Provence

Have been visiting Howard and Stella in Provence for the last few days so haven't posted for a while so here's an update.

On Wednesday night there was a tremendous and unforecasted storm (I think it sunk a load of race yachts in the Bay of Biscay). There was no rain just a warm hurricane force wind (which was fortunate as I could go outside in my dressing gown to try and tie things to the ground - like the car!). I was up all night as 100 mph winds tried to rip the roof off the house. The large lime tree by the workshop has a trunk nearly 1 metre diameter, it was bending in the wind...a lot...I thought it would be blown over. As I'm surrounded by forest the noise of the wind through the trees was deafening and the power flickered on and off all night. I consolled myself with the thought that the house has stood for 150-200yrs weathering all sorts of storms...but the new slate roof and the workshop have not! I went out and locked all the window shutters over the windows and weighted down the corrugated iron sheets on the wood pile with loads of tyres (to no avail - I heard the wind pick them up and hurl them down the road).

In the morning the worst of the storm was over and amazingly everything had survived. Healthy trees had lost large branches, several had been blown over (more logs for the winter), a few telegraph poles in the village had been snapped in half and generally there was lots of debris everywhere. I spoke to John who has lived here 7 years and he has never experienced anything like it.

I left the carnage behind and set off for Provence. The 7 1/2 hour drive was awful as for the first 5 hours I travelled with the weakening storm and the Suzuki being high sided with a short wheel base and noisy at the best of times, hates cross winds. My complete lack of sleep didn't help either.

Fortunately, hospitality was waiting at Claviers. Howard and Stella's home in Provence is lovely and as always I was treated to fantastic food, drink and company. The weather in Provence was beautiful the whole time we were there.

On Friday we headed to Theoule-sur-Mer in the bay of Cannes and swam in the Med, before an excellent lunch in a beach side restaurant 'the Marco Polo'. A walk through the Esterel completed a lovely day.

Sheila and Kevin, who were also staying at Howard and Stella's, were excellent company and we all drank and laughed late into the evenings.

On Saturday morning I did some logging to help out, then Kevin and I took off for a tour of the Gorges du Verdon and the Lac de St Croix - my old stomping ground. It was strange to be back after 14 years. I visited Comps sur Artuby, Aiguines, Bauduen and Aups - little has changed really. The gorge was more spectacular than remembered, I should have arranged to stay longer and redone some of the walks I used to lead.

All to soon it was time to leave. Even though I love Provence and it's picturesque villages have an unrivalled charm - it's good to be home in Pyrenees. My heart is definitely here.

Photo's to follow (very slow internet connection tonight).

At last the shed has windows (double click on image to see more detail).



And the field is almost clear.

Sunrise

Was going to go for a walk (well more of a climb) on the arete that straddles France, Andorra and Spain (Baretyes - Medacorba), but a poor nights sleep and an indifferent weather forecast dampened my enthusiasm, so I worked in the field instead. Pity - it was a blisteringly hot and clear day. The sunrise was spectacular (this is the view from the bedroom with no touching up or photoshop enhancing).


Most of the field is now clear, 2 more days should do it, but it was hot work and every hour I had to go and drink a litre and a half of water!

Will probably do the climb tomorrow, as the weather is still supposed to be good, but there will be a strong southerly wind which might make the ridge 'interesting'.

Then off to see Howard and Stella in Provence on Thursday.

Field clearance

At last most of the field is cleared (just 300 sqm of easier stuff to go) but for the first time I can see from one end to the other.

From this jungle...



...to this fertile meadow!





Unfortunately, I managed to snap my scythe 'snath', not surprising after all the abuse it's been getting. I've glued and lashed it whilst I await a replacement.



Went to the local agricultural market in Seix yesterday looking at pigs!! Look at these lovely little porkers.

ADSL at last!

Finally I have a broadband connection here at Quelebu. Please note that I now have a new e-mail address too (the old one seems to be malfunctioning so don't use it).

