Soireé

The two Jean-Lucs - birthday boy is wearing the Santa hat.

It was Jean-Luc's (president of the Aleu Chasseurs) 50th birthday yesterday. A party was thrown, a piglet roasted and much alcohol consumed.  Thanks to Jean-Pierre for the photos.

Hier etait le cinquantième anniversaire  de Jean-Luc, president de l'ACCA d'Aleu.  Il a fait un fête, griller un cochon et nous avons bu trop!  Merci Jean-Pierre pour les images.

Guzet

A fine days skiing at Guzet with Ian.  Alas no powder, but plenty of empty pistes to practice my skiing technique under Ian's critical eye (I think it's his left one!).

Une bonne journeé de ski à Guzet avec Ian.  Helas pas de neige poudreuse, mais beaucoup des pistes vides, idéal pour practiser ma technique de ski sous l'oeil critique de Ian (je crois que il soit ton oeil à gauche!)

Better late than never

Busy times - chopping wood, fetching hay, rebuilding the chicken run after the weight of snow colapsed the netting roof and making xmas presents. I nearly forgot to make the Christmas pudding! I was never very keen on xmas pudding as a nipper - I don't like the peel and they were usually dense and dry, but now I have a great recipe suggested by my mum and written by Delia Smith which is light, moist and fruity...at least after my modifications! I ditch the peel in favour of chopped dried apricots and extra apples.

The snow is melting as fast as it can, but it's still a monochrome landscape here and everywhere above about 650m. Very slushy on top and very muddy underneath - difficult conditions for the tractor.

Je suis très occupé au moment - fendre le bois, ramasser le foin, rebattir le cours des poules après le tôit a cassé sur le poids de la neige, et faire des cadeux du nöel. J'ai presque oublié de faire le déssert du nöel. Je le n'aimais jamais quand j'etais jeune parce que je détest épluchures et le déssert etais sec et lourd. Enfin, j'ai une recette formidable par Delia Smith, ce qui est legère, moelleur et fruité...du moins après mes modifciations. Je rejet les épluchures en faveur de les abricots haché et plus des pommes.

La neige a fondu de vite que possible mais la paysage est encore monochrome, partout au dessus 650m. Très fondue à la surface et très boueux en dessous - des conditiones difficiles pour mon tracteur.

Nanook of the north

It was still snowing this morning and the weight of snow brought down an enormous bough from the beech tree (about a foot diameter) which in turn brought down two similarly sized chestnuts - all three fell across the path to the barn blocking the way. An hour with the chainsaw had it all safely tidied away.

Il neige encore le matin et une branche enorme de hêtre a renversé sur le poids de la neige, ensuite l'est tombé deux châtaigniers de plus et l'ensemble boucher le chemin à la grange. Un heure de plus avec la tronsoneuse et toute est propre. Lorsque je degage l'entreé de la garage, j'ai me rendu que la neige est parfait à faire un igloo. Après trois heures et demi j'ai fini l'igloo et ça me plais!

Shovelling the snow away from the garage I realised we had perfect igloo snow.

I've always wanted to build an igloo so I set to work. It only took 3 1/2 hours and I'm pretty pleased with it.

More snow!!

Up early this morning to fetch the sheep more hay from the Paul's barn. The power was off and as it had snowed all night long there was now around 18 inches of snow. Outside the silence was only broken my the snapping of tree branches under the weight of snow. The tractor ploughed and skidded through the snow but halfway to the barn it nearly skidded off the track, threatening to tumble down the bank with me on it. Fifteen minutes of delicate back and forward manoeuvres, digging and skidding and I was back on track. The journey back up the hill to the road was a similar affair more sideways than forward but eventually I got there with the hay.



Le matin je me suis reveillé tôt à ramasser du foin de la grange de Paul.  Il y avait un coupère d'electricité et il neigais toute la nuit - presque 45 cm de neige. Dehors les branches qui cassent sous le poids de la neige rompre le silence. Le tracteur est défoncé et glissé dans la neige, et mi-chemin de la grange il est tombé presque du chemin avec moi à bord!  Après quinze minutes de manoeuvres délicates j'ai pu continuer. La continuation etais une affaire pareille - plus contournant qu'avancant - mais enfin j'arrive.  J'ai emmené Paul à l'aéroport de Toulouse. Entre chez moi et St Girons une dizaine d'arbres sont tombé sur la route, heuresment ils ont degagé déja. Je suis rentré à 15.30.

