Pictures

Couldn't get my pictures to load yesterday, so here is the patio.

I am always amazed by the diversity of insects. There are so many here and I get frustrated when I can't find the beetle or fly that I can see in my comprehensive guidebook. But then I read the intro and it says there are over 2,500 species of longhorn beetle or over 4000 species of horse fly! Perhaps I should get a bigger guidebook or start collecting all the insects I find - who knows perhaps I've discovered a new one?

Leaving early tomorrow for UK, hoping to order windows and doors in Pamiers en route.

General Stuff

Now upto 6 loire executions...is there any end? The roof space over the dormer seems particularly popular at night and there's definitely one more still up there up there (7?). So I opened it up today and found...a complete leather horses bridal/reins! Did the loires drag it there? It weighs a few kilos so maybe a team effort was required. Or did someone build it into the roofspace? Either way given the loires penchant for leather (kinky?) - they ate my glacier glasses leather side shields when I first moved in - I'm hoping that now thats gone that they leave me in peace...hmmm fat chance.

Yesterday I explored some more of my immediate area walking into the next valley with surprising views towards Massat and Les Trois Seigners - got caught in a thunderstorm on the way back in only my shorts and vest, but it was refreshing and I soon dried off.

Have started building the last terrace (see photo). The firewood pile (inadeqauate for the winter by the look of everyone elses) was moved to be behind the house to make way. Some excavation beside the lean-to uncovered a proper storm water drainage system which like the one to the main house had been abandoned by the previous owner in favour of flower beds! Everything is now connected to soak away or septic tank.

Philippe my neighbour gave me his old pages jaune, which is really useful as it has maps of all the towns and of course all the essential where to find stuff! Off to UK again on Thursday and Phillipe and Celine are also off to a Salsa festival in Gers.

Concrete anyone?

Another loire dispatched last night (it's the kindest way - a single shot and it's all over) though there is still at least another one at large. Do they breed faster than I can kill them? Over slept, then awoke to a cool overcast day - my chance to mix the concrete and cast the slab. A hurried trip to John and the cement mixer was mine. 8 hours of hard toil later and the job's done. Can relax now until the timber arrives a week on Monday. Can finish the painting and go for some walks...Phew!

Quele-blue

Here it is...the finished path and patio and most of the windows and shutters in the new fetching blue. Was unbelievably hot today and was glad to finish by 1.00. Only had to step outside to burst into a drenching sweat. Went to see John this afternoon and sort out borrowing the cement mixer - though I'll think I'll wait until a cooler day, the thought of mixing two tonnes of concrete in this weather is not a good one.

Salamander

For those shocked by a picture of a dead mammal (vermin) here's a cute cuddly reptile - a salamander to be precise which I spotted today during patio building. Looks like a regular lizard in a very thick wet suit! Works not quite finished yet despite my best efforts, so a photo tomorrow.

It's hard to get out of the UK work ethic of everything being finished yesterday. 2.00pm, 40 degrees and I'm still slaving away with sweat dripping from my brow, any sane human being would be taking a siesta! Still, the necessary works are progressing quickly which can only mean more time to relax in the cooler autumn. Found out that there is an area of climbing only 50 mins walk from the house - will check it out later in the week.

Loire-loire killed in gangland shooting

Sand and gravel finally arrived today, 4 days late but never mind. Meantime I have finished the sub-base of the workshop, met the mayor who is going to tell the owner of the ruin to demolish it or sell it (I hope the latter, to me), prepared the sub-base of the path and patio around the house and painted most of the shutters and windows blue (photos tomorrow). Two of the loires are dead (drive by shooting) but at least one more remains at large...it's days are numbered!

Big thunderstorm this afternoon which cleared the air.

Update

Weather a little cooler today and after the usual fruitless trips to St Girons finally managed to find someone who can deliver aggregate and sand for the workshop floor. It seems a rule in France that no-one can sell you more than 75% of the things you need. Builders Merchants can sell me DPM, insulation, timber and cement but not aggregate!

The raised beds (of weeds) around the house have gone and the storm water drainage unblocked and reconnected. Sub base for the workshop is progressing well and should be ready to pour the slab early next week when I get back from the UK. Unfortunately I'll be missing Bastille day celebrations and the Tour de France which passes through St Giron on its way to Carcasonne.