The new contact is: lee.inglis-sharp@******.fr

****** insert here a 6 letter word - a well known fruit / a colour made by mixing red and yellow / a city in S.E France / national colour of Netherlands.

Chris and Jules

Chris and Jules have now gone home. We were blessed with fantastic weather and climbed a couple of peaks as well as visiting Foix and walking in the area around Quelebu. I haven't laughed so much in ages, particularly Jules' stories about a french girl and cut price bananas and a life model and a donkey, neither of which I can repeat!
A meal in St Girons (fondue) was memorable because it was so awful - fortunately we can laugh about it because Chris paid!

Pica d'estats

Weather forecast for today was good so decided to climb Pic Mauberme. Alarm woke me at 6.00 and I changed my mind and decided to climb Pic d'estats instead. At 3143m (about 10,200ft)its the highest mountain in the Ariege (and Catalonia). Its about 1hr20mins drive away and is usually climbed in two days as there's 2000m of ascent, but an early start and good weather made for rapid progress (4hr30min to the top). Its a fantastic route with ever changing scenery and views. Despite the hot sun much of the rock was still covered with verglas (thin ice) in the morning and all the water was frozen. Some snow on the summit added to the atmosphere. The views were breathtaking and crystal clear in all directions.


The descent was long and the legs were complaining a bit at the end. I'd also taken clothing for colder weather (thinking it would be cold at 10,200ft) but it was a scorcher so long trousers and a helly ensured I was hot and bothered. The crystal clear waters of the numerous lakes was tempting - but the ice floating in them put me off.

It's official...

Back from the UK - the flat let in about 4 hours, MB World is handed over and I now live in France! Weather to day was beautiful and I spent most of it continuing with the field clearance. The brush cutter is too old to get spare parts for so I'm gonna finish the job as I started with just a strong arm and a Austrian Scythe.

Haven't got a pictures of the field so here's one of the living room.


Champignon season is here..today I picked a melange of species - orange red birch bollete, bay bollete, some tawny grisettes and a blusher (close relation of fly agaric). I'm not dead so my identifications were correct.

Roof

Here's the photo of my first slate roof.
Yesterday, Hannah, Saskia and Natasha (John and Sondrine's children) came over and my boardwalk became 'un bateau'. I made them some fishing rods and wooden fish with wire loops so that they could fish for them.

Slated

The bathroom roof is finished (all bar 2 metres of abutment flashing). All done in two days...I don't why I set myself these crazy challenges. Yesterday the old roof was stripped, new insulation installed, new rafters, felt, battens and bargeboards fixed plus an extract fan for the bathroom. Today, the chase for the lead was cut, the wall repointed and all the slates fixed. Today was hot - maybe thirty degrees - and in the morning the slates were in the sun and too hot to pick up without gloves!

Hope to finish the flashings tomorrow morning before leaving for Toulouse and England. Hopefully will have time to post a picture of the finished roof - it looks fine if I say so myself - unfortunately it was dark when I finished this evening so couldn't take any photos.

Slates and Plumbing

Yesterday it absolutely fell out the sky all day - man when it rains here, it really rains. I took the opportunity to finish the plumbing which I had been avoiding for some time.

The work required was to connect the new hot water tank (heated by the Rayburn in winter) to the existing hot water pipework which is fed by the electric hot water cylinder. I also needed to install a couple of gate valves so that only one hot water source is connected at anytime (the rayburn is gravity fed whilst the electric cylinder is mains pressure) and whilst I was at it, replace the last few bits of the original plumbing in the house (all of which is diabolical).

This took until 1.00 in the morning - I HATE PLUMBING.

Actually new plumbing is OK, but I hate trying to repair old plumbing, connecting into old plumbing and French plumbing in general (which is ridiculously over complicated due to hundreds of pipe sizes and different connectors - some with gaskets, some compression, some push fit, some capillary end fee soldered but no 'Yorkshire' fittings.

Anyway its all done now and seems to be holding water.

