Un anniversaire bien arrosé

Wow, I should have birthdays more often. Thanks to all of you who sent greetings and good wishes. It was a fun day, despite some iffy weather. Actually, most of the day was pretty nice. Then late in the afternoon, just when Callie was getting antsy to go outside, the bottom fell out.

Yesterday afternoon at walk time...

Callie and I went out anyway, me in a hooded jacket and Callie in her fur coat. It was damp but we're equipped. Doing this walking every day is what keeps me as healthy as I am, I'm sure. It's almost time for me to go out there again. No rain this morning, but it's chilly.

Simon and Susan of Days on the Claise stopped by Sunday afternoon. They came bearing gifts, and of the best kind: food and drink. One item they brought was a bottle of Touraine sparkling wine from the Château de l'Aulée, which is at Azay-le-Rideau. We opened it yesterday and had a toast to S & S, to the day, and to all of you.

Happy Birthday in a typical Loire Valley way

Bertie came in and spent the morning with us yesterday. It was cold outside. Maybe he knew it was a special day. He settled in and slept by the radiator in the den for four or five hours. Sometimes he settles down like that, and sometimes he just wanders restlessly around the house meowing. That gets the dog worked up, but when he just curls up and sleeps all is well.

Bertie when he woke up after a long, warm nap

Madame le maire came by Sunday at noon. She says she is going to use some of our pictures on the village web site. I'll post a link to it after we see the pictures up there. Our village has a small château, and in the château there are three furnished vacation rentals — gîtes. Two of the units can accommodate eight overnight guests each, and one is a smaller apartment for a group of four. The mayor wants to have some of our sunset and sunrise pictures printed and framed so that she can hang them in the gîtes as part of the décor.