THE FINISHING LINE ! OR IS IT ?

After what seems an age we are finally approaching the finish line with the renovation of our huge cowshed into our home and the Gite for some well earned income. However since we decided that we are going to let out this year, the list of jobs seems to have doubled, what seemed to be a small list of snagging jobs has grown. I think a snippet of paranoia has set in as every corner I turn seems to present me with another job. Oh well a larger piece of paper and more ink in the pen this list just got bigger.

THE GRASS IS NOT ALWAYS GREENER

I hate the old line I told you so but we deserve it this time, an offer that was just to good to be true and we jumped feet first into a situation that really is a bit of a nightmare. Sparing you all the details, needless to say we should have stayed put. Our little corner of rural France seems ever so inviting right at this moment in time. So after a whirlwind 7 months around the monopoly board of the southeast we can here the sound of silence in our little village calling us. So watch this space, we need to pass go collect our £200 and stay out of jail, next stop Burgundy.

Vide Grenier

Its been a busy week making the most of the good weather planting veggie seeds for a bumper crop later in the summer, well I hope so!! Yesterday afternoon I planted two tomato plants in a small bed outside the back door, this morning they have been eaten right down to the stalk?? any clues bloggers. On a lighter note our village are holding another vide grenier, boot fair to all my anglais bloggers. I have been rummaging around to get some things together for a stall. Whilst it is nice to make some pennies it is seen much more as a social gathering so here is hoping for the sun to last until the weekend. I will post some piccies next week.

ANONYMOUS

how do I stop the anonymous comments on my blog, they are so annoying and usually utter rubbish. Can any of you help?

No More Pets

My pet duck George died yesterday, we were all sad as we had got used to him strutting around as if he owned the place. More worrying is that this leaves little Mildred, his partner alone. We have a neighbour who has several hens, ducks and turkeys so we may let her go and live with them so that she has some company. We were planning on getting some hens but maybe we will give it a miss.

HOME ALONE

So off to England he who thinks he should be obeyed went. A list in hand of all the goodies I can't get here in my beloved corner of rural france. Cheddar cheese, bacon, quality street the list is really quite endless. First came the snow, then freezing ice made the roads so dangerous, then the water pump on the van, enough you would think for one simple trip. NO then along comes mister eurotunnel and puts his twopenneth in. Your train is cancelled we have nothing til wednesday, turn up at silly oclock in the morning and hopefully we will be running a service. Oh well the 2 chicken portions I have in the freezer are looking decidely like christmas dinner for me and charleigh, good job I don't have a liking for duck as my miserable barbary duck george would fill my oven nicely. Only joking George you are safe to live out your days with mildred in my wood at the bottom of the garden. Well thats my moan for this year. Merry Christmas Bloggers and A happy new year

A French Day Out

A couple of weeks ago we decided to take part in our villages annual Vide Grenier, to those of you who don't speak french Boot Fair. We loaded at some ungodly hour and made the 2 minute trip to the village square. Thinking to ourselves surely no one will be there at this time, we turned the corner and there were our friends and neighbours already setup and raring to go!! So we took up position in the shade as the weather forecast was SUN, SUN, SUN. After a slow start people began to buy word soon got round that the crazy english couple that took on the old house no one else wanted were selling english china and other across the water goodies. At lunchtime most of the stallholders abandoned their tables and stood in the shade of the makeshift bar. We gave this a miss and in true brit style made a pot of tea(much to their amusement). At 6 in the evening the thunder clouds rolled in and that was our excuse to leave, a brilliant day was had and a few euros in the pot as well

Im Still Here

Hello all my fellow bloggers, I haven't posted for a while my digital camera finally gave in on me and I haven't replaced it yet, waiting for a bargain. I still drop by all your blogs to see what you are all upto and as soon as I can I will update my blog and website with all my renovation news from here in france
love jules xx

It must be my Age

After a brilliant 50th birthday celebrated with friends I decided to get up early get a few things done before my guests awoke. First tread of the stairs and a few swear words later I find myself at the bottom, bruised just about everywhere and a very painful thumb and hand. After several ice packs and just as many cups of tea I am on the mend. If this is what getting old means you can keep it, I am off to buy a bungalow

BIG BIG BIRTHDAY

I am on countdown at the moment to my big day, also my friends from england are paying a flying visit so that will be great. So if you see a huge cloud of smoke above you in a couple of weeks don't worry it will just be all my candles on my cake that I'm sure someone will make for me.

There's a Stranger in Town

There we wer minding our own business driving back from Charleighs horseriding lesson when around the corner were these two guys. We usually play a game and try and guess how many deers or boars we will see on the way home, so imagine our surprise when we spotted these. These sort of animals don't normally roam our countryside, the circus folk were held up in a small village for the week and these two were taking full advantage of their new found freedom!!

Did I say All is Well.....Spoke too soon!!

No this is not my actual kitchen, but wading around in the water is very similar, just when I thought heating and water was sorted, the pipes in the gite kitchen burst due to the freezing weather we have had recently. So there I was with a friend who came to my rescue mop and buckets at the ready. Well I can say the floors are lovely and clean.

New Friends

I have a new friend living in my garden, we have a small piece of forest and he roams around there but at night he has been sleeping on the daybed in our summer kitchen. I know the picture is not the best but you can just see him peeking through the plants, my very own fox.

This week we finally moved into the barn, there is still lots of work to do but we felt enough had been done for us to be comfortable whilst we finish the work around us. WRONG!! Day one hot water packed up, day two ecofire in the kitchen packed up, day three friends arrive and help us move another fire from the gite into the kitchen, we spend allday fitting a new flue for it only to find it doesn't work on day four. Day five we take the godin that was intended for the gite and fix it up on the mezzanine instant new friend, so toasty I love it. Day 6 we finally find a supplier for the part that is broken on the ecofire. Day 7 all is well and more importantly WARM!!

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!!