KITTY KAT

How do they know to do that?!

I was on the third tee of the local golf course, Rimaison, a long way from civilization, when I spot a light brown kitten about 150 metres away down by the lake. Barely a few weeks old it spotted me and was by my side in a flash doing all the things kittens do to win you over. I was polite, stroked its head and strode of briskly in the direction of where my ball had landed. After about 100 metres I snuck a look over my shoulder.  Mistake! Kitty had barely moved but that was all the encouragement it needed. In no time it was with me again. I lifted it clear, played my shot and headed towards the green (of course I hit the green!!). Next thing kitty was there again and I thought if you start patting that ball about I'm going to get annoyed!

It then followed me to the next tee which is as far away from the clubhouse as you can get. I was now getting worried either I was going to hit it with a ball or the club or it was going to die of exhaustion following me about. What to do? Bright idea! Unzip pouch on side of golf bag and insert kitty onto soft wet weather gear, head sticking out. I was then able to complete the nine holes with my assistant who was quite happy to stay there while I was moving.

I dropped in at the clubhouse and introduced the manager to my "petite probleme". He is a bigger sucker than I am and when I told him I couldn't take it home as I live in Australia he offered to take care of it. I'll be going over there again in the next few days to find out how things turned out.

I'm a bit of a magnet for kitties. One turned up at the house here three years ago and stayed for 6 weeks. It was a great pal and caused a dilemma because we were booked to go to Scotland for two weeks. I couldn't find anyone to take it on locally so was forced to hand it in to the animal welfare shelter not far away. They say they keep them until someone comes in who wants one and it was still there when we got back from the trip but I'm not sure about the following year.

VOLVO OCEAN RACE IN LORIENT

Most of you probably have no idea there is an Ocean Yacht race in progress, but for the Yachties it's a Biggie. The boats in the Volvo Ocean Yacht race are currently tied up at Lorient for two weeks getting ready for the last leg to Galway, in Ireland.

Poor old Lorient, an hour South of Guemene, was flattened by the Allies. The reason being the presence of a German submarine base. Here are a few pictures taken on a self help tour. There are proper guided tours.

I guessed the buildings were shaped like this so that bombs bounced off and exploded a safe distance away.

I knew of the base but only came in contact with it yesterday for the first time because that is where the Volvo Yachting Carnival is being held. I only heard of that by accident through our Australian friend Jan whose son Andrew has taken part in several Sydney to Hobart yacht races and knows many of the crews and was insisting she visit and make contact.

I initially was on a shopping trip but took a detour to have a look.

This is the Abu Dhabi stand. AD is the home of Etihad Airways who brought us to France and these two, live, falcons reminded me that there is advice on the planes that these birds can be carried in the cabin of that airline.

The Grinding Challenge booth.

A fish made from flip flops and flippers warning that these things take a thousand years to disintegrate in the ocean.

Excited patrons falling out of the yachting simulator! It looked pretty violent in action.

They finally come to cut the grass in the park opposite. They had let the grass get so long they needed this monster machine to do a rough cut.

Before the finishing trim.

THAT 'OTHER' ROYAL VISIT

We have just had a visit for a week of my sister Sue, my Aunt Joan who is 93, her daughter Cathy and Sues friend Sally.

Although the weather was not the best (ie. cold, wet and windy) there were generally enough breaks for us to get out and about and have a good time.

Sue at the dock in Roscoff. Ferry "The Armorique" in the background.

Back in Guemene warming up on the "night storage heater".

Breakfast next day.

The inaugural lighting of the fire. Only problem was we were using the chimney without a lining and there were leaks into the adjacent chimney and as a result Aunty Joan's bedroom filled with smoke! So that little pleasure didn't last long!

A day at Locronan, a medieval village 1hr 45mins West of here. Both cars are equipped with Tom Tom Sat Navs. Both cars got there by different routes. Not easy watching the road, talking to people in the car, trying to obey the speed limit with one eye on the car behind. Gone in a flash!! Had great fun though getting used to the Tom Tom for the first time. The voice in the lease car sounds like Lady Penelope from The Thunderbirds. So I became "Parker"!

Some Wisteria!! All one plant.

We soon put the visitors to work. No age barriers!

Next day to Josselin, about 1hr 30mins in the opposite direction. A light lunch at an outdoor cafe.

Down by the Brest - Nantes canal (Dug in the 1800's to avoid the English shipping blockade on the coast). Chateau in the background.

 

Several canal boats carrying a group of tourists from the Czech Republic kept us amused for half an hour negotiating the locks.

And off towards Nantes.

Next day down to the coast at Port Louis, opposite Lorient. A crowd of schoolchildren turn up and immediately head for the water.

Coffee at Jans, an Australian friend who lives up the road. She has her own waiter!

A happening in Guemene.

Relaxing back at base.

Countryside on the return trip to Roscoff. 1hr 45mins on the road and hardly saw another car.

A field of Artichokes growing near Roscoff which the town is famous for. The ferry line was first created to support the sales of this plant to the UK.

Roscoff also has an unusual church spire.

The sea comes up between the houses at full tide.

The Petite Train - for tourists.

A wall of hanging Geraniums.

Dinner at a restaurant overlooking the sea.

This is how they serve Artichokes. The sauce was delicious but couldn't see the point of the plant. Nothing special about the taste that I could make out and only the smallest fleshy bit at the base of the leaf which is edible. Still a mystery.