wife down the aisle and to seats in the chancel.
From the priests address we learnt that when war broke out Albert, who was living in Alsace, was evacuated with many others from his village and after a long journey was welcomed to Castandet. The priest recounted how Fernande was part of the welcoming party and that it was her job to distribute glasses of refreshing water to the evacuees after their long and exhausting journey. Poetically he recounted that when Fernande gave Albert a glass of water it contained friendship and love and that their meeting then was the start of their long relationship.
It was a very emotional service and wewere glad that we had been invited to share in the families celebrations for Fernande and Albert.

Back Home.

We finally arrived back in France, at Bordeaux airoort, on Wednesday the 22nd of August after our 6 month stay in the Southern hemisphere. Although the weather in the UK had been pleasant we were met by a temperature of 35C as we left the plane. We were soon through immigration and customs and in good time to catch the shuttle bus to the Gare St Jean in the centre of town. In such good time that we were able to catch an earlier train than expected and were able to call Michael and tell him that we would be arriving in Mont de Marsan earlier than expected. Jill and John had left our car with Michael so he came to pick us up in that and take us back to his place. Jane had prepared a meal for us and they invited us to stay the night before coming back home, a good idea as it turned out as it gave us a chance to relax and have a good nights rest.
Next morning it was still hot and we had a dip in the pool before having a leisurely breakfast and saying our goodbyes. We called at Carrefour in St Sever to do a shop on the way home. It all seemed so strange after being away from France for so long. Having to get used to driving on the right again although, thankfully, it soon came back to me. Carrefour seemed so different after shopping in New Zealand but I was pleased to be able to buy duck again, one of the few things that I had missed during our stay!
Finally we arrived home and were able to unload the car, open  the shutters and get used to being back in our own home. It almost felt like moving in all over again after being away for so long and made me realise how much I like my house! The garden was looking good, Jill had planted tomatoes, beans, cabbage, broccoli and Swiss chard so there were plenty of veggies ready to be picked. It felt strange returning from winter in the south to summer in the north, back to summer clothes and summer food again. It was very hot and everything was so dry so one of the first jobs, in the cooler evening, was to give the plants a good soaking.
It took a while to settle in again and get our bearings  but after a week or two it almost felt as if we had never been away!