A day off

Travel can be hard work. It is all too easy to think that you need to go out and see something or somehow get value for money for all the airfares. We took the day off and just did a leisurely stroll along the bike path with the temperature about 70 F (21 C).

We sat outside for dinner (pasta, zucchini from the garden, tomatoes etc). I love the old wooden shed with the trees on the mountain behind it.

A bottle of rose was demolished. We noticed that the woman across the road was home. She is often out there dead heading and watering the flowers.

The big awning kept the sun off. Marianne has a strange relationship with this awning which can be furled back at night. When she presses the button sometimes it goes down or up straight away. Other times it waits awhile and taunts her.

I stand back and leave it to her. She has the magic aura that can deal with it, somehow.

It is all just so French. Flowers everywhere. An old elegant building off in the distance. The really tasty ingredients. The wonderful cheese, bread, sausage, pate, wine. I ask myself, could I live in France and the answer is yes. Of course there are negatives but on a lovely summer evening you can ignore them.

Marianne remarked that the awning gives a lovely glow to the deck.

Marianne loves these place mats.

So when you travel, take some time off to smell the roses. I have two sayings about travel.

Less is more.

There is always a next time.