GR5 Just the beginning

During the summer, Alain and I had some time to ourselves, which is rare, in fact, coming to think about it, this was the first ever time that all the children were somewhere else, far from us, but happy, either with family or friends...initial plans concerning Charlotte nearly put the damper on things, leaving us with four choices:

• leave her at home alone......hell no, sixteen, rebel at heart, the thought frightens me even now
• Change Oliver's plans so the two of them could stay at home together...one at home unthinkable, two, no way.  I still remember Oliver asking a couple of years back "mum, is it ok if I have a couple of friends hang out here tonight?"  Couple = twenty-five, most of whom stayed the night, camped out in our sitting room.  So one can understand I am still a tad worried about leaving the house to them, especially as we planned to go hiking for a week
• Get Charlotte to come along with us, Miss C, quite a couch potato and I don't think we'd get her to walk anywhere apart from in a shopping mall
• Last choice, the one we opted for, was to leave the two of them camping at Thonon Les Bains, our starting point, we all the food and money they needed, leaving Mr O, now eighteen to be responsible for a maximum of three nights, meaning we needed to walk fast.

   Starting from Thonon, we headed towards the beginning of the GR which we found at the entrance of the town's tourist forest.  It was a hot day, and we walked fast, trying to cover as much distance while it was easy as quickly as possible. En Route, we met some Canadians, who were just starting, the only difference being they had two months to walk it, whereas we had three days to do as much as possible.

 As I mentioned earlier, it started out hot, but later rather wet, we had to seek cover, at least till the rain subsided, which it did, thankfully.

The sky still looked threatening so we almost ran.  We pitched the tent up on the side of a country road just after Chevenoz in extreme circumstances, heaving rain, driving wind and in the dark, luckily we had headlamps.  We managed to eat and enjoy a barely warm backpackers meal and then spent about an hour holding down the roof down because of the storm.

This post is becoming long, so I'll cut to the chase, the next day we walked twelve hours (stops included). 

We climbed up and down six mountain passes, during that time the weather got worse and worse.  The clouds descended upon us when we were climbing La Dent d'Oche, we stumbled along, barely being able to see whilst walking on a loose stoney and somewhat treacherous path.  From then on in, we took wrong turnings, became stressed, tired and irritated, but had to go on.  The weather worsened, we got soaked to the skin more than once, Alain slipped on every descend, more than once, but eventually we made it to the refuge de Bise.   Outside some people were clearing up after a big village fete, we learnt later that they had roasted a 750 kilo cow on a spit.  

Our bad luck, got better, there was a restaurant there, just near the refuge, with a open fire burning, we sat and ate a most delicious and hot meal. I had Diot with a red wine and mushroom sauce and Alain had a amazing Tartiflette...being inside, eating great food, felt like heaven to us.

After we walked on, destination being La Chapelle d'Abondance.

We had one main ascension (La Bosse), but we made it, arrive in the village, took the first hotel we found and decided that we would go further. Tomorrow we'd double back and go back to the campsite.

The next day we cheated and took a bus to Chevenoz and walked from there.

Weather was hot again, we made great progress and stopped off for a well deserved coke in a quaint café post office in Reyvroz.  

 We arrived back at Thonon at five.  Oliver and Charlotte were to be found in the internet room, happy, all money spent in just less than two days, i.e 110 euros (they had 60 euros worth of food in the car for the duration).  
We shared a meal together and a local bottle of white wine and contemplated over our two day hike.
Facts being:

• We covered roughly 76 kilometers
• Climbed D+ 3000
• Descend 2000
• carried bags weighing 13 kilos and 8 kilos respectfully....far too hard with hindsight
• Lost  one kilo
• Alain ended up with three blisters and one sore bottom from falling so much

We dearly hope to go back next year, better prepared, new and lighter bags and this time for one whole week, child free.  We'd take up where we left off at La Chapelle d'Abondance and weather permitting get to Contamines, 126 kilometers away.

Checking in

Still here, just busy, end of school year hectic.  Oliver has his bac, didn't work much if at all this year for it, but still got it, no "mention" quite rightly.  He is happy because he passed some competitive entrance exams for Sesame at came out in the top ten in the country for all for schools (second for Rouen and seventh for Essec), go figure! He's going to Essec in Cergy, happy for him, but not so proud because he just moved his butt for these exams and I worry that he will have problems in September to get down and work with method and some rigor.
Charlotte's going to a new lycee, she's going into STL, which really will suit her, just fingers crossed that she'll think about studying more and certain friends less....complicated to bring up teenagers, small children small problems, big children, big problems, enormous ones when it comes to one of ours in particular.   Charlotte is off for three weeks to America'a West Coast, she'll be visiting Los Angeles, two national parks, a couple of lakes and canyons and San Francisco too, lucky her, hopefully this holiday will help Charlotte break out of the downward spiral she's in.

Gaby finished her year on a high with very high praise from all her teachers.  Proud of her, she deserves to switch off a little, and she has, she's even played a football game on Oliver's X box and this very moment

She had friends to stay over the weekend, went to the cinema, swimming et cetera and had a whale of a time.  Gaby's off to Corsica for two weeks next week, she's less shy now and has grown in maturity and confidence, so she hopefully won't get too homesick this time.

