Well, I wasn't happy about the lumps in the lawn and I'm glad he's gone but I wish he hadn't died right next to the standpipe in the garden. He was quite pretty and the flies are a nuisance.
Days are now full of carrying, moving, raking, shovelling, watering, fertilising, hefting and entertaining electricians in order to find one who can rip out all the old and extremely dangerous cables at a reasonable cost. Evenings are spent trying to find a way to sit and then sleep with the minimum pain from my muscles. Every day, in addition, is a miracle of negotiation and thinking 'outside the box'. For example, Ian was digging a bed for the loganberries etc but found a wasps nest. Wasps were not happy and I didn't want to chuck a bomb into the nest until they had calmed down so I had to find somewhere else for the soft fruits. Not the end of the world, but I was trying to move a trailerload of manure [a shovelful at a time] whilst re-drawing the entire garden in my head.
Anyway, I am looking forward to a couple of days with Lyn and John this weekend, then a couple of weeks of frantic work, getting things ready for Chris to come. Then he can 'Ohhhh' and 'Ahhhhhh' at everything [before he gets down the the jobs waiting for him!!].
It is already cold at night and will, inevitably, get colder. The next few weeks will not be much fun.
I cannot wait to get back to:
my husband
my bed
my daybed
my clothes and jewellery [I know I'm shallow, but I don't care - I've been living in Primark clothes for 6 months]
Dancing Divas and my French group
a good South African breakfast [French toast, bacon and fried bananas with honey]
a decent spa
good meat
the jacarandas in bloom
so I've decided that this is the last blog.
On 14 March I wrote:
The purpose of this blog is threefold, firstly to keep a record of the
renovation of the house, secondly to let family and friends know where I am and
what I'm doing so you can send encouraging comments and finally to aid the
preservation of my sanity. A sort of 'Grumpy Old Women' meets 'A Year in
Provence'.
This year is going
to be great - or it's going to be terrible. I just don't know
Well, I don't know if it fulfilled its purpose. I guess it is a sort of record, one that Chris and I will recognise anyway. It has saved me having to write everything 300 times. People can read it or not, it's up to them. You know where I am and what I'm doing but sending comments seemed to be beyond the capabilities of most people, due to difficulties with the program. I know that it's a fiddly business and they should make it much easier. But people compensated by sending some great emails instead.
Did it aid the preservation of my sanity? I don't know. In many ways I enjoyed being isolated in a big field and having time to do what I wanted, to eat when I wanted and to get lots of exercise. But I found the bad weather trying and felt very lonely sometimes. I have made some new friends. It gave me time for myself but made me yearn for the people I love. Was it great or terrible? It was both. Do I regret it? No, because it had to be done. I have learned so much about construction already, not to mention garden design and landscaping. I have had the opportunity to see Kate more regularly and see her new home and also to pop back and see my little Beth at regular intervals. I've had some good times with friends, especially Lynne, who pops over for a weekend retreat whenever she can so that we can be wise women together. I think a couple of hundred years ago, we might have been regarded as witches with our discussions on organic gardening and the medicinal properties of herbs!!
But my heart has hurt every time I had to take Chris to the airport and every time I wanted to go with him. But I have achieved something new and something that is for our future, which is good..
Have I changed? Well, yes. I now make a sort of 'oufff' sound, like a deflated baloon, when I sit down and a sort of 'Awwww' sound whenever I stand up or make any movement which involves the upper legs. Everything sags. When did that happen??? I only go topless in the pool if the neighbours and the entire Poney Club are out for the day. The arthritis in my hands is getting rapidly worse. So, basically, I'm just getting old.
I have fallen in love with foie gras with Monbazillac. I've learned a lot of building terms in French, but I imagine that his limited potential. I can differentiate between bats' poo and rodent poo, again the potential isn't enormous. I now speak a sort of Franglais as I get confused as to which language is which [I notice Kate does the same thing]. But I do speak French confidently [apart from numbers] and I have gained confidence driving in France now that I have my very own Citroen Berlingo and I've done a fair bit of driving on my own. I multi-task well now, but I think I always did. I miss my children a lot but that would have been the same if I had stayed in South Africa. So I don't think I've actually developed any skills which would make me instantly marketable, sadly.
Will I do it again? Who knows? At the moment, I really don't have a clue.
Friday 21 September 2012
Monday 17 September 2012
More gardening
Overslept, didn't get up til 10!!
Very hot and sunny again, lots more pootling around the garden but pretty bored with it all now.....
After lunch I phoned the Dechetterie and they came to pick up the skip, hooray.
The electrician didn't turn up to give us a devis. Darren isn't coming tomorrow because he hasn't got enough screed, and I have asked Ian to defer to Wednesday because Darren was coming Tuesday. It all feels as if it's going pear shaped again. I really want to get the new lawn laid out but can't until Darren comes with more topsoil.
Anyway, the removal of the skip means that the garden looks amazingly different.
 |
| View from the caravan |
 |
| View of the caravan |
 |
| Trying to mark out the lawn |
The temperature was in the 30s but that definitely seems to be the last day the forecast is for a dramatic downturn and lots of rain. I sat in the garden in the evening and watched the sun go down, I must make the most of this!!
Sunday 16 September 2012
I should have killed the bastard when I had the chance.
Today the forecasters got it right, very hot and sunny, after a cool start. So I was out in the garden early doing a bit of weedkilling. Guess what, SEVEN effing molehilles: I should have killed the bastard when I had the chance. There was even one in the middle of the boules court - it got through black plastic and the gravel to leave a lovely pile of soft soil. I poured a load of strimmer fuel down the holes and heroically resisted the temptation to set fire to it.
The rest of the morning was spent marking out a new lawn where the woodshed used to be, with poles, string, scissors, wheelbarrow, tape measure etc etc. Some of the ground needs to be built up, hence the need for wheelbarrows full of hardcore.
The afternoon was hammock time, followed by a trip to pick some more figs from Mme B's unending supply. It's frustrating that I can't make preserves because I've got no way of getting them back to the UK or SA, oh well. Picked tomatoes, blackberries and even 2 strawberries [an anomaly at this time of year]. Wrestled with the temperamental hose and watered some of the garden. Crashed out with a glass of wine and some duck. Bliss
Early night, let's hope this one is more successful.........
The rest of the morning was spent marking out a new lawn where the woodshed used to be, with poles, string, scissors, wheelbarrow, tape measure etc etc. Some of the ground needs to be built up, hence the need for wheelbarrows full of hardcore.
The afternoon was hammock time, followed by a trip to pick some more figs from Mme B's unending supply. It's frustrating that I can't make preserves because I've got no way of getting them back to the UK or SA, oh well. Picked tomatoes, blackberries and even 2 strawberries [an anomaly at this time of year]. Wrestled with the temperamental hose and watered some of the garden. Crashed out with a glass of wine and some duck. Bliss
Early night, let's hope this one is more successful.........
The promised hot sunny day didn't materialise so I took myself off to the laundrette, on the basis that I might as well be fed up and warm instead of fed up and cold. It's not actually that cold 24c, I'm just making a fuss!
Darren started the screed on the path but could only do less than 50% because the shop didn't have enough in stock. He's going to Monpon to buy more on Monday and will finish it on Tuesday. He'll also bring the last of the top soil.
He solved the mystery of where the bats are roosting. They are actually living on the outside of the shutters, which have been permanently open this summer, providing a nice dark cool space between them and the walls. So the shutters will have to be closed every night from now on.
The remaining skip is preventing all sorts of things getting finished and it's frustrating so I decided to have a day off and do the houseworky stuff and cook myself a decent meal.
Had a lovely chat with Beth, and then Kate and then Chris.
Duck and red wine, 2 white chocolate Magnums and an early night but just couldn't sleep. Thoughts were whizzing around my head! Such a waste of time!
Darren started the screed on the path but could only do less than 50% because the shop didn't have enough in stock. He's going to Monpon to buy more on Monday and will finish it on Tuesday. He'll also bring the last of the top soil.
He solved the mystery of where the bats are roosting. They are actually living on the outside of the shutters, which have been permanently open this summer, providing a nice dark cool space between them and the walls. So the shutters will have to be closed every night from now on.
