Martinique

Monday, 26th February

There is work to be done on the boat to ready it for our cruise but there's still time to take a trip to Fort de France with Chris, prior to picking up Linda at the airport.

It's a lovely place, a bit dominated by the cruise boat trade but pleasant away from the immediate commercialisation of the waterfront.  We lunched in a restaurant not far from where the Empress Josephine grew up!

A lovely afternoon. And supper was fun in the Marina!

Tuesday, 27th February.

I went into the port to add myself to the car rental, and to find a belt.  This lady's shop - a working seamstress - was right next door to the rental!  We chatted a while, but she didn't have a belt....

I did eventually find one and Ali and I set out to tour the south of the island - or a bit of it.  This is a very low key surf kite resort, where we ate Accras - cod fish balls sort of.  Tasty :-)

 

Further on to a delightful, amateur arboretum, where the gracious, Rasta owner showed us around gently and knowledgeably.  Look at these stunning flowers..

And, finally, to a rum plantation (this is a part of the heritage machinery).  And a remarkably winding, twisting way home.

We had a mutually wonderful day.

Chris and Linda had been busy on the boat all day; so everyone was really happy to head to Zanzibarrestaurant - a favourite of Linda's  Let me introduce you to three delightful ladies - Marilyn, Ali and a new Welsh lady-friend of mine - Daiquiri!

Six hours, a world away

Ever since we've heard of it, I've wanted to try this - the "Snow Bird" experience!  Canadians if they can take a tropical holiday (some just move out for the whole Canadian winter) and then return to the land of ice and snow.  This year. the planets aligned and Ali's brother, Chris, has his yacht in the Caribbean for three months before he's due to bring it back to Europe.  So that's what we're going to do!

Here's the start of our tropical trip!



Thanks, Wanda and Rod,  a lovely evening in Montreal and a great taxi service to the airport!









We breakfasted at the airport where we met these three, remarkable policemen (It's a big airport!)  and did bits of gift shopping

- and then the last call for our flight!  10 minutes after we were seated, a bit cramped but really not bad, we were taxiing for take-off.

So, farewell snow (for now!) 





Flight down was unremarkable, five hours.  And then 28 degrees at the airport here in Martinique.  Lo and behold, posters asking travellers not to bring contaminating goods........ into the EU!

Not only is Martinique French, it's in the EU!

A lovely taxi ride through this green island to Marin - across the bay from Ste Anne, site of the first Caribbean Club Med, 40 years ago - and a delightful harbour.

So, cups of tea, a change of clothes and we're due to potter around the bay for supper. 


What's not to like?






And a new discovery (to us!)  the deceptively dangerous "Planter's"!

Yum

Switchback!

.... the weather, that is!

Thursday, 22nd February.

A warmer day, more ice melting off the path; more work done to Burlesque - the "new" seat's in, some dowels are cut and fitted to hide old holes.  There's a big X on the seat to remind me not to sit on it - there are no washers and only 3 of the 4 nuts!.  But it's in.

And this is two coats of varnish on the repaired ribs.




But the weather changed; the temperature dropped well below freezing, the melt became ice, rock hard and very slippery.













Time for crampons on the boots (toasty warm boots with their new liners :-)  ).  These things work a dream.

We went out for the evening to meet up with Mark and Janis.  They are Sooo busy, jetting all over he world.  They are potty about each other, too.  Nice!

The road was fine but we were late because it took us ten minutes to get the grippers on and to totter down to the car - where I had to grit the parking to be able to turn!

Good food at la Gare in Labelle!


Friday, 23rd February.

A fixing day.  News from SL first thing about the appointments back at Avon Scouting.  Big thanks to them all.  And then in to the village to make enquiry at the Municipal office about the need for permits for work I might want to do; to Marcel to chat and then to agree that he'll come with us down to the airport at the end of the stay and bring the car back to service it (un Inspection; une Service is an oil change!) and pop it back into Michel's garage for the rest of the winter

So I stopped off at Jacque's - keeper of the keys to Michel's garage - to natter and agree that Marcel would contact him mid-March.  Such great people!



The turkeys are keeping a keen eye out for grain on the path; they beat the blue-jays to it sometimes  And just look at this haute couture squirrel!

Catch your breath!

Monday, 19th February

We left Wanda, Rod and Hannah's, after yet another good sleep and tasty breakfast, at about 09.45.  On towards town for some replacement boot liners for my trusty snow boots (my liners have compacted a bit and aren't as warm as they should be....) at CT and then sat Nav on and up the divided highway for home.  Ali dozed; fortunately, I was very refreshed and so no issues.  Thank heaven for Cruise Control.

