Status-Q

'Marmotte' est mon nom, Here in France (where I'm from) Though you foreigners may spell it 'marmot'

But we aren't very taken With those who mistaken- ly call us groundhogs (which we are not)

Complete with fashionable headgear, knobbly knees, trusty hound, and Brompton (on kind loan from John)

Even mad dogs and Englishmen have been choosing early evening for cycling excursions here: it's been very hot over the last few days. Light showers have made for a more autumnal climate today, though, which makes a nice change.

You'll notice that, despite this being prime Tour-de-France country only a few miles from the Col de Tourmalet, my parents and I have somehow managed to cycle in the one flat valley in the area.

That's just for our warm-up training, of course...

A good holiday is when you can't remember whether it's Sunday or Monday.