The remaining skip is preventing all sorts of things getting finished and it's frustrating so I decided to have a day off and do the houseworky stuff and cook myself a decent meal.
Had a lovely chat with Beth, and then Kate and then Chris.
Duck and red wine, 2 white chocolate Magnums and an early night but just couldn't sleep. Thoughts were whizzing around my head! Such a waste of time!
Friday 14 September 2012
Lynne returns home
An unseasonably cold night and heavy rain ensured a late and desultory start to Thursday. I awoke with a start in the full realisation that it IS Thursday and that I'd been a burke and taken all the rubbish to the end of the lane the previous night under the impression that today would be Friday. The neighbour had given me a funny look but I just assumed that he was still being unfriendly.
Neither the skip nor Darren arrived at 7.30 as arranged but I wasn't unduly phased by that. Darren turned up around 9 and I phoned the skip company to be told that the lorry had broken down so they were looking for another one and the skip would be here this morning. It actually did turn up during the course of the morning.
I had booked for us to go to a Tour de Finance about 1.5 hours drive away, a finance seminar with free apero and lunch but I felt I was needed here.
It wasn't a good day for me. I was standing on the step of the caravan with Darren's coffee in my hand and I hadn't secured the door open so an unexpected gust of wind blew the door shut, the coffee cup smashed a big crack in the glazed door and, worst of all, tipped the boiling coffee all over my chest and stomach. Of course, no burn cream in the house and 12 hours later it was still hurting.
Well, I just had to get over it, change my clothes and get out of the caravan for a while. A trip to the plumber to pay his bill followed by a trip to Veolia but the guy was not there AGAIN.
So, as a substitute for the Tour de Finance, we took ourselves to the Mekong [restaurant, not Delta] for an all-you-can-eat buffet which was pretty nice. Then a leisurely visit to LeClerc so that Lynne could stock up with goodies before going home. Then we went home to see Darren's progress.
This has definitely been the easiest, least stressful job that Darren has done for us so far. Fingers crossed!
I did a bit of sweeping in the house and managed to set off all the allergies that I thought I had escaped. So, what with the scalded tummy as well, the evening was spent feeling very sorry for myself.
Another cold night and Friday dawned very chilly. I did a bit of pottering and decided to stake out a circular lawn, took ages and it was hampered by the presence of the skip, which is going to stay until next week as USTOM are one lorry short and struggling to get everything done.
Darren popped in but he had to go to a meeting about TVA [which is VAT in French] in the hope we might be able to claim some money back. Lynne and I intended to go into town for a coffee but the day just slipped by and then it was time to take her back to the airport. Dinner and an early night for a change.
Neither the skip nor Darren arrived at 7.30 as arranged but I wasn't unduly phased by that. Darren turned up around 9 and I phoned the skip company to be told that the lorry had broken down so they were looking for another one and the skip would be here this morning. It actually did turn up during the course of the morning.
I had booked for us to go to a Tour de Finance about 1.5 hours drive away, a finance seminar with free apero and lunch but I felt I was needed here.
It wasn't a good day for me. I was standing on the step of the caravan with Darren's coffee in my hand and I hadn't secured the door open so an unexpected gust of wind blew the door shut, the coffee cup smashed a big crack in the glazed door and, worst of all, tipped the boiling coffee all over my chest and stomach. Of course, no burn cream in the house and 12 hours later it was still hurting.
Well, I just had to get over it, change my clothes and get out of the caravan for a while. A trip to the plumber to pay his bill followed by a trip to Veolia but the guy was not there AGAIN.
So, as a substitute for the Tour de Finance, we took ourselves to the Mekong [restaurant, not Delta] for an all-you-can-eat buffet which was pretty nice. Then a leisurely visit to LeClerc so that Lynne could stock up with goodies before going home. Then we went home to see Darren's progress.
This has definitely been the easiest, least stressful job that Darren has done for us so far. Fingers crossed!
I did a bit of sweeping in the house and managed to set off all the allergies that I thought I had escaped. So, what with the scalded tummy as well, the evening was spent feeling very sorry for myself.
Another cold night and Friday dawned very chilly. I did a bit of pottering and decided to stake out a circular lawn, took ages and it was hampered by the presence of the skip, which is going to stay until next week as USTOM are one lorry short and struggling to get everything done.
Darren popped in but he had to go to a meeting about TVA [which is VAT in French] in the hope we might be able to claim some money back. Lynne and I intended to go into town for a coffee but the day just slipped by and then it was time to take her back to the airport. Dinner and an early night for a change.
Wednesday 12 September 2012
Mallory Towers comes to France
Monday was an exciting day because Darren and Stuart came to start removing the old woodshed, which is a total eyesore and then Lynne arrived in the evening. I picked her up from the airport and we came home and chatted over some wine for ages and didn't eat until it was dark. We spent ages following a mole around the garden. The ground was obviously so hard that he couldn't dig a hole to go down and he seemed to be a bit frantic. Anyway, eventually he went to ground under the black plastic sheet containing next year's topsoil. Hopefully, he'll dig it about a bit and make it more friable for me. Then Lynne said that she was tired, lay on the bed and didn't move until 4.30am when the first rains for ages came and woke us both up so we shared a few cups of tea, philosophised for a while and hunted around for something sweet to eat. Just like a boarding school midnight feast. There was no tuck in the dorm, unfortunately. I couldn't find any biscuits so we ended up with prunes. The joys of getting old.............
Anyway we both crashed out again until we were woken by the sound of Darren's digger knocking down the woodshed.
Tuesday was another warm day and, after a slow start, we went to the agricultural co-operative, Bergerac, the garden centre, back to the co-operative and finally LeClerc. I bought strawberry plants, tayberry, loganberry and, joy of joys, thornless blackberries. By the time we got home in the mid afternoon, the woodshed was pretty much demolished and there was a dangerous big water-filled concrete hole in the middle of the garden.
We picked a load of figs from the trees in Mme B's garden and shared them with Darren and Stuart then Lynne lost consciousness for a couple of hours again. A quiet meal and a lot more gossip, while listening to the quiet patter of the gentle rain.
Wednesday was cooler and cloudy so I started the day by planting my strawberries, exciting stuff. Lynne and I went to Ste Foy to enjoy the architecture and then to try a new restaurant for lunch. It wasn't a warm day and the wine was free........... We cancelled our plans for the afternoon, such as they were, and returned the caravan for a French coffee [with brandy and cream] and a general laze around. We walked to the village and took in the sights but, as anyone who has visited will attest, that didn't take long.
We returned home to find that Darren had really cracked on with things and the hole had been filled in. It looks unbelievably different!
The skip is booked for tomorrow to take away some of the rubbish. Let's hope it turns up!
Anyway we both crashed out again until we were woken by the sound of Darren's digger knocking down the woodshed.
 |
| Going, going... |
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| ............gone |
Tuesday was another warm day and, after a slow start, we went to the agricultural co-operative, Bergerac, the garden centre, back to the co-operative and finally LeClerc. I bought strawberry plants, tayberry, loganberry and, joy of joys, thornless blackberries. By the time we got home in the mid afternoon, the woodshed was pretty much demolished and there was a dangerous big water-filled concrete hole in the middle of the garden.
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| Plunge pool |
We picked a load of figs from the trees in Mme B's garden and shared them with Darren and Stuart then Lynne lost consciousness for a couple of hours again. A quiet meal and a lot more gossip, while listening to the quiet patter of the gentle rain.
Wednesday was cooler and cloudy so I started the day by planting my strawberries, exciting stuff. Lynne and I went to Ste Foy to enjoy the architecture and then to try a new restaurant for lunch. It wasn't a warm day and the wine was free........... We cancelled our plans for the afternoon, such as they were, and returned the caravan for a French coffee [with brandy and cream] and a general laze around. We walked to the village and took in the sights but, as anyone who has visited will attest, that didn't take long.
We returned home to find that Darren had really cracked on with things and the hole had been filled in. It looks unbelievably different!
