1 year later

Sept 12, 2011 marked the beginning of year 2 for us in France. We keep saying that we should have kept a better diary of our experiences however it is well accepted that whe world does not need yet another book about survival in PACA (Provence / Alpes / Cote d'Azur) or does it. From a little dog's perspective new things are intriguing and smell different therefore everything requires thorough scrutiny.

Just when you think that you have everything figured out, Dave drinks Coors Light, Alanea likes champagne and I get a raw food diet from Bark & Fitz in the Beach in Toronto where I walk on the sand every day they go and change things dramatically. Now I eat Canadian dry kibble imported from England (and madelenes), Dave drinks Rose and Alanea still likes champagne. Fortunately I am adaptable, where my people are is the best place for me.

We have visited lots of the 100's of wineries in the area, we have had lunch in many of the small towns that dot the countryside, we have walked on the beach at St Aygulf and taken a boat ride from Les Issambre to St. Tropez but we have not seen BB.

Dave has joined a cycling club called ASR Roquebrunoise (Amicale Sportive (Socialable)Roquebrune). He was doing well until the heavy hitters showed up in the spring then things got tough. When Dave returned from 4 weeks in Canada with a new bike things were worse as 4 weeks of no riding and lots of Coors can be bad for average wattage output. He now is riding stronger again but lags behind on tough hills. The best he can do for now is 4th or 5th however the gauntlet is down and coming wattage up. I think that the Computrainer will see the light of day soon.

I have met lots of very good friends. I live at Villa 24. 23 is Francoise and Heinz from Switzerland, 25 is my friends Pierre and Claire from Paris (they have nice grandchildren that talk to me in French through the fence. George and Birgit from Denmark live across the road, they are fun friends and they like me too.

Alex, Tatiana and their son Stephan are from St Petersburg in Russia. They are learning English and French fast and Stephan is going to school here now. He is a good boy but is unsure about me.

Ted and Irna are from Holland, Anne and Pascal from Lille, Judy and Roger from Australia, Chuck and Dianne from England.

Anne from England lives here all of the time and her son James visits from Kent in England. She is very nice and lets me out sometimes when Dave is away for a few hours if Alanea is not home. Dave cuts her grass and helps with little problems. Anne's husband passed away a few years ago and she is a real trooper, I like her to come here because she knows where the cookies are and she talks to me.

There are lots of little dogs around here but I don't play much with them. I sometimes look at Lola the Boxer through the fence but she is a big girl. There are 4 other Yorkies but they are yappy and immature.

A farmer named Gerrard grows olives behind my house, I now have 2 olive trees that I let Alanea take care of, Dave bought a new one for the 1 year anniversary.

It is fun here most of the time but gets very hot in July and August. Dave was in Canada in August and Alanea said the traffic was very heavy so she spent a lot of time at the pool. Alanea is now a great swimmer but I cannot go to the pool. Nothing much happens in France except vacations in August.

Alanea is busy as always working on her business and reading Ango Info and other web sites. I sit on a click clak couch and watch her work. She was going to sell my click clak couch but decided not to do it. Thank goodness.

Dave and Alanea play golf a few times per week and I have to stay home. Alanea is good golfer, Dave is a hacker. That is a drag however I do need to rest occassionally as you see by the new pic I like the lounger in the yard.

We are only an hour and 30 minutes from Alassio in Italy where the picture of Dave was taken. Alassio is nice because there is a long pier to walk on. Italy feels different, the pasta is finer and I like the drive along the coast road. Our friends from Toronto Rick and Karin bought a nice house on the coast and we go there often.

The house is fully furnished the garden is great for me. There is a wonderful new pave terrasse and an umbrella to shade Dave from the sun while he has an afternoon aperitif and Alanea works.

Alanea and Dave bought a lot of nice wine at the annual Foir aux Vin (a big sale on wine).

I will add to this in a few days. Let me know if you need any info I am full of it.

Tiff

OK OK OK Dave got a new bike

Dave is a PIA he wants to show off his new bike. I just had a bath and Alanea will come home later to be with me.

August in the South of France

Sorry for the lack of posts....July and August have been so hot I have been the King of the Siesta....on the cool tile floor and Alanea feeds me ice cubes shaped like stars to keep me cool.

That's what all these people on the beach under the umbrellas are doing...keeping cool and swimming in the sea. I don't like the sea it tastes salty. Alanea likes the pool but I don't like that either...it's too wet.

The lovely grapes are right by our house and part of my 3 km walk....although last time I had to be carried part of the way it got so hot by 9 in the morning....and then there were more ice cubes. Before we knew it Dave was on his way home and our lovely neighbour George picked him up at Nice airport. Dave is very happy to be home in France and he thanks all his friends and family for allowing him to drink their beer and stay over night in Toronto and Woodstock. I would suggest that you consider buying some Coors stock before the next quarter results and sell a few days after.

Roquebrune Marche Nocture and Village pics

Dave and Alanea took me to the Market at night "Marche Nocture". It was really 6PM. Dave took a few Village pictures on Saturday. They are mixed to give everyone a sense of what a small French village is like and how it has not changed for many years (like Dave). Alanea is very good to me. We went for a walk on the beach at 7AM today. Dave was scandalized by what he saw. I cannot post a pic. Alanea laughed. I saw Maiken and Jens from Demark again today.

More evidence that there is a God, perhaps she lives in Switzerland

Our neighbours' son and his beautiful wife (my friend) brought Dave some Coors Light from Zurich. The 10 bottles were gone before you could say "contraband". Alanea gracefully declined Dave's offer of a mere sip of the Nectar of the Gods. The expiry date was not a problem. Today is July 20, 2011 the wind is blowing like crazy. Alanea calls it the Mistral but it keeps me awake at night. Dave said that it will stop tomorrow but George's daughter does not believe Dave so she is holding on to her bikini top. Her husband Jens is a Tour de France fan so Dave and he talk about that while I peed on the fence.

Dave & Alanea's boat trip to St. Tropez without me!!!

Dave said it was too hot to take me, so Anne my friend came over to watch me and let me out for a nice pee. Here are a few pictures. There is a pic of Alanea on the Espadon (boat) to St. Tropez, an aweful looking scultpure, St Maxime from the boat, skinny models at a photo shoot on the street, inside a fancy shoe store that uncle James would like and Dave on the same boat. St. Tropez is hard to get to by car because of the traffic so Dave and Alanea took the boat from Les Issambre, they were very POSH (port out starboard home). They had a very nice lunch at a little restaurant (Petrus). John McEnroe was scheduled to play tennis at a specially constructed court across the street from the restaurant last evening. Dave concluded that he will never drive to St Tropez again as the boat is so easy and he can drink at lunch. Sorry about the lack of updates, please sign up as a follower and let me know how you like this blog. If enough people like it maybe it will be a hit and I can buy more biscuits.

Coors Light is God's way of saying that he loves Dave and wants him to be happy.

Alanea is the other way. Dave is shown in this historic photo drinking his 1st Coors Light since Sept 2010. The 1st Canadian visitors brought him a can. The brought 2 other brands but Dave is saving them for George from Denmark. Nice, 3 nights in 1st class accomodation, food, wine tours and stimulating conversation and all Dave gets is a can of Coors Light. It was worth it and Dave would do it again. Alanea did all the work and Dave took the glory.