Yesterday summer came very suddenly to the Languedoc (and to most other parts of Europe too from what I can see.)

On Thursday night we lit our stove against the evening chill while we played scrabble indoors, on Friday night we ate dinner outdoors on the terrace.
By Saturday afternoon the temperature had reached 26 C outside and we sat in a state of lethargic pleasure in the terrace, enjoying the sensation of the sun so much that we had abandoned plans for a hike and a picnic up the mountains and instead just let the sun heat and cheer us.

It is our first spring in the Languedoc and the weather is a constant surprise to us, both colder and hotter than we expected and that often on alternating days.
It is I think a much later spring than most other years and checking back on previous Easter holidays spent here the trees and the blossoms do seem to much less advanced than past Aprils.

My brother Ted phoned me last night to tell me that he had sent the story of my heroic winning streak on Mon Mome in last years Grand National to the Irish Field and it had been printed by them in this weeks edition.
I haven’t seen it yet but in Ireland you should manage to find a copy.
You can read my version of it here.

The same brother Ted has been fighting with cancer for the last year and wrote very courageously about this in the health section of last Tuesday’s Irish Times.

On the subject of sunshine (and winnings) do take a look at Caitriona’s latest picture of the real Mon Mome, grandson Fionn here.
Is it any wonder he is the apple of my eye.