Day One - Riberac Road Trip

Well we hope you are all ready for this adventure!!.
We left our home at about 3pm and set off to Riberac. We were anticipating arriving at our Gite/13th century chapel at about 6.30 ready for a meal which our host Johnny was going to prepare.

When we got to Poitiers we had a little detour as we had been to a shopping center the day before and we thought we might pop back in and get some items that we had forgotten.

I Amanda had my eye on a nice scarf but while Melanie was trying on trousers some lady walzed over and took it from the manikin!!. I couldn't believe it, as it was the last one. Anyway after Melanie had purchased some clothes we started our journey to Johnny's.
We arrived at 7.40 and were greeted by Johnny and some friendly dogs. We could see a cottage with stain glassed windows through the trees and that was the chapel where we were going to spend the next five nights!!.
Johnny gave us a tour of the monastery and asked us what we wanted to drink I ordered a large gnt and Melanie ordered a large vnt. We needed it to get us through the night in the haunted chapel. We had to have a drink!!.
We opened a bottle of rose before going to have our drinks with Johnny just to get us on our way.
We sat in Johnny's large kitchen with his dog and enjoyed our pre dinner drinks. Well our starter was hot French bread served with goats cheese and figs followed by steak salad and roasted potatoes and vegetables. Dessert was a vanilla tart with carte D'OR ice cream drizzled with casis. Mel downed two bottles of White and me nearly a bottle of rose. Well and truly sloshed and ready to meet the ghosts of the chapel!!.
We stayed in the downstairs room together and put a DVD on to help us sleep. With the amount of alcohol we had consumed I don't think sleeping was going to be a problem.
Melanie decided to put a movie on and we both fell a sleep and I was woken up by the music of the DVD repeating it's self I was too scared to get up but I did and prayed that no ghosts would get me. I then woke at three so thirsty I reached for the water that I could hear Mel guzzling but couldn't find it and couldn't ask her as she had her ear plugs in. I just lay there praying for 8am to arrive. We got up and went to set up the marquee only to find Charlie had done it. What a star. We prepared the tables and got a small erection up!!. That would be our seminar tent. We have reserved our favorite restaurant for tonight and we are waiting for Matt and his friend to arrive. We won't tell them about the ghosts until they go home as it just wouldn't be fair would it.

Day Two - Riberac

Well the boys arrived on time and very excited especially when they saw the chapel!!. We showed them to their rooms and then headed out for something to eat. We met a couple from America looking for a large house to rent for a party that they were planning for next year. We of course recommended the chateau and said that it would be a good idea to visit our business fair. While the boys were enjoying a well-deserved drink we began to tell them about the ghosts!!. So funny they found the thought of that exciting too. We got back to the chapel and went to bed as we new that Friday would be a busy day. Yes survived another night but couldn't hear the boys. We got our things ready and headed to the Riberac market.
We had written to the mairie asking if we could display signs at the parking of the market and he said no but hey someone was looking out for us as a space was waiting right on the entrance. We parked up and put one of our large magic mouse posters on the car. Perfect it was in view for everybody to see. I thought with hundreds of people visiting the market I would adapt two of my other signs into sandwich boards so that I could parade around the market. What we do eh to get business in!!. Melanie had the job of looking pretty and handed out publicity and stood back as for once all eyes were on me!!. Not sure that she could handle that bit.
The weather wasn't so good to us and the heavens opened. Oh yes we continued to walk around that market again and again.
After our duty we went to perigeux to find Melanie a top and to meet up with our mentor Martin from Anglo info for a drink. We had a nice time and got back to the chateau for 4pm for when the portaloo was arriving. Loo arrived and 330 euros later we left to put up our 30 odd signs. Arriving back at the house to meet for dinner 8.20. This time we went to a nice restaurant in Riberac and the rain, the lightening and the thunder struck. It was so powerful we left and went back to the chapel. Oh my god what a shock water was everywhere running into the electrics and the floors in the bathroom and the boys rooms were soaking. The whole place was damp and now being midnight Melanie and I had to get out of there so we called the chateau at 11pm and Jane a member of staff came to the rescue. She offered us a gite just ten minutes from the chateau. Quick as the lightening outside our car was packed we were gone leaving the boys behind!!. At gone midnight Jane’s husband greeted us at gite. His name is Michael so we named him Archangel Michael with the rain in full pelt we carried all our bags in. We had showers and folded over 300 leaflets for the fair. It was 2am and we decided to call it a night.

Show Day - Riberac

Alarm went off a 6.45 and up we got for a shower. We got to the venue and realised that the portaloo needed 80ltrs of water and the hose wouldn't fit. We sent the exhibitors kids on a mission, which I can say they completed. Well done kids. Next job was to show people were there stands and we did have requests to move tables around which we did to keep everybody happy. You know what we are like we like to keep our exhibitors happy.
Well with the perfect venue people kept coming in. Lots of business was made. We said thank you to our sponsors and to our exhibitors and went to say goodbye to Richard of the chateau. He is so nice. We were so tired and Richard had cooked a wicked curry and he packed a meal for the four of us to enjoy at our new Gite. What a fab day everybody had.
Arriving back we cracked open a bottle of champagne.
Sweetcakes and Matt settled down enjoyed our feast and watched a movie.
What a perfect ending to a perfect business fair.

Thank you to all and see you all soon.