One week later. A Saturday afternoon in a very comfortable gite near slumbering Domme. The rest of the family has gone on the short 15 minute walk into Domme following our after lunch snooze, We have to do this ((snooze) so grand-daughter Anabelle gets a good day sleep you see.
This morning was fairly typical for the week. An objective set (do Sarlat market), a partial success , (travel aspects were fine and we did see a fair bit of the market before retreating) and an enjoyable family lunch with market proceeds back home.
Although it was a couple of very long days for Ben, Sarah and Anabelle, by last Sunday afternoon they were finished with planes, trains and cars and flopped into their gite beds. We have very good hosts here with plenty of grandparent experience so we are not short of ideas or things to keep Missy occupied. Anabelle has struggled with injection after effects and travel impacts and at almost one year old, there is a power struggle going on within the family to see whose will, if any, will dominate. Call it a draw so far.
We are yet to work out the best travel/home experience combination for the five of us but I believe that we are doing quite well so far by now curbing our daily expectations. Less time out and about and more time at home seems to be the best answer thus far. We have access to a pool, which we have all enjoyed and little Missy has her own blow up boat which she plays in often with or without water.
We have visited nearby La Roque Gageac for a river boat ride. We have enjoyed several good lunches out in Domme and Bergerac. And we have visited markets in Cenac, Domme and now Sarlat. Ben and Randall took a day off from parenting to tour the Gouffre de Padirac and a boys lunch out. The idea from here is to visit nearby villages (eg Beynac, Vitrac and Sarlat) and taking the daily changing needs of Missy into account.
The look and feel of the Dordogne is as good as ever. The villages and houses are just so good and well cared for. The weather has been great thus far although we are expecting high 30s heat next week. As usual, there are plenty of tourists about (esp Dutch and English) but things are still quite comfortble on that front.
PS. With internet we can keep up with the world although we have not seen TV for a week. Around here, and looking at life as an outsider, things go on much as they ever did it seems. From power struggles with the political classes to a reducing and aging folk in the country growing their veggies and tending their gardens. We have seen the sites around here including the chateaux through to local WWII memorial sites to remind us, as if we needed it, of former failures of the politicians to do their jobs properly. And they fail us still.
Enjoy your end of financial year from us here in zzzzzzzz Domme.
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