Saturday 23rd august - Combourg. Weather still unsettled. As usual I listened to someone else's suggestion and ended up painting something I had no enthusiasm for!

Sunday - Bazouges la Perouze - really don't like this place. Weather again unsettled,but at least I think this turned out to be the best picture I've done this summer - and of course it's the last one for me!
 Saw a programme on dog behaviour, so now Bertie is having training lessons. However he prefers foraging for blackberries.

We are now in our last week here and beginning to get things ready for the return. Have to get van ready for its winter rest home.
 Frozen shoulder is still frozen. Had dinner with Mike and Fay yesterday. Great, but over ate again. Guess what - forecast is for good weather!

 Bazouges la Perouze

 Combourg

Thursday 14th August - left for St Benoit des Ondes where we had superb mussels and chips. Unfortunately after that the heavens opened! Went to Jugon les Lacs where it was still raining hard.
Friday painting - ok, but overcast in morning,then started raining again.

Bit wishy washy but never mind. Decided not to go on to Quintin and moved to a nice aire near Pleslan.
Saturday lunch at Hirel  via Lidl at St Malo. Then headed home - no rain, typical.
Sunday to wednesday, showery.
Saw a programme on fat dogs, so now Bertie is on a diet. Also saw Pamela, who is here fir a quick visit. Pleased.

Today I am just trying out our World SIM wifi rather than using Mike's internet.
Just for interest sake, of the 20 or so books I have read this holiday,my favourites are
Diary of a provincial lady
A short history of nearly everything
Wolf hall
The Rosie project

August

Back from England - met a couple of nice American ladies on the ferry.  They were undertaking quite a trip - best of luck girls!

Perry met me off ferry and we went home. Left on Saturday morning for Lanvellec.  Sign on was at a chateau - incredibly impressive. However, day started off a bit damp - what's new!

How lovely is this.

 

Here's my version.

A week later, we are in Elven.  However it rained all day!

Sunday, St Nicholas des Eaux.  Unfortunately I am getting a bit bored of going to places we have been to before and also painting in the rain! Have to start think of something else. 

Dol de Bretagne

Well I have been pretty naughty and got really fed up painting in the rain.  Although we arrived at Dol in reasonable weather, it rained all Saturday night right through until Sunday afternoon.  You can see my attempt, a bit wishywashy, but at least it is something.  Decided not to go to next venue because of the unsettled weather.

 

.We moved to Hirel for the night, which was OK,and then Monday went to St Jacut de la Mer.  Again unsettled, but at least we got to mess about on the shore line.  Couple of nights here, then I decided the weather was still so unsettled that I was not going to do the next weekends painting.  Went back to Hirel and messed about again.  Decided to explore a little of the Normandie coast went up to St Jean le Thomas.  Absolutely fabulous.  Enormous sweeping bay , the bottom of which houses Mont St Michel.  When the tide went out I am sure you could walk to Jersey.  However,  in the evening a young man from the council came to warn all of us in our motorhomes that storms were forecast (including us) for 31 departments of France and we had better prepare accordingly. 

It turns out it was the storm that never came, although I understand it was pretty dramatic  in the UK.  It was incredibly hot, but no thunder and lightening and only a moderate amount of rain.  Unfortunately it did mean that Saturday morning was again grey and very sultry, so we decided to go home.  Stopped at St Hilaire du Harcouet for some shopping and the heavens opened up - I can't remember ever seeing that much rain in such a short time! 

I left for England on Tuesday, and arrived to what appears to be a heatwave, and so far it just hasn't let up.  It is so hot! I'll be leaving here tomorrow (Friday) and we will be off to a painting venue in Finistere on Saturday.

We are back at La Pelouiniere, weather a bit unsettled, more rain than the UK!

After staying at campsite we moved on to visit Cap Sizun in general.  Managed to get in some  "wild camping" as well.  Fantastic views, just like Cornwall.

Yes, it really did look like this!

Right way up would have been a bit better

Steep walk  to this harbour, and boats are launched via a lift!

Stand up straight girl!

Pointe du Raz

Super

After this wonderful weather we went to Loctudy.  Arrived on the Friday - lovely weather, good subjects.  However, Saturday it started to rain.    Unfortunately it continued all day!

This is me painting in the rain....how I hate painting in the rain!

Managed to produce something (under a polythene bag!), and was a runner up.  Decided to not do Sunday's painting, because it was still raining.

 

Went back home but started to get ready for next weekend.  Left on the Friday and stayed in one of our favourite places

Me

St Jacut de la Mer - lovely

Again - how lovely

However, I did manage to paint something.  The villas on the sea defences.  Very windy, damp and difficult to paint! What's new! I won first prize - amazing!

Saturday, left for Pleneuf val Andre.  Unfortunately, guess what, it rained, and rained, and rained.  Sunday didn't look too good, so I thought I might abandon.

Well it's Tuesday 24th June and a fair chunk has happened in the last couple of weeks.  Painting at Erquy.  The day started off fresh, but then got very hot.  As it was a bit grey to start with it was a bit difficult to imagine lots of colour - the brightness didn't happen until about 2.00, which is only an hour before submission time!

A bit wishy-washy, but as my arm ached quite a lot, I wasn't totally displeased.  Foreground should  have been left out completely!

 

The following weekend we decided to stay at home in preparation for my trip back to the Isle of Wight.  It turns out that this was a good idea, because the painting competition down in the Morbihan turned out to have had some problems!

Went back to East Cowes on the Tuesday, caught early morning ferry.  Weather was absolutely fabulous.  Had a lovely time.  Dr's appointment on the Friday confirmed what I thought. The tendonitis has now changed and become Frozen shoulder.  Not only is this a pain (!), but could last anywhere between 1 and 3 years - not a happy bunny at all, looks as though I have to keep up the exercises!  At least I was given some strong pain killers so I can at least sleep at night! After Dr's appointment straight back on IoW ferry then over to Portsmouth to pick up Brittany  Ferries afternoon sailing.  Perry met me with the van and we drove down to Ducey where we parked for  the night. Saturday left about 9.00 onwards to Pont Croix, Finistere.

Loads of the chums were there, had lots of laughs.  Although very hot, Bertie sat on my feet most of the time I was painting. Again should have left out the foreground.  However, I did get a runner up, so didn't feel too grumpy.

Pont Croix

 Sunday night we moved on to Plogoff (just up the road) and then on Monday moved on to have lunch at the nature reserve at Cap Sizun. In the afternoon moved on to a campsite to take advantage of their Wifi and internet connection.  The campsite is Pors Peron, Beuzec-Cap-Sizun. It is absolutely fabulous here.  I don't think we have ever stayed in such a clean campsite! They even have "glamping" here!  Exclusive beach and great walks.

Bertie and I wandering on the cliff edge  Tuesday afternoon.

Bertie and I want for an early morning walk on Wednesday as it is  a bit too hot for walking in the main part of the day.  Fabulous views.  Perry went for a long bike ride and got too hot!  Will be moving on to another part of the coastline tomorrow.