Nice comments from St Luke's; hooray!

The weather is due to get warmer - so it snowed!


Fairly shattered by the time we arrived home 'though.  The rest of the day seems to have gone in a bit of a catch up on post, the news, early night.  I dunno, getting mature........?


Tuesday, 20th February


Lib Dem HQ back in the UK is getting its act together over the new EU Data law.  We spent some of the day in a tiz-waz about what we shall have to do and then joined in a webinar on the subject.  Technology, eh?

But I did make some time to work on the cracked ribs on Burlesque.  I've gone for the "sistering" approach - essentially re-enforcing the existing ribs.  I thought very hard about cutting out half the depth of the ribs affected and inlaying a new piece of cedar, but I didn't see how I could pull it down in to the curve.  Instead, I'm going to use the concept of "doubling" the ribs as the old timers ( and some currently) did / do only I'm going to use glass cloth and epoxy resin.  I used this last year on one fracture and it seems to have done well so I shall try with the next four (!).  At the worst, it's an addition and I can be more destructive if I have to be.


These are the areas around the fractures stripped back and then a layer of resin, a layer of puddled cloth in place.  I went on to add a second layer of cloth and more resin.

Wednesday, 21st February.





Fog!  It had been due to rain overnight; other parts of Ontario in particular have had torrential rain, high temperatures and floods.



So it was a very slow start to the day, but I did head outside to check the state of the flooding coming in to the basement.  Nothing to be done I'm afraid; it's snow melt, not gutter overflow.  The gutters were gurgling all night - there is a lot of snow gone; the path to the house in almost clear, this chap was one of five or six, looking very bedraggled and picking up spilt seed.

But by the mid to late afternoon the wind, mounting now as I type at 7.00pm, had swung around to the north east, the sky had pretty much cleared and the temperatures had dropped once again.

Another layer of resin to the fibreglass "sisters" and some work fitting the replacement rear seat on Burlesque.  More later.

Moving on.

Saturday, 17th February




A later - but not by too much - start than planned and away to Montreal to make an all to brief visit to the waterfront for lunch at l'Auberge du Vieux Port - where Ali and I stayed ages ago - and then via prodigious map-reading to the Airport to wave farewell to the Allwoods.  Thanks for coming, guys, it's been wonderful to have you here.







Back in to Westmount to have a delicious supper and overnight with Rod and Wanda from Grace church. 

A very comfy bed, toasty warm, but I should have moved all the cushions off!  A little cat spent time hooking its paw under the door as we fell asleep, but we were too tired to let that bother us.




Sunday, 18th February

A great breakfast - apparently Montrealers really do eat bagels with cream cheese and smoked salmon for breakfast.  Yum!






It seems that a huge proportion of Montreal's roads and bridges are closed for the weekend, which made yesterday's route-finding difficult and our travelling south lengthy - both ways. 






We went to St Luke's, Hemmingford, about 6km north of the U.S. border, to lead morning worship.  I thought my sermon was disjointed and rather academic, but it seems that it spoke deeply to one of the congregation (of 9).

'Not your words, Peter, but MINE.'   Never forget.

We met up with R and J for lunch within sight of the U.S. border.  Decent food in a grand, friendly and empty restaurant and conference complex!  It was wonderful to see them and to catch up on news of them and their kids - not kids really, Becky will be 21 in the week, happy birthday Becky.

We drove past lots of beautiful apple orchards in this border country.  Still more of the bridges were closed for our return so we made a huge detour via Valleyfield. 













We've come back to Wanda and Rod's lovely, turn of the century house for a second night.  Peaceful and very beautiful.

               Thanks :-)

She flies through the air......

Friday, 16th February.

Iain and I had a go at repairing the back guttering where we had had a flood in the thaw yesterday!  But now it's frozen solid again so I shall have to wait until things warm up a bit later next week....

So we went in to the village to try the Glissade - the toboggan run.

By the time I had parked (one of the cars got stuck on the ice and I had to go to the hardware store for salt and sand - which we eventually didn't need) Ali had completed her first - and only  - run.

The slope was so icy that, apparently, by the time she got to the bottom, she was still gathering speed and she used the run-out hill (not ramp, HILL!) not to slow down but to launch herself , via a somersault, into a conveniently positioned tree.