The skip is booked for tomorrow to take away some of the rubbish. Let's hope it turns up!
Monday 10 September 2012
The Hunting Season begins
Wed: too busy working in the house and garden to go out even for a few minutes. So tinned and dried food today. Drank gallons of iced tea during the day, peeing every 20 minutes all day. Haven't spoken to anyone else for over 24 hours and don't care terribly. I know that if I had lived a couple of hundred years ago I would have been a prime candidate for a witch but I'm getting used to being on my own with my organic gardening and my little caravan [probably going back to my Irish roots!![.
For some reason, probably related to lack of human contact and increasing pain from arthritis, I read a report about drinking alcohol, couldn't believe that I am so continuously over the recommended limit. I am obviously an alcoholic. In fact, an arthritic alcoholic. An early night beckoned but I had to keep researching. After hours of research, I acknowledge that I am on the cusp of serious liver damage. I must try and remember to write my will tomorrow, painful fingers permitting.
Thurs: took the day off from manual labour, went to the Mairie, Veolia, shopping, lounged in hammock and pool. Didn't have any alcohol. Early night.
Friday: Finished working in the house by 11 and headed off to try and find a cure for the yellow leaves on my lavatera. Bought some cheap plastic shelving and had lunch in a restaurant. Hammock and pool again - very hot - 32C!
Sat: Market, shopping, work in the house, hammock and pool. A routine developing!! Getting pretty bored now.
I made a drink from parsley, which is meant to assist arthritis. It is truly awful. Also haven't touched alcohol for 3 days, just to prove that I can. I'll have to find another substitute which tastes better than the parsley thing.
Sun: not a good night's sleep, partly due to the frequent need to pee, probably due to the parsely drink. Woke to the sound of the nearby hunt, shots followed sometimes by a fluttering and chattering of unhappy birds. An unexpectedly cloudy day. Later as the shots continued and moved across the countryside I assumed that the hunters were after wild boar and venison.
I drank another cup of parsley and decided that perhaps arthritis is better than that......... The sun came out in the afternoon so, after some chores, it was time for the hammock and pool again. I decided to have a couple of glasses of wine to finish off the weekend.
Lynne's arriving tomorrow, I need some company!
For some reason, probably related to lack of human contact and increasing pain from arthritis, I read a report about drinking alcohol, couldn't believe that I am so continuously over the recommended limit. I am obviously an alcoholic. In fact, an arthritic alcoholic. An early night beckoned but I had to keep researching. After hours of research, I acknowledge that I am on the cusp of serious liver damage. I must try and remember to write my will tomorrow, painful fingers permitting.
Thurs: took the day off from manual labour, went to the Mairie, Veolia, shopping, lounged in hammock and pool. Didn't have any alcohol. Early night.
Friday: Finished working in the house by 11 and headed off to try and find a cure for the yellow leaves on my lavatera. Bought some cheap plastic shelving and had lunch in a restaurant. Hammock and pool again - very hot - 32C!
Sat: Market, shopping, work in the house, hammock and pool. A routine developing!! Getting pretty bored now.
I made a drink from parsley, which is meant to assist arthritis. It is truly awful. Also haven't touched alcohol for 3 days, just to prove that I can. I'll have to find another substitute which tastes better than the parsley thing.
Sun: not a good night's sleep, partly due to the frequent need to pee, probably due to the parsely drink. Woke to the sound of the nearby hunt, shots followed sometimes by a fluttering and chattering of unhappy birds. An unexpectedly cloudy day. Later as the shots continued and moved across the countryside I assumed that the hunters were after wild boar and venison.
I drank another cup of parsley and decided that perhaps arthritis is better than that......... The sun came out in the afternoon so, after some chores, it was time for the hammock and pool again. I decided to have a couple of glasses of wine to finish off the weekend.
Lynne's arriving tomorrow, I need some company!
Tuesday 4 September 2012
La Rentree
Monday was a frustrating day, hours spent trying to get hold of people, such as the guy fromVeolia who has to give us a certificate for the microstation. [Is it like a dog show where you get a certificate for 'Best in Class' or 'Dog most like its owner' or rather like a ballet festival where you just get a percentage and a couple of comments like 'legs could have been straighter' or 'should turn out more from the hips']. God, I think my brain has finally gone completely haywire!!
Anyway, after a fruitless morning chasing the plumber and Veolia guy and doing a mammoth wash whilst explaining to several people how the laundrette works, I went to the Mairie to try and get a receipt for the Declaration lodged a week ago. The Maire's wife, who is the chicky in charge there hasn't got around to it yet because she has been sidetracked by things like organising the bus routes for the primary schools in the area - schools go back this week - so after some time reading my Kindle in her office I decided that strategic withdrawal was the best option.
Kate phoned to tell me she'd had a fab weekend. Rianna had joined Coldplay on stage and Nico's sister had obligingly given birth just a few hours before the concert so they could see the baby before seeing Coldplay.
At home I continued with the removal of carpets and laminate from the top floor, moved some more stones around, picked even more blackberries and researched the beneficial effects of rosehips on arthritis [3 times better than panadol, apparently].
The weather has warmed up and at last I had a warm night. Today was the first day of the gratuated return to school [la rentree] so Darren was late as he had to take his son to his new senior school. I made several trips to the Dechetterie to get rid of loads of dirty, musty, unwanted stuff. I met up with a garden company to talk about rotavating the orchard and then spent some more time moving stones. Despite the perfect weather for gardening, I really had to go and work in the house and start some clearing up. Then a French artisan came to have a look at what needs doing so he can prepare some estimates.
I deserved my big dinner and a couple of beers tonight.
Anyway, after a fruitless morning chasing the plumber and Veolia guy and doing a mammoth wash whilst explaining to several people how the laundrette works, I went to the Mairie to try and get a receipt for the Declaration lodged a week ago. The Maire's wife, who is the chicky in charge there hasn't got around to it yet because she has been sidetracked by things like organising the bus routes for the primary schools in the area - schools go back this week - so after some time reading my Kindle in her office I decided that strategic withdrawal was the best option.
Kate phoned to tell me she'd had a fab weekend. Rianna had joined Coldplay on stage and Nico's sister had obligingly given birth just a few hours before the concert so they could see the baby before seeing Coldplay.
At home I continued with the removal of carpets and laminate from the top floor, moved some more stones around, picked even more blackberries and researched the beneficial effects of rosehips on arthritis [3 times better than panadol, apparently].
The weather has warmed up and at last I had a warm night. Today was the first day of the gratuated return to school [la rentree] so Darren was late as he had to take his son to his new senior school. I made several trips to the Dechetterie to get rid of loads of dirty, musty, unwanted stuff. I met up with a garden company to talk about rotavating the orchard and then spent some more time moving stones. Despite the perfect weather for gardening, I really had to go and work in the house and start some clearing up. Then a French artisan came to have a look at what needs doing so he can prepare some estimates.
I deserved my big dinner and a couple of beers tonight.
Sunday 2 September 2012
A quiet weekend
Saturday dawned cold but luckily I was under 2 duvets. I went to the market in Ste Foy and then did some food shopping. By the time I got home Darren had arrived to do the steps. I finally started to tackle clearing out all the crap in the house. I decided to ignore the loft space, as there is still insulation around the pipes so started on the upper floor.
Unfortunately Chris had used all the face masks so I spent an hour or so without one. But then Darren suggested very strongly that I go and buy some more [by which time I was already coughing somewhat]. I completed the lifting of the carpet, which I cut up and through the hole in the floor of the loft space so it took up the entire kitchen. I lifted the laminate and left it in a pile because, although it was only 2.30 I was starting to feel grim. Another hour in the orchard, building piles of hardcore, bonfire material and horse shit. But at least I could breathe.
A cold north wind meant that the hammock was less than appealing so I snuggled in the caravan and did some reading. The weather is due to get considerably warmer over the next few days.
A little gadget Chris ordered has arrived from Amazon. It enables me to play my iPod in the car. Great!!!!!
The cough and uncomfortable feeling continued. I tried to have an early night but couldn't breathe so sleep was difficult to find....
