Back home again after 2572 miles, 6 different countries and 7 different beds. And I have to do all the driving, the SO doesn't!

Not bad for a 2-week trip, huh?

When we set out with a car load of goodies and garden furniture to deliver to friends and relatives in the UK, I never believed that we would return with an even fuller car ...

My granddaughter, young Bonnie, was a bit cranky for the time we were with her, but as she was/is teething and had a cold and a cough, that is hardly surprising. Her sunny smiley self came through a lot though.

So she stars in my message to y'all:

Fascinating overnight break on the trip up to the UK in a French city called Valenciennes - a delightfully quirky 'guest house' which was somewhere between hotel and b&b. It is Le Grand Duc if any of you want to look it up.

Dinner out that evening.

And the next.
And the next.
And the next.

Finally a home-cooked meal (I made a *smiles shyly* nice venison rack of ribs, with roasted butternut squash, Swiss Roesti potatoes and some varieties of that dreadful stuff that is apparently healthy (coloured green) - but the delightful Burgundy red we had taken with us help wash the taste of all that greenery away. And the gravy was somehow extra special that evening.

Various visits with granddaughter to various castles and their "Christmas Fairs" and we even went to a Panto - Swiss SO had never been to an English Panto before. (This one was 'Snow White')

All in all a good trip marred only by my SOs cough that meant we have not had a full night's sleep for over a month now ...

I JUST had time for some proofing, but have had NO time to write - the plan is to do some of that today, now I am back home ...

I shall 'talk' with you all later ...

Joolz