It's surprising what you can find if you know where to look

That certainly applies to our cupboards and wardrobes, since we've finished sorting and reorganising them with all our newly transported gear. There were a few finds along the way. Bits and pieces that had somehow got pushed to the back or caught in something else and then been forgotten about. Until of course they are needed and then couldn't be found. So you buy another. This is presumable why in France I have amongst other things, two rolling pins, two potato mashers, five pairs of scissors, two steels for sharpening knives and 4 packets of cocktail sticks. Oh and two jars of marmite. But that's totally understandable, so doesn't count. Not that there'll be any problems finding new homes for the unwanted surplus items. We haven't exactly been lazing around since we got back, so that's all in hand.  The marmite of course stays here! 

I'm looking forward to living in one place. There are definite drawbacks to having a double quantity of cupboards to get things lost in. You tend to go slightly demented trying to remember firstly, what's in which house, and then where in that house and which cupboard. Usually it turns out to be the wrong guess and it is in the other house. So the relentless searching of the first few days after you've arrived back is in vain. In any case to begin with you can't find anything, because you have the storage layout of the house you've just left, still firmly in your brain. But as of now we've just three more months of dual house life to go before one-house sanity kicks in.

Salsify's cousin-Scorsonère

Chinon market was up and running well yesterday, Thursday. Our first time back since we arrived. Surprised at the number of stalls as at this time in previous years it's been much smaller. The clothes stalls were missing - they're pretty much for spring/summer - so it was down to the food essentials. Picked up vegetables from the bio-stall. Just love their produce. It all looked soooo gorgeous. They had Salsify. Heard of it, eaten it at restaurants a few times and like it, but not seen it before in it's natural state.They also had a vegetable called, Scorsonère, which is basically a black salsify. So we bought some to try. Picked up some shitake mushrooms that are grown locally on the way to Saumur, from Chantelle, who specialises in mushrooms and had about six varieties on sale. After heading along to one of the Anglo-French groups we belong to, we called into look at a weaving display. Spinning, weaving, dyeing and knitting are well supported here. Annie Erens a French friend, is particularly fascinated by it and has been studying and practising it all for some time. She's usually behind all the weaving events in Chinon, so was there when we called in yesterday, along with a lady called Iliana, whose is originally from Lithuania, which has it's own weaving pattern designs. So was all really interesting. Years ago Mike made me an inkle loom and I taught myself to weave on it. Eventually I got rid of it and haven't the same enthusiasm to return to it now. In any case photography is really my main thing. But it was certainly good to see looms being used. Some of the work was so fine with the same delicacy and intricacy of design as lace work. Quite amazing. Don't think I'd have the patience.