More things to do in France

• Go to a Fest-Noz - a Breton outdoor dance festival. It's free, the locals are friendly and you get the chance to join in. It's a bit like line dancing but in a circle.
• Go to another one the next night - this one with bonfire. 
• Walk to the local market and haggle. (I didn't mean to haggle, I just started to walk away, and the guy offered me two euros off. Who'd have guessed?)
• Eat too much.
• Visit the standing stones.
• Swim in the pool. 
• Paddle in the sea.
• Remove sand from crevices.
• Make a bookmark, a phone cosy, two spectacle cosies, a hat and a shawl. I made most of the hat while waiting in the car to get on the ferry home. It was a L O N G wait.

I didn't want to come home.

Home!

We're back! I had a great time after all, despite being totally deaf in one ear. It made understanding the French rather more interesting!

Good points:

• Lovely clean flat with a view over the heated swimming pool
• Right near shops, restaurants and a pretty beach
• Wonderful food including chocolate mousse to die for. Holiday calories don't count.
• The abbey at Le Mont Saint-Michel was fun to explore and gave me ideas for children's stories
• The Isle Des Moines was picturesque and we walked for miles. (Yes, this is a good thing!)
• Colourful streets in Vannes and a wonderful museum with a roomful of medieval pictures. I'm a sucker for medieval art; I love the way they paint a close-up scene and then in the background there's a whole other story going on.
• To be continued...

Less good points:

• Rain
• More rain
• Raining again

It's a damned good job we came prepared with raincoats and umbrellas. 

Eventually the sun came out and left us with only one bad point: no internet. Ye gods how I missed all of you! What have you been up to while I've been gone?

Update

I saw the doctor who said there are two main things that could be causing the deafness, tinnitus, nausea and vertigo: labyrinthitis or Meniere's disease. She thinks it's not labyrinthitis because of the deafness and tinnitus but the patient UK leaflet said that this could be a feature.

Not that it matters because the treatment is the same: Stemetil for the nausea and vertigo and put up with the rest. When I'm taking the pills the room doesn't bob up and down when I walk, so that's a win!

I think I'll go on holiday anyway and take it easy. I've an overnight sleep on a boat but Stemetil is used for seasickness too, so I'll be fine. Probably.

One thing is off though: my Beloved and I were going to see Mamma Mia live tonight, and I can't cope with loud noises in the ear that is still working. It was our anniversary treat and now we have to find someone who wants our tickets.

I'm not going to let this get me down. I can still have fun. We won't have internet though so I'll miss all of you!

Oh dear

I woke with the sound of breaking glass in one ear - it was extreme tinnitus. The ear otherwise is totally deaf (and that's usually my good ear).

I feel dizzy - walking is interesting! - and slightly sick. I'll be seeing the doctor at lunchtime.

We're booked on a ferry to France on Sunday night for a week in Brittany. We have holiday insurance but I don't want to miss the holiday. On the other hand I'm not sure I can travel like this. Oh dear.

So much goodness in one post!

Holly Lisle's knitted cat

Today we have writing and knitting and cats all in one post. All that's missing is chocolate!

It's not actually my post though. You may know Holly Lisle who writes books and teaches writing; well she's not well and was forced to spend a day lying down. So she used the time to make an adorable knitted cat, fully poseable, and useful as a character in her writing. I'm impressed. I've only tried crocheting small animals and it's hard! You can see more pictures here.

Oh, and while we're talking about adorable cuteness, have you checked out Lily-Razz's blog? She has all kinds of cute things, mostly that she's made but you might also like this post starring a fluffy kitten.

Favourite Films

What are your ten absolutely favourite films? I saw this meme over at Caroline Smaile's blog and I enjoyed reading about her choices and why she likes them. I'm not sure I can say I have ten favourites but there are some films I've watched and watched and others made a big impression on me.

Films I've watched more than once:

1. Avatar. I saw it twice and I'd have gone on seeing it every week if I could. I loved the eye-candy scenery and I felt swept away to another world. I think the 3D helped but for me it was just a wonderful film.

2. Robin Hood Men in Tights. When my sons were little we watched this so many times I lost count. It's fun and lighthearted and I enjoyed their enjoyment.

3. The Princess Bride. I liked the beginning more than the later parts but the humour was wonderful, especially the part where the hero is fighting left-handed and so is his opponent. I don't usually like sword-fighting scenes!

4. Saving Grace.  A woman saves her finances by growing weed. I love the scene in the village shop when the two shopkeepers have taken weed by mistake and are out of their minds on it. "She's a lovely, lovely woman, in a lovely, lovely house..."

5. Kinky Boots. The story of a shoe making company that turns to making transvestite shoes. I loved the discomfort of the guy who didn't like gays or transvestites when he was forced to face up to his prejudice. Plus it was funny.

6. Fifth Element. A bit sexist for my taste but I love the sci fi effects and Bruce Willis... well he's Bruce Willis. *fans myself*

7. Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure. Pure escapism. Party on dudes!

Other films I enjoyed:

8. The King's Speech. Not one I'd normally choose but so well done and I loved the spiky relationship between the King and his therapist.

9. Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. I love Michael Caine when he's acting well as he was in this. Plus I loved the twists and turns.

10. Shrek. The first one was very funny. "Do you think he's compensating for something?"

I also enjoyed Monsters Inc, and The Incredibles. Do you notice a theme running through this?

I'd love to hear about your ten favourite films, either as a comment or a blog post!

Advice to Cats

Don't be afraid to go out in the rain. When you're cold and wet just find a handy human to jump up on; they will warm you up nicely and you can wipe the mud off on them.

Cats are so cute

Thanks to my daughter-in-law, Carly, for sending the link to me!

Gay Pride Month

President Obama has declared Gay Pride Month in America. He said:

we recognize that LGBT rights are human rights

and

No one should be harmed because of who they are or who they love

Oh yes.