Our new home in France

While looking for a house to rent, somewhere to base ourselves while we hunt for the right property, we found the perfect house in the perfect spot -and with the help of the lovely people at Cle Rouge Immobilier in Duras it is ours! This blog is primarily for our friends and family to follow the ups and downs of the adventures. However if we don't know you, I hope you'll enjoy the story too, and that one day you may consider booking into our lovely home as a paying guest - you'll be made very welcome!

Thursday 4 August 2011

Catch up - overdue again!


Despite all my good intentions it's been a month again! I've finally given in to the hectoring by he who shall remain nameless - but we all know who he is!  We have been busy. The gite has been booked out for the last three weeks or so, and is full until the middle of September, which we are thrilled with. So far guests have been delightful and full of complements, even when the weather has been a little damp and thundery. (It has improved now - honest!) The Bed and Breakfast branch of Vue de Duras has also been busy, so there has been much laundering, cooking and cleaning going on, with not much time for blog writing. Nicole has been working hard, but has escaped back to the UK for a week. She will be back here for two weeks, and then back to Worcester permanently as she has landed what looks like a fantastic job, which apparently she is going to get paid for as well! On the subject of jobs, Ellen, lovely eldest daughter has also landed the job of her dreams this week too, clever girl ended up with a choice of two. Well done El!

So..news updates and photo's today.
A new fence around the pond for safety's sake.
It looks a little stark at the moment, but I see it as a  blank canvas begging for  plants to add colour and form!
Added at the same time as the fence, a bit of trellis to give a little privacy to the gite terrace 
Already planted with a beautiful bougainvillea.
A swing added to the tree - irresistible! 
I spotted a baby redstart outside the window - they are living in the fig tree, still being fed  by the adults.
The chickens have had an extension built, they now have three times the amount of room to scratch about in. Here they are heading through the hole in the fence into the extension for the first time.
One of our 'hens' - crowing! We still think there may be three or even four cockerels where there should only be one!
Basket of plums picked from the orchard next door. Unfortunately, it's been such an odd year weatherwise, that they are not big enough to be sold as Agen prunes, so many will be left to rot on the trees. They make lovely jam and desserts!
While I didn't get to make a vegetable garden this year, I did squeeze a couple of courgette plants in amongst the flowers.

and a butternut squash - I think!
 So, that's the news for now. I will try to do better!


2 comments:

  1. I'm pleased to read it is all going well - I'm not surprised though as your accommodation looks great and you obviously work your socks off! Hope the summer continues to improve on the weather front and that you are also able to enjoy the benefits of all your hard work.
    x

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thanks Mum, very excitingm just 14 workingd days to go in my old job (and counting!) xxx

    ReplyDelete