Another cool night but things are improving, it's definitely getting warmer again. More work on Sunday clearing the house and garden, nothing exciting.
Unfortunately Chris had used all the face masks so I spent an hour or so without one. But then Darren suggested very strongly that I go and buy some more [by which time I was already coughing somewhat]. I completed the lifting of the carpet, which I cut up and through the hole in the floor of the loft space so it took up the entire kitchen. I lifted the laminate and left it in a pile because, although it was only 2.30 I was starting to feel grim. Another hour in the orchard, building piles of hardcore, bonfire material and horse shit. But at least I could breathe.
A cold north wind meant that the hammock was less than appealing so I snuggled in the caravan and did some reading. The weather is due to get considerably warmer over the next few days.
A little gadget Chris ordered has arrived from Amazon. It enables me to play my iPod in the car. Great!!!!!
The cough and uncomfortable feeling continued. I tried to have an early night but couldn't breathe so sleep was difficult to find....
Another cool night but things are improving, it's definitely getting warmer again. More work on Sunday clearing the house and garden, nothing exciting.
Friday 31 August 2012
Back in the old routine.
Tuesday: Unexpected heavy rain kept me awake last night so it was a bit of a late start and I wasn't as dynamic as yesterday. Dashed off to buy some gas for the flame thrower, food and some more wasp killer [because yesterday's didn't work] and rushed home to meet up with the plumber. He's coming back on Friday to install an external tap as the well has dried up for the time being.......
Afterwards, I had to do some more chores so I decided to have some lunch out, which meant that I would double the number of people that I spoke to today, The afternoon was spent laying out the area where Darren is due to build steps on Thursday, rearranging the edging stones and killing as many weeds as possible. I got a little stone trapped in the flame thrower handle which ensured that once the super hot jet was on, I couldn't turn it off. I had to put it on the lawn, run to the gas bottle and switch off the gas supply there. Only a small part of the lawn was burnt irretrievably!
By the time I had killed all unwanted weeds [whose descendents will appear within a week] it was time to tackle the wasps again. This time I was braver and stood on a chair about 2 metres away from the nest. I still ran like the clappers once I had sprayed.
Wednesday: Couldn't sleep properly and was watching the sun come up when a mega thunderstorm erupted. It was very dramatic so I stayed in bed to watch it all. I tried to listen to Today on the radio but it was drowned out by the rain crashing down on the caravan. I wasn't tempted to get up at all but felt guilty by 9am when the rain had definitely stopped. The weather was cooler, high 20s, with a light breeze so I had no excuse not to work outside. So I attempted to move some earth for the steps to be built tomorrow. After an hour I gave that up and did some some gardening. Darren came around to discuss the path and steps, which gave me the chance to stand up straight and stop aching for half an hour. The rest of the day was moving stones, covering 30 metres of hedging with wood chips and handweeding. Didn't even have time to go shopping. I finished at 5 but was too knackered to shower and change and go to buy food. Dinner was tinned vegetables. Then a bit of cheese later, then some quite stale savoury biscuits, well actually a whole box of out-of-date biscuits. 501 calories. I know that because I spent AGES reading the package. All washed down with a bottle of rosé. I really must get a life.
Thursday: A chilly night and rain first thing. Wasps seem to have survived my attempts to kill them. The weather improved enough for Darren to come and start the side path while I went to Veolia to try and get a certificate for the microstation. No one there! Went back in the afternoon and phoned but no luck. I didn't do very much in the garden, just couldn't get motivated for some reason.
Friday: The day got off to a chilly start but I managed to get myself into the garden before 9 in order to do more weedkilling and stone moving. Temperatures soon rose and I gave up the hard labour, The plumber came and installed an external tap, to be used if the recuperated water runs out. The well water has risen again but the pump had given up. So he had a look at it, shook it and, hey presto, it worked.
One of the dogs at the Poney Club has had puppies and I saw them today, was sorely tempted to kidnap one but that would mean staying here for ever and I miss South Africa.
Darren was meant to return with the template for the steps but he hadn't finished it so emailed to say he'd be there later. He then phoned to say he'd got car trouble and would be even later but he never got here. However I went to a restaurant for lunch and then spent a thrilling afternoon comparing the price of grass seed. The evening passed in a frenzy of extricating burrs from my socks. Exciting stuff, this retirement. I just didn't think it would be so rural.
I think it's time to go home.............
Afterwards, I had to do some more chores so I decided to have some lunch out, which meant that I would double the number of people that I spoke to today, The afternoon was spent laying out the area where Darren is due to build steps on Thursday, rearranging the edging stones and killing as many weeds as possible. I got a little stone trapped in the flame thrower handle which ensured that once the super hot jet was on, I couldn't turn it off. I had to put it on the lawn, run to the gas bottle and switch off the gas supply there. Only a small part of the lawn was burnt irretrievably!
By the time I had killed all unwanted weeds [whose descendents will appear within a week] it was time to tackle the wasps again. This time I was braver and stood on a chair about 2 metres away from the nest. I still ran like the clappers once I had sprayed.
Wednesday: Couldn't sleep properly and was watching the sun come up when a mega thunderstorm erupted. It was very dramatic so I stayed in bed to watch it all. I tried to listen to Today on the radio but it was drowned out by the rain crashing down on the caravan. I wasn't tempted to get up at all but felt guilty by 9am when the rain had definitely stopped. The weather was cooler, high 20s, with a light breeze so I had no excuse not to work outside. So I attempted to move some earth for the steps to be built tomorrow. After an hour I gave that up and did some some gardening. Darren came around to discuss the path and steps, which gave me the chance to stand up straight and stop aching for half an hour. The rest of the day was moving stones, covering 30 metres of hedging with wood chips and handweeding. Didn't even have time to go shopping. I finished at 5 but was too knackered to shower and change and go to buy food. Dinner was tinned vegetables. Then a bit of cheese later, then some quite stale savoury biscuits, well actually a whole box of out-of-date biscuits. 501 calories. I know that because I spent AGES reading the package. All washed down with a bottle of rosé. I really must get a life.
Thursday: A chilly night and rain first thing. Wasps seem to have survived my attempts to kill them. The weather improved enough for Darren to come and start the side path while I went to Veolia to try and get a certificate for the microstation. No one there! Went back in the afternoon and phoned but no luck. I didn't do very much in the garden, just couldn't get motivated for some reason.
Friday: The day got off to a chilly start but I managed to get myself into the garden before 9 in order to do more weedkilling and stone moving. Temperatures soon rose and I gave up the hard labour, The plumber came and installed an external tap, to be used if the recuperated water runs out. The well water has risen again but the pump had given up. So he had a look at it, shook it and, hey presto, it worked.
One of the dogs at the Poney Club has had puppies and I saw them today, was sorely tempted to kidnap one but that would mean staying here for ever and I miss South Africa.
Darren was meant to return with the template for the steps but he hadn't finished it so emailed to say he'd be there later. He then phoned to say he'd got car trouble and would be even later but he never got here. However I went to a restaurant for lunch and then spent a thrilling afternoon comparing the price of grass seed. The evening passed in a frenzy of extricating burrs from my socks. Exciting stuff, this retirement. I just didn't think it would be so rural.
I think it's time to go home.............
Monday 27 August 2012
A break from blogging
We were in the grip of a canicule [heatwave] and there was no chance of doing any work, so time for a holiday.
Despite my dislike of driving in France, I went to Orthez in the Pyrenees foothills to see Steve and Caron, friends from Togo. I had a great time, slept in a real bed and swam in their pool.
The following day I drove for seven hours to get to Provence to stay with Jane and Ian [friends from college] and their family. Two more nights in a real bed and two more days in a pool. Bliss!!
Then a couple of hours drive down to Kate's. Aix was really hot and, as Nico was in Cannes, I shared Kate's room. A bit noisy in the town centre but another real bed! I picked Chris up from Marseille and we went to stay at Nico's parents' house in Cannes so another real bed. All these nights of comfort were followed by a night on a blow up matress at Kate's, which left us completely exhausted!! I was more than happy to relinquish the driving to Chris on the journey home.
