JUNE

12 p.m. 'We don't want Holly to go away' and pack-the-suitcases Party

13 Holly to US with loads of stuff and stories and hugs!

BEGINNING, rolled over as it was completed:

MAY:

DONE14 go to HesFes, Charmouth, Dorset, UK for a whole week, during which time Helena, three teen girls and her two younger kids are staying in a cottage at 5 Barney Close in Charmouth, which Helena says has modern appliances (washer/dryer, dishwasher and DVD). And Holly said by phone on the 16th that it has three bedrooms, and it's as far as from here to Kristy's house the back way from HesFes. That, in general-world terms, is less than halfway across a mall. About corner to corner of a super WalMart if you have to zig zag through aisles. Two football fields counting endzones.
This might be the house here, and Helena says the house next to the one they're renting is for sale, so next door to this. Holly said 5/19 that they're on the other side (not appearing in that photo) and they have a red door, but that's definitely the neighbor-house-for-sale.

18 daytime: Labyrinth building on the beach near at HesFes [too cold and windy at the beach, wasn't happening when they showed up but there was a rescheduling note for later that day; if it happened, they missed it]
evening: "Deperate Housewives party"

I'm adding these details per phone conversation May 17th, and am guessing Holly and Jasmine want to invite other kids to the rental house to watch Desperate Housewives. [it happened, but Holly went back to HesFes rather than stay and watch that[

21 Come back to Woodcote and have Eurovision song contest party. Neighbors are coming over for this. also friends driving from York, a drive of a few hours

May 26, Thursday
go to France PLAN CHANGED from driving/eurotunnel to taking a boat, and they missed the first boat because of heavy London traffic after they dropped their dog off at the dogsitter's. Kennel couldn't take him because shots had to be five days in advance. So they stayed in a hotel other than the schecduled B&B the first night, and missed the aquarium, but Holly didn't mind. (Notes on a conversation with her here.)

Helena: Bayeux is a perfect village for us to stay in because it has shops, markets, and of course filled to the gills with medieval history---but it's still small enough that if I had to holler for the girls they'd hear me from just about any point--not that I would:-)
Sandra:But if the girls hollered for YOU you'd hear them, and that's good to consider.

May 28, Saturday
will arrive at the troglodyte gite in Le Puy Notre Dame for three nights. [It seems to be a cave with a dishwasher and a fireplace; I saw a photo Helena direct-linked me to, but the link didn't work later; she was on the reservations confirmation page.] oh my god, this place is truly ancient. Beginning in the viith century the locals started carving homes out of these places....but i'll give you loads of pics

May 29, Sunday
Sophie, Holly, Jazzy, and I will be going to the Bridal shower. This is going to be held in the medieval town of Saumur on the Loire overlooking a stunning castle. (Sandra-note: castle shown at that link,and troglodyte "homes" shown below too, kind of like the one they're renting, I guess)

May 30 The Wedding is 30th May, near Samur (Tours area). A very nice woman in Leon's office, Veryan Thomas is marrying a very nice man whom we both like named Tim Hole. They are both Brits but Veryan's family has property in France where the wedding will take place.

31 Leave to return to the UK.