Leaving France just as normal weather resumes - but the weather in the UK is nearly as hot so no worries. Back in a week or so to build the new dormer and hopefully find some time to get into the mountains!!

Dormer window taking shape

A surprise visit from Paul this morning - he's 92 but still came on foot, he's as fit as a fiddle! After a brief search for mushrooms (none yet, too early) I finished off topping the big field. The snows came early last year so it went without its annual short back and sides - it was much needed.

At breakfast I watched a pine martin in the cherry tree in the field in front of the house. He was chasing birds and no doubt looking for chicks in their nests. Obviously a male he was the size of a large cat!

After a trip to St Girons to unload at the SMDEA (who after nearly 6 months have failed to install the water supply for the project at La trappe), I returned to La Trappe to find that the water had been installed on Friday!

A site progress meeting all afternoon, then I returned Quelebu to burn some branches and top about half the field in front of the house with the tractor.

Back in France

Back in France for a site meeting with the contractor (RDM) who is building Gilbert Coron's Barn. The SMDEA are causing me lots of problems as I've been trying to get the water connected there since last February and all I get is excuses. Hopefully I can progress things tomorrow.

Yesterday I went to Pamiers to buy the new window for the dormer and stopped in to see Donna en route. When I got back I split and stacked the wood from the fallen tree that I cleared up on my last visit and in the evening met our new neighbour Virginie who has bought the house next to John and Sandrine's. She seems very nice.

Today I built the new oak frame (cadrement) for the dormer window that I'll be building in July and stained the new window.

And finally...some birdies.

 get that worm!

 yummy!

Building all this week for friends in Totnes. I finished the substructure and slab before my recent trip to France and this week I've built and insulated this timber frame single storey extension. next week we'll start knocking down the two existing walls to open up the ground floor into the new space.

Also been fighting with Three Mobile, who have just done a deal with Bouygues in France and so I can no longer use Orange France's mobile network when in Aleu. This means my mobile phone no longer works unless I'm in St Girons! It's taken many hours on the phone to be released from my contract early at a not too exorbitant price. I won't bore you with the details but as a UK network provider Three's overseas network services are 'a perk' and not guaranteed by the contract - so tough!