Anyway once we were back home, work recommenced with a vengeance. Chris spent 2 days emptying the old, damp, smelly insulation from the loft. Stuart came in to help him which was generally helpful, apart from the fact that he put his foot through the shower ceiling and the kitchen ceiling. We worked really hard, sometimes late into the evenings, almost falling asleep before we got to bed.
We planted 40 metres of hedging and watered it so well that our well ran out of water! The water recupation system has only just been installed and so it's not very full but those bad boys have got to be watered every day. I just hope that I don't have to resort to carrying buckets of water to the extremities of the plot every day til it rains.
Chris left yesterday, exhausted I think as he had worked hard all week. Today I was a little dynamo and got lots of jobs done before it got too hot, at which point I retired to my trusty hammock. After my watering routine, I tried to kill a wasps nest with some stuff I bought from the local brico. It is supposed to work from a distance of 6 metres so I sprayed and ran. Don't know how the wasps feel but it's made me very sniffy!
So it's back in the old routine and just 40 days til Chris comes back for the final time this year.
Despite my dislike of driving in France, I went to Orthez in the Pyrenees foothills to see Steve and Caron, friends from Togo. I had a great time, slept in a real bed and swam in their pool.
The following day I drove for seven hours to get to Provence to stay with Jane and Ian [friends from college] and their family. Two more nights in a real bed and two more days in a pool. Bliss!!
Then a couple of hours drive down to Kate's. Aix was really hot and, as Nico was in Cannes, I shared Kate's room. A bit noisy in the town centre but another real bed! I picked Chris up from Marseille and we went to stay at Nico's parents' house in Cannes so another real bed. All these nights of comfort were followed by a night on a blow up matress at Kate's, which left us completely exhausted!! I was more than happy to relinquish the driving to Chris on the journey home.
Anyway once we were back home, work recommenced with a vengeance. Chris spent 2 days emptying the old, damp, smelly insulation from the loft. Stuart came in to help him which was generally helpful, apart from the fact that he put his foot through the shower ceiling and the kitchen ceiling. We worked really hard, sometimes late into the evenings, almost falling asleep before we got to bed.
We planted 40 metres of hedging and watered it so well that our well ran out of water! The water recupation system has only just been installed and so it's not very full but those bad boys have got to be watered every day. I just hope that I don't have to resort to carrying buckets of water to the extremities of the plot every day til it rains.
Chris left yesterday, exhausted I think as he had worked hard all week. Today I was a little dynamo and got lots of jobs done before it got too hot, at which point I retired to my trusty hammock. After my watering routine, I tried to kill a wasps nest with some stuff I bought from the local brico. It is supposed to work from a distance of 6 metres so I sprayed and ran. Don't know how the wasps feel but it's made me very sniffy!
So it's back in the old routine and just 40 days til Chris comes back for the final time this year.
Friday 10 August 2012
Summer's definitely here
Another baking day. I managed to do a bit of early weeding in the orchard then retired to the hammock [thanks Selwyn] to research the benefits of liquid seaweed.
An old chap, actually a very old chap with not many teeth, arrived in his sans permis to sell me some fruit and veg, athough I didn't need much. These sans permis are increasingly popular it seems. They are tiny cars for which you don't need a licence and are much used by those who have lost their licence and old ladies and they don't go very fast at all. Nightmare to get stuck bethind one on a country road!
Considered a dip in the pool [thanks Tom] but I didn't want to frighten Darren off, now that he's finally here. I received a cheque from Jardiland for the strimmer which never worked. Yay!! Opened a small bottle of beer at 3.30 to celebrate. Well, it's too hot to do any work so why not? Darren has chosen the worst time to do the path and he is dripping all over the place. Still, it's getting done so I can't complain. I enjoyed the pool in the early evening and then did a bit of pottering in the garden.
The forecast is for more hot weather, I don't think I'll be getting much done in the near future. Darren is working on the front path and Ian. 'Still at least I can oversee others working' Famous last words!!
Halfway through this morning, Darren received a phone call to say his daughter's broken her leg and he rushed off to take her to hospital. It was at least 36C today but maybe even hotter so I spent some of the afternoon in the pool and some in the hammock. Even the evening it was too hot to work. I had 2 showers and 4 beers but still couldn't sleep well.
I was in the garden by 7.30 on Saturday morning, shovelling pebbles around the raised beds. After 2 hours, things were looking pretty good [even if I say so myself].
So, as I had a cuppa, I indulged in my daily torture of looking at the weather forecast. A predicted 34 again, my heart couldn't sink much lower. Then - yippee - all of a sudden a thick mist descended, cool and lovely. Lasted hours, I could do plenty of work in the orchard. Yay!
Darren arrived about 11, exhausted after yesterday taking his daughter to various hopsitals, and he managed to get the cementing of the path finished. I didn't get as much work done as hoped as Darren's wheelbarrow gave up the ghost so I lent him mine. About lunchtime the sun returned and it quickly got hot so I took myself off to the shops to buy some food. The weather that afternoon was a bit spooky, very heavy and humid with odd bursts of wind. So made some lunch, had a drink and enjoyed reading some restoration magazines.
So, overall, some work done but not as much as anticipated. Par for the course really.
An old chap, actually a very old chap with not many teeth, arrived in his sans permis to sell me some fruit and veg, athough I didn't need much. These sans permis are increasingly popular it seems. They are tiny cars for which you don't need a licence and are much used by those who have lost their licence and old ladies and they don't go very fast at all. Nightmare to get stuck bethind one on a country road!
Considered a dip in the pool [thanks Tom] but I didn't want to frighten Darren off, now that he's finally here. I received a cheque from Jardiland for the strimmer which never worked. Yay!! Opened a small bottle of beer at 3.30 to celebrate. Well, it's too hot to do any work so why not? Darren has chosen the worst time to do the path and he is dripping all over the place. Still, it's getting done so I can't complain. I enjoyed the pool in the early evening and then did a bit of pottering in the garden.
The forecast is for more hot weather, I don't think I'll be getting much done in the near future. Darren is working on the front path and Ian. 'Still at least I can oversee others working' Famous last words!!
Halfway through this morning, Darren received a phone call to say his daughter's broken her leg and he rushed off to take her to hospital. It was at least 36C today but maybe even hotter so I spent some of the afternoon in the pool and some in the hammock. Even the evening it was too hot to work. I had 2 showers and 4 beers but still couldn't sleep well.
I was in the garden by 7.30 on Saturday morning, shovelling pebbles around the raised beds. After 2 hours, things were looking pretty good [even if I say so myself].
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| Veggies bought by Lynne but I've managed to keep them alive! |
Darren arrived about 11, exhausted after yesterday taking his daughter to various hopsitals, and he managed to get the cementing of the path finished. I didn't get as much work done as hoped as Darren's wheelbarrow gave up the ghost so I lent him mine. About lunchtime the sun returned and it quickly got hot so I took myself off to the shops to buy some food. The weather that afternoon was a bit spooky, very heavy and humid with odd bursts of wind. So made some lunch, had a drink and enjoyed reading some restoration magazines.
So, overall, some work done but not as much as anticipated. Par for the course really.
Wednesday 8 August 2012
Snow in Africa and a birthday in France
Yesterday it snowed in South Africa!
Can't believe it! It is mid to high 30s here!
Today I went to visit Henriette and Jackie, the parents of the student with whom Chris did his exchange. The first exchange was 40 years ago and the relationship continues. They live just over an hour away from us and, although the temperatures are very high indeed, I wanted to go and deliver a present and card for Henriette's 80th today.
I arrived around 11am and was invited to stay for lunch [the usual 8 courses!] and it would have been rude to refuse. They took badly to the fact that I wouldn't drink because I was driving and seemed to think it was a personal affront to them, but I had to stick to my guns with that one.
Consequently when I got home around 3.30 it was too hot to work so I fell asleep on the hammock and didn't wake til 6. Feeling guilty, I decided to clear the area near the cuve so that all the plants we have painstakingly put there can grow. An hour and a half later I am covered in stings and cuts and I don't smell good, but at least I don't feel so guilty.
