A little trip to the Alps

 France - it's all about the food, isn't it?  Where else can you stop briefly in a local market and buy such good cheese, ham and fruit?  Where else does every local bakery bake twice a day, and offer such a mouth watering array of cakes, pizzas, tarts and bread?  France is all about the food, and as eating is one of my most favourite pastimes, I am just in Heaven!

My personal Boar!

After a few days in the searing heat at Granddad's house, we decided to visit the mountains, which were cool and pleasant, but still basking in summer sunshine.  There are excellent things to eat there too.  I scored my first personal icecream cone in the elegant city of Grenoble, and quickly established icecream as a regular part of my daily diet.  Daddy tried to protest on several occasions, but he was over-ruled by my mother, who pointed out we were on holiday!  I also discovered a wonderful toyshop in Grenoble, and acquired a plastic French pig.  They are apparently very common in the region, but they are also very shy, and only come down and wreck Granddad's garden in the middle of the night.  It is important to know what they look like, so I can shoo it away if I ever see one. 

Briancon

Alpine Pass

After visiting Grenoble, we mostly spent our time high in the mountains.  I pretty much slept through the medieval town of Briancon, but did manage to rouse myself sufficiently to join in the excitement of topping out this Alpine pass.  Most of the excited people had cycled up, but when you're only just one, and can't even walk yet, getting to the top any which way is something of an achievement.

Back down in the Var valley at Granddad's house, there was still time for plenty of new experiences.  One morning we headed to the beach at 7am before it got too hot for me.  We were the first people there!  I am pleased to report that sand is starting to make more sense.  I have figured out you can pat it and fill buckets with it.  This has proved considerably more successful than my earlier attempts to eat it.   I also went for a swim in the sea with Mummy for the first time.  It was very swishy.

We met this dog in Les Arcs.  I thought it was the funniest thing I had EVER SEEN!  Dogs and cats are my favourite thing at the moment.  I tried to stop and talk to everyone that I met, even if they didn't want to talk to me.  Mummy taught me to feed titbits to the dog at the hotel in Mont Dauphin, and that seems an effective strategy.  


I have also been practising my swimming in Granddad's pool.  I was initially a little perturbed by the huge inflatable giraffe, but by the end of the fortnight, I was sailing my boat, and riding Giraffe like an old hand.  I also had a go in the jacuzzi, and that was fun too.


And don't forget the eating... that was the best bit of all!

Lunch on Market Day at the Hotel du Park, Lorgues

My First Birthday Party

 If you go down to the woods today, you're sure to get a surprise....  for every bear that ever there was, will gather there for certain because, Today's the day the teddy bears have their picnic. 


Everyone knows that teddy bears throw the best parties, so given my impending first birthday, I got together with a few of my bears to make plans....

to throw a party with lots of marvellous things to eat...


and wonderful games to play....  Fairy Godmother Gill came with Emma and Fiona, and played hundreds of exciting games with all the children...  and everyone had their face painted, or little delicate flowers drawn on their hands... we all looked amazing...

 Imogen distinguished herself by managing to lean over in her highchair and pinch a few cupcakes....


Daddy blew up the balloons.  Mummy made all the cakes.  The house was brimming with people.  I ate too much birthday tea.  There were zillions of presents...  the biggest was a huge pink car, but I especially love my Team GB Olympic duck.

Miss Madeleine can....

As she approaches her first birthday, Miss Madeleine...

• can say Mama, Dadda, duck, cat, Catherine and dog.
• loves any sort of animal, especially ducks, monkeys, cats, dogs and any thing else that moves, flaps, squawks or squeals.
• complains if expected to travel in a car without her DVD player and the Teletubbies.
• sings along to the la, la, la chorus in the cbeebies show Mr Bloom.
• is pulling herself up and cruising around the furniture.
• will eat just about anything, but her favourites are blueberries, meat, chocolate, tomatoes and cheese.  Miss M is a cheese-monster!
• can sign milk and duck.
• loves balloons, eating books, shredding paper, foraging in dustbins and rubber ducks.
• loves swimming, softplay and communal singing.