Today was dry (cue rain outside on the window) so after tidying up and finishing off a few other little DIY jobs in the bathroom, I spent the afternoon in the sun. Watching the clouds chasing across the mountains in their new snowy raiment whilst cutting all the slates for the bathroom roof to size and punching all the nail holes. I've always laid slates bevel side up, but Claude (who strolled over for L'apero) reckons here in the Pyrenees they should be laid the other way up to minimise spalling of the slate surface by ice and snow. Not sure which way to lay them now, but I've punched all 350 slates to lay them bevel side up already, so I guess it's decided.

The usual hour and half of bramble scything before tea and time to blog.

Hedgerow dinner

The rain of yesterday and last nigth was enough to fill the rivers and put the first sprinkling of snow on the mountains. Today it remained dry and I made several trips to St G to get the materials for re-roofing the bathroom (slates, rafters, battens and insulation). Just need a couple of clear dry days to carry out the work.

I forgot to do the food shopping so a walk down the road provided most of the food for tea - Chanterelles, blackberries, apples and grapes. Because this area was farmed long ago, there are still fruit trees dispersed through the woods which is nice addition to the mushrooms and nuts.

Rain

Just a quick note, as some people have wondered if I'm still alive! I am of course and its pissing with rain here today, so I've been pottering about in a slightly damp fashion.

Boardwalk

The shed is now complete with a boardwalk - all I need now is a banjo and that 'in-bred' deep south look! Made a jumbo swing too (just visible in the background).

Really hot again today.

A varied day

View from the bedroom at dawn

Today was perhaps the hottest day of August here. A small fire below Mont Valier some time in the mid morning sent a plume of smoke into the atmosphere which created a gossamer veil of haze around the mountain, very beautiful.

I started early to split most of the logs cut around Philippe’s ruin earlier in the week, but Claude and his son Yves were playing ‘tag team fat chewing’. No sooner had I finished chatting with one of them for about 45 mins than the other would turn up for some more small talk. By 11 the sun was hot and I gave up – only about 2/3rds of the logs split.

I returned to Quelebu and laid the tiles in the shed. The tile adhesive ran out with one tile to go but I managed to improvise with some grout as glue. I erected the structure for a boardwalk around the shed then headed for the field for a little more clearance work.

At 5 it was time to visit Claude for 'l’apero' but first we went to collect some gentians for the roof of the shed (now complete with soil). Susan (his wife) also gave me some succulents for the roof and afterwards I got some heather from the fields below the house.

Tomorrow, as the weather is fine, I’ll complete the traverse of the skyline from the Col de la Core to the Col de Crousous. Then on Saturday I’ll finish the boardwalk and gravel to the perimeter of the roof.

All this was fields when I was a boy

Met a man today who was born in one of the houses at quelebu. He lived there with five other members of his extended family in a tiny house. Now he lives in Aleu but he was telling me how they had to fetch water everyday from the well which is about 200m away and how back then it was still mostly fields (I guess he was in his mid to late fifties).

Talking of fields here is one of mine under clearance...


...and here's the path to get to it.

Cep

Got back from the UK too late for shopping and as food supplies are low I thought I'd go for a quick mushroom hunt for supper. Just a few hundred yards from the house the first mushroom I found was an enormous cep. Wow, dinner sorted.

Had a long lay in this morning - well it is Sunday! Then spent the afternoon beginning to put the soil on the roof of the shed...hmmm this will take several days to complete as I can only lift one bucket of soil at at a time up the ladder.

Watercress Anna - hope you have managed to look at the site. I think I gave you the wrong e-mail address so add a 'comment' to one of the articles on the blog to contact me or telephone. Hope you can make the time to come and stay at Quelebu and give me some advice, would be great to see you. I'll post some pictures of the 'fields' tomorrow.

Le Suisse

The morning began with the task of splitting the logs from yesterday to make them manageable enough to load into the trailer. There were about 30 of them each about a 12”-15” in diameter.

