Down time...

It's true...Sarah and I are electron whores. We went trolling for internet today. Drove slowly around La Garde Freinet with the computer open in Sarah's lap looking for hotspots. With two bars Sarah yells "stop" but everything seems to be password protected in this little town. We decide to drive to Port Grimaud to sit in La Boheme drinking beer and stealing wifi from the guy upstairs as we have done in the past. Nice bar but it's closed. Sat under their awning under gray skies "borrowing" internet access from somewhere but lost it after a time. A move to a bench next to one of the marinas allows me to post last blogs. 

Rained hard today. Good thing it's a "down" day. Went shopping though. Checked out the local mall near St. Tropez. Didn't need anything really but it's fun to see how the locals shop. Also went to market in La Garde this morning after dropping off some laundry at the local and only gas station: a single pump on a wide spot of the main road at the edge of town, inside selling wine, a few canned groceries, and apparently does laundry. A euro a kilo and it'll be ready a' domain. Today was market day in town so bought stuff for dinner tonight and of course more bread.

Just finished a wonderful meal of huge heads-on crevette (shrimp) sauteded in butter (lots of butter), olive oil, garlic, leek and vermouth accompained by rice and lentils seasoned with garlic, onion and spice du provence. When Sarah finishes dishes we'll have some cantalope and chocolate for desert. I'm, in the meantime, relaxing with another glass of Baron de Fonviel white bordeaux 2005 (3 euro a bottle) and utilizing my "down time" at the computer. 

I hope you folks enjoy my little travel logs. I do enjoy writing them. Don't know why really. Could send out a couple of post cards and call it good. But this is cheaper and more fun. "Embrace the technology." It also gives me something to do during these "down times". It makes me feel sociable. Connected. I know some of you are having difficulty accessing this blog. I really don't know why but there is a bit of a learning curve. As a friend of my always said..."slam any key to continue!" Some of you have sent encouragement. I assume those of you that have issues with this will simply not lurk on "Adventures of Dale and Sarah"!

We are starting to count down the days left in Provence. We have enjoyed our time here. Seen a lot. Not seen enough. No beach time--weather has not been cooperative. Have not met as many of the locals as I would have liked. We are a bit isolated here but my, have we enjoyed the cottage! Using terms like "I could live here" and "It's so peaceful". The "simple life". Haven't come close to Rick Steves' ittenerary but don't feel that we have missed out on much. One would think a month long vacation ("lifestyle!") would be adequate. We came with no real agenda and invissioned time simply hanging out at the cottage, Sarah knitting and me reading, but it hasn't happened that way. We've been busy. Gotta go back to work and our real life to get some rest! 

Tomorrow we go to Avignon. Probably for two days. See the sighs, see the bridge: "Sur le pont d'Avignon, on y danse, on y danse, sur le pont d'Avignon, on y danse tous en rond".