France

Back to France, snowy and sunny here...19 degrees in the sun but cold in the house as it's been very cold here the last few days. Rayburn alight!

London trip

A trip to London to see Pina Bausch's "Vollermond" at Sadler's Wells Theatre (Susie's birthday present from me). We also went to the National Gallery to escape the cold, wandered around Covent Garden and ate at Jamie's Italian Restaurant (Jamie Oliver's chain of restaurants).

We stopped over with Andy and Emma in East Dulwich, who treated us to an amazing breakfast.

Swine flu

I can't remember the last time I spent a whole day in bed through illness, but this flu virus is really vile and has wiped me out (as it had already to Susie and the kids). Managed to get some fresh air today - and although it's miraculously stopped raining and there's even a glimmer of blue sky, it's still cold and damp.

Rendering

At last some dry weather so I can start rendering and pointing the rear wall in Totnes. Harling coat on.

Influenza

Came home to a household of sickies. Jasper, Ruby and Susie all have a terrible flu virus. Finally after week of nursing they're getting better but now inevitably I'm going down with it : (

Lots of snow

Another 20cm overnight but managed to get away safely to the airport. 420cm lying on the ground at the Port d'Aula weather station and plenty more to come at that altitude (2100m). It's an exceptional snow year.

Storm over time for some sun

Joubac (ski)

As the weather and visibility didn't look promising at Guzet and with so much snow here I decided to make a ski tour from the house. I left ski's on feet and on reaching La Bordasse headed up Joubac. It's a modest 1069m high but there's a good descent and the powder was oh so deep and light! Skinning up for the first time was hard work - breaking trail through deep snow, but subsequent ascents on the same skin track were much easier.

Problems with the ageing GoPro headcam so alas no videos (think I fixed it now).

I made four complete descents, the final one ending up at Serge and Danni's house for a coffee!

No problems with the recently broken foot or remembering how to ski!

Leaving the house skis on feet

Arrival at the summit

The amazing views (note wind sock in photo above, it's a high mountain airstrip in summer)

Nearing the top for descent number four

Still snowing here tonight and more forecast over coming days! An update on works here, Jasper's room complete except for some painting and Ruby's should be in the same state by bedtime. The Utility is now almost finished too.

Still dumping it down

Forecast is now for another day of heavy snow tomorrow (Saturday)...we're close to 4m at 2100m in the Couserans which is more than I can ever remember having here. Spring touring looking very promising.

Visibility looking very poor at Guzet tomorrow so a plan is forming to make a ski tour from the front door : )

Snow update

A lull this afternoon before the next 36 hour storm hits. A couple of feet everywhere and now a cool 3.6m at 2100m. I put on the snowshoes to visit John and Sandrine and take a quick wander.

 Where did the road go?

 The barn

As the snowplough didn't come until 4.00pm escape was impossible so I've also pressed on with progressing Jasper and Ruby's bedrooms and sanding the beams in the kitchen. Getting to Pont to complete some minor works there and replacing the car's kingpin bearings is looking less and less likely, as more heavy snow is forecast for tonight and tomorrow.

Ice station zebra

snow encrusted windows

 Well over the wellies

Strong winds and more snow overnight. Drifting has coated everything with snow even the windows!

Winter at Quélébu - happy days!!

Back to monochrome

Snow gone - for a day at least

After a wasted trip to St Girons to sign some documents at the notaire's that weren't ready, I made the most of the dry weather this afternoon. Clearing up branches, boughs and a couple of fallen willow trees in the fields, repairing fences, hopefully mending a small leak where the old house and new extension roof join and mending a broken slate from last winter, where a chunk of ice fell from the ridge onto the dormer roof.

After heavy snow I love the way the fields look "neat". All the mole hills and vegetation has been squashed flat.

Rain then snow due tomorrow, then snow off and on until at least Monday. Hope to get a ski in sometime this week.

Update: 10.00 pm and already snowing hard!

Landed!

Mild on arrival with the snow here melting fast, but temperatures quickly dropped at sunset and more snow on the way Wednesday! Rayburn stoked to get the house warm.

Coast walk

After a rushed MOT on the car this morning (all well), Dom, Susie and I made the most of some rare sun. It's a consequence of the high pressure system that is currently dumping more snow on the Pyrenees (where I'll be on Monday).

Cold in the icy breeze but good to see the sun. We also saw a huge seal, but alas he decided to dive when I reached for the camera.

A 25m high navigation tower

Snow

With a 4.75m (15 feet) thickness of snow on the ground at the Cauterets ski station (Pyrenees), it currently has the greatest snow depth of any resort in Europe and second greatest in the world. Of course there are resorts in the US that sometimes have more than this...but right now here is where it's at! Shame the avalanche risk is still so high.

http://midi-pyrenees.france3.fr/2013/01/29/cauterets-station-la-plus-enneigee-d-europe-189915.html

New sofas

Sometimes you just have to be in the right place at the right time. These two top quality sofas (second hand but immaculate condition) had to go...£50 each! I took them without a second thought. They're probably around £2000 each new. Fantastically well made.

Only problem was getting them up the stairs. After removing the balustrade they still wouldn't go. So through the first floor window was the only option - a bit scary but in the end it all went smoothly.

Up on the telescopic lift...what do you know it's raining (now there's a surprise!)

Moor snow

Touching the bruise

Latest performance of Susie's extraordinarily powerful yet beautiful piece "Touching the Bruise" last night at the Cygnet Theatre, Exeter. Danced perfectly by her dancers, Suzie, Sarah, Amelia and Roseanna. Another performance tomorrow.

Another 6 inches of snow last night - up early to try to finish as much as possible here...plastering progressing well!

Late update: A thaw today, then this evening heavy rain. At about 10pm it quickly turned to snow which is falling thick and fast!!

More snow (yawn)

Electricity has been off for most of the day, so had to rely on the just the fire to keep warm. The snow stopped mid-morning and there's been a slight thaw.

Without power I pressed on with jobs requiring hand tools only -  progressing the utility room and preparing our bedroom for plastering (removing the old lambris that has been there since I moved in).

Still snowing!!

The snow is dumping it down harder than ever this morning (perhaps another 20cm last night) but no sign of the wind yet. The electricity has flicked off a few times this morning. Normally we'd be without, as every year heavy snow would mean trees falling across the power lines below the village. This summer at great expense the line from Aleu to Biert was put underground. Unfortunately between Aleu and Pinsou is still above ground and  from Quelebu to the transformer at Pinsou is still through the forest. 

If the electricity goes off the main problem is that the central heating pump stops on the rayburn and there's precious little gravity circulation on my system. Every winter I say I must get an inverter so I can run the pump off a 12V battery and every summer I forget!

There was talk of skiing today at Guzet with Ian and Jason - but with the quantities of snow and the approaching blizzard I can't see that being sensible, even if it was possible to get to Guzet.