Baildon Moor & Saltaire

We love our breaks at the caravan, a real home from home, with the wild moors above us and the industrial Aire valley at our feet. 

Tine in situ on the decking, ready for our next adventure...

...walking past the prehistoric plants...

...to meet Kate at the Half Moon Café in Roberts Park.

Another day we discovered the Lost Hamlets of Baildon Moor...

...with dry stone walls... 

...isolated trees...

...and peaty bogs!

Later on in the week we visited Lindsey B down in Saltaire.

Loved these wheelie bins between two terraced streets...

...and the streetlamp, no longer gas-lit.

The ducks on the Leeds & Liverpool Canal know a good spot to be fed!

There was a new Hockney exhibition at Salts Mill

This was Tine's favourite, drawn with an iPad but A1 size

In Yorkshire with Alfie

Tine had a phonecall from Rémy: could she start work at the campsite on 25th April? So, after a quick think she said yes and I booked a return crossing for us to the UK for a couple of weeks.
It was great to catch up with family and friends, but also to spend a bit more time with Alfie.

So with no apologies here's the latest batch of Alfie photos!

He loves the swings, as you can see. There'll be one in our garden soon!

In usual reading position, this time with Matilda too

Love this cheeky chappie photo taken on his overnight at Jodi & Mouse's

He slept over one night at the caravan and he STILL fits in the kitchen sink (but only just)!

Back to his favourite indoor pastime: reading, this time Maddie on duty

Thankyou to Mr Singh for this photo of Alfie & Maddie

I downloaded an animal noises/vehicle sounds app for the iPad - a great success

But it's always back to books, this time Papy & Mamie having starring roles!

Hope you noticed the shorts. Yes, we had some excellent weather whilst we were there.

The tourist season officially opens

Each year the town puts on entertainment of some kind or other to celebrate the opening of the tourist season. This year we had AC3 Studio with their fantastic moving projections on the church in the main square.

Have a look at their work on https://vimeo.com/108459017

Family Photoshoot

Before I go any further, a huge (!) merci to Hugues for taking these photographs when Cleggy & the Clegglets were all together last week. He is a very talented photographer and I highly recommend a look at his work on http://www.hugueshardyphoto.com. His English is really good too...

Firstly a spot of black and white, ready for the firing squad...

...and on the embarcadère

Our favourite

And now full colour!

In the garden...

...and on the decking!

Out & about with Alfie

We made the most of having Alfie stay for over a week

Our little Minion... 

...all excited on the beach...

...and loving scooping up sand with a shell.

Later, good fun in the play park, five minutes from chez nous 

Another day we went to check on Sacha's tree (growing well)...

...and feed the goats, of course.

Ruby wedding celebrations

Yes, we made it: forty years since our wedding on a very cold Easter weekend in Paris, when friends and family made the journey for our special day.

So how did we celebrate the anniversary, you may ask? Well, your faithful blogger arranged for Nadine, Simon & Alfie AND Philippe & Clare to fly over without letting Martine in on the secret. Cynthia asked Martine to look after Sacha as she 'had' to go to La Roche, Matt phoned me asking if I'd go to 'fetch some beer' from La Rochelle. Really we were both on the airport run! We were all in on the deception: Nad telling her Maman that she was going to visit friends for the weekend and Phil arranging to Skype her in the afternoon! I'm sure you can imagine Tine's face when Alfie walked into the house, Sacha in his Mamie's arms, followed by the rest of the family.

In the evening we all ate at Jean & Monique's, along with Jean-Pierre & Catherine and Guy & Isabelle, also in on the secret. The meal had been prepared by me in the morning whilst Tine was busy in L'Aiguillon - a two hour slot to get everything done!

Dave at home in the Masterchef kitchen

Jean & Monique set a perfect table

A glass or two of bubbly, of course

The sisters-in-law catch up!

Alfie helps Papy & Mamie to unwrap a present...

...then practises his harmonica skills!

Tine assuming her usual role of serving everybody!