Birds, Beasts and Family

A decent night's sleep at Le Chêne, which translates as The Oak, though found myself awake in the middle of the night, with Lorraine sleeping peacefully beside me in a very dark room feeling like we were miles from anywhere. 

Up and breakfasted, fortunately Lorraine and I brought our mix of seeds and nuts with us. Beth and James up with the larks with the baby boy, had gone for a doze as Enzo was sleeping. We were visited by three pea hens who came to the glass kitchen doors.  

Best thing today, I messaged Ian and First Matie, who was able to respond, and is out of immediate danger. Very cheering news. Also spoke to Mum, who has talked to the bank and found that the US pension was paid in at the beginning of this month, and last, too. This all good news.

Went back to the Intermarché with Beth and James. Bought lots of stuff, as we had more time. Even in this out of the way little supermarket, you can tell you're in a superior food culture. The locals smiling ruefully at the tourists going through the checkout. 

Later, Charlie, surrounded by four little dogs, asked if we wanted to see all the animals being fed. So we all went along. There were American small ponies, half a dozen springy little goats, two shaved alpacas, and two weird giant rodents, that look like a cross between a rabbit and a deer, called the Patagonian Mara, a large rodent. He has also an impressive collection of birds, chickens, geese, ducks, two giant blue and yellow macaws that scream deafeningly. I thought it was a peacock I'd heard screeching in the evening, but it was these huge birds. Enzo not impressed with the birds, or the horses. There were all kinds of parrot like birds, in gorgeous colours, and a golden pheasant, and two gorgeous African grey crowned cranes. James and I stayed on to see the other animals being fed, and were beckoned into a little shed, and handed a still-warm chicken's egg from under a fowl to James, who was slightly appalled by its warmth. I put it in my pocket.  

I took lots of photos, and said bits of words and phrases to Charlie. I am embarrassed by my French but I was able to ask him a few basics here and there.

Beth and James cooked a risotto which we had with some gorgeous local sausages. Drank some excellent wine, and played Chameleon, a game where you have to pretend you know something you don't, which was fun.  James and I stayed up chatting and having a few drinks, before creeping upstairs to our rooms.

Taking lots of photos on my real camera, and phone, but I can't upload them at the moment.