There has been slow progress on the path today. I will be here tomorrow to crack the whip
Tuesday 7 August 2012
Home Alone Again
The first couple of days back were hot but not unpleasantly so. The grass had stopped growing but not the weeds so it all looks a bit off kilter. Saturday dawned cloudy but very humid, it was difficult to keep myself motivated. I went to the market and the laundrette and then drove 25 kms to find some gas for the flame thrower, did a bit of shopping and then a couple of hours of weeding. Despite not spending very much time in the garden, I have got a few very nasty bites on my arms and legs, which have done nothing to cheer me up.
Finding it hard to keep going at the moment. An early night, out of boredom as much as anything. It rained overnight and Sunday morning, a grey drizzle. So I went to a brocante at Gensac and then the supermarket. Too damp to work on the orchard, the rain too noisy on the caravan for me to hear the radio, the day stretched sadly before me........
It's a bit like being in prison but without the company or cooked meals and television. Ate comfort food and drank wine so I suppose it's better than prison!!!
Monday was humid with occasional heavy downpours - another day when not much got done. I couldn't go out as Darren had said he would be around to finish off the path. He didn't turn up, quelle surprise!
Tuesday brought a genuine surprise with Darren's arrival. I was out shopping when he got there. Anyway we had a talk and sorted a few things out and he will be here for the next 3 days. I hand-weeded swathes of ground in the 'one-day-soon-to-be orchard' but it didn't look much different afterwards. I attached plastic bags full of strong weedkiller to some of the brambles growing in the pyracantha but retired injured after half an hour - too many scratches. I planted more brambles in pots so that I can transplant them where I want them. The main area of brambles will be left intact until after the harvest, or whatever the word is, then razed to the ground to make more room for fruit trees.
Well, I picked my first courgettes today, my own organic veg!! Worth a photo I think!!
By the end of the day Darren has set out the borders for the new path so here are some photos for Chris
I'll send more tomorrow or Thursday, whenever it's finished. Can't wait for it to be over, it's gone on far too long!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Finding it hard to keep going at the moment. An early night, out of boredom as much as anything. It rained overnight and Sunday morning, a grey drizzle. So I went to a brocante at Gensac and then the supermarket. Too damp to work on the orchard, the rain too noisy on the caravan for me to hear the radio, the day stretched sadly before me........
It's a bit like being in prison but without the company or cooked meals and television. Ate comfort food and drank wine so I suppose it's better than prison!!!
Monday was humid with occasional heavy downpours - another day when not much got done. I couldn't go out as Darren had said he would be around to finish off the path. He didn't turn up, quelle surprise!
Tuesday brought a genuine surprise with Darren's arrival. I was out shopping when he got there. Anyway we had a talk and sorted a few things out and he will be here for the next 3 days. I hand-weeded swathes of ground in the 'one-day-soon-to-be orchard' but it didn't look much different afterwards. I attached plastic bags full of strong weedkiller to some of the brambles growing in the pyracantha but retired injured after half an hour - too many scratches. I planted more brambles in pots so that I can transplant them where I want them. The main area of brambles will be left intact until after the harvest, or whatever the word is, then razed to the ground to make more room for fruit trees.
Well, I picked my first courgettes today, my own organic veg!! Worth a photo I think!!
By the end of the day Darren has set out the borders for the new path so here are some photos for Chris
I'll send more tomorrow or Thursday, whenever it's finished. Can't wait for it to be over, it's gone on far too long!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wednesday 1 August 2012
Second half of July
Sunday 22nd saw Chris head for the airport and Lew arrive. For half an hour we sat and chatted and had a beer and then Chris headed home [allegedly, but in fact he headed off to Paris where he spent the next 24 hours waiting for his plane to be repaired, poor chap].
The week with Lew passed slowly in some ways and whizzed past in others. Some visiting to admire the local architecture, a lovely lunch with Tim and Teresa but mainly sitting in the garden marvelling at just how hot 38C can be!!
I threw my toys out of the pram in Jardiland and got a refund for the strimmer which they had had for 6 weeks for repair, only to find that it still didn't work. Ian did some work in the garden. Lew repaired the shower tray with some stuff that looks like someone did something disgusting in it. Now I've just got to make sure Chris has very quick showers so he doesn't weigh it down til it cracks again.
The plumbing thingy got carried away, as always, and I splashed out on new taps and shower for the bathroom, they also repaired both leaking taps in the caravan. It all feels incredibly luxurious, things work properly now.
After a lot of begging from me, the chap from Veolia finally agreed to sign off the microstation if Darren makes a few changes. Darren was supposed to come Thursday afternoon but didn't and then he said he'd come Friday morning but still hadn't turned up by the time we left for the airport.
We left the house after a storm and there was still rain to come but by the time we had got to Le Mouchic, a couple of hours away, the weather was glorious. Lew and I had a very long, lazy lunch overlooking the lake and then headed back to the airport. The traffic was horrendous - Friday afternoon - and some of the worst driving I've seen for a while knocked my confidence somewhat. Despite a couple of wrong turns and driving 3 times around LeClerc's car park trying to find the exit, we managed to have quite a fun time [although Lew might say different].
Anyway I finally made it to the airport and dropped Lew off. I had booked into a surprisingly nice [for the price] hotel
Twenty four hours later I flew to Gatwick to be met by Glynn in his new car. I spent a short time with Kerry and Beth while Glynn was in the States and had a wonderful rest. I managed to buy loads more green manure and even a bottle of something which assures me that it will kill brambles and ivy- we'll see.
The journey home should have been glorious, the sunset was fantastic but unfortunately there was a long detour due to road works so it was dark by the time I got home and fell into bed. I'll be alone for two weeks and actually looking forward to it!
The week with Lew passed slowly in some ways and whizzed past in others. Some visiting to admire the local architecture, a lovely lunch with Tim and Teresa but mainly sitting in the garden marvelling at just how hot 38C can be!!
The plumbing thingy got carried away, as always, and I splashed out on new taps and shower for the bathroom, they also repaired both leaking taps in the caravan. It all feels incredibly luxurious, things work properly now.
After a lot of begging from me, the chap from Veolia finally agreed to sign off the microstation if Darren makes a few changes. Darren was supposed to come Thursday afternoon but didn't and then he said he'd come Friday morning but still hadn't turned up by the time we left for the airport.
We left the house after a storm and there was still rain to come but by the time we had got to Le Mouchic, a couple of hours away, the weather was glorious. Lew and I had a very long, lazy lunch overlooking the lake and then headed back to the airport. The traffic was horrendous - Friday afternoon - and some of the worst driving I've seen for a while knocked my confidence somewhat. Despite a couple of wrong turns and driving 3 times around LeClerc's car park trying to find the exit, we managed to have quite a fun time [although Lew might say different].
Anyway I finally made it to the airport and dropped Lew off. I had booked into a surprisingly nice [for the price] hotel
Twenty four hours later I flew to Gatwick to be met by Glynn in his new car. I spent a short time with Kerry and Beth while Glynn was in the States and had a wonderful rest. I managed to buy loads more green manure and even a bottle of something which assures me that it will kill brambles and ivy- we'll see.
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| Meeting Beth from nursery - she's practically galloping along now! |
Sunday 22 July 2012
Another visit from Chris and a New Roof
Not such a shock for Chris this time when he arrived at the house - no major demolitions had taken place. Lots of little jobs to do and he's here for 2 weeks this time. He was pleased with the progress on the roof and soon got chatting with the roofers to discuss the finer points! My life is easier because I don't have to do a daily report with photos to report progress to him. He is taking a daily walk around 'his estate'. The weather took a turn for the worse, but at least it was substantially better than in the UK.
I bought some white mustard for the raised beds and lucerne for the orchards, to improve the quality of the soil while I am waiting to plant. Green manure - we're on our way to being organic.
A long weekend with Kate and Nico.
The intermittant rain meant we spent a lot of time huddled in the caravan, though. We still managed to have a good time, involving a lot of alcohol.
We had visitors on Saturday night, a horse trampling across the new Boules court and our first-ever molehill. [Yes, I tried making a mountain out of it but it's harder than you'd think!].
