Au revoir la belle-famille

This morning we had to wave goodbye to Sandra and Alan after a lovely week which went far too fast!

Max was thrilled to have his grandparents for another week, and Luke enjoyed having lots of extra attention. 

Max and his new wellies (which haven't left his feet all week)

We had some sunny days out to le Bourget du Lac, Aix les Bains, Annecy and Chambéry. And having two extra pairs of hands to help with the little monkeys meant that I could finally have a proper French lunch at a restaurant. Or two.

Lac du Bourget

Lac d'Annecy

Moules frites nom

Unfortunately Stu had to spend the first half of the week in Limerick with work, so wasn't around for a lot of the time (possibly a good thing the way him and Alan wind each other up).  He was due back on Wednesday evening and I knew there was trouble when I returned to my phone after bathing Luke to two missed calls and a message to "answer your phone".

The car battery had died in the airport carpark, and it was going to cost 130Euros to have it started again.  Fortunately for him he was able to eventually flag a passer by down who had jumpleads at their house nearby, and who went to fetch them to help him out.  If it had happened to me, I would have been totally screwed due to my rubbishy French.  He doesn't seem to have much luck in airport carparks does our Stu... 

On Thursday Catherine and Eric came over for a Sunday dinner that Sandra and Alan kindly cooked for everyone.  They seemed to enjoy the Yorkshire pudding which I guess is just an alternative way of cooking crêpes. Dinner conversation was an interesting mix of English and French, but everyone seemed to get along just fine. Except Max and Luke who both decided to play up.

We also had a nice leisurely lunch yesterday with Stu's brother's wife's dad! Or Aunty Jen's dad as Max likes to call him. He has a holiday home about an hour from here, so Sandra and Alan arranged for him to come over to catch up.

So all in all it's been a busy, but enjoyable week. Good company, good food, good wine and a bit of a break for me. Poor Max is going to be bored next week without his grandad here to "pay cars". Please come again soon!