May 1st is a jour de ferié (bank holiday) and as it fell on a Tuesday this year many people also took Monday off. Next Tuesday is also a jour de ferié (Victoire 1945) - with it's additional Monday off - and then there's Ascension Day on May 17th - a Thursday so people take Friday off as well. According to our local paper some people will only work 17 days this month.

It is a custom in France to offer one another lily of the valley for good luck. A charity association in the village sells them at rather inflated prices so, despite having a corner of the garden full of them I always feel obliged to buy some when they knock on the door.

Every Mayday our village holds a Brocante - a cross between a fair and a market. Last year everyone was fed up because it rained all day, but yesterday was fine and sunny. Stalls were set up before 7a.m. and the roads were crowded from eight till late at night. Besides the expected display of all sorts of goods there were icecream vans with long queues, another van selling chips and snacks and a large refreshment stall and bar on the village hall carpark.

There were roundabouts, bumpercars and a rifle range too, and live music in the evening so everyone should have found something to interest them.

We spent most of the day wallpaper stripping as it was too hot and crowded to go out and saved our look round till late afternoon, coming back with chips and croque monsieur for tea.

This morning the village showed signs of the invasion with plenty of litter, bottle banks full to overflowing - and bottles left lying around but by lunchtime everything was clean again, thanks to the efforts of the half dozen or so handymen employed by the 'commune'.

I took advantage of Bear being away by going up to Jay's room to watch DVDs until midnight. When I came downstairs I said goodnight to Whale and told him CC and Jay would be down soon to 'put him to bed'. (They do the bedtime routine and I do the morning chores).

Within a quarter of an hour I was snuggled up with two cats and just beginning to drop off to sleep. Then Whale called me - softly - as though trying to ascertain whether or not I was asleep yet.

I ignored him and went back to dreamy thoughts. A few minutes later the calls came again, louder this time.

"What's the matter?"

"I think they've fallen asleep up there. They haven't come down yet."

"No, I told you. They're watching a DVD.They'll be down when it's finished."

I may have dozed because it seemed pretty soon after that when there was shouting from Whale's room. He was calling Jay, then CC then me - loudly - then came cursing and exhasperated sighing.

I dislodged the cats, dragged myself out of bed and went along to see what the fuss was about.

He was sitting up and looking harrassed.

"They must have falled asleep and no-one's emptied my bag." (the one holding wee from his catheter)

"But they can't both be full" (I always leave a spare one so that he can change if one does become full).

"No, but I can't go to sleep like that."

Oh well, I was up so I emptied the bag - rather grumpily - and toddled back to bed. I had only just tucked myself in again when I heard Jay and CC come down. I looked at the time. It was 12.52 - maybe I could get some sleep now.

A while later Jay knocked on the door,

"Are you awake mum?"

"Well I am now. What's the matter?"

"Did you hear that noise?"

"What noise?"

"Oh weird. It sounded like an animal outside. The cats pricked up their ears and ran to the conservatory to see what it was."

"It may have been the dogs next door but one. I dunno."

"OK, sorry if I woke you. Goodnight. Sleep well."

It's little wonder I slept through my alarm this morning and was woken by the nurse clattering about in the bathroom. (Good job she has a key to let herself in).