A long,long overdue update
A very early New Year resolution – keep my blog updated on at least a monthly basis. It is now nearly 9 months since I did that and far too long to go into much detail to catch up. It has been a very different year for us, much more travel and going out and about so also a pretty expensive year. Apart from our visit to Paris in January seeing off our various offspring, I took Ian there again for 5 days at the end of February for his 66th birthday and we had a superb time. He reciprocated on mine in April and took me off to stay in a lovely chateau near Clisson just south of Nantes. The house we stayed in was superb but unfortunately my birthday fell on a Tuesday this year and as the owner wasn’t well enough to cook evening meals we fell foul of the French dearth of restaurants that open on Mondays and Tuesdays – especially off-season. I have to say that I’ve never eaten worse food since my arrival in France which was a shame considering how much effort Ian had put into the trip. We did however have a simply wonderful day in Clisson itself and heartily recommend it to visit. Mental note for future ‘surprise trips’, go midweek regardless of actual event day.
I also visited my mother (UK) in March for mother’s day and made the mistake of taking my car which inevitably meant I spent far more on shopping than was wise just because I had it to fill. In May, a very dear friend came to visit who I haven’t seen for around 10 years so we had a lot of catching up to do, luckily she stayed for 10 days so we had plenty of time.
June saw Ian’s extension of Coeur de Chene completed and the first guests arrived, had a wonderful time and enjoyed all the new extra space.
We had a few days out in July while some kind guests fed Simba; we drove to Hennebont to visit the Breton horse stud there, a wonderful visit in superb
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Hennebont Breton horses
surroundings. The following day saw us white water canoeing nearby – well, a bit of white foam, as the water levels were
quite low, still a lot of fun though. We then drove to Lorient and stayed with an amazing Irish/French family in a wonderfully restored Maison d’maitre. Their hosting skills left us speechless, not satisfied with finding us (we were lost) and guiding us back to their house, they also drove us to the port as we wanted to get a ferry to one of the islands.
quite low, still a lot of fun though. We then drove to Lorient and stayed with an amazing Irish/French family in a wonderfully restored Maison d’maitre. Their hosting skills left us speechless, not satisfied with finding us (we were lost) and guiding us back to their house, they also drove us to the port as we wanted to get a ferry to one of the islands.
Lorient B&B
As it happened, we ended up just going to Port Louis as it was too
late to go further afield and we had a great time there.
Auray
A fascinating place steeped in history, the Citadel is well worth a visit. We then drove to Auray the next morning after checking into a local hotel and going for a walk, we were amazed to meet some friends from Guemene just out for the day there. What a
tiny world we live in. After a coffee with them we parted company as they were returning that day and we went down to the harbour, had a fantastic meal al fresco while being serenaded by a blues band on the water front – sheer magic. The last day was spent driving home via Malestroit and some friends in St Grave who gave us tea and made us welcome. A lovely trip and we felt we’d been gone far longer than the actual 4 days it had lasted.
In August my younger son Mish arrived for a visit, unfortunately as we were fully booked (oh for a spare bedroom), I had to farm him out to some local friends who kindly put him up – it was either that or a tent at the bottom of the garden. At least he got some excercise cycling back and forth (well, a couple of times anyway). One of the days out with him was to Nantes, I have to say that I was absolutely bowled over by the new attraction there – a huge mechanical elephant you can have a ride on. It’s fantastic in the true sense of the word, magical and I want one! Unfortunately as it was peak holiday season and the French being …. French, they only operated it from 10am to 5pm with the obligatory 2 hours lunch break so we didn’t get a ride but I will … All too soon it was time for him to leave for Amsterdam for the second half of his holiday.
Mish then managed to get his return flight to Jeddah wrong so arrived in Paris a day early…. That was my 3rd trip there this year but I really enjoyed my (quality time) day with him.
