During January we visited the family in the UK and spread the cheer of Christmas and New Year. Then back home to finish the lounge. We did do the Granville carnival on Shrove Tuesday. Not quite Rio standards but nevertheless great fun.

Passing the time with some smaller projects and, of course Sunday lunches we got through February and March, with just a couple of nights out to celebrate our 37^th Anniversary and Sid’s xxth birthday.

April started with a leaving do for Rita and Jeff who were moving to Canterbury. It was very sad that they were going and we missed the actual leaving event. We moved off to stay at Thurnham Hall near Lancaster for a week of relaxation to recharge the batteries for the season. After that we moved on to Sheffield. Wednesday was Grace’s birthday and the first of her parties. On Friday was Jane’s big birthday. We went off to a hotel restaurant for a slap-up meal and to stay over. As well as the girls with Paul and James, we were joined by Graham and Jane and Catherine and William. So we had a really enjoyable evening with close family.

We tried going via the tunnel instead of the ferry. It wasn’t too bad except that it was really necessary to have an overnight near Folkestone to prepare for the next stage. The best part was that Jane was relaxed about the journey and not getting wound up about the crossing.

Without a major project indoors we decided to concentrate on outdoors. Our biggest job was scraping the gravel off the drive, covering it with plastic and covering with gravel again. That has paid off in that it has vastly reduced the weeding effort. We cut the hedges by the gite quite considerably and extended the patio to the back door of the gite. We extended it the other way to cover what was the wet area and improved the drainage. We also installed three large water butts front and back.

July saw Sid fulfil a lifetime ambition by going on a 2-week sailing holiday.

The gite bookings went very well and up on 2007. Unfortunately July was a wash-out and August not much better so combined with making the family room a double, the B&B bookings were well down. According to the tourist office, everyone was the same. Things did pick up a little in late August so we ended reasonably.

The downstairs loo in the utility needed attention, so we took out the old shower, which Jane did gently and carefully with a sledge hammer. We had taken out the old sink then we installed a vanity unit where the shower had been and boxed in the old water heater. After painting and new flooring, it was transformed into a bright room which we are happy to let people use.

Mid September saw us heading back through the tunnel. Significantly for us, Graham and Jane had moved out of London down to Broadstairs and invited us to stay. So we spent 2 days there before heading North. Two weeks in Sheffield was spent decorating Grace’s new bedroom. A brief break for a trip to Broadstairs again for Graham and Jane’s house warming.

Down to Coventry for a night at Tony and Mavis’s then we flew with them to Lanzarote. We shared an apartment for a week then they had to get home and we had a quiet week on our own. When we flew back we stayed with them again for a night then drove down to Canterbury to spend a couple of nights with Jeff and Rita. After a pleasant stay there it was back through the tunnel and home.

While we were away, Carey moved back to Northampton. She resigned from her Sheffield school and took up a position in one in Northampton. It is only a short term contract to cover maternity leave but she intends to stay and find a new position, or do supply teaching for a while. Paul had taken and passed his final medical exams.

In November, Annette and Bill visited Normandy. It was good to see them again. We did some more hedge trimming and tidying up leading up to our Christmas break. We repainted the gite upstairs with a view to finishing after Christmas.

On the 18^th December we set off back to England, and again through the tunnel. Another 2 days with Graham and Jane for pre-Christmas chats. On the way to Peterborough to stay with Catherine and William, we had a slight disagreement with a lorry. He changed lanes without realising that we were there. Fortunately it was at traffic lights and we were both going very slowly so although he made a significant dent, we weren’t injured and the car was drivable. So it stayed that way until we got home.

Staying with Cath and Will was really nice especially as Carey joined us there. On the 23^rd we went to Cromer Country Club to spend a quiet week. The Christingle Service in Cromer was very pleasant for Christmas Eve. Christmas day was really nice, a relaxing day opening a few pressies and a super steak dinner done by Jane. The rest of the week spent walking and relaxing. It was rounded off by the Christmas show on the pier.

Sunday 30^th we were off again, this time up to Sheffield. We had a really nice time there, seeing the New Year in with the family. Carey was there and James came for New Year. On 3^rd we took Carey home to Northampton and stayed with her for a couple of days, including major retail therapy in Milton Keynes. Saturday 5^th we set off South, stopping for lunch with Robin and Angela who have bought a “project” in Normandy and stay with us when they come over to work on it. Then down to Canterbury to stay with Jeff and Rita before heading back home.

Our friends had put on the heating so the house was nice and warm. With no other problems the priority was getting the car in for repair.