I’ve split plenty of logs for the fire but these were about 3ft long, so this was new territory. Once they’re dry you can cut a three foot log in half for the fire or into three for the rayburn.

I started with the biggest. The felling axe was clearly not the tool to use, so out came the 7lb maul and some steel wedges I’d found when clearing the old shed. After about 15 minutes of axe swinging and wedge hammering I finally managed to split it in half. The remaining logs would take ages, so clearly a different approach was required. I decided splitting these long logs must be like splitting shorter logs only more force would be required, so I picked a medium sized one, stood it on end and took the biggest swing I could at it with the maul, aiming dead centre – crack!! I cleaved it clean in half and the two halves flew apart in opposite directions. Oh the satisfaction. After about an hour all the logs were split and loaded. Excellent exercise too.

At this point Philippe arrived and after unloading the trailer at Quelebu we returned to the ruin and I set to work on the four big ash trees which needed to come down. Each was about 100ft with 16”-18” diameter trunks. As all four grew almost from a single stem and they were situated with a 3 feet foot drop between the west and east sides of the trees they weren’t going to be easy.

The first was awkward to making the felling cut (the last cut that fells the tree) because the second was in the way – but I managed and down it came exactly where I wanted it.

The second had a slight lean but I thought it would go without having to adopt any special felling techniques. At the moment it fell the trunk split for about twenty feet up the tree. This is because of the tension in the timber being released on the upward side of the leaning tree. If the split occurs before the tree falls it can be very hazardous and as control of the falling tree is lost and the trunk can break at almost any height – this is called a ‘barber chair’ in the US.

The third also had a significant lean but I had to fell it slightly away from the direction of lean because of the telephone lines which were just within reach. There is a technique for felling heavy leaning trees to prevent ‘barber chairing’ whereby 2 sink cuts (the wedge shaped cuts that control the direction of fall) are made at 60 degrees to each other and the felling cut completes the equilateral triangle. Unfortunately, I’ve never done this before where the direction of lay needs to be controlled away from the lean. I couldn’t see how it would be possible to exercise any control with this technique so I decide to adopt the normal technique again – but with great caution as I now knew that the tree would ‘barber chair’. As I expected it split just as it fell and although this time the trunk snapped during the fall, about 10 feet up, all was well and it fell more or less where I wanted it a safe distance from the telephone lines.

We stopped for lunch.

The last tree seemed the most straightforward. There were now no other trees in the way and it was almost vertical. There was the slightest of leans towards the nearby ruin perhaps half a degree, if that, but the canopy appeared lob sided enough to easily counteract this. The sink cut was made (the wedge shaped cut that controls the direction the tree falls) and just as I finished the felling cut I heard the normal crack as the tree starts to fall. I removed the chain saw and retreated to the safe zone but just at that moment a freak gust of wind blew and rather than fall in the intended direction the wind blew the tree back the exact opposite way closing the felling cut and leaving the tree inclined in the wrong direction supported purely by the hinge (the bit of tree trunk left in place pivot the tree as it falls). Now here was an almighty problem. The tree was dangerous as it was - cut 90% of the way through - and there was no way I could think to bring it down with the chainsaw except in the direction it was now leaning but that would drop it onto the ruin (which isn’t very ruined at present but would be if the tree fell on it!!). The only solution would be to pull it over but had we enough rope? Philippe and I got all the rope we could find, tied it all together, lassoed the tree high up then tried to pull it over. Not a chance, the tree probably weighed 4 or 5 tonnes. We had another go, this time with the Suzuki pulling but the rope broke. Time for outside help.

Yves (Claude’s son) has a landrover with a winch on the front but he was out. Patrick had some more rope but not enough. John suggested we try Philippe at Biech (he was out and his wife could only lend us some more rope) or ‘Le Suisse’ at La Trape.