Thanks for the card mum, arrived today.

Mont Valier

Today I decided to go for a walk in the mountains, the weather was set fair and after all I promised myself one walk a week. Where better to start than Mont Valier the mountain that dominates the view from Quelebu. I’ve climbed it several times usually over two days but there are many routes I haven’t tried yet. As I have to get my fitness back I thought I’d start with something tough! A long approach via the Port d’Aula (briefly into Spain) a traverse of Pic Pale, Petit Valier and Mont Valier, before returning over Petit Valier to descend via the Couloir Peyre Blanc. In all 8 hours of walking and about 6600ft of ascent. Tough it was, especially the descent, but the views were spectacular and it was good to stretch the legs

If you go down to the woods today...

A bear was spotted crossing the road in Castet d'Aleu a few days ago. Just a mile or so away and certainly less remote and further from 'bear country' than Quelebu.

I was wandering through the woods at twilight wondering why all the paths stay clear when no-one walks them except me. Now I know! Being attacked by a bear is no picnic.

Going, going, gone

Has taken two days but the old shed is now gone. Composed of more nails than wood, it was surprising robust. After the walls had gone I had a problem getting the roof down as it was supported by 6 tree trucks planted firmly in the ground. After plenty of excavation I still couldn't get it to fall over. I thought of using the chainsaw, but there was a good chance it might fall on top of me!

Enter the Suzuki! Engage low ratio 4WD attach a tow rope and hey presto - demolition derby. Clearing up the mess is proving harder work.

Last night the loire (edible dormouse) returned. I took a pot shot at it and missed so in revenge it ate my sunglasses! Not interested in food just expensive luxury goods. Perhaps tonight I will have the upper hand!

Rained this morning so made some cushions for the window seats and went for a walk.

Je suis arrive

Another 21 hour epic in the suzuki, left the UK at 6.00am and arrived at quelebu 3am. The unbearable heat and noise of the journey were a killer, traffic in Paris was gridlocked and the cockpit temparature was 45 degrees centigrade...no wonder people die in the Paris heatwaves!

Hot and humid here and all my efforts to clear the field last spring are now laid to waste, the vegetation is 6 feet high! Scythed the front garden and unpacked the first car load of stuff. Tomorrow will start clearing the old shed of rubbish in readiness for the demolition.

Al's here and work is over

Yippee my last day at work is finished... free at last. Al me old mucker is here, so we're catching up and eating barbeques tuna burgers.

Climbing Again

A few trips with Paul to a new climbing venue "Fairy Quarry" in the evenings and I 'm feeling on form again. First lead for nearly a year was HS then a VS with a cracking hand traverse before attempting an E1 on sight. Frustratingly got within 6 feet of the top but couldn't crack the last move, evidently a very wide stretch for a hidden crimp. An abseil in the dark eventually saw us safely down.

An early start was required the following morning for a very long day in Belfast and by the evening I could feel the stiffness in my shoulders and calves not helped by inactivity on the flight.

Out of the office most of this week, then just 5 work days to go until I start the Pyrenees Adventure for real! Annoyingly I have to continue to commute to London one day a fortnight until early October to complete one of my projects.

Getting ready for the life style change

My stressed out, sedentary existance of the last few months is coming to an end shortly (in 4 weeks to be precise) so I've decided to try and cushion the shock. I've started running and cycling again to augment my regular trips to the gym. It's been a while since I was on the bike so I decided to cycle the 40-50 mile round trip to the Bath and West Agricultural Show. I new it was hilly crossing the mendips but it's amazing how in a car you just don't notice the hills. Getting there was fine but coming back on an even more hilly route, on an empty stomach and in the hot weather totally goosed me! Had to stop in at Paul and Tracy's en route for sustanance.

The show was a bit disappointing. Was hoping to reasearch pigs, chickens, tractors, tools, etc. But it wasn't much help and the £18 entrance fee was a bit steep. Bumped into celebrity chef Gordon Ramsey - he's taller than I imagined (or perhaps I'm shorter?). Managed to find a waxed jacket for £30 which will do for the winter and save wear and tear on the gortex mountaineering gear which I tend to wear 'cos I haven't got anything else that's waterproof.

