Armentieres

Another “lay day” as racing sailors call a day when you just rest up and don’t go racing.  Well, we are not doing any kind of racing but we do enjoy a day just resting.

Early morning mist

We went shopping today – yes, the credit card took a hammering again.  At the Carrefour supermarket (it must be the biggest one I have ever seen) we bought a shower curtain, four 3 litre boxes of wine (2 red, 2 rose), and a shopping trolley.  As in the trolleys with 2 wheels that old ladies pull behind them when they go shopping.  My mother had one!  Anyway, now that my doctor has told me that I must not carry heavy weights I have had to give up my trusty old back pack (which is falling apart anyway) and I have had to succumb to the ungainly and humiliating old lady’s shopping trolley!  I am not thrilled, but I must say it made hauling groceries a whole lot easier.

Meanwhile Ian went to check out what was on offer in Lidl and came home with a fold up work table ( as in Black and Decker Workmate but this one is not made by B&D) for 18.99.  What?  You can’t possibly go wrong with that.  Well, it has been pressed into service all afternoon as he has continued to work on the new battery installation.  I have no idea what he is doing, so don’t expect any erudite explanations.

Ian at work on the new battery installaion

Meanwhile, it was blazing hot today, full on summer with the temperature hovering around 24^o all afternoon.  Last year this time we were freezing our butts off!  The local canoe club took advantage of the good weather and there must have been 40 canoes out on the water.  

And a local clean-up group walked along the canal bank picking up litter.  

Not that there is much litter here because there is a rubbish bag at every park bench.

Disappearing into the distance, every park bench has a rubbish bag.