Emma arrived this morning very early at 7.00 am. She has grown so tall since I saw her last and she is about to turn 18.
She is very tired after watching the football and partying till after 12 pm. After breakfast she heads off to bed until lunch time. The sky is rumbling with thunder and lightening and it soon starts to rain , then pour dramatically with ongoing thunder and lightening. It is a relief for the gardens and a break from the oppressive heat. 
We are all content to laze around, though Monique is busy in the kitchen getting lunch prepared. As usual it is a grand occasion with melon and ham and tiny tomatoes, followed by an absolutely stunning mushroom tart, chicken and vegetables, cheese and salad, then dessert accompanied by fresh bread and Bordeaux red wine. 
We retire to the terrace to play some board games. French games that are similar but also different. It was a lot of fun and a great way to pass the time on a very wet day. Eventually the sun returned and we took a walk past the thermal spa and the lake and people playing pétanque and on through some new suburbs. They are mostly individual homes with gardens but they are not as large as Australian homes or particularly different in design. They are simple and probably quite affordable.
We pass an arena where small cows are used for bull ‘fighting’. They just do the avoiding, twisting aside moves. No killing.it might bp
fleetfootkath 