SUBLIME TO RIDICULOUS!

Exactly one week ago we were sweltering in temperatures in the mid 30's.  The weather broke last Sunday and it has become cooler every day.  This is definitely the cause of mixed feelings!
 

At the very start of the heatwave - although I am not sure what the true definition of a heatwave is - we had invited some friends round for a bbq.  It was a truly sublime evening.  Sitting outdoors until after dark enjoying the company of good friends and good food, a perfect summer activity and it was still only the third week in May!

After that the temperatures climbed higher and higher with every day.  We were having to get up early to water our pots of plants outdoors before it became too hot to do it.  The pansies finally went over and have been replaced by geraniums.

Hugo spent the day lazing around wherever he could find a cool spot.

Yvonne went into high summer mode.

She didn't come into the house unless the air conditioning was on in the bedroom.

A friend used to say (and it was not his original idea) that there is no such thing as bad weather, only the wrong clothes.  This applied to Derbyshire weather as a coping strategy for wrapping up against the cold and wet.  We can do the same here but when it comes to sweltering heat there isn't much you can do about it except to give in, to stay indoors in the coolest place possible.  We have come to the conclusion that we have made the same mistake as other people who think they can beat the weather and carry on as normal.

On the very last day of the current heatwave we gave in, gave up on cooking and went out to lunch at one of our favourite restaurants, the Auberge de la Roche in La Roche Posay.  It was lovely and cool in their air conditioned dining room.

There were only two other tables taken.  It was the day before the French Mother's Day - Fête des Mères - and the restauranteur said the place was "complet" the next day.  In fact she could have filled the tables three times over.  She said that Fête des Mères and Paques (Easter Sunday) are the two days that get booked up well in advance.  While we were there she answered the phone many times and turned away disappointed people calling to see if there was a cancellation.  

From our table there was a view of one of the two huge hotels in La Roche Posay.  The town was one of the places where people could be sent to stay for a period of rest and recuperation.  This has not been available on prescription for a few years and as a result both of these fine old hotels have closed.  A sad sign of the times.

Our lunch taken from the "menu du weekend" was delicious.  The weekday "menu du jour" is not available on Saturday or Sunday but is always just as good.

A crab starter.

A fish main course.

A rhubarb and strawberry meringue dessert.

The next day, the Fête des Mères, the weather broke.  It was ten degrees cooler and much more "agréable".  Since then it has got cooler every day and we have had quite a bit of very welcome rain.  Now we want summer to come back, we are now after all into June!