Friday 11th April

Started the day with a walk up the hill with Liz and Mary to do some sketching. It was really warm in the city but on top of the hill the wind was freezing so didn’t stay long in the end. Managed to do a couple of sketches. Instead we decided to go shopping - Mary and Liz wanted some summer clothes, and I wanted some beach shorts. No shorts but I ended up buying the skirt and shoes I liked when shopping with Mum. We met Grace after lunch and she arranged another gathering, to finish off the wine from the party. So, at 6 I headed back to Grace’s, where we had another evening of guitar and wine. At 1.30am, Mika tried to persuade us to go clubbing. Ha, we were having none of it - too tired - so we all went home to sleep instead, but only after Mika forgot to say goodbye to me and Liz. He was quite drunk and just wandered off to another group of random people in the street!

Thursday 10th April

Booked our train to Montpellier today. We leave very early on tuesday for a week in the sun - hooray! And not too expensive either - €150. It was also a beautiful day, warm and loads of sun, so spent a lot of time outside. After booking the tickets in the afternoon, we all went back to Grace’s to finish the left over food from last night, to help clear up, relax and watch a film - ‘Catch me if you can’. Then it was back home for an early night.

Wednesday 9th April

Spent the day catching up on my blog, and making cheesecake and banana whip for the party. Went over to Graces at about 6.15 and received a text saying she would be a few minutes. She had gone shopping for the party. I then helped wash-up, made bruchetta things with the bread left over from yesterday and we waited for everyone to arrive. Mary arrived first along with a brand new guitar her parents had bought her as a late birthday present. I think it is the same one we were considering getting if we hadn’t mended mums. Then Liz arrived followed by Mika, Henri, Julie and Guilliam. Half way through the evening another of Mika’s friends, Martin, came too. It was basically an evening of singing and playing the guitar, and making a lot of noise.

Tuesday 8th April

Sometime during the party we had briefly arranged meeting Mika and Henri for lunch. I completely forgot until Grace rang to see where I was. It turned out Liz was still asleep and Mary also forgotten and had gone shopping with her mum. I went to meet them near the art school and we ate at La Walsheim. It was good food although the croque monsieur, which I had, was no where near as good as Cafe Cheri’s. After lunch, Grace and I did a little shopping, mostly window, apart from a t-shirt with french writing on for Grace. Then we got some Marcaroons and went back to my flat to watch a film. While watching ‘In Her Shoes’, Liz and Mary arrived, followed by Mika who phoned to ask what we were doing, and Grace put a braid in each of our hair. By now it was practically tea-time, so Mary and I went to the shop and got bread, cheese, pitta bread, mozzarella, grapes and I made them all a simple supper. Some pitta pizzas, and some rice for Grace (which I did very badly - I hate cooking rice). Later in the evening we went bowling. Mary was meeting her parents for a drink, but the three of us, Mika and Julie went. It was fun. Mika won, but we tried out best to beat him, and Liz came pretty close. I started off second but ended up last :( . In the lane next to us were too professionals with their own shoes and fancy balls. One was was very short with a massive beer belly and kept doing a little run up and then dropping the ball with a load thud. It seemed to be a good technique as he got lots of strikes, but was funny to watch! Then we played some pool, and that hockey type game with the puck and two goals, and even table football. I think I lost everything. Or did I win a hockey game? I can’t remember. Anyway, after that we were all tired from last night (they didn’t leave until 3am) and so it was just home to bed for an earlier night, to refresh for a party at Graces tomorrow.

Monday 7th April

Mum and Grace went home this lunchtime. We spent the morning looking round the shops again, packing the car, buying cake for them to take home, and had lunch at Cafe Cheri. Croque Madames and orangina. While we were there Mary phoned and said they we going to walk up the hill at 1.30, so after we had eaten I said goodbye to mum and Grace, and went to put on some warmer clothes. After all for of us had arrived we went to the big supermarket and got some plums, nuts, drink and I’d bought some mini-eggs from home and started up the hill. It only takes about 1/2 hour from the cathedral. We sat up there for quite a while. There is an amazing view and when the sun was out it was really warm. We also planned a trip to Montpellier for next week to get some proper sun. Mary has a friend down there who says we can stay. On the way down we bumped into Marys parents again, who were about to walk up themselves. Then we collected our laptops and met up at Cafe Cheri to check out train prices and accommodation in case we wanted to stay longer. Hummm, it looks like all french people head to the south in the holidays, as accommodation was very sparse. We gave up and decided to think about it again tomorrow. That evening we went to the cinema to see ‘The Darjeeling Limited’. We had arranged to meet at 8.30pm and I was running late so thought i’d be the last one there. Instead I was the first! Mary took a long way round, Liz got lost and Mika and Grace were just late. It is a very good film, I would recommend it. Its quite arthouse, and had a slight feel of ‘Little Miss Sunshine’ to it. Funny and emotional all at the same time. After the film Mika took us to a Moroccan tea bar, which reminded us all of PoNaNas! Liz and I had a really nice Banana and coconut smoothie/cocktail thing, whilst the others all had different teas. Also there was Henri and other friend of theirs Guilliam. Then they all came back to my little room! I was the one with a house nearby and a guitar, so we had a mini impromptu guitar, wine and cheese party. Its amazing how many people you can fit in such a small space.

Sunday 6th April

Me, Mum and Grace decided to have a wonder along the river - that was a bad choice. It was freezing, and very windy. However we did come across the Roller Bladeing Championships which was interesting. It must have been cold as a spectator! Back in the old town where the buildings provided shelter from the wind it began to pour with rain. We were near the art school so I said why don’t we get a drink from a cafe I know down the road. The cafe is right across he road from St Marks Square where there was a gigantic market going on so we decided to have a look. There were fruit, veg, meat, fish, ready to eat dished, clothes, antiques, furniture - everything really. Grace bought a pretty spot dress. We soon decided we needed a hot drink so eventually got to the cafe to warm up. On the way home we bumped into Mary’s parents again (they were going to Flunch) and then stopped at the Patisserie and picked up some pastries to try. Because it was so cold and wet we stayed inside for the rest of the afternoon, doing the decoupage in my room and watching a film in french at the hotel. It was snowing by this point! At about 8 we went to find somewhere to eat. There wasn’t much choice because it was a sunday, and even restaurants don’t open. After a little wander we went back to the Tarte Tatin (open 7 days a week) and guess who was there too ... Mary and parents. We were even seated at the table next to them. After another delicious meal. we went back to the hotel and watched Mean Girls in french, then I walked home in a snow storm!

Saturday 5th April

Had a shopping day today. Grace was the one who really wanted to buy something but in the end it was me who actually did. We also got the guitar fixed so I can try to learn on my free time. I even took them to Flunch, where we had a drink and cake. I think they enjoyed the experience! Mary rang at about 6 saying that a band, which the son of her parents friends is part off, were having a gig in Le Saxo and would we like to go. We were going to go out for supper, but wouldn’t have long to eat so instead grabbed some big volovant things, bread and salad from Monoprix and ate in my room. As well as us, Grace and Liz came and Mika and Charlie so there was a big group of us sitting right near the band. Grace got to practice her french with some real french people and the band was really good, playing a selection of oldie and new pop-rock, such as ‘Heard it on the grapevine’ and ‘Ain’t no sunshine when shes gone’. It was 2.30am when we eventually left and headed home, and freezing cold outside.