40 hours in Vaumartin (Don't worry, TripAdvisor has no idea that it exists ;-)

Damned work that keeps following me on these trips.   I'm falling behind with the blog again.  What's going to be more memorable a year from now, staying in beautiful Vaumartin or translating a horrendously poorly written patent on how to connect a syringe to a vial with medicine?  O.K. the rude manners of my patent attorney clients WILL stay in my memory ;-)

Not only am I falling behind with the blog; I can't remember half the things that caought my eye or mind and that I wanted to put down here. Friggin Work !!!

Anyhoo, yes, I arrived in Vaumartin a few days ago. 10-15 houses is all that Vaumartin consists of. I'm staying at La Domaine de la Courteloire (whatever that means), which is an OLD farm estate run by a mid-40s to 50s couple with 3 kids, and they rent rooms here, raise chicken, and breed horses, when they're not away in town all day at their day jobs.  

I had dinner at the evening of my arrival with the mother, her 8.5 year old son, and an amazing dog that I fell in love with at first sight.  

For dinner, the owner opened an 0.75 L bottle of Apple Cider for me. I never really was a cider fan but after the first sip I have become a convert.   She sends the remains of the bottle to bed with me, but it doesn't last the night.

Breakfast is at 8, so at 6 am I'm taking my camera on a morning walk to explore the surrounding countryside.

La Domaine de la Courteloire on the right

There are no noises besides those made by animals. NO NOISE!  I start humming a tune.

Hey, what's going on over there in the East?

Well, Good Morning, Sunshine ;-)

OMG, this is soooo beautiful. And quiet. And I can smell the soil, the air..... NICE!

The grass and the fields are WET and covered in SLUGS. After about 45 minutes of walking I dare not look at the slug sludge that has accumulated below my sandals despite my best efforts to spare their slippery lives

So it's time to wash my sandals, have breakfast, and do some translating.

But even the best breakfast and will to translate doesn't last forever, so still before noon, I hop on the bike to visit the nearest supermarche.

 A 12 km ride to the supermarket (one way)?  Pas de probleme, if these 24 km go through a warm, quiet, and gorgeous countyside ;-)

Despite the sign, I am too shy to show my sac to the cashier ;-)

NEVER forget where your food comes from.

Then there is this little mishap with the bike during yet another ride in the afternoon.

No, nothing breaks.  Since I have certain Quixotean character traits, my bikes are always called Rocinante.

And you know about Don Quixote and windmills don't you?  So I'm almost in this quaint town of Montmirail when Rocinante starts pulling and keeps getting faster.

... and doesn't stop until it can huddle closely with its Electric Friends (TM).

Fine, Fine, so it wasn't the bike that wanted to come here but it was this physicist with his desire to have green energy rule the world.

Got a problem with that? 
Then go sulk in your car! Best in the garage with the motor running ..

Breakfast is supposed to be at 6 am today. Since I still wake up at 5 anyway, I have no issue with that. But I think the owner changed her mind, because the light isn't even on at 6:05 am.  So I grab my camera and head out 

Breakfast is served at 7 (my hostess decided to catch up on sleep).  But that's o.k with me, I had an opportunity to enjoy the morning light ;-)

The buildings casting long shadows in the early morning light