Sunday night we had another boules-loving equine and 2 molehills. OK, joke's over! I spent the day researching ways of poisoning, exploding and otherwise killing them.
Monday bought ANOTHER speeding fine, from the day I was going to meet Chris at the airport [must have been keen to see him!]
The roofers continued to work steadily and we got an estimate from a plumber to put standpipes in the garden and to do some other work. It seemed reasonable and we had had such a good experience with the French roofers that we decided to go ahead with the French plumber. Everything seems to be such a gamble, my stomach is continually rebelling against all the stresses and strains.
Three weeks after they started, the roofers completed their work, it looks brilliant!
I bought some white mustard for the raised beds and lucerne for the orchards, to improve the quality of the soil while I am waiting to plant. Green manure - we're on our way to being organic.
A long weekend with Kate and Nico.
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| Bergerac |
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| Kate and her Dad bonding over a drink in Bergerac |
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| Bergerac |
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| A rare opportunity to eat outside - Nico, Chris and Kate |
Sunday night we had another boules-loving equine and 2 molehills. OK, joke's over! I spent the day researching ways of poisoning, exploding and otherwise killing them.
Monday bought ANOTHER speeding fine, from the day I was going to meet Chris at the airport [must have been keen to see him!]
The roofers continued to work steadily and we got an estimate from a plumber to put standpipes in the garden and to do some other work. It seemed reasonable and we had had such a good experience with the French roofers that we decided to go ahead with the French plumber. Everything seems to be such a gamble, my stomach is continually rebelling against all the stresses and strains.
Three weeks after they started, the roofers completed their work, it looks brilliant!
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| Chimneys all gone! |
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| Front |
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| Side view |
Sadly, the day was spoilt by news from the people in charge of inspecting the micro station that Darren has installed it without permission and that refusal to sanction it is automatic in these circumstances. We await a visit from the guy in charge.
The week was a mixture of working and catching up with old friends, Steve and Caron, Patricia, Tim and Teresa and meeting up with some new friends. The plumber arrived to carry out a lot of smallish tasks but it feels as if progress is actually being made at last.
By Monday we should have 2 standpipes, a hot shower and some electric sockets in the house, water mains connected properly and repairs done to the caravan. But, and there's always a but, Darren has not responded to our emails or phone calls and he still has to connect some of the downpipes to the water recuperation unit, finish the path and deal with the fact that the government has denied permission for our microstation, due to his mistake.
Chris's last night was spent at the village meal, held in the open air opposite the mairie. The beef was so rare it almost moo-ed, the wine was 'unusual' and the main act was an aging Charles Aznavoour lookalike, slightly balding, slightly paunchy and very lecherous, backed by four Spice Girls wannabees. We left before the dessert - it was almost midnight by then anyway!
Wednesday 18 July 2012
Making a mountain out of a molehill - an ongoing saga!
We had visitors on Saturday night, a horse trampling across the new Boules court and our first-ever molehill.
Sunday night we had another boules-loving equine and 2 molehills. At first it was quite funny but it quickly became apparent that one particular Mr Mole was making his way around our newly acquired Boules court. OK, joke's over! I spent Monday researching ways of poisoning, exploding and otherwise killing them. [The moles that is, not the horses, they leave us presents in the one-day-maybe-this-year-but-probably-not orchard]
By Wednesday, research was complete and we had decided on the expensive but apparently foolproof method of using un detaupeur, which is a little explosive gadget which kills them underground. I popped along to the local agricultural cooperative to buy one and checked with the guy whether this was the only way to go. He told me that there were other options but this was by far and way the best. I gulped and handed over the money.
When I got home I realised that we had some leftover outdated fuel for the strimmer [which broke down after 4 uses and has been held captive by the garden centre for 4 weeks under the pretext of repairing it]. So, following my intensive research, I suggested that Chris pour some of this fuel down the hole to smother Mr Mole with the fumes. [Another suggestion on the forum was to put stale male urine down the hole but even I balked at that!]
At the time of writing, 36 hours later, we have not seen any more molehills and the expensive detonator sits unopened. Yay - go old petrol!
This post will no doubt be updated later.........
Three days later, still no moles. This detonator must be magic. I haven't even opened the packet and the situation is resolved!!
THREE WEEKS LATER, STILL NO MOLES. THE PACKET REMAINS UNOPENED!
Friday 6 July 2012
More visitors
The weather's turned hot again and the roofers have finally returned so no chance of sunbathing or dipping in the pool.
The Knights arrived with no problem and we sat up talking and drinking into the late [or, rather, early] hours.
Wednesday was Lucy's 6th birthday. So presents had to be opened after breakfast and we took things easy.
After a slow start then went out for lunch. Once Tom had got the filter working and the ladder assembled, the girls played in the pool, despite the noise from the roofers.
It's good to see work going ahead so quickly [for once!]
Heavy rain Thursday held things up on the roof but it cleared up later. We spent a lot of time just mooching around and had another very late and boozy night.
Tom [my Knight in shining armour] managed to get the adaptor on the gas bottle, so finally after a couple of months, I was able to use the flame thrower which Chris had adapted from functioning to non-functioning in an attempt to save money!!
Friday the Knights headed off for the coast and I watched the roofers start the actual tiling whilst merrily killing weeds with my flame thrower.
The Knights arrived with no problem and we sat up talking and drinking into the late [or, rather, early] hours.
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| Lovely sunset and a few glasses of wine |
After a slow start then went out for lunch. Once Tom had got the filter working and the ladder assembled, the girls played in the pool, despite the noise from the roofers.
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| Third chimney coming down |
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| Close up! |
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| Cement mixer arrived |
Heavy rain Thursday held things up on the roof but it cleared up later. We spent a lot of time just mooching around and had another very late and boozy night.
Tom [my Knight in shining armour] managed to get the adaptor on the gas bottle, so finally after a couple of months, I was able to use the flame thrower which Chris had adapted from functioning to non-functioning in an attempt to save money!!
Friday the Knights headed off for the coast and I watched the roofers start the actual tiling whilst merrily killing weeds with my flame thrower.
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| Genoise |
Monday 2 July 2012
Lynne leaves and I'm on my own again
Thursday - Really hot night and morning, very debilitating. Ian came to do some work in the garden with the digger. We got quite a lot done although it was bloody hot and uncomfortable. Salty sweat running into the eyes doesn't assist you. After I said a sad farewell to Lynne at the airport and returned home, the weather cooled down considerably which was much more comfortable. My darling Beth Skyped me [OK, I know her mum actually pressed the keys on the computer] and I had a lovely chat with her.
The next few days were cloudy and warm but so much more comfortable than previously. The gardener finally came to cut the grass, well, not all of it. He only cuts the bits he feels comfortable with, so the other bits are shoulder high now as the strimmer is being repaired [allegedly]. I received a speeding fine, my first ever. So I thought I'd pay it via the internet. At that moment, the internet died. The phone wasn't working either but the electricity was still OK so I beetled off to Mme B to find out whether she had a working phone. Hers was still functioning but she explained to me what I needed to do. Anyway by the time we had exchanged all the pleasantries etc and I got back to the caravan, the phone and internet were working again, so I had no excuse not to pay the fine. The afternoon turned hot and sunny so I went to a little village on the edge of the Dordogne and took a walk by the river before a couple of hours spent in the hammock. I was reading 50 Shades of Grey which is the talked about book of the season but it's pretty much Mills and Boon. I believe that it's very erotic but the hammock broke just as I got to what is supposedly the 'good bit' . Don't think I'll carry on with it.
Much time was spent waiting for workmen who didn't turn up - good job I enjoy my own company.
On Saturday, Darren delivered far too much shingle so there was a big pile left over.
I decided that it could go around some of the raised beds so I got a wheelbarrow, rake and shover and that took care of the afternoon. My arms are going to be so strong by the end of the summer!! I had a visit from Madame B, who wanted to check that the tarpaulin was properly attached to the roof of the house as the weather forecast was for a tempete. She was dressed in just a nightdress, but she had put a jaunty little scarf around her neck! I was truly exhausted by the evening and crawled into bed to listen to the rain pounding on the roof. [Yep, la tempete had arrived, right on cue.] The night was disturbed only by my yelps of pain as I tried to move my muscles in order to turn over in bed. The last time I can remember anything like this was when I tried to take up ballet again at the age of 59, which was a bit stupid.
