Very French

Having got home late last night, we got up late and decided to lunch out rather than root around for something to eat. Our first three choices were closed, the streets of Lézignan deserted, so we ended up at Lou Griffou. This place has existed for years in a prime position, but we've never been despite several people warmly recommending it to me over the last few months.

It was OK in a standard French bistro kind of way, with a very classic set menu  -- salade de gésiers and bavette for me, seafood vol-au-vent and monkfish for S. But we both reacted with delight to the choice of île flottante for dessert -- a classic French bistro dish. I always used to order it if it was on the menu, but I haven't had it for years, and haven't made one myself for even longer. It was a particularly good one, definitely the high point of the meal. Here's a recipe!

Our last full day in the UK on Tuesday was quiet -- despite the horrible weather (cold and raining) we all went out to Great Ayton. The weather was even worse than last time. Nevertheless everyone else opted for an ice cream from Suggitt's. Not me -- I had coffee and a scone.

And we spent yesterday travelling back. Again our journey was very efficient -- four trains, all on time -- but the stations were massively busy, and it was tiring despite snoozes on trains. Left S's mum's at 7 a.m. UK time, got home at 10:30 p.m. French time. With an early start today, J and S had gone to bed, so we crept in, had a cup of tea, made a fuss of a delighted cat, and went to bed.