MANILVA TODAY.THURSDAY.

THURSDAY 12th JULY 2012.

We have taken things easy today, Thursday as it is very hot and close, the village is also quiet and the house’s have there shutters down; Brenda as usual keeps pottering about and in the afternoon retired to the roof terrace to finish her book. This afternoon I started to watch the Tour on TVE1 until the live coverage comes on-line on ITV4 at 3-00pm. British riders Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome occupy the top two places after an excellent day on stage 11; It was also a curious day in the Alps to say the least as the pundits are asking do Team Sky have the wrong man wearing the yellow jersey tonight ?! Cadel Evans dropped back on the final climb and is now fourth and Vincente Nibali was only just held after ‘ Va Va Froome ’ went after him but Wiggins could not follow him,Froome was forced on the radio to obey instructions to wait for Wiggins – Pierre Roland won the stage, just but it was what was going on behind him that matters ! This was one of the ‘ Greatest ’ stages for a long time and it’s not over yet – watch this spot.See the pictures above. Friday’s stage 12 is from St-Jean-de-Maurienne to Annonay Davezieux over 226kms. and is the longest stage in the Tour; there are three top climbs so it could get really get exciting – is there a sting in the tail !!

Just as we were going up to the roof terrace for our usual drinks I noticed on Facebook that Brian over in Finland had just commented to Jane in Cheshire that he had been watching on BBC2 a programme with David and her featured in it ! I went on the BBC iPlayer that Brian installed before he left and low and behold there it was “ The Hairy Bikers in Cheshire ” It was filmed a few years ago when David was still at the ‘ Belle Époque ’ in Knutsford and before he had his weight loss and Jane was promoting Cheshire Produce ; she acted as consultant for the show. This was well before they were married and as they say the rest is history ! Ah !!

Tonight for supper we had “ Fray Bentos Steak and Kidney Pie ” – honest ! We picked it up on offer at Morrison’s last time we were there and it had been sat in the cupboard looking at us ! We had it with Chips and Garden Peas and it was rather nice for a change. The late film on our new TV was the classic western of the week; “ The Hanging Tree ” from 1959 – it starred Gary Cooper, who is a great ‘ Cowboy ’ along with Karl Malden and Maria Schell, as I have said before they don’t make them like this anymore !


Thought for the Day;


You can have anything you want if you are willing to give up the belief that you can’t have it.



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