Where she finished up upside down on the snow.

By the time I arrived, hysterics had set in and the three of them - Iain was with me - were giggling like, well, school-girls!  Each bar in the illustration above is about 5'5" long.

Mental!

So, eschewing toboggans, the rest of the gang slipped, slid and screamed their way(s) down the slope for half an hour or so. 

And then we went to Giselle's for late lunch.
















More snow play back home, then the essential "Lighting of the fire on the snow" and 'Smores!




Bringing the fire back in to the house afterwards worked OK - but we do smell a bit like kippers!

Little trips, big trips!

Tuesday, 13th February.

Ali and I had the morning off!  Well, some of the afternoon as well to be honest.  Time to have caught upon the blog and time to have caught up on the house a little!

And then a text invitation to join up with the trippers for supper at Steak Frites in St Jovite!  Thank you, great fun and a safe drive home!





Wednesday, 14th February

St Valentin!

Up early, coffee, tea and a quick chocolate only before heading down, via lac Labelle, to breakfast at Chateau Montebello.  Scrummy as ever; the same waiter I swear as last time, the same wide eyes and endless appetites - only in another generation.  Amazing!







And then Parc Omega - where else?

Home late to home made chicken goujons and Caesar Salad.  I went to try to work on Sunday's sermon and fell deeply asleep!













Thursday, 15th February.


A slow start, and then an acceleration.  Off into the wood on snow-shoes; all the way to the trail at the end of the property,  Light drizzle - there's a thaw!

Squirrels chasing each other in the wood, what could be cat paw trails......

But hurry!  Ginny and Natalie are off to Expedition Wolf!


Ali and Iain went with them but I stayed home to struggle with the sermon again.  I've been invited to cover for an absence at St Luke's, Hemmingford on Sunday.  I've found the readings difficult.....


The "mushers" came home - I'd prepared Tourtiere and Asparagus soup from the shop above Montebello, as well as tartiflette (me) and apple pie (St Donat).  Pretty substantial fare I'm afraid.

The family played cards; I'm writing this and sorting photos.  Love to you all.

Catching up; catching our breath!

Saturday, 10th February

Up early; the Allwoods off to Mont Blanc ski resort.  Big question, will it work out?  Will Nat like skiing?  Will Ginny and Iain remember enough to be comfy?


The arrangements couldn't have been better.  We (P and A) turned up later to find Nat already making snow-plough (pizza wedge!) descents of the bunny hill, Ginny well taken with her instructor and Iain making the transition from short skis to carvers!

They, arriving by 09.00, had parked close to reception; we, arriving later, parked about a mile away - but a little bus (Navette) turned up to collect us and take us to meet them.


So here, at the start of the day, is a slightly apprehensive novice.  Here after lunch is a pizza-wedge princess and and here, at the end of the session, is a real ski-bum!

Lunch in the very friendly canteen was pretty substantial, but sensibly priced and full of families.  The whole resort is full of families.  It's unpretentious, cheerful, nothing is too much bother, in fact, nothing is any bother at all!

The (new to us) car made horrible noises as we arrived in La Minerve, so we took it up to Marcel's, Iain came out to collect us!  Hmmmm.  Thank heaven for mobile phones.

Home to showers and  very early nights!

 









Sunday, 11th February

Day two at  Mont Blanc.  All together in the hire car, we waited to see Natalie begin her lesson - her instructor had swapped sessions to be with her! - a descent of the bunny hill and then the two of them headed off up the mountain!  Here the two of them are just about to catch the next lift-seat!



Ali and I went on to Grace for communion.  Josie, the priest, was without voice so Bevan spoke the service as she whisperingly made the celebration.













It was church meeting afterwards and Josie recruited Ali to Chair for her!

Church politics is the same wherever.

But it is very good to feel such a part of the place; welcomed, loved, looked for.  Wonderful.

The forecast for the evening was the dreaded freezing rain so Wanda and Rod had to head back to the city, the rest of us (having picked up the skiers), drove home for showers and then out again to a Sucrerie near Tremblant for a communal supper.



This was great; all vegetarian grub with an enthusiastic young owner determined to make a go of an alternative life-style.  The pan is maple syrup reducing to be used for tir-sur-neige - maple lollipops on the snow!



Monday, 12th February

Such a difference a day makes; the car park was a quarter full, the slopes hardly peopled at all.  Good and cold and crisp and bright sunshine with little snow-showers.  Perfect skiing weather.


