that looks fantastic fun! i can almost taste the french bread and cheese!!!

i have moved into my new palatial abode and unfortunatly i dont have internet at the moment. should sort it out soon so i can upload some photos.

i plan on climbing mount Fuji in a few weeks. not sure im entirely prepeared or fit but it should be fun. ill keep you posted

Canal du Midi

Tuesday was easy; Wednesday a bit of a struggle; Thursday, 100 miles slipped by almost unnoticed; Friday a doddle (330 wheel turns on 1.1 ratio for the final hill).

Total: 360 km.

High point: arriving at Guissan Plage late on Wednesday for a swim in waters that were indistinguishable from Bracklesham Bay.

Low point: my pannier rack snapping.

bountiful crops

Did some more watering today. everything looking pretty green and lush. Even the lawn has grown quite a bit since Tom and I played crud last week. 

Not many courgettes today – normally I find a couple of marrows have grown in my absence! Still, there were lots of small ones that will probably be ready in a few days. 

The beans (next to the chickens) are doing well and I picked some of the biggest which look tasty.

Shocking sunbathing attire

My word! What is going on? Does Climping beach ‘gold thong man’ know that he is responsible for starting the latest spray-on pool wear craze…. what will the neighbours say?!

From the BBC website…


A 56-year-old man from the Midwestern US state of Wisconsin has been arrested after shooting his lawn mower in his garden because it would not start.

Keith Walendowski was charged by police in Milwaukee with disorderly conduct and possession of a sawn-off shotgun.

Police officers said Mr Walendowski had told them: “It’s my lawn mower and my yard, so I can shoot it if I want.”

Police found the shotgun, a handgun and a stungun, as well as ammunition, when they detained Mr Walendowski in the basement of his house.

Witnesses told police that he appeared to have been drinking.

The lawn mower was found sitting outside Mr Walendowski’s house, which he shares with his mother, with the rubbish on Friday.

A local retailer said that Mr Walendowski might now have difficulty getting his lawn mower repaired.

“Anything not factory recommended would void the warranty,” said Dick Wagner, of Wagner’s Garden Mart in Milwaukee.