Mes amis Guy et Christiane

I was going to call this post La Fiesta Landais. But in fact it is really about hanging out with friends. I know that I am going to drown in my own blithering sentiment, and no doubt take some of my regular readers down with me!! Hahaha. But I have to say again - the absolutely best things I have done here have involved spending time with 'the locals'. And to have made friends with some of them is such a bonus. I am really lucky.

So... this morning I watched the rugby till it was almost finished. I was disappointed, but not gutted. Gutted I save for World Cups. Sick as a Parrot was specifically for the 1995 World Cup final. I am still not quite over that. But I may be wandering off the track again! Lol!
Guy came to pick me up with Clara his little granddaughter. We drove to the village of Nieuil-l'Espoir which is just near his village of Nouaillé-Maupertuis. Guy's son Stephane lives in Nieuil-l'Espoir. (Espoir means hope - don't know about the first bit.) Anyway, there was a fair on, so we wandered around and had a look at a few things and I got introduced to heaps of people.
Guy is very particular about including me which is really thoughtful, but I sometimes feel like his little puppy! Lol! Nah, it's good really. Although I wonder what the villagers actually are thinking! We then went to Guy's house and had a leisurely and enjoyable long lunch with Guy, his lovely wife Christiane and her sister Martine who had arrived to pick cherries from the bountiful tree. The other son Julien arrived at one point also. They all live close to each other. I am quite envious! It was after 4.00pm by then. Guy and I went back to the fair for what was the big drawcard. Now, we all have our traditions, and if some seem less interesting or even less humane than others, well.... I guess it takes all sorts of things to make the world go round. Guy kept talking about the Cow Show. They weren't cows. Well, they had nothing at all dangling down so I guess they used to be bulls and then had their bits cut off. Ooh! That smarts! Anyway, there was a pen and two teams of people were taunting the animal and making it mad and then it would chase them and they would run and climb up a fence. Still with me? It had horns but they had caps on. Guy kept reassuring me that it wasn't dangerous. I wasn't worred about that. I just didn't like them teasing the animal.
But while I was watching I thought that in the grand scheme of things it wasn't a major. And the participants were mighty fit. And then I had another thought - it was just pretty much the same as playing Bullrush! Bring back Bullrush - that could be a way of letting young men release their pent up warrior needs!
Still, it was about as interesting for me as going to the Stockcars. But the crowd adored it. They sat there in the baking sun, with hardly a hat to be seen, and lapped up every minute. We met Stephane and his daughter there,
and what is that Louane is wearing on her head I wonder? Yes yes, a cap. But what does it say?
Another wander round and a few more people to chat to. Guy knows more people than I do. Then back to his place for a swim in the lovely pool. I imagine that as naturists they don't normally bother about togs, but in my honour Guy and Christiane wore some today! A bit of a singsong and then it was time for me to come back home again. Another great day. It's hard not to feel a bit sad at this stage of proceedings, knowing that I will be saying goodbye quite soon. Ah well, goodbyes are just like hellos, and they come and go and add to what we already have. Which makes us richer as people. My goodness, I think I might have to bring out a book of quotes! Actually, what I should bring out is a book of typos. My typing is sooo often just like "'Allo 'Allo". I think I moght have to brong out a book of quites. Back to the goodbye thing - Guy and Christiane said today we would just eat casually outside today as I was like part of the family now! Aaaw! And when their sons come I am part of the whole kissing thing which of course I rather like!
I'm off to Giverny tomorrow (Sunday) - back Tuesday night.