tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-30248221654429494422024-03-19T01:30:03.248-07:00Yarns From a Barn in FranceMY LIFE:
MY FAMILY
MY HOME IN FRANCE
MY KNITTING AND CROCHET AND ALL THE OTHER THINGS THAT MATTER TO MEKathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891469997569397154noreply@blogger.comBlogger97125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024822165442949442.post-84327524753399249052012-03-15T08:41:00.000-07:002012-03-15T08:41:46.031-07:00'Tempus fugit', as they say, (time flies)!Hopefully, this marks the beginning of regular posting on here. I hope you are all well and enjoying the beautiful weather we have here today in this little corner of France. There was ice on the birds' water bowl in the garden first thing, but now the temperature has reached around 24 degrees and it's like summer out there.<br />
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I post on a forum here that's dedicated to ex-pats, and the first swallows in the area have apparently been sighted, though not yet here in my garden. Last year they arrived on 27th March, and kept us fully entertained until late September/beginning of October, before they took off for warmer climes. I posted this photo last year, but I love it so much, I'm posting it again! <br />
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</b></div><b>February:</b><br />
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After three weeks in February of sub-zero temperatures, we finally had some signs of spring; the mornings still started out cold and sometimes frosty and foggy but, within a few hours, the sun was out and the sky was blue, and everything looked so much better.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuwMNFd4U7-HBWBQivBgM9d5yZYziG3glv4YeQSawAHDmzKAA7HOAuhiR_9HIMNZjt1nH2u6L7068zpO8_xttTf82Py5pdfqsAHMqpBkNBHsVuuSQKb0I67QgVYjEm8OGuQD1lt_fNx10/s1600/Photos+for+Nick+2012+009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuwMNFd4U7-HBWBQivBgM9d5yZYziG3glv4YeQSawAHDmzKAA7HOAuhiR_9HIMNZjt1nH2u6L7068zpO8_xttTf82Py5pdfqsAHMqpBkNBHsVuuSQKb0I67QgVYjEm8OGuQD1lt_fNx10/s200/Photos+for+Nick+2012+009.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>For the first time since we moved here almost three years ago, we had some significant snowfall, which looked lovely in the beginning but it lay for so long that we wondered if we'd ever see the grass again!<br />
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<b>December:</b><br />
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Until then it had been really mild, completely different from our last two winters here which started around October time. We spent Christmas and New Year in the UK, and it was mild there, too; so mild, we barely needed to wear coats when we went out. After spending the previous two Christmases here in France, where it is very low-key, I was longing for a good old British Christmas, and I wasn't disappointed. It was wonderful to catch up with family and friends<br />
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Here's me with my lovely mum. She's not too well at the moment, but is always in my thoughts and will be even more so on Mothering Sunday this weekend.<br />
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One of the reasons I've not been posting regularly is that I've been busy building a website for the work I do, which is freelance writing, mostly online. I thought it was about time I became a bit more business-minded! So far, I just have a few pages on it, but I will be adding samples of my writing over the next few days, and adding a few more pages. I have always loved words and our wonderful language, and I love reading and writing, so to be able to earn doing something I love is great. I'm hoping the website will bring me some more work! Here's a link to the site so far <a href="http://kathleenpenneyfreelancewriter.weebly.com/">http://kathleenpenneyfreelancewriter.weebly.com/</a><br />
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As for the woolly stuff, I have to confess to not having done much of it all lately. We have our house for sale so we've been busy with advertising that. Here's a cheeky link! <a href="http://www.fsbo-france.com/admin/index.php?action=edit_my_listings&edit=299">http://www.fsbo-france.com/admin/index.php?action=edit_my_listings&edit=299</a> and another link to a building plot we also have for sale <a href="http://www.fsbo-france.com/admin/index.php?action=edit_my_listings&edit=300">http://www.fsbo-france.com/admin/index.php?action=edit_my_listings&edit=300</a> There is still a bit of tweaking to do to the house but, hopefully, that won't take long.<br />
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Well, that's it for now. I really will try very hard to keep posting on here, now that I am a bit more organised!<br />