On 1st September another friend of mine arrived from the UK for a week and this time when we took her to Nantes for the Rendezvous sur Erdre music fest we also went to see the elephant and … we got a ride! Although July and August were a total washout weather wise – although no flooding – September and October were wonderful so we basked in warm sunshine throughout her visit. After she left, my French class began – watch this space, no idea how it will go but I have to give it 100% as I’m really embarrassed now by my lack of fluency. This class is quite demanding as no English is spoken at all but best of all – it’s free. October saw me going back to the UK to visit my mother on her birthday but this time I flew to Southampton from Rennes with Flybe, I was lucky enough to be picked up and dropped off at both ends, so it was a very stress less travelling experience. This was more than made up for by sitting with my mother in the home for 4 hours every day I was there. It is such a heartrending thing to do, as with every year the chances of seeing her again get less and less.
Just as we were relaxing in the knowledge that a long winter rental at Ian’s would bring in a regular income, it was cancelled after just one month due to France Telecom’s inability to reconnect a phone line and set up internet access in less than 8 weeks! Thanks France Telecom. Another valuable lesson learnt, … never ever count your chickens, as even when they’ve hatched – they can die on you. Unfortunately, I hadn’t learnt that lesson at the time when I organised our trip to visit friends in Vienna for Christmas and spend New Year in Paris. Consequently, yet more money than is wise spent but we’ll be going nevertheless as cancellation is not an option with cheap fares.
Since Ian finished his extension, we have started on the last leg of my renovation plan and have got going on the barn. This building stands at the end of the longere and housed the ‘presse de Cidre’. Although I desperately wanted to reassemble the press in the garden, the wood was totally rotten and the metal parts too heavy and dangerous on their own, so with a heavy heart it was consigned to the Dechettrie (tip). The building is now totally reroofed with velux windows installed, the pigsty also has a new roof and has been repointed and is now our storage. I shall be posting progress updates regularly and who knows – perhaps renting out ‘La rose’ this summer ……. It will have 2 bedrooms but the 2 shower rooms will be separate and not en-suite, one will be located downstairs and serve as a utility room housing the washing machine too. The living area will have a sofa bed so the gite will be able to accommodate up to 6 people plus a cot. Although I am not a fan of sofa beds, it’s there if anyone wants it. All in all it should prove to be a lovely gite full of charm and character.
Enlarging the roadside windows for the downstairs utility room and kitchen area was quite a challenge as we found the walls are held together with mud, mud and only mud. The utility window was moved over but as it needed only a small opening, it wasn’t quite so life threatening to do. Ian propped up the supporting stones and managed to fit in a new lintel with no threat to life and limb. However, the kitchen was a different ball game – he ended up taking all the stones out all the way to the roof level otherwise there would have been a good chance of them descending on his head mid construction. Now with a solid oak lintel in place and the wall rebuilt (with mortar this time), it looks great. To date he’s also installed the plumbing to the downstairs utility and kitchen as well as started the electrical installation.
I have been making the most of the wonderful sunny (but rather cold) weather and extending the border to the front of La rose. Unfortunately the ground was already like concrete and the -6° night time temperatures didn’t help. It took a pick axe to break up the soil and after removing the obligatory rocks and stones I’ve managed to plant loads of tulips and rehomed some overcrowded plants from other areas. It should look great in 2008, we also removed the hedge dividing the garden from the field which makes the whole thing look more open and inviting as well as giving all the gites a view.
Now that the weather’s turned to wind and rain, I shall be chipping away to expose the internal walls of the barn and cleaning off the beams (ugh) but someone’s got to do it and Ian has more important things to be getting on with.
In August my younger son Mish arrived for a visit, unfortunately as we were fully booked (oh for a spare bedroom), I had to farm him out to some local friends who kindly put him up – it was either that or a tent at the bottom of the garden. At least he got some excercise cycling back and forth (well, a couple of times anyway). One of the days out with him was to Nantes, I have to say that I was absolutely bowled over by the new attraction there – a huge mechanical elephant you can have a ride on. It’s fantastic in the true sense of the word, magical and I want one! Unfortunately as it was peak holiday season and the French being …. French, they only operated it from 10am to 5pm with the obligatory 2 hours lunch break so we didn’t get a ride but I will … All too soon it was time for him to leave for Amsterdam for the second half of his holiday.
