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| Si, Alfie & Sacha setting off on a 'venture to the beach |
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| Low tide means rock pools... |
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| ...with tiny crabs... |
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| ...and starfish, here held by Sacha... |
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| ...Alfie... |
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| ...and Si of course (happiest of all, I'd say)! |
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| The boys jumped at the chance of getting on Matt's Vespa |
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| Alfie, obviously taking safety very seriously one day... |
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| ...and Sacha wanting to get in on the act another! |
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| The Starfish our main port of call, obviously for these skateboarders too |
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| I'm always happy to have an Essex cuddle with Vanna... |
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| ...or a meal at Fafa's with Big Dave, Dick & Tine |
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| Never far from the action Sacha has some pool fun with his cousins chez Feibel |
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| The teasels were very impressive! |
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| Back home: Tine with the green bean plants that gave us so much this year... |
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| ...and a happy seagull not far from le Pavillon. |
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| Mick didn't actually stay chez nous but it was great to see him back in La Tranche, here at the Starfish... |
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| ...and here at our house. |
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| Helen & Mo followed, Mo being very useful as always |
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| We walked to La Pointe de l'Aiguillon... |
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| ...proof that we made it... |
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| ...with its good view of the bridge from La Rochelle to l'Île de Ré. |
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| We managed a visit to the cathedral at Luçon... |
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| ...with its wonderful cloisters. |
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| We still had plenty of time to relax! |
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| To finish off: a bumper crops of beans (including ethnic varieties)... |
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| ...and figs (our first successful year). |
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| Tine & Lindsey B on near la Pointe d'Arçay |
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| Prickly vegetation! |
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| Phil, not exactly walking off into the sunset! |
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| Caroline & Martin came too, here lunching at Port Bourgenay. Bet you can't spot the one not having mussels! |
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| Caroline at dusk... |
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| ...and shortly afterwards, at the end of the jetty. |
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| A beautiful sunset from chez nous |
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| Caroline tempted to go for a dip? |
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| Instructions for watering the garden: (1) pour a pastis, (2) water |
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| On one of my walks I noticed this amazing wild flower plot |
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| Blue skies but eerily misty... |
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| ...the jetty in all its glory. |
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| Hope you're all impressed with the frock I bought Tine. What a man! |
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| Tine again, this time with little Octave, a first cousin twice removed, I think is his correct title! |
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| One of Matt's cocktails at the Starfish. We nickname it 'pondlife' and this time there was even a frog in it! |
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| Back to the jetty and summer means the Inter-Îles boat to l'Île de Ré... |
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| ...even if the weather doesn't look very summery! |