John hadn’t been there for a few years but we knew we were at the right place when the gate was guarded by two garden gnomes waving Swiss flags! ‘Le suisse’ looked how you would expect a Swiss woodsman to look (I’ll leave this to your imagination), which is fortunate as that is exactly what he is! After a few questions he agreed to help and fetched his cable and hand winch.

Back at the site he set up the winch about 20 feet away from the tree and exactly under where it should have fallen, then leaning against the tree (my heart was in my mouth at this point - surely it would topple over with him attached) he threw cable around it as high up as he could. Returning to the winch he took up the slack. I couldn’t believe he was going to pull the tree down on top of himself. A couple of ratchet clicks the tree gave out a ‘crack’ and visibly moved back into the position it was in when it was about to fall. Two more clicks and it started to fall as originally planned. Le Suisse watching the tree all the time moved quickly to the side and it crashed down beside him. Applause rang up from the now gathered crowd of neighbours and after much hand shaking and praise from me and it was time for L’apero at John’s house (cold beers all round).

First I returned to look at the stump of the tree and my cuts are absolutely ‘text book’ as I was taught on my course felling course – but there’s more to felling trees than any text book/course can teach you. Today I learnt a huge amount about tree felling. Tomorrow, thankfully the trees are much smaller!

Pic Certescans

9 1/2 hours, 10 1/2 miles and 2150m of ascent (just shy of 7000ft) - Pic Certescans has one of the biggest height gains from the nearest point of access of any Pyrenean peak. I was above the clouds for most of the day and only saw one other person. The views were spectacular but the ascent wasn't particularly interesting. For much of the route there is no path, just hours of picking your way up and down vast boulder fields, only the final few hundred metres of narrow ridge made the day. Still, another of the Ariege 'giants' has been ascended, just Mont Roig to go then I'll start to climb some of the easier peaks with my hard earned fitness!!

Tree felling

After a trip to St G to get the last remaining bits and bobs for the shed plus food shopping, I felled the first of the big trees. Went like a dream, falling in a controlled manner right where I wanted it, despite a bit of lean and a lob sided canopy. The next few are more difficult but I'll do those next week.

In the afternoon I sorted all my tools - a bit anal I know, but finally having everything where I can find it is such a joy.

As it's been far too long since I went into the mountains tomorrow I'm planning on climbing Pic Certescan - a very long approach with a lot of height gain but a mountain I've never been up so I'm looking forward to it and the first R&R for a very long time!

Flood

The drive back from the UK with a trailer load of tools and furniture was pretty awful. Torrential rain all the way to Limoges and had to stop just short of Toulouse for a few hours sleep - 23 hour trip in all.

The shed is now watertight and secure and all my tools are at last out of the house, good to have some space. Just soil on the roof, insulation in the walls and electricity to install. On Tuesday night we had an enormous rain storm and there were quite a few leaks in the house. In fact the bathroom was a deluge and re-roofing it has now jumped to the top of the priority list!

Took a break from the shed works today to help my neighbours friend Philippe clear the land around the ruin he has bought between my house and Pinsou. I felled and logged numerous trees before a long lunch at Pinsou. Barely sratched the surface but have 3 trailer loads of logs and the wood pile is looking healthier. Some big trees to bring down tomorrow.

It's the Aleu fete this weekend and Claude once again will be making the introductions.

Al, thanks for the book on woodland permaculture - it's great.

Et voila

Update

Workshop now watertight, just the larch cladding to do - might get most of it done tomorrow before I leave for UK on wednesday. The loire executions continue, I am now up to 11 and they keep on coming - where from I don't know.

oh the speed of timber frame

Wood arrived on Monday afternoon, spent yesterday cutting it all to length etc to make akit of parts and today up it went. Needed a little help from my neighbours with lifting but the shed is rapidly taking shape. Larch cladding arrives tomorrow should all be watertight in few days time. Went over to John's last night for his birthday and sat around the fire chatting until late. Pier's brother is over from the US and it was good to meet after e-mailing each other re:property in the Ariege.

After 6 loire executions I had my first silent night - bliss!

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?