Hail again

No, Boucle du Pas de ma Mignonne does not mean Circuit of Not my Sweety.  As well as being a French negative, Pas also means steps, so the translation is roughly Circuit in the Steps of my Sweety.  I find this very disappointing.  I had imagined a murdered sweetheart, possibly attacked by bears, and a distraught lover running amok for 6 ½ kilometres shouting “Not my Sweety!”   This sad event could then be commemorated by the walk mapped out by the Tourist Office.  Instead, they appear to be commemorating some form of stalking!

 Dolly and I tried and failed to follow the steps of somebody’s sweety again, today.  After we got caught by a hail storm on Monday, Karl has told us that there are sometimes really big hail stones over here, the size of small cabbages or, at least, very large Brussels sprouts.  Some of these monsters attacked his roof some years ago and drilled big holes in it, which necessitated him making a large insurance claim.  This has naturally made me a bit nervous.  A woman and dog wouldn’t have much chance against the sort of hail that can wreck a roof. 

 

 

When we walked past the Château at the beginning of the walk there was lots of blue sky and sunshine and some white fluffy clouds.  We carried on for about three kilometres, going past a sign that said that the wood to our right was reserved for hunting and for wild deer.  Poor wild deer! 

 

 

The sky then turned very grey and sulky.  First it rained and then the hail started.  There was nowhere at all to shelter – we were a good distance from the bear caves and the hail appeared to be getting bigger.   That is why I accepted a lift in a car from a man I had never met before, although I know your mother tells you never to do this.  I reckoned he was a better bet than the hail stones.  He turned out to be a knight of the road and a perfect gentleman.  He actually stopped and picked up another wet walking woman further along and took us both back to Excideuil.   I was very grateful and thanked him profusely.

 I have been moving coats, scarves, gloves and shoes to the new armoire today.  It is a lovely thing to have.