MP3

After resisting the inevitable for years I finally bought an MP3 player...ummed and ahhed about it, wasn't sure why I needed one, but eventually convinced myself that it might be useful to have my entire music collection in the car with me when I'm driving to and from Quelebu - listening to the same half dozen tapes for 20 hours can be mind blowingly dull.

I bought a 4Gb Samsung - same size as an ipod nano but twice the battery life (35 hours), a bigger screen and it doesn't get all scratched up. Worked straight out of the box and wow I'm sold on it all ready. Took an afternoon to load ALL my music and there's still some space. Put it on random play, put some comfy headphones on my head and wow I'm in heaven. I think I'm going to rediscover my music collection all over again.

visiting old friends

In oxford having lunch with frank and sophie

A day out

Last day before the drive home and the weather looked set fair. An early start and I set out to climb part of the skyline from my house (see photo in the earlier post).

The stiff height gain and poor snow hampered my ambitious plan. I managed 5 peaks in wintry conditions under foot until it was time to start back. A long sitting glissade (bumslide) allowed me to lose height rapidly before much wading through knee deep and sometimes waist deep snow allowed me to reach GR10 and an easier walk back to the car. An avalanche in the forest a few metres ahead of me added to the excitment. It took the form af a 2 minute bombardment of ice balls the size of tennis balls in the forest - quite bizarre.

Update

Yesterday was hot and sunny and at lunchtime I went for l’apero with my neighbours Phillip and Celine. I busked jazz and blues on the guitar whilst Phillip drummed on his African bongos! They drank whiskey and orange(!), I preferred Pastis as we thumbed through their winter holiday photos of Madagaskar.

Today it rained for most of the day. First thing I set to work repairing the scythe. After the heroics of a couple of days ago the blade was toothless and cracked – my own fault for making the blade too keen. Lots of filing and honing and it was good as new, only this time a bit more robust – more axe less scalpel.

Next I finished off what I could of the plumbing. With so many sizes of pipe here in France I missed a few connections so frustratingly can’t finish the installation. Still the cylinder is now installed (required dismantling of the bedroom cupboards to get it into place) and the back boiler and pump are water tested. Connecting the domestic hot water to allow electric immersion in summer and Rayburn in winter is going to be a challenge unless I use the same cylinder for both – possible but the pressure in the shower might be reduced if I do…a test will be required.

When the rain stopped (5.00) I tried out the scythe, clearing a considerable area without any blade damage. I found a 30 foot oak tree under the brambles. I kid you not! I kinda guessed there was something under the 30 foot mound of briar by all the mistletoe. Two piles of cut undergrowth the size of a house each now need to be burned. As the ground is wet I think it’ll be safe.

As the clouds lifted to their natural level of about 2500 ft amazing cloud formations reminiscent of an early Spielberg film occurred overhead. A well earned beer at dusk listening to the woodpeckers, cuckoos and owls ended a pleasingly productive day.

Land Clearance

A good night's sleep and the day dawns bright and sunny (slight frost last night). I sharpen the scythe and recommence the ongoing saga of clearing the first of my fields. It's got 60 years of tangled brambles and saplings on it. Some of the brambles have achieved tree status and the whole mat of undergrowth is about 4 feet thick. I attack with scythe and bill hook. It feels as futile as trying to cut your way through miles of razor wire with a bread knife. Arrogantly I wear shorts - my legs now look like 'death by a thousand cuts'. Progress is slow - about 10 -20 sqm a day - but I've done maybe a third of the field now over the past few visits so I'm getting there.

Of course there are easier ways - I could buy a brush cutter but I don't fancy the noise (though I'm beginning to think who cares?) then there's 'Slash and Burn' but I'm surrounded by 1000 sq miles of tinder dry forest - do I want to be idiot who lit a fire and burned down the South of France? Once its cleared, I can fence it and gets some pigs to finish off the job of stopping the regrowth, fertilising and digging. Oh well another few weeks of scything and it'll all be over.

Tomorrow some time in the mountains weather permitting.

