The Art of Positive Thinking!

We're gearing up for our next trip over.

The plan is for more pointing, but also now have appointments with four different trades so that we can push the work forwards.  Each little bit of good news (just a response from the contractor) lifts our spirits and now I begin to feel that this is not just a dream but will become a reality.

My latest epiphany was regarding the entrance/driveway.  Simon likes Pink Lady apples, which are enourmously expensive and seeing as the ground there is so fertile and we have fig trees, apricot trees and there was a pear tree (but it died!) I dont think it would be too much of a stretch to grow a pink lady apple tree. 

Whilst I was awake in the night a few nights ago (I do that a lot.....think about the house and our plans in the small hours) it came to me that rather than just have a boring rectangle of space as a 'homage' to the car for parking, why not plant an apple tree in a raised bed in the middle of the space, with a lovely wall which will reflect the stone of the house/barn and the well and then the car/s can come in and progress around the right hand side (as we're in France) park along what was the old boundary between our land and our new land, and then they can continue around the circle to exit! 

Once the wall has been built on our boundary between us and Dominique, then the aspect of the house will turn around all together.

Simon and I have talked about having a water feature in this area (which will then become a courtyard) as this will provide white noise.  So then we thought that it would be nice if the water feature was actually part of the wall.

We just need to get things to move forward this year.........I need to turn into a terrier and keep nipping people heals!!

This isnt where the positive thinking ends tho!  I also have plans for my chickens.  Not just 'chickens' either.  I want to choose the chickens for the colour of the shell of their eggs as well as many other considerations!  When we have people staying, especially those with children, how lovely would it be for them to go on their 'egg hunt' and find different coloured egg shells??

News from Home

The news is that the cold spell we had from Siberia caused lots of burst pipes in the village and at the Chateau.  The Mairie emailed us and asked if anyone had a key so that they might go and check on our house for any leaks - how kind of them.  Luckily, (or unluckily depending on the circumstances) we only have a branchement at the moment, so the water does not come into the house.  If there had been a leak there, it would have caused havoc for the neighbours, turning the space outside their house into a skating rink, so I think we would know about it, if that had happened.

Michel (of whom I have spoken numerous times in these blogs) called us to tell us about the bursts pipes at the Chateau and in his house.  He also went to Charroux for us to see if he could speak with M. Mazeau and find out why he hasnt responded to our emails requesting Devis' for work we have discussed.  He was quite disappointed to hear that we have not heard anything from the builder since September last year.  C'est la vie!  We'll look for another route!

We're on a count down now until we go home - for three weeks this time which will be bliss even if we will be working hard.

We have made a pact though that we will not work on Sunday's!

We need to contact M Faure, who has a Devis with us to install a Fosse.  Now we have the additional land, access for his machinery will be easier, so we need him to come and have a look and confirm a date for him to start work.

We are going to a Menuiserie in the next village whilst we are there too.  We need a very large patio door making and I think they need to come and have a look at what we want. 

We hope to be seeing Bernard and his wife again whilst we are there.  Simon and I owe Bernard some very generous hospitality!!  Hopefully, I wont want to be site foreman again next day - I have suggested to Simon that we see them on Saturday night, so that if we are a little lethargic on the Sunday, it wont matter!!