December 2023

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2nd- Having cleaned and packed up the house, it was decided to have breakfast out. Paulie and Stephen head off to France in the afternoon. A final outside clean . Inside is good to go
. . So it's farewell Chateau AthoTurnbull for some months. Our guests arrive on the 6th through to Mid April First (lounge) stop in Sydney
3rd- To BA's Terminal 5. A quick meal and bubbles And France is reached. Michael collected the guys at Blagnac Airport and their now quiet village was reached 4th - Not sure what Michael's excuse is, but Stephen felt a little weary :-)
5th - time to tidy up the garden. The village Mairie team kindly allowed Stephen to add green waste to their collection . birdfeed added to the fig tree .
6th- out and about . Back from various village chores Still some sunny days, so worth enjoying the garden
A sunnier place for the small table 7th - Birthday Girl Olivia spends some time in the Balinese tropics Pal Dianna joins Olivia for a break as well after cramming for the RACP exam Time for a live video chat
Toasting Olivia's birthday . On return to her room, the staff had creatively made up the bed. 8th - the celebrations continue
Noël vibes increase in the village en France but it's less commercial Still quiet mornings 9th - Meanwhile back in Indonesia, the gals arrive at their pad in beautiful Ubud where later a monkey stole Olivia's sunglasses .
. . 10th - not so tropical Saint Antonin Noble Val's market day. .
warming up with a vin chaud 11th - up the 17,000 metre Mt Batur. 25 years earlier the AthoLads took a boat on the lake (see 1999 athoalbum) . Neighbour Hans joins the guys for a drink
A quiet early morning walk in the mist . Having returned to Adelaide a few days earlier, Queenland pals Megan and Michelle visit .
. 16th - off to friend Yolande's farm to check on the animals and collect some firewood . Arthur knows a good brushing is coming his way.
Rubens is more interested in continuing to feed But does say à bientôt to Paulie as she leaves . At home, a quick chat to James in Oxford
Then it's off to La Halle where there are some performances, nibbles, and a visit from Père Noël There is a small video snippet in "AthoCinema" And here come the "reindeer" 17th - the sun is out so a cycle up to Grotte du Bosc is in order
. . Christmas Day in Adelaide. Olivia's pals from Cornwall put on a grand meal! Meanwhile it is early Christmas day in France so the duo prepare their contributions to dinner that evening.
Christmas slice Salade de Cabécou, radis et persil from Périgord A French and English morning catch up with evening Adelaide .
And the youngs do their modelling poses . Time for a Christmas Day cycle Through the open countryside
and an hour later back into the village Then it's off to dinner at Porte Bleue with our contibutions Michael's pal from QUT days, Mike Roggenkamp, is visiting from Brisbane for a few weeks Leaving the selfie to the under 30s
26th - starting Boxing Day with a morning walk . Fenyrols Chateau 7km out of the village. That evening a "second" Christmas dinner is enjoyed with our Danish neighbours Robert & Brigit, their Danish pals and our other neighbour Hans. Lovely. 28th - across the channel, Shari and Pete spend time north of Guildford around Mimbridge
King George III's statue 29th - in sunny South Australia Olivia and friends Andie and Ruby (the gal with the dark complexion to the right) chill at Sellicks Beach 30th - the small Saturday market at Varen .
31st - New Year's Eve/ Saint Sylvestre dinner 16km away at Milhars with pal Alan and co. 6 courses. . The courses were well timed. The main couse was served at 1:00am.
Nearly midnight. The partying continued after mains. Dancing to Euro- Pop meant Paulie and Stephen didn't get home until 3:00am - so many bisous to deliver to the locals. In Adelaide Olivia joined pals. No Euro-pop there. 2024, here we come.