Monthly Archives: July 2015

I know we’re a cheap date!

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Hello Dear Reader,
It doesn’t take much to please us, each other, somewhere to stay, some healthy food and some us time. We attempted a bike ride this morning but it was too hot. We’re learning. The locals go to the beach from 2pm onwards, even then it’s been too hot for us. Above is us when we just arrived at the beach and laid at the back of the beach on the sloping wall. Yes, we did change out of our clothes xx
Another plus side of the weather making us feel lazy is that we don’t want much to eat. Lunch was strawberries and thick natural yogurt - Sveltesse, I wish I could get it at home. There’s no washing machine in the flat so I’ve hand washed our laundry and it dries so quickly in the heat. Towels get used and hung up outside to dry and the sun makes them crispy.
We stayed out of the sun until two and then, like the locals, headed to the beach. Tomorrow is when thousands more French people will be on holiday so our already busy beach will get busier. We’ll head around the bay a bit even though there’s a beach opposite the flat.
I tried to capture the very orderly nature of the beach users, they seem to form rows, equally spaced with a two metre walk space between the rows. It was all very convivial and chatty and everyone seemed to know everyone.
I can’t believe we’ve been here a week already, I know it’s not real life and just two weeks away but wouldn’t it just be lovely if we could get better weather at home and get outside more often.
I’ve emailed seven people now about the flat, it’s just a studio, with children’s bunk bedroom, a tiny kitchenette that’s more suited to ‘camp cooking’, a tiny garden but the location is fantastic. There are two supermarkets a bike ride away, a choice of beaches and it’s two hours from the ferry port in Roscoff. It also cost £350 a week and there are campsites that charge people that to park and plug in their own caravan in Cornwall! We’re cooking in the flat (mostly simple food or salad) and keeping to a comfortable budget.
Roll on another week of this. Feel free to email me if you want the details of the flat, although it could do with an ‘update’ it would make the perfect base for a family holiday.
Until tomorrow,
Love Froogs xxxx

Beach day

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Hello Dear Reader,

This is mainly what I’ve done today. We visited the market, which was massive, chaotic and we feel no need to do it again. We’ve visited this area over many years and have the been there, done that feeling and don’t need to do the tourist stuff.

We spent a couple of hours on the beach. I dozed and woke up surrounded by people. It got busier and busier. I’m used to Cornish beaches that when packed can be noisy. No so here, even when full, people are quiet.


This was my view when I woke up.

As it got hotter, and no wanting to burn, we walked back over the road to the flat, pulled the sunshade over the patio and have settled down to an afternoon’s reading.


The last photo is the view from the flat and the beach is through the trees.

If you want to rent this flat next year, it’s £320 a week in the school holiday and cheaper at other times. Email me and I’ll send you the link.

C’est la vie xxxx

Froogs xxxx




It’s alright, it’s French!

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Hello Dear Reader,
In light of the recent French farmer’s actions, I decided that what ever I bought here would be French. We brought some home cooked food with us but needed to buy fruit, veg, bread and milk when we got here.
We did our best in the Super U, that had fruit and veg from all corners of the planet. They did have French beans, which are actually my favourite food when I’m here.
We took our bikes on a short but drizzly ride up the hill into the old town. We had a walk and a coffee and went to Lidl. I think I was expecting Breizh graffiti all over it but business carried on as usual. We went primarily for water as the water here is hard and makes a dreadful cup of tea!
Lidl and Aldi have born the brunt of protests about imported food, funny that when truck loads of the stuff fills two ferries a day to Plymouth so we can eat French fruit and veg. Everywhere in Lidl, we could buy French: meat, veg, fruit, cheese, dairy and they had an on site bakery. We’ll go back instead of the other supermarket. And yes, we’ll also go to the Wednesday market to get some local fish and fruit.
Our travels today also found independent stores including the fish merchant and we will pop along for some shellfish at some time.
In parts, I sympathise with farmers everywhere, food miles are ridiculous and yet, if we only ate local seasonal food it could be boring. At home, we predominantly eat British food and try to buy locally sourced seasonal food but I want some variety and understand fully that we have a global economy.
Over to you, what did you think of the farmers’ protests? In Blighty, they’d be arrested in minutes if they blocked roads.
As you can see, we’re eating well, getting loads of exercise and loving having lots of time just for us,
Until tomorrow,
Love Froogs

Lazy Days, short walks and long lunches.

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Hello Dear Reader,

Just a few photos.




The weather has been windy, that’s not stopped us. I tied my hair back with a head scarf, rocking my best 1950s look, and got out any way. We walked to St Colomban and back unto the town in the early evening.


