Week 21: Everything That Has Been Going On at Camping Le Moulin In Chef-Boutonne

I’m sorry for having been so quiet, but Jamie and I have been very busy for the last months pacing up and down the campsite to ensure campers are happy and looked after; facilities are cleaned and kept cleaned all day long; mobile homes are ready during changeovers and giving a hand in the restaurant on Tuesday (Live Jazz) and Friday (Quiz) nights and any other nights required.

We’ve been sweating working in 30 to 40 degrees-heat! Luckily, the grounds don’t need as much maintenance as it once did – grass cutting has become bottom of our priority-list whilst looking after the pool and restaurant area is now top of our list. No jobs have been horrible, but I guess, the worst thing is to sort the bins out – any spillage in this heat do emanates some nasty smells and attracts flies! Another daily job is the so-called ‘Scum Line’, no, not the queue to get into Old Trafford, but the line where all the oils and sun cream ends up on the liner once the water has settled down at the end of the day. We use a special chemical and each morning we get down on all fours and scrub!

A very happy Jamie... 480 bags of Yorkshire tea! Thank you so much Adam & Millie!

Yes, it doesn't really look good, doesn't it?! Our right-hand side back tyre exploded as we were taking the van out!

Yes, that's how bad it was! We were lucky we didn't have an accident.

Enjoying drinks with some of our friends and mobile home owners; Mick, Geoff, Chris and Maureen.

"Chipping" away in the kitchen!

Jamie and Alex (the restaurant's chef).

Visiting the silver mines in Melle with family...

... There's always time for a mine-family-selfie! (Jamie's with our nephews, Sam and Billy)

And another one with 3-D glasses on!

A couple of weeks ago we had to move pitches as a long time customer had booked ours; pitch number 7. So we’ve got a new home for the last two months on site. We’ve now got some much needed shade from the trees alongside the river and baby Moorhens & Ducks as our neighbours. We love it!

Our friends, Daz and Laura came to surprise us after touring France on their way back home to Munich!

My sister, Dominique & her little ones, Charlotte & Thomas paid us a "lunch-visit" on their way home too!

A goodbye picture with some of our lovely campers (from left to right): Jayne, Christopher, Rebecca and Jack.

And their dog Sparky!

Another lovely camper; Cameron!

Our new home; on the other side, alongside the river Boutonne.

This is how bad the grass looks now... It's hard to remember how lush and green it was back in the Spring.

And after weeks of high temperatures, it was time for my Jamie to get his hair cut!

Moving towards the end of August we are seeing the numbers decline and lots of the families drift home back to their lives in the UK and Europe. We have said bye to a lot of good friends these last few weeks. Fran and Julian from Gloucestershire; Mark and Michelle from South Wales; Jack, Jayne, Rebecca & Christopher and Sparky the dog from Northampton; Merrick and Carol from Portsmouth; Sarah and her lovely sons, Cameron and Coen and Brynn the dog; and Jean-Francois & Magali with their children; Camille, Diane and Jules to name but a few. We’ve shed a few tears and will continue to do so as more and more people finish their Summer holidays. It’s funny how attached and close you can become to one’s ‘Camping Neighbours’ in the weeks they stay here on Camping Le Moulin.