Rayburn unloading

I arrive at 3.00 and get to work straight away dismantling the efel cooker, like the rayburn it doesn't really break down and weighs an absolute tonne but using the scaffold pole rollers and some planks, plus my felling lever (a sort of giant crowbar to help fell trees) I manage to get it out the door. I back the trailer down the steep bank to the door (thank heavens for 4 wheel drive). It looks a difficult job getting the rayburn out of the trailer. I elect to 'phone a friend'. I call John and Sandrine but they have visitors so promise to pop over tomorrow. Philip and Celine are away. Hmmm... I 'ask the audience' what should I do? Oh well lets give it go!

Wow the wonder of mechanics - levers, rollers, mechanical advantage, gravity - I manage to unload and install single handed. Not only that, but the whole process is achieved so effortlessly and with such style - I was reminded of one of those elephants in a circus which does amazing feats of balance. The 380 kgs of cast iron gliding effortlessly from it lofty perch in the trailer, through the front door and into the kitchen! Currently its sitting straight on the floor but I think it needs a couple of paving slabs under, it as it feels a little low. The mark around it on the floor is where the efel used to sit - need to clean and revarnish.

Ariege bound

Wednesday, the trailer is loaded with aga and I'm fretting 'cos the new combination water cylinder I've ordered and the boot door handle for the car (which broke so now I can't get in the back) haven't arrived. After lunch the cylinder arrives but will it fit in the car? I dismantle the back of the car to get the boot door open. I've already taken the front seat out to allow the cylinder to 'ride shotgun' the full length of the car (like some huge missile - only lime coloured -I didn't choose the colour of the insulation foam) but try as I might the cylinder is always 2" too long. Oh well - I tie the door up and resign myself to the 1000 mile driver with the boot open - I hope it doesn't rain!

As usual I do the drive in a single push 18 hours door to door including 1 hour nap and some shopping in St Girons. The Suzuki pulls the trailer well and even gets up to 70 mph down some hills. Driving with the door open makes it chilly at night, a little noisy, but far worse is the squeaking of the cylinder insulation as it rubs on the rear door which drives me to dispair - worse still I leave all my tape cassettes in the glove box which is wedged shut against the cylinder, so I have to do the drive listening to 'Coldplay' over and over again as it's the only tape in the car stereo.

Weather is beautiful - time to unpack.

Easter climbs

After overdosing on 'TV mountain' I need to get back on snow, ice and rock. As is usual in these circumstances (with me anyway) the axes and crampons came out the cupboard to be sharpened, a few guide books were leafed through and telephone calls made to find an accomplice. My Easter trip to Quelebu is not far away and it's usually a good time of year to climb couloir routes...maybe Couloir Faustin (AD, Mont Valier) or Couloir Tartereau (AD, Pic du Mauberme) or the Central Couloir de Pic Crabere or maybe something steeper - I spotted a great looking couloir/chimney on the Estagnous side of Petite Valier which I don't think has been climbed.

And the Aga Saga (OK Rayburn saga)...all works completed - looks like new, I'm just waiting on a couple of small spare parts to arrive and it's ready to wrap for transportation.

Hello software from Google - useless!

"hello" software is a bunch of crap. Everytime I try to use it to post to my blog, I get a message saying " a hello embedded error has occurred". I went on the Hello on line help to find hundreds of people with the same problem, going back over 12 months. Any solutions from the wizards at google? you bet not - they don't seem to give a shit. As long as people keep downloading the software and the share price is up who cares if it doesn't work.

TV mountain

A friend sent me this great link to a web site with numerous short alpine mountainering videos to download. Watch 'Traversee Grands Jorasses' now isn't that what living is all about?
Here's the link... tv mountain

Bertie

I read on mostly nonsense about an encounter with a spider which made think of Bertie who lives beside my toilet. Here he is...
He's from Peru, big, bad and ugly. I've never been fond of spiders, in fact you could say I was scared of them. I thought having a big spider beside me on the loo would immunise me against the fear and I have to say it's worked a treat. OK I won't go and pick one up but I'm reasonably relaxed with them in the room. However, if its bedtime and there's a big one in the bedroom, well one of us has to go and it ain't me!

Earplugs please!