                                                                                
I took Paul back to the airport in Toulouse. Between the house and St Girons dozens of trees had fallen across the road but fortunately they had been cleared earlier in the morning. I got home at about 3.30.

It is still snowing, but the weight of snow and a slight increase in temperature has allowed the snow pack to tamp down a little. The electricity is back on.

More snow - more skiing

There was a heavy snowfall during the night and it has continued all day. Must be well over a foot now. In the morning Paul and I went stalking for deer. We stumbled across two but they were long gone before we could do anything about it.

At lunchtime we headed over to Guzet in increasingly heavy snow and despite the poor visibility, had some great skiing in deep fresh snow. Off piste seems to be 'clicking' now, although in the video clip I'm not facing down the fall line enough. Always plenty of room to improve.

The second clip is part of the drive from the village to my house, fortunately after the snow plough had passed.

Beaucoup du neige tombait dans la nuit et il continue tout la journeé.  Plus de trente centimetres. Le matin Paul et moi faisons la chasse à pieds.  Nous avons trouvé deux chevreuils mais elles fussent parties avant nous ferions quelques chose.  le midi nous sommes arrivé à Guzet dans un tempest de neige et sans visibilité, mais du bon ski sur la neige fraiche.  Mon technique de ski hors piste ameliorer (mais pas dans le video!)

Le deuxieme video est la route à chez moi, mais après la chasse neige a passé

Ski-do!

Paul is over from the UK for a weekend of skiing. As the local resort Guzet Neige opened this weekend we headed over.  Only a couple of pistes were pisted and everything else was left "au naturelle".  A wide range of hors piste snow conditions - deep powder (light and heavy), windslab, crust and crud - made for an interesting days skiing so early in the season.  A strong gusty wind was blowing the spindrift around on the ridges and sending twisters down into the coombes.  One of the lifts broke leaving Paul and I isolated on one side of the domaine but a ski-do came to the rescue and we each got a free high-speed ride back to main run of the resort.

Paul est venu d'Angleterre de me visiter pour un weekend de ski.  Le domaine plus proche d'ici, Guzet Neige, est ouvert aujourd'hui pour le première fois cette anneé, donc nous l'avons visité. Seulement deux ou trois pistes eurent pisté et toutes les autres sont aux naturelles. Un grand choix de conditiones de neige hors piste - poudres (legères et lourdes), plaque de vent, cartonner, etc - un jour très interèssant très tôt d'hiver.  Un vent fort avec des rafales soufflait la neige sur les crêtes et envoyais des tourbillons dans les vallons.  Une remontage mechanique etais en panne à la moment que Paul et moi avons été plus loins de la station - mais heuresment un ski-do viens au secours de nous. 

Deer v Wildboar

Although we don't have many wildboar in the UK, deer is still the undisputed king of game - the game of Kings!  And man does venison taste good! I'm eating Roe Deer regularly at the moment and it's fantastic.  Here in the Ariege however, Roe deer are almost considered vermin, it's the wildboar that is the 'raison d'être' of hunting.  Isard (Pyrenean Chamois) however seem to carry significant status as do Red deer.

Bien que il y n'a pas beaucoup des sangliers en Royaume Uni, les chevreuils/cerfs sont le roi de gibier - le gibier des Rois! Zut! Il a un bon gôut.  Je mange le chevreuil souvent au moment et ça va très bien. En Ariege, par contre, le chevreuil sont presque nuisibles(!), c'est le sanglier qu'est le raison d'être de la chasse.  Les isards toutefois portent prestige (comme les cerfs).

More snow

More snow today and set to continue for a few more days yet...just what Guzet Neige (the local ski resort) needed.

Aujourd'hui il neige de plus et il continuera pour plusiers jours encore...bonnes nouvelles pour Guzet Niege (le domaine de ski plus proche d'ici).

Cap de Bouirex

A phone call early this morning from Sandrine changed the course of the day. The weather had dawned unexpectedly bright and she suggested a day in the mountains. I quickly packed the rucksack and we headed towards the Col de la Core. 45 mins walk on snowshoes saw us at the Col and then we climbed the ridge to our left before beginning the traverse through the woods with the aim of going to the Cabane d'Eychiel. There were lots of 'sketchy' little couloirs to cross where the slopes above had purged of snow in the last few warm days. The way ahead didn't look appetising and a huge cornice loomed far overhead threatening to colapse (as its neighbours had) triggering an avalanche across our path. We decided to change are plans.