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Thanks for reading!Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891469997569397154noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024822165442949442.post-24951528836527376372012-01-17T08:23:00.000-08:002012-01-17T08:23:45.297-08:00KNIT YOUR SQUARE 2012<!-- Google Spreadsheet Element Code --><br />
<iframe allowtransparency="true" border="0" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?output=html&widget=true&single=true&element=true&gid=0&key=0AhOgVamMPLdkdEVSdjR3VnBPSk9SbW81TnU0d1ZsYWc" style="border: 0; height: 360px; margin: 0; width: 720px;"></iframe>Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891469997569397154noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024822165442949442.post-64898459612155715382011-12-21T12:17:00.000-08:002011-12-21T12:17:11.628-08:00Happy Christmas!Please don't faint! I haven't updated my blog for many months; things have been very hectic here (French red tape, of course, which seems to have taken over my life!).<br />
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I promise that I will blog more regularly once we are into the new year but, meanwhile, I hope you all have a very <span style="color: red;"><strong>Happy Christmas and a wonderful New Year</strong></span>. I will be sharing the holiday with my family back in the UK; it's our first visit there for a long time, so I'm really looking forward to it.<br />
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See you soon and thanks for reading!Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891469997569397154noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024822165442949442.post-49188656254521506162011-10-06T00:26:00.000-07:002011-10-06T00:26:41.706-07:00Thermal Clothing will get me through this WinterAll the signs are there that winter is on the way. Autumn gives us a hint of the lower temperatures to come but, generally by the end of October, summer clothes and lightweight strappy sandals have been consigned to the back of the wardrobe, and heavy coats and jackets, along with hats, scarves, gloves, and boots, are the order of the day.<br />
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This year I am determined not just to get through the winter but to actually enjoy it, and the best way I can think of to do that is to invest in some insulating thermal clothing.<br />
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I came across <a href="http://damartuk.blogspot.com/">Damart</a> the other day, and was surprised to see how many items of thermal clothing Damart now have available. Damart is a long-standing name that is tried and trusted having been around for a number of years, so the quality is second to none and, by choosing wisely, I will be able to make sure that I will stay warm and comfortable throughout the winter. The blog shows their current winter collection, and you can see that they have come a long way over the years, in terms of materials used, and they make it easy to keep warm without compromising on style. If you look at the second page of the blog, you can see the latest items on the catwalk, which show just how fashionable thermal clothing has become.<br />
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Looking at the winter collection, I can see that there is a lot to choose from, from underwear right up to coats, jackets and boots to wear when out of doors. There are even different grades of warmth now so that clothing can be matched to lifestyle.<br />
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<a href="http://twitter.com/#!/damart_uk">Damart </a>will tell you more about the brand.<br />
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I thoroughly recommend thermal clothing for winter, and Damart, that well-known expert, has a wonderful collection to choose from.Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891469997569397154noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024822165442949442.post-65534590216300805302011-07-30T20:54:00.000-07:002011-07-30T20:58:47.221-07:00A Very French Wedding!Way back in March this year, we received a beautiful invitation to a wedding, our first in France! I did a bit of research so that we would know what to expect, but I more or less assumed that a French wedding would not be all that different from a British one. How wrong I was!<br />
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A French wedding lasts for around five to seven days!. It starts with a civil ceremony at the local town hall or mairie's office. The mairie is the local mayor, and even the smallest of communes in France has one. The civil ceremony is the officially-binding one; lots of couples choose to follow it with a church ceremony, but it's their choice.<br />
