Congrats Jul on entering your mid-twenties – now you are exactly the same age as Liv and me.

I’m sure you had a great day and noticed that since you’re traveling the world there doesn’t seem to be the need to do anything different than any other day even though it’s your birthday. Relax, have fun, go out for a meal, see something or do something amazing. Same as every other day n’est pas? And just as exciting.

Therefore enjoy. For we are a happy privaliged few; those of us who out of the kindness of our hearts decide to dedicate months of our life to spending the wealth of rich countries in poorer countries. Verily the milenial Robin Hoods of our time – but without the nasty theft bit.

Right… enough gibber.

hello! cheers for the best wishes. 🙂

is that calvin and hobbes compilation for me?! most abliged!

im in ho chi min city at the moment. seems pretty cool, going to see the kutchi tunnels tomorrow. then onwards and upwards.

films and series are very cheap here. if anyone wants anything let me know

love julio

Haven’t actually got you a present as yet, but will no doubt have something awaiting you when you get back.

I trust that you are taking it easy today and stearing well clear of all things bucket-shaped.

Ma forgot to mention that the wind was gusting at about 45Knots (Force 8 ) when Dod got the kite up and would no doubt have gained a large amount of unwanted air if he’d held on to the bar. Good test of the kite’s safety system I say.

Dear Julio,

Happy Birthday!

I imagine that you are at a road side cafe sipping a hot chocolate, munching on a baguette and cheese and listening to tales of the last war; or doing a boat tour round Ha Long Bay. Anyhow, have a nice day!

Here, Spring came last month with hot days; the blue tits, chaffinches and robins are in a jolly mood, singing and flitting from one tree to another. The primroses, daffodils, snowdrops and even bluebells are out, giving a bit of life to the sleepy garden. I am frantically cleaning the house, cupboards, windows, etc, now that I have more or less got rid of my cold. Nicky cut a lot of the hedges, lowering them by by a good threee metres. He was like a big machine cutting those enormous branches and piling them on the lawn. There was such an enormous amount that we had to burn it in the end. The bay leaves crackled and exploded like fireworks due to their oil content so the flames were leaping several feet into the air.

Today a gale is blowing from the North bringing the temperature down from 15c to 8c; but it won’t last, I don’t think. Nicky and Olivier and I went to the beach to fly the kite but the wind tore it from their grasp.

It’s all quiet here without Tanya and Geofff and Rio. They were having a good time in Seychelles until today. Tanya has got Chitigunia (headache, joint pain, unable to walk). Oh dear! There is nothing one can do: it lasts 3 to 5 days.

There is a new addition to the family. Aurelia had a boy last night called Elliot. Christophe must be very proud.

Thank you so much for your messages.

Love Mama

Mmm. A succession of nights out with a handy ‘bucket’; or a succession of days in without food. Neither appeals much to someone whose idea of a big time is shared by Calvin’s dad.

I’m not sure he would have considered diving through flaming hoops ‘character building’, either!

I’m glad you found Ankor Wat ‘suitably impressive’. I feel the same about Chichester Cathedral, which you may have noticed on occasion, going to and fro about the town.

I hope the stuff you filled your buckets with wasn’t like the cheap vodka that is killing people by the score in minor Russian towns and appears to have arrived in Britain:

“Drinkers have been warned to look out for illegal bottles of a vodka that could blind or kill. A bottle of Kremlin Vodka with sixteen times the recommended maximum amount of methanol was found on sale at a shop in Burnley, Lancs. Trading Standards officers fear it is available across the North West and urged consumers to contact them if they come across it. Methanol is a toxic chemical often used in bootleg liquor. Even moderate amounts can kill and initial effects may include drowsiness, inebriation. Delayed symptoms include blindness.”

I didn’t think ‘inebriation’ was unusual when drinking vodka, but blindness would be.