So back to the Col then steeply up towards Cap de Bouirex.

The views were spectacular until a cold front swept across the Col dropping the cloud level to few metres overhead.

A steep direct descent through the woods saw us back at the car.

Tôt ce matin un appel de Sandrine change mon jour. Il a commencé beau et elle m'a suggéré que nous partions au montagne. J'ai fait mon sac au dos et nous sont parti vers le Col de la Core. Après quarante cinq minutes nous sommes arrivé au Col puis après monter le crête à gauche nous avons commencé de contourner la foret afin arriver a la Cabane d'Eycheil. Il y avais beaucoup de petites couloirs raides et delicates a traverser. Le continuation ne nous seduisant pas et une corniche enorme au dessus la route menacais de tomber comme ses voisines. Nous avons décidé de changer nos plans. Donc nous sommes retourné à la Col et monter rudement au summit de Cap de Bouirex. Une bellevue jusqu'au front froid à traversé le Col et les nuages sont descendu à une dizaine metres au dessus. Un descent raid et direct à la voiture.

A Balmy Sunday

Got up early on Saturday and made a tour of the commune in the Jimny using the numerous pistes and tracks - no sign of the sheep. I returned home to hear the familiar sound of bells - the sheep had returned and were close to Pauls' barn. I shepherded them back to the barn, then headed off for the Saturday hunt. Out with the dogs for a long day and a good work-out. There were wild boar and roe deer crashing through the undergrowth, but nothing visible, so no shots fired.

Today was a balmy winter's day. I trimmed Leia's hooves which have had some problems following her blue tongue infection and then moved the sheep down to field 4 and fettled with the tractor. The hunt was in the valley in front of the house. All day long the dogs traversed the wooded hillside opposite and perhaps 20 shots rang out - but the hunter I saw at the end of day said they hadn't shot anything! Surely he must be mistaken.

Le Samedi je me suis réveillé tôt et faire un tour de la commune en ma voiture vers les chemins et pistes - pas de trace des brebis. J'ai rentreé et entendu les familieres sons des cloches - les brebis sont rentreé toutes seules et resté près de la grange de Paul. J'ai fais entrer des brebis dans ma grange, puis partir à la chasse. Tout la journeé à pied avec des chiens, un bon exercice. Il y avais des sanglier et chevreuils dans les ronces, mais j'ai vu riens, donc j'ai ne tiré pas.

Aujourd'hui etait une douce journeé hivernale. J'ai coupé les pattes de Leia - mal depuis sa infection de langue bleu puis bougé les brebis a pré 4 et travaillé dans le tracteur. La chasse etait en face de chez moi, et tout la journeé les chiens sont contourné le foret en face. J'ai ecouté peut être vingt coups - mais à la fin de la journeé un chasser m'a dit que ils ont tué rien!

Great Escape Revisited

Left the house at 8.00 to go and help Justin hang two enormous sliding doors on his barn.  Got back home about 30 minutes before dark to find that the sheep had escaped.  Tracked them heading down towards the mill in aleu before it got too dark.  Will have to resume the search tomorrow.

J'ai parti chez moi à huit heure afin donne un coup de main à Justin qui posera deux grandes portes sur ta grange.  J'ai rentré 30 minutes avant la nuit et aperçu que mes brebis ont échappé. J'ai suivi leurs trace vers le moulin d'Aleu avant la nuit tombe.  J'aurai besoin reprendre la recherche demain.

Pont de la Taule...again

The rain is falling today and clearing the snow that has been on the ground at Quélébu for the past few weeks.  This morning Clive finished off the doorway and I continued cleaning the beams on the first floor.  Lots more still to do but it feels like a 'milestone' has been passed.

Tomorrow I'm helping Justin and Emily finish off their barn.

Il pleut aujourd'hui et la neige qui couchait sur le sol à Quélébu pendant plusieurs semaines dégage. Le matin Clive a fini la porte et le nettoyage des poutres se poursuivent au premiere étage. Beaucoup plus de faire, mais je sens que ce marque une étape importante dans les travaux.

Demain j'aiderai Justin et Emily a finir leur grange.