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The wedding we attended was that of our lovely neighbours, Mickael and Sonia. The civil ceremony was the first event, after which the wedding party walked to the local church ready for what we would call the 'blessing'. There was a sort of organised chaos to this; even when they reached the church, the bride and groom just wandered in with the guests, no solemn walking down the aisle with the bride on the arm of her father. The service itself was simple; there were no hymns, just a few responses from the congregation. The bride and groom had to answer three questions individually, then they had to recite something together, then they just ambled back down the aisle accompanied by a Chris Rhea song - no organ music, no 'here comes the bride', no nothing! It all seemed so, well, casual! There didn't seem to be a dress code, either; some people dressed up, others didn't, but it wasn't important at all!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0IeZ6yAAjibnYfmUpwQZE-0vJn2ICddoWA9leJ_RflEu5fkwAgXAmUXVBp34mC777zr35g-M3IodS4Nv2F_He6vRKPvqApSp5lvWJe0WADk4NxGnkbGIFS_klvo-8T-S2uR1f9Nfud-I/s1600/Sonia+and+Mickael%2527s+wedding+09.07.11+024.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0IeZ6yAAjibnYfmUpwQZE-0vJn2ICddoWA9leJ_RflEu5fkwAgXAmUXVBp34mC777zr35g-M3IodS4Nv2F_He6vRKPvqApSp5lvWJe0WADk4NxGnkbGIFS_klvo-8T-S2uR1f9Nfud-I/s200/Sonia+and+Mickael%2527s+wedding+09.07.11+024.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Afterwards, the congregation rushed outside and waited for the bride and groom to emerge, with their gorgeous bridesmaids, Emma and Clara. Sonia's dress was really beautiful - a hooped silk skirt, on which had been sewn layers and layers of net, and a strapless bodice which suited her lovely figure.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw_Lsm9KZixQfu_FnBzYHeIytyrbOUuJR2OVQLXrSPvhUAVuV8YZefXAQYZOKYYAVL9U20hFw9BW1YfJOZrtM8FMFAEsJEx2blwybkL2Ij_pFPdnyVwD3Zv8d-9rt51sutoXRmQvSwJIk/s1600/Sonia+and+Mickael%2527s+wedding+09.07.11+038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw_Lsm9KZixQfu_FnBzYHeIytyrbOUuJR2OVQLXrSPvhUAVuV8YZefXAQYZOKYYAVL9U20hFw9BW1YfJOZrtM8FMFAEsJEx2blwybkL2Ij_pFPdnyVwD3Zv8d-9rt51sutoXRmQvSwJIk/s200/Sonia+and+Mickael%2527s+wedding+09.07.11+038.jpg" width="200" /> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw_Lsm9KZixQfu_FnBzYHeIytyrbOUuJR2OVQLXrSPvhUAVuV8YZefXAQYZOKYYAVL9U20hFw9BW1YfJOZrtM8FMFAEsJEx2blwybkL2Ij_pFPdnyVwD3Zv8d-9rt51sutoXRmQvSwJIk/s1600/Sonia+and+Mickael%2527s+wedding+09.07.11+038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw_Lsm9KZixQfu_FnBzYHeIytyrbOUuJR2OVQLXrSPvhUAVuV8YZefXAQYZOKYYAVL9U20hFw9BW1YfJOZrtM8FMFAEsJEx2blwybkL2Ij_pFPdnyVwD3Zv8d-9rt51sutoXRmQvSwJIk/s1600/Sonia+and+Mickael%2527s+wedding+09.07.11+038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"> </a></div>Here is a picture showing the back of the dress <br />
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There was no professional photographer at the wedding itself.. The bride, groom, and bridesmaids had had professional photos taken at a venue on the Wednesday before.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0BOVhOWYo1zg_i2o5liO-d3Wl4NWJ-BMF5tHOVupIr4f_iu-B-Byc-xjxC2HrvSVmFMoeJPxEDhIFV_D2dhS8PD2rFl3yFJ4E3OSWkyKD7rKhqMLAuztA2dpqVjS1YbfXquZk_wEqSF4/s1600/Sonia+and+Mickael%2527s+wedding+09.07.11+050.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0BOVhOWYo1zg_i2o5liO-d3Wl4NWJ-BMF5tHOVupIr4f_iu-B-Byc-xjxC2HrvSVmFMoeJPxEDhIFV_D2dhS8PD2rFl3yFJ4E3OSWkyKD7rKhqMLAuztA2dpqVjS1YbfXquZk_wEqSF4/s200/Sonia+and+Mickael%2527s+wedding+09.07.11+050.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Following the church service was the 'vin d'honneur' - a reception at a 'salle des fetes' (village hall) in a nearby village. We all drove there in a procession of cars with our hazard lights flashing and horns beeping , while passersby waved and cheered. The vin d'honneur was more or less four hours of wine-drinking, after which everyone piled back into their cars to drive to the next reception, which was held at yet another salle des fetes. This time there was a five course meal and a free bar that was open until 5am the following morning! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXh1IkR7sSdHitl1w2Ag0eK2tQBazBVsMmUtISkhBN1j8wkLUWkkB0icefTYCfeIkHdmqIy_N4LtIcQ2_KkpaIWA4Nz2ui5CexfY161WbVnurBylvOc86RJ8Zez2nUy9eiYU8nR2s3-zs/s1600/Sonia+and+Mickael%2527s+wedding+09.07.11+051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXh1IkR7sSdHitl1w2Ag0eK2tQBazBVsMmUtISkhBN1j8wkLUWkkB0icefTYCfeIkHdmqIy_N4LtIcQ2_KkpaIWA4Nz2ui5CexfY161WbVnurBylvOc86RJ8Zez2nUy9eiYU8nR2s3-zs/s200/Sonia+and+Mickael%2527s+wedding+09.07.11+051.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>This being our first French wedding, we were unprepared for a lot of what happened! Every so often during the meal and afterwards, and before the tables had been cleared, some strange but manic fiddle music was played, and all the guests suddenly climbed up onto the chairs and tables, did a very strange dance which included a bit of air-guitar, and shouted a lot! It made us jump the first time it happened, and we could hardly believe our eyes! After four choruses, the music suddenly stopped and everyone sat back down again, until it all happened again about twenty minutes later. By the end of the evening, we knew all the moves and were joining in as if we'd been doing it all our lives. We learned later that this is done to keep the guests awake! After all the food and alcohol, there's a real danger that they will doze off at the table! It certainly kept things lively!<br />
