Tag Archives: port de la meule

Tuesday 18th June 2013 – SHERLOCK HOLMES …

… and Doctor Watson had to deal with Professor Moriarty who was using 5 gold pieces to blackmail someone. This led to Holmes and Watson disguising themselves as workmen and along with 2 other people similarly disguised, one of whom was the interested party, having a most violet fight in a private bar in which Moriarty was present. At a certain moment Moriarty, fearful that things were getting out of hand, discharged a firearm, a duelling pisol in fact, in the general direction of one of the participants and that was the signal for Holmes to seize both the gold pieces and Moriarty.
After this, a girl and I were outside talking. But it wasn’t the talk that was interesting, but that we were looking at the sky. It was quite dark and there were thousands of stars in the sky, and the moon, less than half-full, was flitting by at a rapid rate of knots and there were wisps of cloud everywhere passing even faster. And on the way home, I noticed some workmen at work in a glass building, using the natural light because even though it was 22:22, it was still light enough to work by and so I took a photo of the scene.

Ahhh well, such are dreams made of, and it was really depressing to be awoken by the alarm at 07:30 when I had all of this going on in my head, especially as the morning was all miserable, grey and cold.

But I’d done a good evening’s work – a huge pile of stuff that had been building up over a year or so and now sorted out.

Apart from that, it’s been a quiet day today.

Cécile somehow managed to chainsaw her way through the electric extension cable the other day without electrocuting herself and so first job after breakfast was to pick up a new plug and fit it to what remained of the cable.

We took the opportunity to do another load of shopping as well – anyone would think that we are eating like pigs the amount of stuff that we are buying. I dunno where it all goes.

Exciting news after lunch, though.

Cécile received a phone message that her internet connection was ready and so we spent a good few hours trying to configure the connection. Even with the aid of a friendly cousin who lives on the island we had no luck at all.

grande phare la petite foule ile d'yeu france In the end we gave up the struggle and went for a walk

Our perambulations took us down to the sea shore yet again, and from a certain spot where we stopped there was a good view of the lighthouse that we had visited yesterday.

Here it is rearing its head up above the trees in the distance on top of La Petite Foule. It does look impressive
.

port de la meule ile d'yeu franceLater on, we all went for a little walk again – down the road in the general direction of Port de la Meule where we had stopped for a drink just as everywhere was closing up.

We didn’t go that far today because Cécile’s mother is getting on and it’s probably much too much for her.

Bit it’s still good to stretch our legs and breathe in the fresh air before going to sleep, I reckon.

But as for the internet, last thing at night, just as I was about to go to bed, I noticed that the thing seems to have struggled into life and after a few minutes’ manipulations I seem to be on line.

The world really is my oyster now.

Friday 14th June 2013 – TODAY I INSTALLED …

… a cat flap. Such is the highlight of my life.

Chaupette likes to arrive at the house at about 23:00 after everyone has gone to bed, and then likes to leave at about 05:00 before everyone has awoken, and that’s clearly something that can’t continue, as far as I am concerned.

The one pet shop on the island has a cat flap for sale at … gulp… €29:99 but a quick look on Amazon produced a catflap at just €10:99 plus a couple of Euros postage

And that turned up this morning, so I launched an attack on the back door. That is one of those hollow plastic doors and so I had to cut out the shape of the hole in both leaves and then stiffen it between the outer and the inner skin with some wood offcuts.

Anyway, it’s done and up to the present, Chaupette isn’t sure exactly what to make of it

port de la meule ile d'yeu franceLater on this afternoon we went for a walk – a nice, pleasant little stroll in the countryside in the lovely early evening.

Plenty of things to see around here, such as the nice little cottages. Once you leave the built-up area of Port Joinville, most of the houses in the villages scattered across the island look like this.

Typical single-story bungalows that were generally homes for local fishermen back in former times

port de la meule ile d'yeu franceNothing like that now, unfortunately. Even if there are any fishermen still on the island, they wouldn’t be able to afford anything here

Most of the cottages now are holiday homes – second homes owned by people from Paris and the like who just come here in the summer and leave the place looking empty and derelict out of season.

In the street where Cecile’s mum lives, I think that there are only two other houses that are permanently occupied.

port de la meule ile d'yeu franceSo what started out as a pleasant little stroll in the country ended up with us at Port de la Meule, about 6kms away from Cécile’s mother’s.

The bar there was just closing up at the end of the day but they kindly served us refreshments which, believe me, were sorely needed.

And while everyone else recovered from their exertions, I wandered off for some photographs of the bay where the boats tie up.

On the way back, Cécile’s mother ran out of steam (which is hardly surprising seeing as how she is 82, after all) and so while I stood guard, Cécile ran home and fetched the car. We didn’t make it back here until about 21:00.

Still, a good time was had by all and it managed not to rain at all throughout the entire day, which must be something of a new record.

Tomorrow, the island’s Charity Shop is open and I’m told that they sell books there. Looks like an early start for me.