Pont de la Taule

Today Clive gave me a hand with the doorway at Pont de la Taule...or rather he finished it off whilst I cleaned beams and joists, made cups of tea, made the last door frame and mixed mortar. He's much more experienced in masonry than me and took down more of the wall than I had dared to - making the job of inserting the door frame much quicker.  He soon had most the wall rebuilt.  

Aujourd'hui Clive m'a donné un coup de main à la porte à Pont de la Taule...ou plutôt il la finirais lorsque j'ai nettoyé les poutres et chevrons, fais du thé, fabriqué le dernier encadrement et mélangé du mortier.  il a plus d'expérience de maçonerie que moi et demonté plus de le mur que j'ai osé fait - comme ça le boulou allait plus vite.  Le mur etais bientôt rébattir.

Aleu

Laying tracks

Our tracks in the powder - mine are the slightly hooked ones due to poor technique!

Ian and I headed for Guzet today.  Although the resort doesn't open until the 13th Dec, we were able to skin up the pistes a couple of times then ski back down through the powder - and very nice it was too.

Ian et moi sommes allé à Guzet aujourd'hui.  Bien que le station de ski n'ouvre que le 13 Decèmbre, nous pouvions monter les pistes sur nos peaux de foq et ensuite nous avons fait une belle descente sur la neige poudreuse - ça va très bien!

Neige encore

Neige

Snowed through the night and again today - a good 6-7 inches. The electricity went off at 2.00 in the morning and didn't come back on until 8.00 this evening. No electricity means no central heating pump and no phone (land line or mobile) so busied myself with painting a new direction sign for Quélébu and Pinsou.

Went exploring during the morning towards Saradaou and took some great photos (which I've just deleted by mistake). The postwoman couldn't get any further than here because of the snow, so in the afternoon I played postman and delivered all the mail further along the road.

The sheep have finally had little option but to eat the hay - something they've been avoiding in favour of bark, leaves and acorns. So a trip on the tractor in the slippery snow was necessary to collect some more from Paul's barn.

Il neige toute la nuit et encore aujourd'hui - entre 15 et 18 cms.  Un coupure de courant entre 2 heures et 20 heures donc pas de pompe de chauffage centrale et pas de téléphone. Je me suis occupé de la peinture d'un nouveau panneau de Quélébu et Pinsou.

Le matin Je suis allé dans le direction de Saradaou et pris des belle photos (mais malheuresment je viens de les annuler par erreur!).  La factrice ne pouvait pas continuer plus loin que chez moi au cause de la neige, donc l'après midi j'ai devenu le facteur.

Enfin les brebris n'ont plus de choix et elles ont dû manger le foin -  bien qu'elles préférent l' écorce, les feuilles et les glans.  Un voyage 'glissant' sur le tracteur a obligé de ramener un peu plus.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

Hunting at the weekend in heavy rain and an icy wind but this time I was moving with the dogs rather than waiting at a post getting cold (at least for the first half of the day).  A good work out in difficult terrain and conditions and two sanglier to divide up.

Today it's snowed most the day with the snow settling above about 900m or so.

À la chasse ce weekend dans un déluge et un vent très froide, sauf cette fois j'allais avec les chiens plutôt que attendant m'geler à la poste (au moins tout d'abord).  Un bon exercise physique dans le terrain difficile et les mauvais temps, de plus il y a deux sangliers a partager.

Aujourd'hui il niege pendant le pluspart du jour avec la neige couche au dessus a peu près 900m.

Clouds

Strange clouds visible early this morning ahead of the stormy weather this evening.

Update

A day at Pont de la Taule painting the external new door which opens from the living room to the patio (installed a few days ago) and three windows destined to be installed upstairs.  

Tomorrow St Gaudens for the last free Suzuki service.

Snow building up nicely - skiing soon.  Most big resorts are partially opening this weekend ahead of the regular opening the weekend after.

Google Chrome

I have been using Google Chrome as my internet browser for the past week or so. It's GREAT but....

There's some problem with Java which still isn't fixed. Despite having the latest version (Java6 U10), Chrome won't open any Java applets on web pages and continually prompts for Java6 U10 to be installed - which it is already. Tried everything posted on the numerous help pages and forums as possible fixes and none work. With out Java working it's a 75% browser. Come on Google - get it sorted.

