Life in France

I dont have any new pictures at the mo, but when I get back to the UK , my blog will be soooooo long with the epic story!!

The latest from the home front

Well - what an epic adventure....... We left Plymouth on the 22:00 sailing for Roscoff on the 19th April.  Arrived early Tuesday morning and then hot-footed our way across France (See the maps link above for the route).  It was sooooo easy.  All motorway and fantastically well sign posted.  We reached the house about 4pm Tuesday evening.  We pitched a 4 man tent in the house (thanks to the kindness of Jo & Drew who trusted us with one of theirs.)  Blew up the air beds, rolled out the sleeping bags, light the 1 ring stove, cooked a chilli with rice and cracked open the wine! Aaahh tres bon!!  It felt good.  As we had been travelling down France, the outside temperature reading on the dash had been climbing 0.5º degrees every 10 minutes.  Naves was in a balmy 22º C and stayed around that temperature every day, but climbing steadily.  We had a little rain over night on Thursday night.  When it first started, the pat;pat;pat on the waterproof membrane woke me up, because it was a new noise.  As I realised what was happening and the rain began to fall steadily, it lulled me back to sleep, feeling snug in 'my new home'.  By lunch time the next day, we were back to the sunny weather and that was the way it stayed, temperature steadily climbing.  We left on Sunday afternoon, and slept over night at LAVAL in a B & B (which is a chain of low cost good quality over night stop facilities.)  By Friday 30th April, the temperature had risen to 27º!!!  We were very lucky that the weather was so beautiful at such an early time of the year.  The locals had tomatoes and lettuce in the ground already and by the looks of it had been in for a couple of weeks.

Everyone was so friendly towards us.  When they found out our lack of basic amenities (we had to go the the next village, 4.5 km away for a WC), they insisted that we use their bathrooms for showers etc., and held a BBQ to introduce us to other locals, when they found out it had been both Simon and my birthdays' whilst we were there.

The external may be slow, but in our mind - we're nearly there!

Well - as the weather in the Allier is not as temperate as Cornwall, building works are going to by delayed until the spring.

It doesn't stop us planning the next stages.

We have investigated this fantastic woodfired range cooker made by ESSE.  It will act as a room heater and also run rads.

It certainly helps to be visualising the end product, both with the budget and the works schedule!

Spot the Difference?

Same web cam - 24 hrs later......spot the difference.

Simon spoke to James yesterday - he'd been to check the house was ok.  Covered in snow but water tight - here at home, we're all wanting snow for Christmas.  This is the first time that I wish snow wasnt around..... how perverse life can be!!

Mont Dore - 17th December 09

This is from the web cam today - looks beautiful, but it means there is no work on La Maison........James lives at Montlucon and it's probably to bad for him to get to Naves.......  :(

Out little house is still waiting for its new roof :(((

Looking into my crystal ball . . . . .

I see two people, sitting in front of a fire.  It's a crisp and cold night outside, but inside is all snug and warm.  Mouthwatering cooking smells waft past their noses, exciting their appetite after a day of walking in the sparkling powdery snow.  They are sitting, peacefully, glass in hand, listening to the crackel of the fire and the gentle, comforting tick of the grandaughter clock in the corner.  Tomorrow, the families arrive.  Christmas is just around the corner and the house is decorated in readiness.

If we needed inspiration . . . . .

This is Mont Dore - just an hour from us......If ever I need a pick me up during the day, then looking at this will usually sort me out!

Christmas is coming and the news on the house is that the end gable wall is now complete, so tiling will begin soon.  The next photo's from James should be of the roof completed - Yeay !!

Maybe next Christmas the house will be far enough forward for us to stay there  :-)