Sunday was my weekly visit to the laundrette then out for lunch. I had a chat with Kate as she's spending today preparing for her interview tomorrow for a Masters. A big day for her. The weather was cool and cloudy so I decided not to have a day off but instead to move more crap around the garden - I'm aiming for fewer, but bigger, piles of rubbish. The continued use of shovel, wheelbarrow and rake has the effect of tightening up my arm muscles even more [not in a good way - my thumbs are now covered in lumps and they are numb in parts, I'd rather this did not extend to my arms!] until they are even more painful than yesterday. It also exacerbates my sciatica. Yep, just what I want along with arthritis and gout. I take my poor mishapen, aching body to bed. Then the scallops I had for lunch made themself felt. Monday I stayed near the caravan. The roofer came to supervise a delivery of about a million roof tiles - good job we've got a big garden.
Roll on Tuesday. Can't wait for the Knights to turn up!
The next few days were cloudy and warm but so much more comfortable than previously. The gardener finally came to cut the grass, well, not all of it. He only cuts the bits he feels comfortable with, so the other bits are shoulder high now as the strimmer is being repaired [allegedly]. I received a speeding fine, my first ever. So I thought I'd pay it via the internet. At that moment, the internet died. The phone wasn't working either but the electricity was still OK so I beetled off to Mme B to find out whether she had a working phone. Hers was still functioning but she explained to me what I needed to do. Anyway by the time we had exchanged all the pleasantries etc and I got back to the caravan, the phone and internet were working again, so I had no excuse not to pay the fine. The afternoon turned hot and sunny so I went to a little village on the edge of the Dordogne and took a walk by the river before a couple of hours spent in the hammock. I was reading 50 Shades of Grey which is the talked about book of the season but it's pretty much Mills and Boon. I believe that it's very erotic but the hammock broke just as I got to what is supposedly the 'good bit' . Don't think I'll carry on with it.
Much time was spent waiting for workmen who didn't turn up - good job I enjoy my own company.
On Saturday, Darren delivered far too much shingle so there was a big pile left over.
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| Seating area just waiting for a bench. |
I decided that it could go around some of the raised beds so I got a wheelbarrow, rake and shover and that took care of the afternoon. My arms are going to be so strong by the end of the summer!! I had a visit from Madame B, who wanted to check that the tarpaulin was properly attached to the roof of the house as the weather forecast was for a tempete. She was dressed in just a nightdress, but she had put a jaunty little scarf around her neck! I was truly exhausted by the evening and crawled into bed to listen to the rain pounding on the roof. [Yep, la tempete had arrived, right on cue.] The night was disturbed only by my yelps of pain as I tried to move my muscles in order to turn over in bed. The last time I can remember anything like this was when I tried to take up ballet again at the age of 59, which was a bit stupid.
Sunday was my weekly visit to the laundrette then out for lunch. I had a chat with Kate as she's spending today preparing for her interview tomorrow for a Masters. A big day for her. The weather was cool and cloudy so I decided not to have a day off but instead to move more crap around the garden - I'm aiming for fewer, but bigger, piles of rubbish. The continued use of shovel, wheelbarrow and rake has the effect of tightening up my arm muscles even more [not in a good way - my thumbs are now covered in lumps and they are numb in parts, I'd rather this did not extend to my arms!] until they are even more painful than yesterday. It also exacerbates my sciatica. Yep, just what I want along with arthritis and gout. I take my poor mishapen, aching body to bed. Then the scallops I had for lunch made themself felt. Monday I stayed near the caravan. The roofer came to supervise a delivery of about a million roof tiles - good job we've got a big garden.
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| Boys playing with their toys |
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| The vents being installed - a lovely feature for the garden. |
Darren came to finish off but he couldn't insert the pump because it hasn't arrived because the company Chris ordered it from won't accept orders from non-residents. Oh well, if our money's not good enough....
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| Shame they didn't put the tiles nearer to the pool, we could have used them as a diving board! |
Roll on Tuesday. Can't wait for the Knights to turn up!
Wednesday 27 June 2012
The roof comes off!
The roofers arrived Wednesday, on time and with all their gear. After the preliminary greetings [ie, I was in the shower, he said bonjour to Lynne and she replied 'un minute, Madame is just getting dressed'] I went out to meet the boss whose first question, after the usual shoulder shrugging nicotine-fuelled grunting, was 'When does your husband arrive?'. I told him and then he said that they would be here today but would be spending Thursday and Friday au chantier [at the workshop] and would return Monday.
OK, I thought!
But the two workers carried on all day, despite horrendously hot weather with temperatures in the high 30s, until 5.30
For Chris's info, they took off the tiles, they took off the next layer of wooden struts, they replaced any planks that needed it, they attached new wooden struts and then covered it with tarpaulin - and they managed to do about a quarter of the roof.
So for Chris's benefit, here are some photos
OK, I thought!
But the two workers carried on all day, despite horrendously hot weather with temperatures in the high 30s, until 5.30
For Chris's info, they took off the tiles, they took off the next layer of wooden struts, they replaced any planks that needed it, they attached new wooden struts and then covered it with tarpaulin - and they managed to do about a quarter of the roof.
So for Chris's benefit, here are some photos
Monday 25 June 2012
Grand Opening of the Boules Court
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| Polly did the final few rakeovers |
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| I was busy on the phone |
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| Selwyn was obviously busy carrying those enormous gloves! |
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| Then I was busy organising the refreshments...... |
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| ... while Polly was still slaving away putting the final touches |
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| The ribbon was finally cut |
Holiday time!
A welcome visit from the Prices, with Lynne arriving 2 days later, so I had a houseful [and a caravanful]. Polly and Selwyn spent a couple of days knocking down the sechoir [previously used to dry tobacco leaves]. Selwyn particularly seemed to enjoy it!! Strange but true.
We spent 3 nights at the coast and had a wonderful, calm, peaceful time in the pine forests. A real holiday with lovely seafood!
Then Lynne and I went back home to await arrival of the gravel for the boules court. Two new supermarkets have just opened so now we have a total of 3 - yay!! Consequently price wars have started, so at least the housekeeping is a lot easier than last year.
Anyway, back at the boules court...
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| All gone and then Rachael demolished the rabbit hutches! |
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| Good accommodation |
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| Lovely beaches |
Then Lynne and I went back home to await arrival of the gravel for the boules court. Two new supermarkets have just opened so now we have a total of 3 - yay!! Consequently price wars have started, so at least the housekeeping is a lot easier than last year.
Anyway, back at the boules court...
It took a few days to get everything sorted but it was worth it - it's looking good and waiting for Chris's arrival.
There were Fetes de Music,markets and Brocantes and all sorts at the weekend. In the meantime, Kate continued decorating her new flat and finally moved in on Sunday.
Monday morning dawned grey and drizzly and on my way to one of the supermarkets I noticed that every third car or so was towing a caravan - the roads were pretty well jammed with holiday traffic. I guess the schools have broken up. But altogether a good day - a visit to the architect revealed that the roofers will be arriving in 2 days and Darren turned up to clear up stuff and will be returning on Friday to finish off most of the outstanding jobs - inshallah.
Last evening for the Prices and the official opening of the Boules Court, but that deserves a blog of its own
There were Fetes de Music,markets and Brocantes and all sorts at the weekend. In the meantime, Kate continued decorating her new flat and finally moved in on Sunday.
Monday morning dawned grey and drizzly and on my way to one of the supermarkets I noticed that every third car or so was towing a caravan - the roads were pretty well jammed with holiday traffic. I guess the schools have broken up. But altogether a good day - a visit to the architect revealed that the roofers will be arriving in 2 days and Darren turned up to clear up stuff and will be returning on Friday to finish off most of the outstanding jobs - inshallah.
Last evening for the Prices and the official opening of the Boules Court, but that deserves a blog of its own
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