With our days here in Bahrain coming to a close, we leave at the end of October. Mark having already started his new job based in Scotland at present. Myself and the boys will be returning to France.

I know the boys are happy to be returning to their old schooland seeing all their friends again. Life here hasn't been easy (mainly due to the heat), but I don't think I would have turned down the experience at all.

At present I am busy trying to sell all the furniture we have accumulated over the past few months. We are getting there slowly just a matter of word getting around!!Unfortunately it just isn't economical to ship them back.

We bought Luc a digital camera for his 10th birthday this July. He has taken some good photos...the attached being one of them that he took when we visited a pottery at A'Ali. Well done Luc a good photo!! A budding David Bailey!! I even have it as my screen saver. I also have one or two other good ones to post on the blog another time.

The heat continues ....although for many people who have lived here longer than us this has been a cool summer!! ( would hate to experience a hot one it's already been like living in an oven!!) We have been wilting somewhat and staying indoors with the air con working day and night! The camels seem to enjoy it though!! (see photo) These were some wild camels that just appeared one morning not far from us. Then they dissappeared as quickly as they had arrived.

The past two days there has been light breeze which has thankfully managed to cool the pool down a bit so at least it is quite pleasant to get into now and not like a hot bath. It's just when you get out from the pool and realise you forgot to leave your flip flops nearby so you hop skip jump or whatever accross the red hot patio tiles!!

However, shortly we will be returning back to home (France) to new opportunities. Yvonne will also be resuming her role of D.I.Y expert!!

I don't even think as I have said before we will mind the changing weather. We feel like the birds and cats that we see here in the garden constantly with their beaks/mouths open gasping for some cool air!! It has been fun seeing and experiencing a different land and culture but we are looking forward to our future plans.

Well August is now upon us and the heat is regularly 54C+!! The swimming pool is not quite so easy to cool off in as it is like a hot bath (40C+!!) So during the heat the air cons whir away day and night trying their best to cool us down!!

We all find ourselves dreaming of rain or even snow... just to be cooler would be nice.

We recently visited the nearby Bahrain Fort which is a National Heritage Site it was amazing but we had to cut short our visit due to the heat...we felt like we were dying!!! We plan to go back maybe one evening hopefully it will be better but also for photos which i promise to post on the blog!!

Also sadly we had news of one of our cats Dixie (see photo) who got injured and later died from her injuries. We do not know exactly what happened to her whether it was a car or another animal in the garden. Jokingly it was suggested it was the remaining cat Foxy who had something to do with it as the were always fighting with each other you never know!!?? Anyway i know she will certainly be missed by us all particularly Luc.

After our “flying visit “ back home We now have a daughter in law, Valerie and in return she has two brother in laws aged 6 & 9!! Anyway the wedding went very well..this took place at the mairie and then the little church at Villeneuvette. There are very few weddings at Villeneuvette as it is a very small village so there was a lot of local interest!! (The photo was taken outside of the mairie at Villenevette).

The weather was very hot nearly Bahrain standards!!, believe it or not at the reception there was more water than wine drunk!! A first according to the owner of the hotel & restaurant!

The work on the new entrance to divide Chemin and Riviere appartments has also been completed (just before the wedding!!) and the gardienne (housekeeper) now installed after I removed our belongings before our return back to Bahrain

During our stay the swimming pool has also been emptied cleaned and refilled by the boys ( Luc & Sebastien) and myself . A pity we didn’t get to really use it before we left!!!

Arrived back in Bahrain in need of a rest!!! The migration of all the Europeans has commenced in earnest after the finish of school term and the rising heat! It is really quiet here and hardly any traffic

It is good to be back "home" to see some green and some real raindrops!! (yesterday we had a thunderstorm) It was quite nice to see real rain again they were great big fat juicy drops! I didn't quite realise after three months in Bahrain just how much we had infact missed it!

I have been busy in the garden attacking the jungle of weeds that grown everywhere. The pool has also been emptied, cleaned, filled, treated and filtered and is now looking very "cool" If only I had time for a swim!!