What better way to celebrate International French Day (le Jour de France International)* than with some Dame litter-picking followed by pizza, chat and cider?

We knew** Gaol Ferry Bridge was now closed so the runners and walkers set off the long way over Bedminster Bridge and closed in on Dame Emily Park and the volunteer litter pick team.

We set about tackling the more exciting/muckier bits of the park and were soon filling clear (recycling) and green (everything else) bags with debris*** whilst Matt took some very special photos. He hasn't yet sent them to me but I saw them and they were really special. Honest.

Pairs of GoodGymmers were climbing up grassy banks and through rusty railings like nobody's business to refresh the parts other pickers couldn't reach****

The complexity of trying to take a photo across a busy road was finally mastered***** and the red t-shirts were soon heading back across the OPEN bridge to Queen Square and on to The Stable for June's GoodGym Eats (GymBon Manges) only slightly thrown that it was cash only as the card system was broken. Kaput. En panne. If you will.

Another great night, mes amis.

not a thing * no, we didn't, it was open that's got to be a French word? *reference to a 1980's ad *****ishcampaign for Heineken, written in 1973, a very good year (un anee tres bon) indeed