mercredi 13 juin 2012

A little snow

After the big clear up, a touch of fresh snow on the mountains. Found the time to scythe most the fields, but alas not mend all the fences, that'll have to wait until the next visit in a few weeks time.
A quick visit on Monday night from Rupert, Charlie, Austin and Jason on route to their annual motocross event in Northern Spain.

dimanche 10 juin 2012

Pic des Trois Seigneurs

A quick trip up Trois Seigneurs (2199m) with Dom. Still some neve persisting despite the modest altitude. Good to spend some time with my bestman in the hills.

Soubirou

After the wedding and partying, Susie and I sloped off for a some extra fresh air in the mountains today. Following the ridge up to Pic de la Tese and Soubirou (2277m).
Col de Pause and Mont Valier

samedi 9 juin 2012

wedding no 2

Some photo's from our wedding in Aleu on Tuesday...more soon.

lundi 28 mai 2012

Back to France! Bumped into old friends John and Helen Martin at Bristol airport which was a pleasant surprise as I haven't seen them in 6 years.
Arrived home yesterday to a jungle and after a first pass with the scythe, was invited over to Sandrine's where her birthday party was under way. By 10pm a thunderstorm had rolled in and I so headed for home.

This morning I was up early and headed straight to St Girons only to find out that everything was closed. I had forgotten it is a religious holiday in France today.

On returning home I pressed on with hanging pans, mortar work, door locks and latches, plumbing in and moving the washing machine, then lots of strimming to get the garden growth under control. Danni and Serge came over in the afternoon armed with 2 more strimmers and after 4 hours of all three us strimming the garden was looking under control.

I also managed to squeeze in a quick meeting with Justin at the Mairie in Aleu to discuss plans for the hog roast.

Now I'm making lists 'cos there's still loads to do and not enough time!

jeudi 24 mai 2012

Messing about in canoes and kayaks

Enjoying some lovely weather this week with evening excursions. Out with the Dare's on the River Dart on Tuesday. Back to France soon!

lundi 21 mai 2012

Wedding (No 1)

On Saturday Susie and I got married in Totnes. It was a beautiful and amazing day. Thank-you so much to everyone who came and made it special and extra thanks to mum for the wedding cake and to Dominic my bestman. More photo's later....

For our honeymoon I whisked Susie away to Mevagissey and the Lost Gardens of Heligan.The day goes so quickly, but we get to do it again (get married) in the Pyrenees in a couple of weeks time!!

mardi 15 mai 2012

Bog Trotting

A blustery but bright day today so decided to head out to the moor. From New Waste (North of Ivybridge) I headed to the old tin works and waterfalls at Yealm Steps, then on nearing Yealm Head contoured around to Broadall Head in search of the Rosalie Stone (A granite outcrop with Rosalie carved on it).
Difficult to spot in a moor full of rocks
After 20 minutes of searching I was still unable to find it so pressed on across the barren wastes of bog and tussock grass on Langcombe Hill before dropping down Hortonsford Bottom to reach the upper reaches of the River Erme.
Milkwort hiding in the tussock grass
I followed the River until below Sharp Tor, where I headed West to regain my starting point.

samedi 12 mai 2012

Chicken run

Built Anna a chicken run in the last couple days, as well doing a few other DIY jobs at mum's. The weather here has been pretty crap - more irritating is that back home in the France they've had the hottest May day in 40 years.

lundi 7 mai 2012

Mothercombe

A lovely afternoon at Mothercombe writing out wedding vows and spot of fishing...still no fish!

mardi 1 mai 2012

After the rain

After yesterdays downpour (during which I finished plumbing the bathroom and utility room) today has been glorious. At last we have a front door - time for a big clear up!

dimanche 29 avril 2012

Sirroco

The south wind has been blowing for past 3 days, dumping fine Saharan sand on everything. The warmth has finally started the beech trees to burst in to leaf.

samedi 28 avril 2012

Bathroom 90% plumbed in, freezer in house at last, wood here for constructing the front door and Al has been working on the vegetable patch. Knackered but progress being made.

jeudi 26 avril 2012

Sun at last!

A beautiful day today. Made the doors for the bathroom and finished plasterboarding the utility room before a walk in the sun called! On the way back we collected the ladder from John's and mended the thatch on the barn (damaged by the snow). A strim of the grounds around the house before dinner and now it's time to grout the floor tiles.

mercredi 25 avril 2012

Busy

Cuns d'Aula from the house

Lovely warm south wind today which made for some balmy weather. Lots of progress today, finishing off Ruby's dormer, carcassing and plasterboarding behind the bath and newly assembled WC (plumbing them in is still to do) and tiling the utility room.

mardi 24 avril 2012

France

Back to France and a bit of a monsoon yesterday. Today the weather has been improving though it's still very cold for the time of year. Al's here with me for a week.
Lots of DIY to do, trying to get the house ready for the wedding in about 5 weeks time.

One of La Panchard's sons put his flock of sheep in my fields whilst I was away. I don't mind them grazing the land, but he can't be bothered to move the sheep from field to field or use the gates. Instead he cuts the wires, or un-fixes the wires from the posts and ties them up, or pulls up the fence posts. It's really irritating as he never puts the fences back or repairs the damage he causes. I spent most of today fixing the fences and there's still more to do. He doesn't have a phone so I can't even ring him up to complain.