After last minute checking of everything - water turned off, taps opened, electrical stuff unplugged we did a last minute check for cats. 

Cookie had gone on to his office chair for a sleep and rather than disturb him, we picked up the chair and deposited them both in the hallway which will be his living space for the next three months (for those who don't know our house, the hallway is reasonably large and has doubled as a spare bedroom in the past ). 

We told him that we'd be away for lots of sleeps but that Chris would be coming down to make a fuss of him, give him some milk and top up their food. He was instructed to keep himself and the girly cats safe until we returned. He yawned and went back to sleep.

We are now at Château Gontier - no surprises there, then! I had my first drive of the trip. We stopped at McDo's at the St. Nicholas zone commercial on the outskirts of Laval for a late lunch, not having left home until 14:30. Why does it take so long to leave a house for a holiday ?

There's building work going on around the market hall so parts of the car park are barricaded off. It looks as though we'll be the only camping car here, a bit of a change from the last time we were here in September when there must have been about 20.

Haven't worked out why but at the roundabout where we turned to come in, the Gendarmes had the road over the bridge blocked off so traffic can only come out of the town. 

It's stopped raining now and the sun is shining, why couldn't it have done that this morning when Mike was doing his chores outside.

We're off up to the supermarket now to buy dinner because we forgot to get something out of the freezer to thaw out - again!

Tortellini for dinner tonight, quick and easy is the name of the game.

Got my knitting with me - I'm so predictable aren't I but I've got to have something to do while I bask in all that sunshine!! I wonder how many times I'll have to unpick this one? 4" so far of about 200 odd stitches and I still haven't caught up with myself.

Tomorrow we are going to Verteuil sur Charente. It's around four hours driving time. Nice aire for about 10 camping cars.