Saturday, July 28, 2012

What a July I have had!

Yes, I know! This time it is nearly four months since my last post, for which I am truly sorry. No excuse really except that these days I seem to impart all my news via Facebook but that is of course no consolation for all my blog fans from over 60 countries around the world (seriously). I am sure that the Moscow Institute of Microbiology (again, seriously) must be distraught that they have not heard from me for all that time. However, enough of this grovelling.......lets bring you up to date.


July has been absolutely frenetic with visitors and social occasions and it is only in the last couple of days that any semblance of normality has returned to chez nous. At the beginning of the month we had a lovely surprise visit form Uncle Dave and Auntie Karen. Uncle Dave was working in Toulouse for a few days and phoned to ask if he and Auntie Karen could pop down to see us for a short visit. Directions on how to drive to us from Toulouse were despatched tout suite and in no time at all they were here and tucking into the bottle stuff. Some things never change! 




We had not seen them over here for a while so it was great to chill out and have a good old catchup. Auntie Karen and I renewed our friendship and spent loads of time together as she is a real animal lover, even if she does have two cats!




Oh, and by the way, did I mention that Uncle Dave just loves chocolate. Here is the proof!



All too soon their visit was over and a mere two days later it was the day of our big summer party. Auntie Pam and Uncle Barry came over early to help and I wandered around checking that everything was being done properly. Well, one has standards to keep. In no time at all the pool and deck were full of partying friends and once again a brill time was had by all. Sadly, Auntie Mary and Uncle Tim could not make it this year and their presence was missed by all.






Two days later, charging around as I do, I tweaked a muscle or tendon in a back leg so was hauled off to see the vet. Not the lovely Marie Christine as usual because she is about to have a baby, but a very nice man instead. No lasting problem I am pleased to say.
That gave us just five days until our next visitors arrived - this time Uncle Rob and Auntie Jo. Turns out mum and dad last saw them over six years ago and I had never met them so I was really excited. They are total dog lovers and we immediately bonded - it was like we had always been best friends. 




Uncle Rob is a big  cycling fan so it was very fortuitous that, two days after they arrived, the tour de France went through the next village to us. They all went to see it but I was not allowed as mum said something about dogs always causing pileups on the tour.




Only a few days later Uncle Tim and Auntie Mary came to stay together with Matthew and Natalie. Needless to say, as is always the case with that four, an afternoon and evening of eating, excessive bottle stuff consumption, and revelry was had by all.




Mum and dad took Jo and Rob (they said I could call them that) off to Andorra for the day so Uncle Stuart dropped in to see me a couple of times that day. To be honest, I was grateful to have the opportunity for a good long catchup kip as I was beginning to get a bit knackered by then.

And if that was not enough, we all went over to Auntie Mary's and Uncle Tim's for the day for another day of debauchery (except dad - he was driving).








Having originally come for a week, Jo and Rob finished up staying for ten days. That was great but it all went by so quickly and very soon it was time for them to load up their car with loads of bottle stuff and go back home. I was very sad the next day and spent most of it asleep. Never mind - hopefully they are going to come back in a couple of months - can't wait!







So July is nearly over, and I will be glad when it is. I just love company and social activities, but to be quite honest, there has been so much of it during July that I think I will need to sleep through August to recover. Be in touch again when I wake up.






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