Holidays are fast approaching.

When you have kids who attend school, whether it be in a French or any other european school for that matter, July and August rhyme with school holidays!!

There's the hype that leads up to it - just like with any vacation. Things you have to do and things you really want to do.
My girls are already counting down the days until we're leaving on a jet plane.

This year, I've decided that we are going sight seeing. We are going to soak up all things french and wallow in it.

Who says France, says cheese and wine.
Cheese is really something I miss. I remember the days when I would take the 'croute' off the brie. Now you can forget that!!
Here in Hong Kong, I frequent the tiny display of cheese at City Super to satisfy out cravings. I feel it tastes so much better here in Hong Kong - that is because its not something we have after every meal.So more of buying our cheese at tiny speciality cheese shops tucked away in the cobbled streets of Carcassonne.

I want to visit more brocante and vide greniers.
During summer in France as you enter any little village - they have signs with dates of local brocante and vide grenier.
A brocante is a market where second hand goods are sold. You can find a rare gem, but also a lot of crap!
A vide grenier , translated empty attic, is just that. The folk of the village empty their attics, sheds and houses and sell whatever they don't want.
I'm always saying, 'ah lets stop there', but to my dismay, hubby hates the things. He calls them 'fouille merde' which means looking through sh%$%t.

Yes, he's french and he does a have way with words!!

So this year, I vow to take the car, kids if they want and go and visit a few of our neighbouring markets - I can't wait.

I also want to take the girls to Toulouse. Visit the cathedrals, maybe have a picnic along the Garonne. We lived in Toulouse for 3 years it is a beautiful place and who doesn't like a walk along the canal du midi or violet sweets.

Of course they'll be visits to our 'pied-a-terre'. Our home, that is still ongoing. The kitchen needs to be fitted, all the walls and ceiling need to be painted, a railing needs to be designed and made by the local 'ferronier d'art' for our staircase, the tiles need to be sealed, window frames need to be sealed.
Gee the list could go out.
Building a house is like a big mouth that just keeps on gulping and gulping. There is always something that just pops up and you have to fork out.  Everything has come to a standstill and the funds have run dry. Yip, true as Bob. This house building malarkey has taken its toll on our bank balance!!

So we'll be sealing the tiles and window frames. Hubby and his dad will lay the parquet in the bedrooms. And that will proberly be all we'll have time for as we have a short 3 weeks holiday. Girls will be able to potter in the garden, we'll bbq and picnic and hopefully these will be memories they'll cherish as they get older.

They'll be feeding chickens, going to the boulangerie, making jams and relaxing after a hard day working on the house next to the pool with a chilled rose wine. Star gazing and little ones falling asleep on chaise longues  after a fun-filled day.

Here are a few images to whet your appetite.

Happy days!!