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Hello, Pigale!
Nice to "see" you!
Seems to be very hot in France!
So, that's why Julian Alaphilippe is called "LouLou"!
He is very popular in France, I know that.
I am hoping for a French winner (it's been far too long!).
LouLou or Pinot, perhaps?
But, I also like Geraint Thomas, and young Bernal has years ahead of him.
We shall see in the Alps how the wind blows!
I discovered this nice photo, Pigale.
PouPou meets Peter Sagan! https://www.eurosport.co.uk/cycling/tour-de-france/2016/blazin-saddles-tour-de-farce-when-peter-met-pou-pou_sto5675968/story.shtml

Hello Rusty,

Thanks for the link - PouPou still looks so lovable!

One of the reasons Lou Lou is so popular is that he loves mingling
with the crowds after each and every stage - he chats with the
public, signs whatever they want him to sign and invariably arrives
late (sometimes very late) for dinner! He comes from the masses
and the public knows he is one of them, he certainly does not
have 'the big head'

Somehow, I can't imagine Anquetil behaving in that way all those
years ago!

and yes, France is baking! literally! I put some frozen baguette (bread) on my terrasse yesterday and it was defrosted and crispy in no time! and that was at 7pm!

Hello, Pigale!
No, and Anquetil was a wonderful rider, won 5 Tours etc, but was never as popular in France as PouPou.
I am still learning about LouLou.
I first started to pay attention to him this year when he won Strade Bianchi and then Milan-San Remo.
That was special!
My bookmaker has Thibaut Pinot as favourite to win the Tour, now.
But the Alps will find the strongest, and it's still a long way to Paris!
Wonder if the Alps will have a bear for Elle!

Not sure about a bear in the Alps, Rusty, but we did see some great, majestic Pyrénéan Eagles, so we might see their cousins in the Alps?

No, Pigale, I don't think we'll see a bear in the Alps.
I saw some huge birds in the Pyreees.
With enormous squarish wings.
Would those be the Pyrenean eagles, I wonder, or vultures, perhaps?
Great to see them, anyway!

Hi, Rusty!
I can report success!
The coffee machine is as good as new!
It was difficult to take the relevant part to bits......but easy enough to reassemble!
I have just had a delicious very frothy cappuccino!
So thank you , YouTube!
Well, now we know about "LouLou"..... that is good!
I meant to ask you if you had seen in the News that Peter McNamara had died?
He was only 64, but had prostate cancer.
I used to love watching he and Peter McNamee playing Doubles.
And even in later years , they would play in the Seniors matches at Wimbledon.
A beautiful day here now....... but too hot for me!




Hello, Pigale!
How very nice to hear from you!
Are you having a good tine with your friends?
I had assumed that you were very busy!
I do not know how you cope with your heat...it is 28C here this afternoon...and I am wilting!
I had intended taking the dog out ...but it will be too hot for her, too.
The garden is reasonable for her, as the trees provide some shade.
I am indoors with the fan on!
Thank you for explaining about "LouLou".......I remember a time when the terms "Petal" and "Flower" were used a lot as endearments.
I wonder if the forename "Lulu" has a similar meaning?

Hello Elle,

Yes, a long walk would be too much for your dog, particularly since
she does not seem to know what it is to just 'walk'!

I think "Lulu" finds its origins in the forenames Lucienne/Lucien,
Lucian in English I think and Luciano in Italian - but I could be wrong, so don't quote me!

Some friends have gone home, remains my friend from Cumbria who is still here for a week. When he leaves, he will have been here for a month and I shall miss his gentle, relaxing company!
He has done a lot of work in the garden in the early hours of the
morning, and now that it is cut, the grass is no longer green but
just yellow! just burnt by the sun. Farmers need to water every
night and are still complaining that everything is too dry - which
is true - We have not had any rain to speak of for nigh on 6 weeks -
except for the odd thundery shower!

How is your tooth - or rather does it still hurts?

Hi rusty
The birds were Griffon Vultures - very, very big birds. The first one I saw (in the Pyrenees, in fact) a caught a glimpse of out of the corner of my eye below me (I was near the top of a mountain). My first thought was that it was a small plane going past!

Hello, Chris,I did not think they were eagles.
They were enormous creatures with large rectangular wings.
Very impressive.

Hello, Elle!
Well done with your coffee machine!
You should save YouTube in your "Favourites"!
I did not know Peter McNamara had died.
A fine player and not old at all.
It is warm here, too.
Just home from Curry's with a replacement microwave oven.
Very efficient service there!