Lovely Day

Wasn't Saturday lovely? A bit windy maybe, but by the amount of sunburnt noses on view in the evening, not windy enough to stop people enjoying the great outdoors.

We had a child free night and went to St. Aubin where we ended up having a late dinner at La Barca. The food could not be faulted, and the place was buzzing. I sat watching the staff, who must walk the equivalent of a marathon every night as they are in non stop motion and their movements are balletic as they wind round each other and customers to bring food and drink, clear tables and distribute menus. La Barca must have three sittings a night at some of it's tables, and this is made possible by their highly professional table changes. Tables are cleared, new table cloths flourished on and the table set as if by magic.

But. We were the last sitting, sliding into our seats at 9pm. The restaurant began to empty, and the staff began to relax. We were sat by a trio of people obviously well known to the restaurant, and when staff looked our way it was to check on them - over our heads. We waited for a pudding menu until we no longer wanted pudding, then waited for the bill. We had to remind staff that we had requested the bill twice before it appeared, making the night end on a sour note.

I'd go back, but I'd go earlier.

Complicity

I have just read Iain Bank's novel Complicity. Bizarrely, the Scottish protagonist suddenly makes an unexpected (and very short) trip to Jersey. Whilst there he muses on a high powereed sportscar he sees, and the "crime" of keeping such a car in an island with a speed limit of 60 miles an hour.

I suppose it could be a mistype, but you do have to wonder if Iain actually visited the island himself to do any research. His protagonist hires a car at the airport and drives to Gorey - he mentions the castle, saying he had always thought it was in St. Helier. It seems that Iain is not aware that we have two prominent castles, one in either place, which of course means that he did not drive the route his protagonist takes, or else he could not have failed to see both Elizabeth Castle and Gorey Castle.

Beautiful in the mist

I have been admiring the view of St. Aubin's bay in the mist, with the castle dark against a silver sea so still it looks frozen in time.

Everywhere I look spring is evident, trees bursting out in fresh green leaves, magnolias already shedding purple blossom, bright blue ceanothus poking out of bushes.

We even have flower spikes growing early out of an agapanthus.

Jersey is so eye-wateringly beautiful in the Spring.

Zoo

We had a lovely trip to the zoo in the beautiful weather yesterday. I have yet to hear anyone saying "went up to Durrell yesterday", that place will always be the zoo to my generation.

It was a good trip. We sat mesmerised through the snake talk, the kids got to stroke a Colombian rainbow boa, and we had a very pleasant snack in the cafe which was bulging with boisterous kids. The maned wolves circuited their enclosure as a special treat for us, and we caught the lemurs being given their dinner.

The trip will probably be the highlight of our half-term.

Winter

We seem to have had our winter last week. Prior to that I had been wondering if it was worth while keeping the heating on as the temperatures were keeping so high, and looking at the lovely pair of gloves I was given for Christmas and wondering if I would wear them this year. Then the temperatures suddenly dropped to 1 to 3 degrees. On one memorable walk on the beach I was hailed on viciously for the last fifteen minutes whilst returning to the car, and even with gloves, hat and scarf I was sooooo cold and numb. And then, just when I had got into the habit of adding the necessary layers, the temperatures went back up.

Was that it?

The green, green grass of home

I know it's been a mild winter. I know it's been a wet winter. But the lush emerald green of fields, not just now, but through the winter, has really surprised me.

Happy New Year

Hoping that 2007 is good for Jersey.

A beautiful day

Walking the dogs down Val de la Mare valley today I was pleased to see that the water level in the reservoir is rising though there is still plenty of room to store more water - perhaps we should hope for more rain? I really enjoyed my walk in the sunshine, with late leaves swishing overhead and the stream tinkling to the side of me, and I was not the only one - everyone I met was smiling and happy to stop and chat.