An odd day

Headed over to Pont de la Taule early this morning to install the windows and doors. I picked up cement from Jason's en route. Then over to Ercé to collect the windows and doors, which according to a phone call on Friday, were ready.  But the joinery shop was closed.  At Pont de la Taule (empty handed) I set-to with the continuing saga of the bathroom doorway.  I removed a few more stones but needed to remove more of the solid rock to get an acro prop in place, but the (incredibly cheap chinese) kango hammer that I recently attempted to repair, wouldn't work.  Refusing to be beaten I transferred my attention to the retaining walls - but after 30 minutes of work I dropped a huge rock on my shin when the end I was holding in my right hand snapped off.  It wasn't my day so I abandoned ship.

On the way home I dropped in on Ian and Nina who have moved into their new home in Soulan.  After a spot of lunch, as I had the trailer, I collected their freezer which hopefully I will part exchange for my smaller one. Back at Quélébu after transferring the freezer contents, it was time to butcher the half deer waiting in the workshop.  I tried a few new cuts - a boneless rolled shoulder joint and a sirloin knuckle.  It's all in the freezer now but am looking forward to some delicious winter game.  It's strange how each animal has its' own very distinct smell when you butcher it.  Something that if you buy your meat from a supermarket or butcher you are entirely unaware of. 

Deer

Yesterday a cold but sunny day with the chasse.  A huge roe deer (chevreuil) passed within 60m of me but at fall speed and through the thick undergrowth - I didn't even have time to shoulder my rifle.

Today I've been digging out some of the paths below the house which have a strong camber, to make using them with the tractor easier.  Heavy work, but a fun time testing them all with the tractor this afternoon. 

Collected some clouded clitocybe mushrooms - one of those species that can make some people sick and with a strong flavour.  As with all new mushrooms I've only tried a couple of slices - not to my liking so they're in the bin.  This evening a knock at the door and the mayor produces half a chevreuil for me.  Apparently the chassers got three today!  I need a bigger freezer.

Gates

A lovely day: clear blue skies and snow on the mountains. Spent it making gates and fences around the barn. These should provide access to the barn for the sheep, whichever field they are in and also provide a way through for the tractor (and any pedestrians using the communal path).

The sheep are bemused by it all

Calendars 2008

Spent last night helping Sandrine (my neighbour) build some blogs to display her 2008 range of Calendars: 'Trees', 'Mont Valier', 'Seascape'.

Sandrine is a photographer and the pictures on the calendars are beautiful. The images in the 'Mont Valier' and the 'Trees' calendars are all taken here in the Ariege, whilst 'Seascape' has collages of photos from Cornwall and Orkney. The calendars always sell-out before christmas, so if you haven't bought all your christmas gifts already, take a look at these beautiful calendars now by clicking the links below...and if you have finished all your christmas gift shopping already, then why not treat yourself!

Trees

Mont Valier

Seascape

Pic de Fonta

Although the weather today was a bit miserable, Sandrine and I ventured upto col de Pause with the aim of climbing Pic de Fonta via the south ridge called Serre Durban. Unfortunately the descent from point 1835m was across very steep wet snow resting precariously on wet gispet grass. Sandrine had forgotten her axe and an unstoppable slip into the Valley d'Aula 1000m below was not worth thinking about. We retraced our steps and after a short circuit around the Cabane d'Areau headed for an early return home.
On route we saw a huge male isard, from the length of his horns, quite old.Yesterday evening I got my first share of game - a piece rump and a leg of sanglier. Tonight sanglier slow cooked in red wine.

Wall Building

Wasn't cold enough last night to keep the snow powdery and today was balmy so opted to start rebuilding the two 2 metre high retaining walls at Pont de la Taule. Found a lovely riven slab of marble so made a little bench seat in the wall as it catches the afternoon sun. Another days' work should see this first wall complete.

I also found a masons' mark with a date of Oct 1813. Probably the age of the house.

Spot the deer

The view from Joubac, Aleu village below in the near distance

Last night Justin, Emily, Ian and Nina came for dinner. A mountain of washing up this morning meant a late start, so a day in the mountains was abandoned in favour of joining the chasse for my first dry day out with them. Once more we were posted high on Joubac only this time the views were spectacular (good for choosing a route in the mountains tomorrow).

Spot the deer ... no neither could I

Alas not a sniff of game for me, but three sanglier (wild boar) were shot lower down in the valley. Tomorrow, in the mountains.

Early this morning...

