10th - 17th july

Our week in France was just lovely! My ear infection was very bad and
painful so I spent the first half of the week in bed and that was
about it! But the Bradley's picked us up from the airport in a really
nice 4x4 car (they were upgraded for free because the hire company got
the booking wrong) and drove us for an hour to their holiday home!

Hope was sooo cute all week! She knew our names but sometimes called
me Garth and Garth, Ruth! We bought her a little mouse teddy from
South Africa which she loved, but did pull out both the eyes, so John
had to glue them back in. She is such a sweet, clever girl and her
language is amazing! (I kept comparing her to Leo) but she ate all on
her own, she understood the concept of wedding rings meant that a man
loved a woman forever, she smiled and said cheese whenever a camera
was around, she did a great 'thumbs up' and her and garth had this
cute thing where he said 'can you touch the sky?' and she would go 'no
no no' and shake her finger - sooo cute! Hope was the main
attraction for the whole week when she wasnt napping or in bed - and
Garth really enjoyed hanging out with her! I would have too if I
hadnt' have felt so ill with my ears! We spent nearly every moment
that she wasnt awake playing Settlers of Katan!!! Lol!

The house was beautiful - very rustic and very french! It was stone
with light blue shutters with the paint peeling. The floor was black
and white checkered with a lovely twisting wooden staircase! The
garden was beautiful - very natural and overgrown with lots of flowers
and a meadow at the back. There was even an old disused well!

Towards the end of the week I went to a few local brocantes with the
Bradleys and bought a few tea cups. It was great seeing the beautiful
little villages, although my French was very wanting!

We went to the beach twice. It was a great beach for kids, with no
waves and shallow waters and Garth and John made sandcastles and
played games!

On the last day we went out for a special dinner of muscles and chips!
What a great way to end our world trip, with such great friends!