A little introduction to parallel skis on the bunny hill and then Johanna took all of them up the mountain together so that they could all ski together and know what to expect of Nat when the lesson was over.  This lady (a professor of business at the University in Montreal in her other life!) has been the perfect introduction for Nat.  Thank you!

So, via Expedition Wolf to book a dog-sleigh ride later in the week and then to collect the Edge (car) from Marcel's (two new discs, a new set of pads!) and home.













So much standing around admiring - and envying perhaps.  So I took off up the hill on snow-shoes for a quick whizz around the trail we broke earlier.

Great!

And back for lasagna and salad and cherry pie!  Calories!

Now the next round of fun!

Thursday, 9th February.

It's always when I'm in a state of undress!

Well, when I'm not in my outdoors clothes at any rate, that Yves come to clear the drive.  Yesterday I spoke with him about widening the parking for the two cars and lo and behold, he arrived!


He shoveled and "blew" and shoveled a bit more and "voila", parking for two.





He is looking so very well these days, really good to see.







 But what a cracking day - even if it was pretty cold first thing.

 This guy and his dam turned up, right to the front door!




We just had to get the snow shoes out and "break trail" (mark out a route in new snow).

Stunning.

I came back mightily refreshed and finished the door frame (did I say I was - finally - painting the door-frame to the basement?  Funny what gets done when visitors are expected!)



























Friday, 9th February

Last minute tidying things and then on to St Jovite for:

   new (used) picture frames from the Samaritans store; $20 for 4 - bargain!

   a bath mat and bird seed from Rona (where we finally took out an Air Miles card [after HOW long?]),

   child-sized, unisex (they had some very fetching pink ones but we opted for neutral.....) snow-shoes,

   a booster seat from Canadian Tire,

   Food from IGA

   a very happy visit to Mont Blanc to finalise ski-school for the visitors.


And then down to P.E.Trudeau airport to meet the said visitors;  3/4 of an hour late but hey, it's Westjet!



It was a fairly horrid drive home; the headlamps covered with salt and reduced visibility; lots of traffic, light snow and salt.  Yeuch!

But safe home to hot, buttered toast and bed.  WHAT a long day.

How time flies!

Not only has the time flown since we were last here, but also, the time has flown since we arrived!


Sunday had been a a lovely day; Candlemas/s and the end of Christmas.  For all sorts of reasons the week had been upside down and the preparations we had hoped to make at the beginning of the week were all squashed in to the end.  But Sunday was just progressive, peaceful, industrious, well rehearsed and done.

Monday, 5th February
The alarm went at 05.45, we were at the  airport by 07.00, coffee and mediocre croissants and then on the plane for Amsterdam - again!







A straightforward flight and landing, and so we sat for a somnolent while watching the loading of an Air-China plane outside the window before decamping, as we had in August, to Cafe Coco for a light lunch, and a cup of tea and their delightful, snooze-able chairs.

Since we had used the airport wi-fi, they had offered a flight progress alert and so, in due course, we were electronically summoned to our gate.

A flight is a flight, OK?  This one had a little more turbulence, a very nice lunch / supper and a loooong way to go.  We slept some, which was just as well.


We'd booked a hire car which is huge and drove "home" via St Jovite for supplies.  Yves had manicured the drive, Claude had warmed the house and left the outer lights on.  Heaven!


 

Tuesday, 6th February.

We woke for a while at 3.00 am and then finally at about 07.30. 

What a glorious place to be!

Off to collect the new (to us) car and then home for little chores and a huge amount of sleep - on my part.


The house is fine, no evidence of mice, few flies, no ladybirds.  And quiet!


Wednesday, 7th February.

A broken night - as you would expect - but Ali slept rather better so I crept downstairs at 03.45, read for a while and caught the news from the UK before falling asleep again until about 0800.  At which point Ali was stirring so coffee called!









I dug out the bins which was quite enough exercise thank you! 

Although it has been bitterly cold this winter, -37 one night - there was a big, rainy thaw about two to three weeks ago and there is a hard crust of ice about 1 to 2 feet under the new surface.

But they came out in the end.

I went down to Yves and Janine to say "Hi", and "thank you"for digging out the drive on Monday and to give them a little gift.

They are in fine form; I managed to avoid the inevitably offered whisky and tea by saying that I had only just had my lunch - sort of true but it worked anyway!




And then to the basement to begin work on repairing the cracked ribs in Burlesque.  I've thought about this a lot over the time away, but I'm still not convinced.......