We always have a meal out the first week and the last. Moules.


Books are being read and we’re enjoying the little garden where we’ve sheltered from the sea breeze.

Back soon

Froogs xx

Self catering holiday

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Hello Dear Reader,
I took a trip to the supermarket for fresh fruit and veggies. It’s expensive and tomorrow shall venture up the hill to Lidl.
Still eating healthily. Love the grated carrots in vinaigrette, remoulade, sliced beef brought with me and salad. Found gluten free crackers and fat free cheese. Sticking to my 1200 calories a day.

Finished reading Go set a watchman, just started The last days of Rabbit Hayes. More bike riding later, more walking and more reading.
Nice and warm here too and it’s lovely to be in shorts.
A demain,
Froogs xx

Travel Plans you’d never think of

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Hello Dear Reader,
Nothing thrifty or frugal about tonight’s post but I’ll share my ‘odd’ preparations.

We’re travelling overnight on Friday and need to be at the ferry port an hour before we travel. We always aim to get there far earlier than that. The cars on first are off first at the Port of Roscoff. Once you get to the port, you queue three times. Firstly through passport cheque and for your car to get a ticket and you to get your cabin ‘keys’. Secondly, to go through the customs sheds where random cars are picked and searched. Finally, into a holding car park with the queue for the ship itself.
Lorries are queued separately and loaded first, then the motor homes and caravans, they all go downstairs. Then, the cars are loaded. It takes about an hour to load the ship.
My odd preparations for this will start tomorrow. As someone with IBS, spending three hours in a queue means I have to reduce what I eat tomorrow and eat nothing on Friday. I don’t know what it is about journeys but I get anxious and my IBS gets steadily worse and I usually arrive with a migraine to boot. So, I’ll increase my fluids and reduce my food. Nothing in, nothing out if you get what I’m saying.
It’s far from a trial and I’ll enjoy every moment. It’s just me, I also get nauseous when anxious. Strange isn’t it, stress and anxiety manifests itself as internal strife for some people, I have a physical reaction.
You can follow my journey and holiday by following me on Instagram, Facebook (both a Frugal Queen) and Twitter (queen_frugal) and I’ll catch up with you now and then when I pick up some wi-fi. I’ll be around but probably or should I say maybe sporadically. I’ll have lovely photos to share.
Normally, I would say, I’ll see you tomorrow but I’ll see you when I do.
Until then,
Love Froogs xxxx

Footloose and fancy tea

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Hello Dear Reader,
It’s been ages since I posted a review but I went somewhere really lovely today and thought I would tell you about it. A South West chain of ethical cafes has opened in Plymouth and I went there with colleagues for a gathering after work. Boston Tea Party cafes started in Bristol and have brought their Clifton vibe with them. The decor is recycled and up cycled and the food has a real care about sourcing.
My friends fared better than I did as there were only two GF items on the menu. I had the super salad, for £7.50 and a pot of de-caff tea which brought my lunch to £9.95. It was expensive (for me, but realistic in terms of costing) but as a treat, even with only two Coeliac friendly items and sadly no guarantee that food won’t be cross contaminated with allergens, I would go back. They had all day breakfasts, toasted sandwiches, burgers, soups, sides, smoothies and lots of lovely fancy tea.
We rarely eat out but my friends informed me that the prices were reasonable and widely comparable. All meat and eggs are free range, all tea is ethically sourced and organic, all their milk is organic too. Their breads are made by Hobb’s House bakery and their entire menu and up cycled interior really does demonstrate a commitment to sustainability.
It’s a great cafe and I can totally recommend the place. However, and this is a however for all caterers, Coeliacs are 1 in 100, we really would enjoy a meal out once in a while so would you all remember that every 100th customer has very little choice when we eat out and you would increase your customer base by 1% daily if we could eat too.
Back to my lovely lunch, It was a great salad full of pumpkin seeds, avocado, mango and really delicious.
Until tomorrow,
Love Froogs

School’s Out!

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Hello Dear Reader,

Beware tomorrow. Lock up the traffic cones. Be prepared to stand in a long queue in public houses. Watch out for packed campsites and delays at the dry cleaners as a lot of suits go in for a spruce up and annual repair. Now, I’m not suggesting for one minute that the teachers will streak down the high street but you can bet after a long school year, they’ll want to let their hair down.

It’s my last day at work tomorrow and I’ll be off out for tea and buns after work and then home to pack my bucket and spade for my holiday.

Until tomorrow,

Froogs xxxx