"Fabrique en France" - This is a consumer warning not a statement of national pride.

"ACME" - Manufacture (mostly in France) poorly designed things that break, no wonder Wylie Coyote never managed to catch Road Runner.

Flood!

I was awoken this morning by a distress flare - the sheep had abandoned ship in life rafts. My hopes of a quick fix to the barn flooding problem hadn't worked after all. In fact the 36 hours of torrential rain have produced exceptional conditions here - even the pond was flooded. Seems I will have to lay drainage outside the barn - a big job. In the meantime I built two large sleeping platforms for the sheep out of wood left over from the woodshed, above the flood level, which will do for the moment.

When the rain abated I took the tractor for a spin, down to Paul's field to collect all the fencing. There are some very steep muddy sections and with the rain it would be a stern test. A huge logging crawler with chains on it's wheels was stuck there for a month in lesser conditions. Although the very worn front tyres (which need replacing) struggled for grip, the little beauty crawled it way slowly up through the mire. A job which used to take half a day of ferrying loads took less than a hour.

With the early snow, people are already ski touring here and providing it stays cold a trip is on the cards.

Apologies for the recent lack of photos - more on their way soon.

Phone Problems

The phone has been out of action for a few days so no posts recently. Yesterday after the final servicing tasks on the tractor, I dewormed the sheep, then two trips collecting a tonne of gravel from St Girons later, I shovelled it into the barn to raise the ground level above the water table - as despite installing some drainage it still floods after very heavy rain - not good for the sheep.

Today another day hunting with the Aleu Chasse. Alas another day of torrential rain and no game. Anyone who knows me or reads my blog will no I'm not someone who can stand still doing nowt for very long - I remain to be convinced by 'chasse en battue' which involves a lot of standing still doing nowt. Ultimately I think I'll be searching for somewhere to go stalking, but for this season at least, I'll stick it out here. The good news is that so far (in spite of the rain) the barn appears dry.

La chasse

My first hunt in France today. A rendezvous at 8.00 at the hunting lodge in Castet d'Aleu to enroll and meet about half of the chassers. A boar and a roe deer were hanging from yesterdays' hunt and after skinning were moved to the cold store. The weather was atrocious - rain then sleet and snow even at Castet 400m lower than Quélébu. We all stayed around the fire chatting as the weather was too bad to venture out. Hunting of wild boar, roe deer and hare is always done as a team here. No stalking. But for my first season it's good to see how it's done here, meet more local people and discover parts of the commune off the beaten track. The season for hunting Isard (chamois) in the high mountains is all but over, so that will have to wait for next year. Many people have commented that with the life I live here and now with me joining 'la chasse' that I have become more french than the French. As if to underline the point when I enrolled I was presented with a beret. An orange one (wearing something orange when hunting is obligatory for safety). In fact the beret is the traditional hat of the south west of france (Gascony) not all of france as is portrayed in the UK. Here it is worn pulled to the front and equal on both sides, not pulled to one side as in the UK and other parts of France.

After an early lunch (11.30) the general mood was to get out and do something and the rain seemed to be easing.

The plan was to hunt on the north side of Joubac a hill of about 1000m altitude. We drove upto the airstrip on top of the hill and were briefly above some of the weather. Four of us were posted on the narrow ridge which drops very steeply at the extreme western end from point 977m. The going was wet and slippery over rocks, through broom, heather and dead bracken. I forgot my camera and gloves. The dogs which flush out the game, I think didn't come close enough to us (there was much debate afterwards) but we saw and heard nothing. At the eastern end someone took a shot at a sanglier and another killed a fox (good news for my chickens). The rain mostly held off but it was 'fresh'. Occasionally the clouds would clear revealing amazing views to the l'Arac ravin far below. After 2-3 hours the chasse was over and two of us descended the steep wooded hillside to the river where we were picked up for a brief reunion at the lodge.

Update

A pretty big hole in the wall of the barn but I manged to fill rebuild it pretty quickly and was done by 2.30.

A fruitless trip to St G to get a new oil and fuel filter for the tractor (I'll have to take the old ones with me and match them tomorrow). Back home to move the sheep and tinker with the electrics on the tractor - all lights, indicators, etc now working.

Fruit cake, blackberry and apple crumble and a rack of pork with roast potatoes cooked in the rayburn and I can relax. Storm outside with gale force winds - first wind in a long time and a test for the garage as it's from the south!