Mish then managed to get his return flight to Jeddah wrong so arrived in Paris a day early…. That was my 3rd trip there this year but I really enjoyed my (quality time) day with him.
On 1st September another friend of mine arrived from the UK for a week and this time when we took her to Nantes for the Rendezvous sur Erdre music fest we also went to see the elephant and … we got a ride! Although July and August were a total washout weather wise – although no flooding – September and October were wonderful so we basked in warm sunshine throughout her visit. After she left, my French class began – watch this space, no idea how it will go but I have to give it 100% as I’m really embarrassed now by my lack of fluency. This class is quite demanding as no English is spoken at all but best of all – it’s free. October saw me going back to the UK to visit my mother on her birthday but this time I flew to Southampton from Rennes with Flybe, I was lucky enough to be picked up and dropped off at both ends, so it was a very stress less travelling experience. This was more than made up for by sitting with my mother in the home for 4 hours every day I was there. It is such a heartrending thing to do, as with every year the chances of seeing her again get less and less.
Just as we were relaxing in the knowledge that a long winter rental at Ian’s would bring in a regular income, it was cancelled after just one month due to France Telecom’s inability to reconnect a phone line and set up internet access in less than 8 weeks! Thanks France Telecom. Another valuable lesson learnt, … never ever count your chickens, as even when they’ve hatched – they can die on you. Unfortunately, I hadn’t learnt that lesson at the time when I organised our trip to visit friends in Vienna for Christmas and spend New Year in Paris. Consequently, yet more money than is wise spent but we’ll be going nevertheless as cancellation is not an option with cheap fares.
Since Ian finished his extension, we have started on the last leg of my renovation plan and have got going on the barn. This building stands at the end of the longere and housed the ‘presse de Cidre’. Although I desperately wanted to reassemble the press in the garden, the wood was totally rotten and the metal parts too heavy and dangerous on their own, so with a heavy heart it was consigned to the Dechettrie (tip). The building is now totally reroofed with velux windows installed, the pigsty also has a new roof and has been repointed and is now our storage. I shall be posting progress updates regularly and who knows – perhaps renting out ‘La rose’ this summer ……. It will have 2 bedrooms but the 2 shower rooms will be separate and not en-suite, one will be located downstairs and serve as a utility room housing the washing machine too. The living area will have a sofa bed so the gite will be able to accommodate up to 6 people plus a cot. Although I am not a fan of sofa beds, it’s there if anyone wants it. All in all it should prove to be a lovely gite full of charm and character.
Enlarging the roadside windows for the downstairs utility room and kitchen area was quite a challenge as we found the walls are held together with mud, mud and only mud. The utility window was moved over but as it needed only a small opening, it wasn’t quite so life threatening to do. Ian propped up the supporting stones and managed to fit in a new lintel with no threat to life and limb. However, the kitchen was a different ball game – he ended up taking all the stones out all the way to the roof level otherwise there would have been a good chance of them descending on his head mid construction. Now with a solid oak lintel in place and the wall rebuilt (with mortar this time), it looks great. To date he’s also installed the plumbing to the downstairs utility and kitchen as well as started the electrical installation.
I have been making the most of the wonderful sunny (but rather cold) weather and extending the border to the front of La rose. Unfortunately the ground was already like concrete and the -6° night time temperatures didn’t help. It took a pick axe to break up the soil and after removing the obligatory rocks and stones I’ve managed to plant loads of tulips and rehomed some overcrowded plants from other areas. It should look great in 2008, we also removed the hedge dividing the garden from the field which makes the whole thing look more open and inviting as well as giving all the gites a view.
Now that the weather’s turned to wind and rain, I shall be chipping away to expose the internal walls of the barn and cleaning off the beams (ugh) but someone’s got to do it and Ian has more important things to be getting on with.
Some renovation photos:
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Replacing the old lintel .jpg)
in front - a bit precarious
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All done
Trouble with buildings that are held together with mud.
posted by Teresa at 3:26 pm
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