Alexis finished his year like Gaby, with a glowing report, straight A's and he was sad to finish school and said he's going to miss Mr B, who has been awesome, but apparently Mr L is a brilliant teacher too, so I'm not worried in the least.

Alexis found Charlotte's old pyrography pen, this is becoming his new summertime passion. The above sign, for their tree platform is the first thing he did with it.


Hate to repeat myself, but MK did it again, perfect school year, need I say more.  
We are getting set to go to the Auvergne region to trek with a donkey for a week..more later, I have lunch to make.

Charlotte's in Granada

After a weekend of stress due to Charlotte and the fact that she just decided she didn't want to go on holiday to Spain after all(organized via Alain's work). Harsh words were spoken my Miss 16, but the storm blew over and yesterday we took her to Orly to meet the group of 8 girls she would be spending her holiday with.  She was happy to know there were only girls, and felt even better when they were all similar ages (15,16 and 17).  We even bought Miss C a new telephone at the last minute because in her hotel there was going to be wireless internet.  
Charlotte's suitcase was filled with shoes and boots and many unnecessary items that sixteen year olds like Charlotte can't live without, but I did manage to get her to leave her ipod dock/radio at home and her enormous(and expensive) headphones too.  

Silly girl only took one thin jacket though, let's hope that the weather in Granada is better than what we are experiencing here in the Yvelines.


We received a first update from the organizer's website today it seems that all is well, the 6 girls including Charlotte who are staying in an hotel, love it, and they have had their first three hours of Spanish lessons today and all went well.  They should be visiting Granada as I'm typing this and tonight it Flamingo night.

Banned from Facebook

 Today as a last resort,  I have blocked access to Facebook on Oliver's computer, in fact, I've blocked him from quite a few sites and he has limited internet and limited computer time.  He can only use his computer between 6 and 7 in the morning and 17h and 19h in the evening (week days) On Saturday he has a little more time and Sunday just a couple of hours early on.  Why would a mum be so cruel?  Well for the simple reason being that Oliver just doesn't work, can't be bothered.  He's in terminale S, last year of high school, like 2nd and last year of sixth form and he doesn't work.  Why?  Because he has decided to put all his eggs in one basket and sit a couple of competitive entrance exams for some (expensive) business schools here in France, ones that don't look at your school reports and just base their choice on how well you do in the written and oral exams.  To be honest I'm furious with him and his attitude towards working hard and I just can't get through to him, and boy we have been trying for years.

He got a warning this term for lack of work, that's an understatement!  He thinks it's unfair, because he is above the average in terms of grades ( a tiny bit) and that's thanks to his English marks.  
Anyhow, we are feeling kind of lost in a thick blanket of fog, never imagining this outcome, he doesn't care, he just wants someone to pay the fees for one of these schools that he'll get into, because that's something he really wants and so what if it's costs someone a hell of a lot of money. Spoilt brat attitude.


Oh yes, there's one term left, Oliver says there's no point in working now, because no-one counts the final school report, unbelievable, I'm just lost for words.
I'm now awaiting Charlotte's teachers remarks on her report, please let this one be more positive, can't possibly be worse.....

Probably never be this tidy again. Teenager room

After days of scrapping and 7 hours of sanding and all the bits and bobs to finish (still not finished by the way), Charlotte's room is looking tidy for the first time since we moved in here way back in October.

I thought I take a couple of photos before a teenager bomb hits it after school...but who knows, she might just change, she did actually made her bed for the first time this morning!

Yet another dusty radiator to clean and paint.

Wardrobe found in local thrift shop (tv just for English dvd's, she's crazy for Friends)

Charlotte likes to do her homework in bed so this desk should stay tidy.

I'm internet shopping for a vintage New York poster, a garland or two and a Famille Summerbelle New York map print. And Charlotte hates her Indian lamp on her desk so that needs changing.

Messy teenager's bedroom...can't get worst

Started Charlotte's room, and thought I better get a picture taken before I finish scrapping and sanding. No wallpaper to strip here...phew, and the walls have already been painted by my impatience teenager, so just they just need a wash down and maybe a lick of paint here and there and all the woodwork needs doing:(.

I'd like to finish before Sunday when Alain gets back from Singapore, but with two parties this weekend and Alexis' sword-fencing and the book I bought today, L'enfant allemand by Camilla Läckberg, this looks unlikely, oh hum.

Caught

Spots...... They both are just discovering what it's like to wake up with a couple of new ones each day. It's their main subject of conversation apart from when they are moaning about their teacher's downfalls. They examin each others faces regularly looking for new arrivals, with comments like " Wow, that one enormous, you'd better go and squeeze it fast" (they can become quite revolting...) As they are both quite vain, they'll try anything to reduce their numbers.....After I took this photo, they applied a home-made facial mask that consisted of egg yolks and honey.....Guess what? Two weeks later, they still have spots, only this time, more!