A weekend spent out in the country always refreshes body and soul ... especially when the weather holds out.

This weekend seemed as though spring had arrived early with bright sunshine and a very welcome 15° C.

The posting underneath refelects somewhat the lush green of fields in Haute Normandie - out to the north west of Paris.

I particularly love the houses with old rustic looking beams and the tiny streets lined with houses which all look out of kilter and seem to be jostling, like spectators at a village fête, for the best position.

The area is pretty much agricultural land with farms and outhouses, livestock and horses, rivers and fishing lakes.

I hope this summer will be a good one.

Although ... it's not that i got to see much of anything, as knackered as i am what with the accumulation of late nights - i kept nodding off in the afternoon like some kind of old and decrepid wrinkly person - s'cuse me Balaj - and managed to cram in an oustanding 9 or 10 of hours sleep.

All of which, never the less, will stand me in good stead for the next two or three weeks to come as things are building up (again) on the work front, especially given that i have to hold on until May (!!) until i can take my first week off.

As things stand, i don't know where i fancy going but no doubt it will be in the south somewhere.