Au revoir, a bientot - until 23/24 July

To some it may look like a tatty bar-tabac in the middle of nowhere. To us it looks like where we'll be spending quite a bit of time over the next couple of weeks because Bar La Forge at Trebrivan in Central Brittany is directly opposite our little bolt-hole.

In other words, The Millbrooker and Mrs The Millbrooker are going on holiday. We haven't even got a telephone line in our house in Brittany and certainly no internet access, so this is the last posting until around 23/24 July.

Dong and Auntie Shazzerooneypoos will be joining us for the middle long-weekend along with Dozybean and EarMatt so that we can all celebrate Bastille Day together in the traditional manner by watching the massed Bagads of Brittany march through Carhaix-Plougeur (trust me, it's quite a sight) and then walking to Mael-Carhaix for the evening's live music, inter-village shot-put contest, tug-o'-war and the always impressive firework display. The walk back in the dark can be an interesting challenge, but watching the glow-worms in the hedgerows en-route takes me back to my childhood even if I need someone to spot them and point them out to me these days.

We shall return laden with good wine, good cheeses, fat tummies, good cheer and empty wallets. Until then - a happy Millbrook to everyone.