Christmas at the Groves household

Due to Michael working on the 24th and 25th of December we decided to have our Christmas family lunch on the 23rd instead.
we were lucky enough to have the complete family including three grandchildren to enjoy the usual turkey with lost of trimmings. The presents were also great for the grandchildren and Joanne and Tim could have done with a bigger car to get them home but they managed it.
Anyway a great time was had by all as the photo below will show.

Although Katherine looks a little cross

Another day another restaurant and delayed by the "gilets jaunes"

Well it was jolly cold this morning as we all met up around 0915 for a walk back in to the old town to the bar where we were yesterday to enjoy a breakfast of croissants, baguette and coffee. Knowing that it was going to be damn cold this morning we did not use our usual haunt which is a little shop with mostly outside seating and at minus 3 Degrees Centigrade, No Thanks.

having enjoyed the breakfast then we left for the large Auchan Hypermarket just down the road for so,me last minute Christmas Food shopping for some whilst the others waited patiently with some more coffees etc. From there it would only be a quick 30 minutes up the motorway to Les Attaques and the next restaurant we thought!!! Only we woz wrong.
Not long after we got on the motorway heading North we came to a grinding halt and we dribbled along for a good 25 minutes and we thought there had been an accident but we found out later it was due to protest's by the 'Yellow Vested' people someway up the road. we exited the Motorway as soon as we could and then got held up by the police checking on our destination but we got through that and arrived at the restaurant 40 minutes late.

The Restaurant le Gare is a very basic place but with really excellent food and very low prices, which helps to offset the previous nights excess, and very little wine was drunk mainly due to it being decanted form the sewer outside, or so it tasted like that.
We then departed around 14.45 and arrived at the Eurotunnel and we all left on the 15.20 and all back home early evening and some went straight to bed, well I did almost.
A really enjoable trip aided by us wearing some rather natty french berets provided by the tour leader.

The Jubilados leave for Bologne-Sur-Mer

It is the time of the annual visit to France for the Brothers of the Jubilados group and this time we return to Bolougne-Sur-Mer close to Calais.

The group departed from three locations and headed towards the Channel Tunnel where it was delayed by the purchase of Bacon Sandwiches although one group , no names, appeared to have arrived the previous evening in preparation for the event, says Bob.
Satisfied with the late morning breakfast we entered the train for the 35 minute crossing and 10 years behind , France before heading down the Motorway to our destination which was the Ibis Hotel next to the Old Town.

Somehow we all arrived without getting lost and then headed in to the old part of town the the bar we had frequented in the past for a few glasses of something and some light snacks. One of our Brothers became very attached to a very friendly dog and not long afterwards they were married in the Church square to the heckles of the remaining bros.

Some dissapeared for a late afternoon kip before meeting up and going for dinner in the restaurant we have used in the past where much to our pleasure we were shown in to a private room where we could make as much noise as we like without disturbing other guests. 

Many bottle of wine and some really excellent food again and the budge was nearly broken but the good thing was it was cheaper than last year in Saint Omer. By midnight it was time for a quick return in the freezing cold to the Hotel and one last glass of plonk before hitting the bed sheets.