The slow train to Paris (updated 2pm)

St Basile

We've had a little cleaning frenzy this morning. Taken down half the Christmas decorations and are transferring the study back into a spare bedroom for a few days.

Friends are travelling down from London, due to arrive this evening by train. Unfortunately they called a while ago to say that their Eurotunnel train is stuck outside Folkestone due to some illegal immigrants on the line in the tunnel.

I suppose it makes a change from leaves on the line or the wrong sort of snow.

They are going to be hard pushed to make their connection in Paris and arrive at a reasonable hour, otherwise I will have to make the two hour round trip to the station later this evening which in turn puts dinner out of sync and will make for a very, very late night. That, in it's own turn, means we will be up late tomorrow morning, breakfast late, lunch late and so on until the early train they need to take on Saturday morning (necessitating the round trip drive to the station again) will be a real struggle!

We are really looking forward to their visit though and no doubt a couple of bottles will be opened (sparkling.... water of course) and a year of catching up will be done over the next couple of days and evenings.

Only spoiled because a few ill-informed people from Eastern Europe or Africa or wherever think that life will be better for them living in England. Poor fools.

PS Good news. They made it in time - thank heavens for Parisien taxi drivers!