Tractor at last!

My little tractor has arrived at last. It started first time with a charged battery and at the weekend I'll give it a full service (oil change, etc). I would do it tomorrow but the guy installing the septique tank just called to say that having made a hole through the wall of the barn to get the waste pipes into it, there was a bit of 'a colapse' and now there is a big hole. So I need to go and look and do some urgent repairing...sounds ominous.

An exhausting day

Awoke to the 'coup de blanche' (40cm of snow at the Port d'Aula). After checking on the sheep I recovered the electric fence charger from Pauls field and put the battery on charge. As the house was empty of firewood, I sharpened the chainsaw but then realised I was out of petrol and had left the wheelbarrow for transporting the wood at Pont de la Taule.

A trip there, collecting fuel on the way and I arrived to find the special wall climbing digger in place behind the house surrounded by trenches reassembling a scene from the Sombe. On the way back I dropped in on Jason and Grace for a cuppa.

When I got home for lunch, I found a message on the answer phone from the man in St Girons who is going to collect my tractor from Pamiers saying he could collect my tractor after lunch, three days earlier than planned. After a call to Pamiers to make sure the tractor was available and accessible for collection, I decided that having had enough tractor delivery problems to last a lifetime that I would go to Pamiers to see the tractor for the first time and make sure that there were no more problems! This meant leaving immediately - no lunch.

The tractor is lovely and in excellent condition (much better than I had hoped). Unfortunately the battery is flat so I couldn't turn the engine over. Nevertheless we loaded it on the trailer and it is now in St Girons. Tomorrow lunchtime it will be here - over a month since leaving Italy!

By the time I got home it was dark. But the fire is lit and some home grown pork filet has filled my grumbling stomach.

Snow

Up early this morning to head over to Pont de la Taule in the torrential rain to fell the box hedge which was barring access for the wall climbing JCB. Probably needn't have bothered as the rain has been that heavy today I don't think anybody has bothered getting out of bed.

Once finished and after stacking the wood I can use for joinery, I headed for St G in search of a tractor-carrying trailer to hire. Soon discovered that in France one needs a special driving licence to tow a trailer heavier than 550kgs - the idea went down the pan! Went to a garage to see if they would collect the tractor with their breakdown truck, but apparently that too is against the law. Eventually ended up at a vehicle breakers who were happy to put any vehicle on a trailer and move it. Fingers crossed delivery is Friday.

The rain continued and by late afternoon was turning to snow. I moved the sheep to the barn before Jean-Pierre arrived. A 'chasser' from Soulan (the neighbouring commune) he'd found my blog and arranged to meet up. After several whiskies he invited me to dinner with his wife and his brother who's birthday it was. After all the rain and snow I couldn't get the car out of the garage so he gave me a lift. A fun evening in good company and nice to realise that my french comprehension and language skills have come a long way.

About an inch of snow here so far tonight and still snowing.

What a day! Euro.Tra.Ma (Euro Trauma)

This morning after waiting in yet again, in case the tractor delivery company should call, I was trawling the web when I discover that the Italian delivery company Euro.Tra.Ma (should be Euro Trauma) had a UK depot. I called them and spoke to someone helpful who told me that there are in fact two english speaking and several french speaking employees at the Italian office! I immediately got on the phone and although none of the english speakers were available I did manage to talk to someone in french. As with all my communication with Euro.Tra.Ma they were rude, unhelpful and promised to call me back (which of course they didn't). After waiting several hours I called them again and told them I was absolutely pissed off with waiting for my tractor - whereupon they told me they would e-mail me immediately the location of the tractor and I could collect it. Having heard it was only 20km you can imagine how relieved I was. But when the e-mail arrived the address was Pamiers - about 100km away!

I've written them a stinking letter of complaint but given that they are employed by the seller and not by me, I have no contract with them so no route for legal action. Right now I just want my tractor. I'll have to find someone who can hire me a suitable trailer or alternatively I could drive the tractor the 100km - but that's about 6-7 hrs driving and I don't know if I need to service the tractor first - Lynch's film "The Straight Story" springs to mind.

If you ever have the misfortune of coming across Euro.Tra.Ma my advice is give them a wide berth - if you ever want to receive your goods.

