Chocolate is good for you!

Great news, I've just seen an item on the internet that says, 'Chocolate is good for you' so I'll make a point of taking my 'medicine' later on this evening! Of course it's all to do with the cocoa solids and the soya; all the ingredients that are added to the cocoa to make it taste so good are just the things that are so bad for you - the sugar and the fat. Life's so unfair!

It's amazing, isn't it that one day a particular food is labelled as healthy and almost the next day someone else tells you to avoid it at all costs. I think I'll just continue with my usual practice of eating what I like, in moderate quantities (no limit to cakes, pastries and chocolate of course! :))

A has returned safely from his 'boys' weekend' in Budapest. Looking at the photos it certainly seems as if they had a good time and, judging by the photos again, they seem to have spent a lot of time eating and drinking!

Whilst it is obviously good to do things together as a couple, I also think it's very beneficial to sometimes do things separately with friends rather than your spouse. There is a different atmosphere when a group of women get together, and although I can't speak from personal experience (!) I'm sure the same applies when a group of male friends are together in a social setting. It's just a question of keeping a balance.

Things to check before you leave home

A flurry of activity at home this morning. A was being picked up early to go to Gatwick with two other friends for a 'boys' weekend away in Budapest. We wives are looking forward to a 'girls' weekend at home beginning with a meal out this evening.

We were actually ready when the friend arrived and I cheerfully waved them off wishing them a safe trip. About half an hour later I had a call saying one of the group had gone to check in and found he had taken his wife's passport instead of his own. Frantic phone calls to another friend to track down said wife (who had headed off to the local sports centre for an early swim) to retrieve the missing passport and deliver it post haste to anxious husband at Gatwick.

The story has a happy ending as I later heard all 3 husbands were on board and on their way. Apparently the passport in fact arrived a couple of minutes after the deadline but obviously they had smiled nicely and behaved impeccably as our friend was allowed to proceed.

Strangely enough we had been comparing 'missing passport' stories just a few days ago; Bemoaning the fact that our children and their friends had arrived at the airport recently at the beginning of a trip and discovered that they had left their passports at home. I'm sure there's a moral there somewhere.

Theatre trip

It's been a busy few days since we got back from Paris. We had a Teams meeting the day after we returned and we were hosting it. Then yesterday we were joining an outing with friends to see the musical Chicago in London. Having been fortified by a large lunch we boarded the coach at Epsom at about 5pm and set off for London. We made very good time and so arrived in London in time to have some pre-show refreshments in a pub within shouting distance of the theatre. What a pleasure it is now not to have to worry about choosing a pub with a no-smoking area - a rare thing not so long ago. Quite a busy pub with a mixture of theatre goers and people relaxing after work before making the journey home. Also the weather fine enough for the more hardy to sit outside with their drinks.

I'm not quite sure what they're discussing here but it's obviously very serious judging by their expressions. Or maybe they're just comparing their 'toys'.

More on Paris

Bon appetit! Our hotel provided the usual 'continental' breakfast of crusty french bread, croissants and a very good selection of jams, honey etc. We seemed to fare slightly better than M & A so we passed on our yoghurts and cheese to them to sustain them through the day!

We visited the magificent Galleries Lafayette for a spot of window shopping. The fantastic stained-glass cupola is worth visiting the shop for even if you don't buy anything. The store have also provided a seating area with a drinking water machine and hot drinks machine from which to admire the view - very thoughtful, or maybe just good marketing. I think we all agreed the self-service restuarant was also worthy of recommendation.

A rather hurried shot of Notre Dame taken into the sunshine as we were crossing the road on the way to Mass. A had been sent on to 'reconnoitre' on Saturday to check times of Masses etc. and we were all delighted to find that the 10.00am Mass would be with Gregorian Chant and it was beautifully executed. Very pleased too that we were able to experience a very reverential Mass despite tourist visitors in the side chapels. Very good stewards in the body of the cathedral making sure all had music sheets, newsletters etc.

Paris

It was great to see M & A again. I couldn't believe it when we worked out that the last time we were together was 8 years ago. Luckily we had been able to find a room in an hotel on the same road in St Andre des Arts near Place St Michel. We were so well placed to do all the usual 'touristy' things and Notre Dame was only 5 minutes walk away so we were able to go there for Mass on Sunday. Very lucky too that we had fine weather most of the time.

All packed and ready to go!

I'm so pleased with myself. I just tried experimenting with taking a photo and sending it directly to my blog, and it worked! I never cease to be amazed at what one can do with modern technology! That's enough exclamation marks for now. We're off to Paris.

All packed and ready to go. Just waiting for the taxi and wondering why, as usual, my bag is so heavy despite my best intentions to 'travel light'.

A bientot.

In the beginning ....

Well, I took a deep breath and decided that as I enjoy reading other people's blogs and I also help with another blog, I'd set up one of my own and see how I get on.

At the moment, I'm just writing for me, to see if I even have enough things to say to make it a worthwhile exercise. I'll invite a very few friends and family to cast an eye over my musings and let me know what they think so if you're reading this then you must be among that number!

It's always good to see a few pictures to keep the blog interesting so I'll try and take a few snaps of Paris whilst we're there this weekend. Meanwhile here's a photo from Google of one of that beautiful city's most famous landmarks.