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There was a great deal of alcohol consumed throughout the day, and most of the guests had brought their bedding so that they could sleep in their cars in the car park, even those with young children! We kept waiting for the evening to stop but, by 3am, there was no sign of that, so we sneaked out and made our way home - we simply couldn't keep up with the others!<br />
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We were the only English couple at the wedding, but all the guests went out of their way to make us feel welcome, and we did have a lovely if exhausting time. The French can certainly put the booze away - I know they say that the Brits binge-drink, but I think the French probably drink even more; it's just that they drink all day while the Brits usually save it up for the evenings and drink it all in one go!<br />
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The actual event of the wedding lasted until the following Thursday morning but, luckily, mainly for the happy couple and their families. The Sunday was spent at the bride and groom's home in boozy contemplation; on the Monday the groom had to be taken to all the local villages, drinking in each one, and the Tuesday and Wednesday were additional excuses for friends and family to eat and drink all day. I don't see how a newly-married French couple have such a thing as a traditional wedding night to themselves; by Wednesday evening, Mickael and Sonia were completely exhausted!<br />
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All in all, it was a fantastic experience, but I am so glad that our traditional British weddings have such a lovely sense of occasion, and I'm certainly glad that they don't last as long!<br />
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Thanks for reading!Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891469997569397154noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024822165442949442.post-32484627329248127842011-06-19T02:08:00.001-07:002011-06-19T02:08:35.923-07:00For fathers who are no longer with us on Father's DayTo Those I Love<br />
If I should ever leave you whom I love<br />
To go along the Silent Way, grieve not,<br />
Nor speak of me with tears, but laugh and talk<br />
Of me as if I were beside you there.<br />
(I'd come-- I'd come, could I but find a way!<br />
But would not tears and grief be barriers?)<br />
And when you hear a song or see a bird<br />
I loved, please do not let the thought of me<br />
Be sad... for I am loving you just as<br />
I always have... You were so good to me!<br />
There are so many things I wanted still<br />
To do-- so many things to say to you...<br />
Remember that I did not fear... It was<br />
Just leaving you that was so hard to face...<br />
We cannot see beyond... But this I know:<br />
I loved you so-- 'twas heaven here with you!<br />
~ Isla Paschal RichardsonKathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891469997569397154noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024822165442949442.post-13546337233755435572011-06-08T19:29:00.000-07:002011-06-08T19:29:07.850-07:00I'm still here!I can't believe how the time flies these days, and I certainly can't believe how long it's been since my last blog post! If anyone knows how to get hold of thirty-six hour days, or eight day weeks, I'd be really grateful!<br />
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Meanwhile, here are just a few photos of life around here at the moment!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUyM9XJrjjNzoe2GqQwyYbPEaVCw8zK3uancJXyi2pxVTtTKFNidMfZzZOX_hU7P7Qxh8q-4XNYdDcL-GYXcs42aC2UvOXifp_kEBM7G6ZQ2GKhOwV2WdOhKMvSr5ryaLCyZz8eAZTWtU/s1600/Cows+and+swallows+-+May+2011+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUyM9XJrjjNzoe2GqQwyYbPEaVCw8zK3uancJXyi2pxVTtTKFNidMfZzZOX_hU7P7Qxh8q-4XNYdDcL-GYXcs42aC2UvOXifp_kEBM7G6ZQ2GKhOwV2WdOhKMvSr5ryaLCyZz8eAZTWtU/s320/Cows+and+swallows+-+May+2011+001.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>This is our building land, currently being used by the neighbouring farmer to graze his cows, so that his own fields can regrow. They've only escaped into the garden once which resulted in a hectic twilight rescue session, but they've got the hint now that the farmer has switched on the electric fence! They're making short work of the grass, and I just love seeing them there!