Every time we 'go home' we have the most amazing time - although we work hard, we get time to play in the evenings and meet up with existing friends or make new ones.
I've spoken before of Michel who helps us. He never fails and always helps in what ever way he can, whether its acting as a translator for those meetings with the builder which have involved discussions with technical terms, or whether it be that he cuts the grass for us with his scythe to make our life easier. It can take him up to two days to get the better of the grass and weeds!! Now we have some more friends - Annie who owns the Chateau at Veauce, an amazing lady with so much vitality and Denis who is our newest friend - the bar man. So much personality - he's perfect for the job. You can learn a trade, but if you have no personality, its something you cannot be taught!
Another two week stint trying to achieve as much as possible in very little time and we feel very pleased with ourselves to have achieved the re-pointing of the front of the house and some of the side/Bread Oven. What we decided to do was work on those bits which were most vulnerable to damage over the winter, so whilst Simon pointed up the front (having to re-bed many stones) I started work on a large crack at the side. Where the existing render was still intact, we decided to leave it as it will protect the wall until next years trip when we will 'crack on' again. After several days, we were doing well - especially when on Saturday 10th, a neighbour came to tell us that he had heard that we were in the hottest part of France that day at 34 degrees. Simon and I knew it was hot and were struggling to move with any kind of speed - the mortar was drying really fast, including drying in the cement mixer!
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| The Bread Oven before and after the joint attention of Angela and Simon |
We have also now managed to acquire the land which we had been discussing with a neighbour for the last 12 months. The deed was signed on Saturday morning of the 17th which was a feat in itself, as the Geometre and the Notaire had to do their work in double quick time, so that we could pay for the land before we left on the following Monday.
M et Mme Benchereau were very happy to have finalised the sale and invited us to their home for an 'aperatif' or two, or three......
We had some lovely and impromptu meals out - One evening, Simon decided he was hungry and couldn't wait for me to cook, so we should get a pizza from Ebreuil. When we arrived, we found that it was closed as it has been sold.
Luckily a young girl had spoken to us as we walked towards the pizza shop and she asked if we were looking for somewhere to eat. She recommended somewhere that she had worked over the summer and had been under new Management. Simon, George (he was on his third visit to France) and I went to the Restaurant and asking for a table for two, I mentioned that we had a dog with us. The lovely thing about France I feel, is that animals are permitted (as long as they are behaving themselves, obviously!)
We had a lovely meal, and the waiter also brought an 'aperatif' for George, which was lovely of him. George was definitely thirsty!
Our meal was lovely and we recommended the Hirondelle to Annie & Michel who visited a few nights later.
We then went to a lovely restaurant in Lalizolle who specialise in Moules frittes - unfortunately, I'm not a fan of Moules and the owners were good enough to prepare something especially for me. It was a lovely evening, and it was really good to see Annie able to relax and just socialise. - Again, George was permitted.
The last occasion, was on the Sunday lunchtime, the day before we were due to return to UK. I had packed up most of our things, but expecting to cook later in the day, I couldn't completely pack - Simon had been working all morning (by this time, I had wrecked my knee by twisting it on the ladder and so was sitting in the sun resting. The first time either of us had stopped for two weeks) and he decided we should go out for lunch, so that we didnt have to cook later.
Brilliant idea, so we decided to go to Charroux, the Medievil Village only a few km from our house which is very pretty and has cobbled narrow streets in the centre. Approaching the bar, we asked for a table for two pointing out that again, George was in attendance - pas de problem........ We had a lovely lunch surrounded by a room full of local families and French visitors to Charroux. The meal was simple but delicious and the pudding was amazing.....! Well recommended.
We're now just waiting to hear from M. Mazeau with the prices of some work which he will be carrying out for us and Simon and I are feeling much more comfortable with where we are now. We are still behind on where we should be ( thanks to he who now will not be named - what goes around comes around and much good may our money do you James!!) but we are at last going in the right direction and we have people around us in France who are trying to help us achieve our goal.
