Spent most of today in an alcoholic haze! Went into Cognac, parked car then spent ten minutes looking for Bill’s Eurocheque - we’d already put the money in the carpark machine. Finally got to Cognac caves - Martell first - last party of the morning all two of us! We had a young French girl as a guide - she didn’t drink cognac as we do, and lives among the vineyards - and spoke English, so it was very interesting. We bought some brandy - sherry - cognac & 2 porte cleys. After finding somewhere to eat - not easy at lunchtime - I drank more vin as Bill ordered a UNREADABLE and I didn’t want to let him drive the car having drunk all that - so I was even hazier - during the next visit, to the Hennessy cave, an excellent tour, but we didn’t have ‘degustation’ - two lots - as we did at Martell! We got the usual miniatures though. We saw a quick film at Hennessy shown on a screen placed onto an enormous barrel, made for the job - very well done! All this took up most of the day, and by the time we had a meal, and Bill went to do some filming, it was getting late, so Paulina & George came in the caravan and we played their numbers game which is a bit like Rummy without the picture cards, but it has four colour, two jokers, 2 sets of each colours - 1 - 13, the first ‘lay’ totals 30 or more, then anything can be put down, added to other people’s, adding numbers inbetween, as long as 3 ‘tiles’ are left (or more), i.e. 123456 (split and add a 3 or 4 i.e. 123 3456.) A set of numbers - say 456 +, must be different colours, but if you can make up a 3 or 4 using one or more of your tiles, you can split any combination already on the table, as long as the rules of colour are observed. Runs must all be of one colour. The colours were black, blue, red, yellow. Brain fog ensues! Jokers can be any colour, but must stay once the colour is nominated, until replaced by another tile, then it can be changed again. If you can’t go, you can take a tile from the pile, as normal - obviously first one with no tiles, wins! We played and drank more wine! A thoroughly boozy day! Went to bed rather late and slept very well.

The Cooperage Museum - Hennessy Cognac
The Cooperage Museum - Hennessy Cognac