Then at 2.00 across to see the contractor installing the septic tank. Having emptied the barn of fertilizer we've discovered it's built on solid rock, so the discharge from the tank can't filter into the soil and will probably just run across the surface onto my neighbours patio! An alternative solution was required and having rejected a cess pit we arrived at a solution which will pump the discharge from the tank up the hill beside the house to filter down through the garden. Only problem is getting a digger up onto this land which involves climbing two 2.5m high walls. We met a man with a special digger. After much chin scratching he decided he could help - tomorrow at 8.00! Only problem is he needed a dozen trees removed. So home I rushed, grabbed the chainsaw and by sunset had managed to take down the offending trees. There are two more big trees to come down but they're not essential for access so they can wait till tomorrow.

Gunsmithing

The gorgeous weather continues here - last night a party at Virginie and Martins' (early Guy Fawkes night fireworks) and met lots of new people - always good. This morning awoke too late for a day in the mountains (despite the clocks going back) so did some autumnal tidying.

The 7 or 8 trees that I had left in field 2 were taken down and logged, repairs were made to the fences and hedges to keep them stock proof and one of the two remaining haycocks was moved to the barn (by hand).

Then some gunsmithing. I stripped the rifle, adjusted the trigger down to a more friendly 3 1/2 pound pull weight, sealed the inside of the wooden stock and made some adjustments to the stock so that the bolt and safety catch didn't bind on it.

Sandrine and Natasha stopped by this evening for a glass a wine (orange juice for 5 year old Natasha!) and to watch the sunset.

Remington Model Seven

My new rifle arrived today though I am still waiting for the scope and mounts which are coming from the UK.

Firstly the gun is not quite what I ordered or thought I ordered. Remington only has an American website/catalogue which illustrates models available in the USA. Try to order any of these in Europe and you're told they are unavailable outside North America. Looking in the Rivolier catalogue (Rivolier seem to function as the french importer) I ordered the Model Seven 'as pictured in your catalogue' - a Model Seven CDL in fact.

Now mine has arrived it appears that Remington Model Sevens for the European market are different.
Different stock altogether - Hogback not straight comb.
Different checkering pattern (very poorly done).
Longer in the forestock, no rosewood end.
No swivel studs fitted ( though the shop supplied and fitted some for free).
The barrel has iron sights already fitted.
The trigger is the older style remington trigger, not the new x-mark pro.
The bolt, receiver and barrel however appear the same.

The stock - nice bit of wood, finish is a bit plastic looking 

The business part - note the hinged floor plate doesn't close snugly.

The fitted iron sights (hopefully they won't interfere with the scope when fitted). Forestock goes to within 6" of the end of the barrel - looks a bit too long, to my eye. Sorry about photo quality should have taken pictures in daylight.

The trigger breaks at 6 1/2 pounds! but actually it is crisp (with no creep or overtravel) so it feels much much less and I might leave it as it is.

Having said all that, it's still a nice rifle for the money - very light, comfortable and manoeuvrable - I just hate not getting what I asked for. The tikka was better finished but it was much more expensive. Anyhow, the proof of the pudding is how it shoots and I'll only find that out when the scope and mounts arrive, I go down the range, zero them in and fire some rounds.

But why do a company as huge as Remington Arms not publish a catalogue or set up a website to tell european customers what they're getting?

You might be interested in what I did to my model seven over the next few years...see here and here.

Snow!

Cold and drizzly yesterday, so no surprise to wake up to this view this morning.

Finally got to the bottom of the tractor delays - apparently my tractor is in a secret location 20km away being held to ransome by the f***ing delivery company who are in some kind of payment dispute with the Italians...and I'm innocently stuck in the middle.

Mid-morning I moved the sheep to another part of Pauls' field (never try moving an electric fence without winding all the wire back onto a drum first - lots of knots and swearing otherwise).

In the afternoon I finished digging the area in front of the house spreading all the manure.

Muck

Works have started on the fosse septique installation at Pont de la Taule with the excavation of the floor of the barn - so I have a huge amount of 20 year old fertilizer arriving at quélébu.
Hurriedly, I've enlarged the vegetable patch by the house to recieve all this fertile waste.

In the afternoon I pressed on with some more mining in the house at Pont de la Taule.

For dinner tonight another 99% home produced meal - lamb chops, cooked with onions, a giant parasol mushroom, a chilli and some apple/mint jelly, served with potatoes and carrots (olive oil wasn't home produced - hence missing 1%).