A New Baby

Hi all I'm back from the beautiful Isle of Skye, unfortunately the fairies didn't come while we were away and complete our list of renovation jobs, OH WELL!!

While we were away this little chap arrived, isn't he cute. Apologies of course to mummy cow for accusing her of eating all the pies she obviously had a very good reason for that huge round belly she has been carrying around recently. What a pleasure to look at him everday as I go about my chores.

PATTY POULET

Hello Tracy my name is patty and I am looking for a new home, I'm not the prettiest in the brood but my mum does love me, it is now time for me to spread my wings and it has been suggested that you are looking for a new friend to look after your keys. Well if you like the look of me my mum will post me when she gets to England on the 23 October if not I do have an adoption advert in the local Tabac I'm sure someone will come along soon, Hopefully before the rent is due on this place.

love jules xx

MORE TEA NEWS

More Tea News Help!! my tea obsession is evolving into the collecting of tea tins, as if I don't have enough to do here in renovation hell. I have started collecting tins for tea, I had a few that I actually use for my various flavours but today I went to the annual sale at our charity warehouse and found myself drawn to these little chaps. Maybe because the inscription on them was english "Liptons and Twinings" and I'm feeling a little homesick or maybe I'm turning into one of those collector types!!!!!

TEA BREAK

Those of you who know me know about my obsession for tea, I have cut down but the cravings still raise their heads every so often. Yesterday was one of those moments, we had been working hard putting up gates, fences etc normal sunday I hear you say!! It was very warm and time for a break so mug in hand I sat on our wall with my legs a dangling watching the girls(cows) in the field that is next to my garden munching their way through miles of grass. I couldn't decide whether one in particular was just fat and greedy or maybe there will be the not so tiny patter of feet in the meadow before too long. I will keep you posted on that one. Since we have moved here September and October have always been glorious but this year so far not the case, but this weekend the weather redeemed itself and we made the most of it by working outside trying to get the building site in some order. Teabreak over, I turn around from my wonderful view and OH NO its all still there, piles of bricks and sand waiting to be put into some kind of structure, nice while it lasted!!

NEW WINGS

New wings for someone special, love from me and your girls

ps thought your old ones might be getting a little worn xxx

My Day Out

Sorry about the pics but I think you can get the idea, this place is amazing. My friend called on Sunday and took me out to this abbey about 20 mins from where I live. I can't beleive I have never been before. But Sunday seemed the day to go bad news was hanging over me and she couldn't have chosen a more fitting place to visit. It is called Fontenay Abbey and it has been prefectly restored every corner of the grounds and buildings are immaculate and I am so glad I went. I really should make more effort to explore this beautiful country I now call home.

I WON A PRIZE!!

Today my prize arrived from Tracey over at www.tcalamity.blogspot.com she runs a lovely little blog with her day to day stories of her home and garden, her beautiful daughters and her homemade crafts, she really is clever. Drop by and have a nosey and leave her a comment. As for the prize I have just the place for them, my daughters room is nearing completion as part of our huge renovation here in France so I am going to use them to decorate her wardrobe doors. Thanks Tracey I love them!!

My Favourite Journey

My least favourite place is the DIY store, our nearest is Auxerre and is about 40 minutes from here, however the road we take to get there is worth travelling along just for the view. It is a very hilly journey and as you wind your way along you are surrounded by grapevines as far as the eye can see all producing grapes for the famous Chablis wine. The nearer we get to Chablis the more stunning the views become, we decided to stop at one of the many picnic places along the way and take these pictures. I think you'll agree it was worth the stop.

From Little Acorns "Oaks grow"

Well maybe not oaks, just a modest veg plot. I have finally cleared the ground next to the carpark and squeezed in four raised beds to try my hand at eating what I grow. I have for 3 years watched my neighbours here in France reaping the rewards of their hardwork, and secretly felt jealous as they walk past my gate with arms full of produce from their allotments. Often they would leave us a parcel of goodies like strawberries, cherries and courgettes. But now its my turn. It's early days but hopefully I should get something in return for the backache I have at the moment. So watch this space, appearing in a garden in Burgundy soon will be cabbage, broccolli, french beans and carrots to name but a few! Well fingers crossed. (That's GREEN fingers of course)

Happy Bithday To me

A few posts ago I intoduced you all to Bill my wooden waiter, it is my birthday today and he who thinks he must be obeyed brought me this. I think Bill's expression has changed and there is a glint in his eye this morning once he realised she is here to stay. I think she is an old advertising model as her finger tips are flat so that she can hold a tray or something. She is about 3ft something tall and quite heavy, I couldn't find anything on the net about her so any ideas from my blogger friends will be most welcome. I think I will call her Saucy Sue no prizes for guessing why. She really is a cheeky gal.

