Weather

In January I had a visit from my three lovely offspring - much anticipated and quickly over! The weather was lovely, just perfect for walking - on one day of the three they were here! The other days were wet or foggy - oh well, you can't have it all - it was lovely to have them all here together.

Ellen, David and Nicole

A beautiful January sunrise.

 Apart from seeing Ellen, David and Nicki, January was long and dull.

February on the other hand has started with the most amazing weather (and frozen pipes and cold draughts!)

I'm told that this sort of weather is very rare, so please excuse all the photos. How beautiful is this place - in any weather! 

Unfortunately the chickens don't agree. They are really disgruntled! They hate putting their feet on the snow, and refused to come out until I had cleared a patch for them. But, they are still laying.

No way!

We're not coming down - and you can't make us...........I did, eventually they had to be lifted off.

You want us to do what?....

We're not stepping on that!

Three days later, and no further snowfall and it still looks like this....

 Temperature hasn't risen above freezing since Saturday, and not forecast to do so for the rest of the week.

Swim anyone?!

 Lovely as it looks......roll on summer!

We got there!

Another long gap, with so much to blog, that I will have to use photos and captions to prevent boredom in the reader!
In the (almost a) month since my last blog lots of things have changed.
The chicks have grown, and grown again and are now pretty much free range, ranging wider and wider, into the vines, the plum trees, our neighbour's garden and the gite! They return pretty quickly though, if they think there might be treats involved!

Mike with treats.

Waiting to be let out!

Table birds?

Oven ready?!

The gite was finally finished and furnished.

Jim the digger, digging another pond, leveling out the car park and filling in holes.

Mike putting finishing touches to furniture for the gite.

Just waiting for the grass to grow.

Bedroom 1

Bedroom 2 

 

Lounge and dining room

Kitchen diner

Spot the camera man!

 We are thrilled with the way it has turned out. We wanted to celebrate the end of this part of our adventure, and thank everyone who helped along the way. So we planned a big party and invited everyone who helped along with the mayor to make it an 'official opening'. Unfortunately, we were too busy to take any photos, but we're hoping that other people did, and I will publish them when I get them.
After weeks of very hot and dry weather, it started to rain just 10 minutes before the party began, and rained for a couple of hours - real, steady, wet rain, much to the relief, I'm sure of all our local farmers and wine growers, so we couldn't really complain! We just got on with it, enjoyed the afternoon, and when the rain finally stopped, it turned into a beautiful evening, with petanque, led by Jean-Claude (playing his rules apparently!) and an impromptu (albeit "one we prepared earlier") chilli on the terrace until well into the night.

The petanque pitch, scene of a battle!

So....thank you to everyone who has helped us on our way (not just those in the photo!) and to everyone who came and joined in our celebrations.

Ash, filming the party

The last six weeks or so of our story have been filmed for ITV, to be screened, possibly in September. We're not sure what it is going to be called yet, or exactly when it will be on, but watch this space!

Nicole also had a birthday, celebrated with a visit from boyfriend, Mike and her brother Dave and his girlfriend  Neesha.

After the parties were over, we took a couple of days off and spent one of them in Bordeaux and the sand dune at Pyla near Arcachon, the tallest sand dune in Europe.

From the top of the dune towards the sea

From the top towards the forest.

On the Miroir d'eau des quais in Bordeaux

Taking photos of the photographers!

Overdue update

Things have moved on - as they do every time I lapse in my blogging duties! The main house is finished, bar the decorating and the odd light fitting to be fixed and one or two holes to be plastered over, and some of the roof to be replaced (not until the gite is finished).
One room is now more or less finished. The wisteria balcony room is ready to welcome guests -just as well as my friend Kath is arriving on Thursday, snow permitting. Kath, pack warm clothes! (I will provide a hot water bottle!)

The wisteria balcony room.

 

The other bedrooms and bathrooms are slowly coming together, and will be ready soon.

Fortunately, over the weekend, I ran out of paint (new lot now arrived!) which meant that I could take a (sort of ) break, while Hugh was here. We did manage to saw up loads of logs and pick up some pallets ready for me to make my compost heap, and have a lovely meal at Le Cabri on Saturday evening.

Pallets ready for my compost heap.

The gite is coming along quickly now, changing all the time. Russ and Alex are out there in all weathers, preparing for the roof, which should start to go on tomorrow.

 

All ready for the roof and floors.

While my David was here at Christmas he took some lovely photos, so I'm including some of them here - just because they're lovely!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We're very happy with how things are shaping up, and looking forward to welcoming guests soon.