The Faculty of Building dinners...they happen every few months in Bristol and attract the good, the bad and the ugly, from the building professions in the West...contractors, engineers, quantity survetors, architects, etc. I generally avoid them like the plague but went to one last Friday. Lots of people seem to thrive on it, you see them holding court - glad handing everyone in sight.
True, they are quite useful 'networking' events but I find the 'mass dining/socialising' thing so tiresome. Too many (boring) people crammed in a room - the temperature rises, the noise level increases - you have to shout at the person sitting/standing next to you to hold a conversation, whats the point?

This goes for most (city) pubs and bars in the UK too. I went out last weekend with some friends to a bar. The atmosphere was fine, the pub full but not overflowing. Then the barman cranked up the music, 'cos it was Saturday night. Soon everyone was having to shout to be heard...it's the same in the all the pubs here...but why? Don't people want to engage with each other any more?

The Rayburn Saga

Another birthday over - barely saw it come or go. Got up at the crack of dawn to travel the 560 miles round trip to collect the Rayburn. All went well for the first 3 hours then when I was just 10 miles from the first stop - to collect the trailer on which to carry the Rayburn - I hit a traffic jam on the motorway...2 hours later...the traffic started to move. So frustrating as I was only 200yds past an exit. Trailer collected, I pressed on finally arriving at the agreed collection point in Llandudno at 1.30. The Rayburn at first glance wasn't in as good condition as I had hoped but this wasn't helped by the fact that it was filthy - don't think it has been cleaned for 5 years. The sellers didn't even empty the ash from the fire box! They had already managed to get it out of the house and into the street when I arrived, so we only had to get it into the trailer. This wasn't too difficult even though there were only three of us. We rolled it on some scaffold poles then pushed it up a ramp. In fact two of us barely did anything, as the third guy seemed content to do all the lifting and grunting - it's amazingly heavy don't kow how he managed. Everything was a bit top heavy on the trailer and at first I was gingerly cornering at about 5 miles an hour with one eye on the mirror (expecting the load to topple over into the path of the long queue of cars behind me) . But eventually my confidence increased and I was speeding down the motorway at 60 miles an hour (for my little jeep thats fast!). It was a 14 hour round trip and I was glad to get home. The trailer is now in friend's garage with the Rayburn still strapped to it, waiting for my next trip to the Pyrenees (Easter and the following week). Failed miserably to get any photos for the blogsite but I'm sure there'll be some news to post soon.
I spent the following afternoon cleaning the Rayburn doors. These are removable and 'cos it's so dirty I've had to break them down into their numerous component parts, scrub them, then reassemble. Took all afternoon but it looks new and shiny now, so am feeling happier about the purchase. Still got the main body, top and lids to clean. The side panels need refinishing/replacing. Looked at cost of new (£250!) but I figure a car body repair place will probably respray them for less than £100. A lot of work, but I enjoy it. Frustratingly, the french gov has just approved the Rayburn as an efficient wood burner and are offering a 50% rebate if you buy a new one and install it in a french property. All told (trailer, transport, spares, ferry) my second hand one will end up being the same price. But it'll have bags more significance 'cos of the effort and adventure of transporting and restoring it. I don't need many things, but I like everything around me to have a story! Of course this is just the beginning of the Rayburn's story! Still got the 1000 miles of towing to the Pyrenees, unloading, removing the old range, installation, changing the central heating to suit, reconnecting the chimney, etc.

E-bay purchase

Finally I've found and purchased a solid fuel rayburn for the cottage. I've got to collect it from North Wales then transport it the 1000+ miles to the Pyrenees - not easy when it weighs in at 380kg and doesn't come apart! The existing efel range at the cottage is OK for heating but lousy at cooking plus it's ugly and badly corroded. To get the oven hot enough to roast necessitates boiling the water in the central heating with explosive consequences! In contrast rayburns are a joy to cook on and will provide hot water as well as central heating in the winter. The hunt is on for a 1/2 tonne trailer, some scaffold poles and plenty of spinach!

Mont Valier 26 Feb

...and here's the view from the front door

Not exactly news...

Well here it is! My new pyrenean mountain home (taken a few weeks ago on a short ski trip).