TW3.

For those of you too young to remember TW3 - it stood for That Was The Week That Was - a popular satirical programme on T.V.  This is not a satirical piece - but it is our week that was.

Monday, 28th August...

Very hot today so nice to find a shady spot by the canal basin at Sivry-sur-Meuse.

Tuesday, 29th August...

Another hot afternoon - 37C!! - and another shady nook, not by a babbling brook but the mirror-calm surface of the main lake at Les Ballastières, Damvillers.

Wednesday, 30th August...

27C today and much more comfortable.  No need to seek a shady spot though as, from the BBC weather map on TV - it would seem that almost the whole of Europe is under cloud cover!  The cloud here was thin though and the sky bright with the sun just occasionally peeping through but rain was forecast for later so we didn't want to go far.  We needed shopping from the local corner-shop (use it or lose it!) but it was closed for the midi and that would be longer than the expected two hours.  If we had a garden we no doubt would have gone there with our books after an early lunch...but we don't, so we did the next best thing.  Same lake as yesterday but from a different spot.

A lovely large orange-red dragonfly landed on my husband's knee but flew off before I could get my camera ready.

For two hours, we read or just let ourselves "be".  It was green and peaceful with a light wind rustling the tops of the trees and we thought how lucky we are to live in such a peaceful part of the world.  So much of it is in turmoil.

For a moment I was startled when "something" landed on my open book then realised it was a small leaf.  Looking at its colours I realised that autumn is on the horizon...and summer days are numbered.

Thursday, 31st August...

After heavy overnight rain, we woke to a grey blanket-cloud sky and a chilly breeze.  By the afternoon the clouds had become cumulus with sun shining from patches of blue sky and a temperature of 22C although it was still quite breezy.  After lunch, we headed off on the Stenay road and took an exploratory detour on a rough road which was signed to a Monument des Maquisards 4th August 1940. It was to be the last sign to that spot...

There being very few turnings and no other signposts we had to continue on the rough track road - rises, dips, potholes - which was narrow with steep ditches on both sides and we had little choice than to go straight on, all the time hoping we wouldn't meet anything coming towards us!  Each side of the track deep forests stretched and this continued for about 4 miles before we came to a more-open area with slightly-wider track. 

We passed a huge log pile and then, at last - a signpost!

Looking back at the slightly-smoother track that had led us to this junction.

We sat on this little bench for a while - so peaceful.

I have no idea why there is a pile of stones here!

But no mention of a monument!!  The signs were battered and mostly bare although the bottom one did point us straight ahead to a name of a village we recognised - but we still had another couple of miles to go.

The forests started to thin out and revealed wonderful distant views - and then the countryside opened up around us.

To the left...

...and to the right.

This colourful tree caught my eye.

We came to a water tower above  Mouzay - with trees growing on the top of it!

From Mouzay we took the familiar road, through Baalon and back onto the main road towards home.

I hadn't taken a photo of the rather battered sign at the start of this "adventure" so captured it on the way back - this side was in better condition anyway!

I have a feeling that if we had taken the first turning on the left we might have found the monument - but that's for another day.

Friday, 1st September...

Bright, mostly sunny and a lovely 26C to cheer us on a sad, significant date for us.  We made a new memory...out for lunch and a first visit to Restaurant la Cygne at Stenay - and very nice it was too.

We raised a glass of rosé to our son's - and our daughter's - memory and, after a lovely meal, we took our coffee on the terrace...

One man and his pipe at peace with the world.

Saturday, 2nd September...

Neither of us slept well last night and when we woke after just a few hours' sleep it was to a chilly, gloomy, drizzly day which slowly dried and brightened a bit although the clouds hung around. The temperature eventually reached 22C but it seemed colder, no doubt because we were tired.  We decided to stay put and spent the afternoon reading and dozing in front of the T.V.  A re-charge the batteries sort of day.

Sunday, 3rd September...

I am reminded of a comedian of my childhood, Rob Wilton, and his comedy act which started as he slowly waved his hand around his face and said "The day war broke out, my missus said to me...".

Today, the morning was grey, that old blanket cloud cover again, which slowly dispersed to reveal a sunny afternoon - around 20C - but with a chilly breeze.  After a long night of uninterrupted sleep, we both feel more "with it" although not exactly bursting with energy, but get out in the afternoon. Good to see more people at Plan d'eau at Marville this afternoon - quite a few anglers and walkers and a couple of families with their children and dogs.

The main area viewed from the old boat house...

So sad that all the facilities are still closed and some, like the old boat house, looking somewhat derelict. But the slip-way is still there and a couple of guys with two children and a dog take out two canoes.

Through the lake-side forest and back to the main area.

I walk through clover and wild flowers to the water's edge while grasshoppers skip out of my way...

...as a pair of Egyptian geese with their eight goslings take to the water, Mum leading and Dad a little distance behind keeping a look-out.  I zoomed in a bit too closely - ah, well, at least the little ones are clear!

on the far bank.

Time to go home after yet another pleasant outing to close the week.

p.s. So chilly this evening we lit a log fire!  What a difference a week can make.