The Gang

Meet my gang, we are about a dozen strong and have been thrown together by circumstance. We have all taken the plunge and moved our families from England for a better life here in Burgundy, our group grows and shrinks with various people coming and going throughout the year. Most of us live here permantly but a couple of us travel to and fro for high days and holidays. Tony and Racheal have been our friends the longest and Tony has helped so much with our renovation running hundreds of barrows of cement , scaling the roof in zero temperatures, lifting things with Paul that I couldn't even begin to move, his wife Racheal is known to some of you as a fellow blogger you can visit her over at http://www.milesawayinfrance.blogspot.com/she writes a brilliant blog and don't forget to visit her etsy shop she makes some lovely things. Sue and Barry are renovating a very pretty french cottage with the help of their son, Barry remains in England most of the time running the business and Sue stays here with her son overseeing the project, I can't wait for her to be here full-time, we hit it off as soon as we met and have become firm friends. Paul and Julie run an estate agency here selling all you lovely people over there in England a slice of the dream here in Burgundy their website is http://www.burgundy4u.com/ So if you are feeling the urge to upsticks give them a call and they will be able to help you. Greg and Louise are my maddest friends they both have huge personalities and even huger hearts, they are always at the end of the phone when you need help and nothing is to much bother, true friends. I couldn't have chosen a better group of friends if I had tried, I think the bond is that all our goals are similar, our problems are very much the same so we all no how each other are feeling. Moving away and starting a completely new life is exciting but there are always downs as well as ups and as we are all in the same boat we seem to hit it off very well. We get together every so often for various events, this Saturday we had a fondu, in the past we have had curry nights, quiz nights a pink party and several BBq's all these functions are a welcome break from renovating and it gives us all a chance to let our hair down and relax. So that is my gang, there is nothing like good friends

Wacky Races

Nothing surprises me anymore, here I am in a village miles from anywhere, minding my own business when my peace is interrupted. I was awoken by what I thought were boy racers screeching through our village at some ungodly hour. I lookes at the clock, 2 o'clock in the morning!! so I get up and look out of the window to my surprise racing through our village were all manor of different racing cars with their big bold numbers on the sides. I can tell you although it woke me at silly o'clock I breathed a sigh of relief that hooligans hadn't arrived in my sleepy corner of the world. This was one of the main reasons we left our pretty little cottage in england late night noise and problems. So I smiled to myself, pulled on my dressing gown and went downstairs for a cuppa, there was no point trying to sleep with all this going on. So I ended up on the sofa watching early hours tv until I drifted back off to sleep. I can't help thinking what a shame it wasn't during the day we could have cheered them all on as they went by. Oh well back to normal today, you never know something else exciting might happen today, the last event here that caused even a slight stir was our neighbours cows escaped and we watched with amusement as he tried to round them up in the pouring rain. I know you are all probably thinking I am having far too much fun out here in france but hey the quiet times here are the best.

Before and After

BEFORE!!
This sorry specimen was in a friend's barn and when they decided to move house they were going to throw it away, wait I said that would look nice in my new bathroom and so it became mine. Much to their relief I'm sure. I think they thought I was mad and for those of you that know me, they are probably right. Anyway it arrived at our barn here in France and it looked no better then when I first spied it. The rest of the bathroom here in the barn is made of reclaimed this and thats apart from the loo, which we brought new.



AFTER!!!
Well look at me now, a quick rub down and a few coats of paint and I'm ready to join my new friends in the bathroom. My friends were quite shocked when they saw the results, so now I've got the bug and anything rusty and cast aside should watch out as I could just be round the corner lurking with my paints and brushes.