March arrived with a bang! The sun came out, the temperatures soared to 22C and we threw off our winter coats! We shopped in the market and exchanged many happy greetings with the friendly stall-holders. The pottery lady came out of hibernation and waved at us. The tourist train chugged up and down the little cobbled streets. Hurray we cried! This is why we came here! It lasted a week. The rains and the icy cold blasts of winter returned and we re- lit our wood-burners and put our coats back on. Still, as ever, there were many glorious skies to keep us happy. 
We managed a quick trip to Edinburgh where we froze, especially on top of the castle. It was a good thing that our lovely daughter, performing with the Edinburgh Studio Opera, warmed the cockles of our hearts as we nearly burst with pride. Such talented young people! We flew down to Bath, still glowing, and stood for hours in Queen's Square, cheering on runners for the Bath Half, one of which was our other daughter. She ran to raise money for MENCAP, a charity very dear to her heart as she has been a volunteer for the Saturday Club for handicapped children for 4 years. We experienced another burst of joy (and relief that she finished it in one piece) and had hearty dinner to warm us all up again. Was Spring ever going to Spring?
Well, it has. The delicate Almond blossom is out, the hawthorn is blooming in the hedges, the cowslips line the lanes and paths and the daffodils is swaying in the breeze. Gorgeous! 
I am obviously missing the fields of yellow sunflowers and the bright summer sun.  I had started to paint the furniture on the mezzanine of the main bedroom grey to match the rest of the subtle coloured furniture but in a moment of madness I painted over the whole lot in bright Annie Sloan yellow! Glorious! 

So how did that happen? I have not even published the March bloggy bit (I think they are called 'posts' ) and I find myself at the end of April! April?! Where did that month go?

We had our lovely daughters back for their Spring break from University, and a surprise visit from our nephew, aged 18, sent over by his parents so he could be buried in the French rural countryside whilst I supervised him during A' Level revision. Having got 3 of my own through A' Levels, I really thought I had done my bit, and didn't relish the role at all! We did let him off occasionally to help make icing rabbits for the Easter cake and paint some eggs. Some traditions die hard in our household. Considering he is an 18 year old lad with facial hair, who enjoys such things as drinking, smoking and clubbing, he got stuck into the challenge!

After Easter we dashed up to Paris. I had an appointment with the Dutch Embassy to renew my passport which included having special photos taken, finger prints, eye recognition, tedious paperwork, lots of money, and a long wait. I regretted not having taken British citizenship again, as I do every time I have to go through this process, as I could have sorted it all out by post. Anyway, it did mean we had a few days in Pareeee, the city of LOVE! The whole of Europe was bathed in sunshine and Paris was no exception. We 'did' the Eiffel Tower, Notre Dame, Le Louvre, Musée d'Orsay, the Pompidou Centre, Versailles, Catacombs and the Latin Quarter. The latter meant an hour and a half traipsing through streets looking for a burger restaurant which Matt insisted we go to. It was actually worth the hunger pains, and moody teenage moment. Happy days, sore feet and a very empty wallet. We especially enjoyed Marie Antoinette's crazy farm and village, made especially for her, the Bonnard exhibition, and the hilarious Jeff Koon exhibition. It was Georgia's first time in Paris (we can't really count the last time as she was 4 and didn't remember it at all) and it was wonderful to experience how enchanted she was by the city.
We took the train home, muggins here having no passport, or ID, and being temporarily non-existent, and were impressed how civilised it was. We have decided to travel by train more in the future.

We had a week to finish spring cleaning the gite. So Matt took off to do some work in the UK and left me to scrub and polish and mop. Georgia loved the new window cleaning machine and washed all the windows for 3 hours. We went out and bought fresh geraniums and spent a happy afternoon potting and re-potting. The sun was out. We made an apple cake and welcomed our first guests of 2015! Roll on May! Surely it must be time to open the pool....