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr4ENug2YOewFIQJfgDfFCi-gjGqpOxZEDFdkSdvW_6__TpbXGSWn-noDWX2-GCOD2HWP9f6XNJuDlGA_PrnkWcq3YnFcNrgqYIXhxG3ngMxGeolhbgY5ZFKEewWQzeGJ2Kxz9O40hbQQ/s1600/Cows+and+swallows+-+May+2011+013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgr4ENug2YOewFIQJfgDfFCi-gjGqpOxZEDFdkSdvW_6__TpbXGSWn-noDWX2-GCOD2HWP9f6XNJuDlGA_PrnkWcq3YnFcNrgqYIXhxG3ngMxGeolhbgY5ZFKEewWQzeGJ2Kxz9O40hbQQ/s320/Cows+and+swallows+-+May+2011+013.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>One of the beautiful swallows that have returned to the barn for the summer. He and his mate have already had four babies, and they are currently entertaining us daily with their Spitfire displays! They are very sociable, and often sit just a foot or two away from us, even joining in our conversations! When we're busy in the garden, they sit and watch.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhockFfH8TxfSMj9YbcyyZKVEiU-OozmmFQr3hDplFLP0yUjVr_KV3bv0zwE22JP9bidbck2HzNAdLIn0j9QD8WxmXrPJB67ax8TD_Lpkai0w1ECVby6c8II7EExpZ6BtfvVC3GCFDl0tI/s1600/Garden+Spring+2011+015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhockFfH8TxfSMj9YbcyyZKVEiU-OozmmFQr3hDplFLP0yUjVr_KV3bv0zwE22JP9bidbck2HzNAdLIn0j9QD8WxmXrPJB67ax8TD_Lpkai0w1ECVby6c8II7EExpZ6BtfvVC3GCFDl0tI/s320/Garden+Spring+2011+015.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>The Husband found this fossil in the garden of a house he was working on recently, and the owner said he could keep it! I wonder just how old it is?! (The fossil, not The Husband!).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6PU2j3KdhypyueELeSM0ncR_JEoRtd8H-aGoExKjAFeebHN3Njyq3wSgP0-9nO9QpQA_75Kuq6TbBTbs6AjlWZ6KYGMTQk2_PjRhH-y-VduZInOFTWxelPfprDJrr5gK2tWI9hdiAOUQ/s1600/Newly+laid+topsoil+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6PU2j3KdhypyueELeSM0ncR_JEoRtd8H-aGoExKjAFeebHN3Njyq3wSgP0-9nO9QpQA_75Kuq6TbBTbs6AjlWZ6KYGMTQk2_PjRhH-y-VduZInOFTWxelPfprDJrr5gK2tWI9hdiAOUQ/s320/Newly+laid+topsoil+001.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>This is where that ugly old barn was. The Husband has tidied up the ground, and laid around three tons of topsoil, ready for re-seeding when we get round to it. You can see how the willow tree has flourished since the barn was taken down; now it gets much more light and space in which to grow. It has struggled since it snapped in half in heavy winds last year, but we are so glad we decided to keep it. The tree surgeon said it would soon start to regrow and I really doubted him, but he was right!<br />
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Now that the house is at the snagging stage, I will take a definitive set of photos to show what's been done (most of it by The Husband, mainly on his own with a little help from me!).<br />
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As for my crochet - well, I am doing some now and again, a mixture of charity items, mainly squares for various appeals, and presents for grandchildren, but it seems to be impossible to get more than half an hour to just 'be' these days, especially now that summer is here and the garden beckons, if only to sit and watch the swallows with a glass or three of what France does best!<br />
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I hope it's not too long before I post again. Thanks for reading!Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891469997569397154noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024822165442949442.post-34288782343143996172011-04-17T22:12:00.000-07:002011-04-17T22:12:26.160-07:00The barn is gone!Since we moved into our house here in France, the lovely view has been partially obscured by a really ugly old barn. It was built many years ago when the house was a working farm. Made from oak and pine timbers and sheets of corrugated iron, it was huge and slowly falling into disrepair. One third of it contained bales of very old straw, and there were also lots of other bits of scrap that the previous owners should have taken with them when they sold the house. We used to it store our trailer, the cars when the weather was bad, and our neighbours' caravan, so it had some uses but nothing could take away from the fact that it was just so ugly! It also blocked the light to one side of a willow tree.<br />
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You may remember me posting about the willow tree last year - it had cracked in heavy winds and half of it had come down. We called in a tree surgeon who said that we could have it removed completely, or that it could be saved but would not look too pretty while it was recovering, but that it would soon start sprouting again. We opted to keep it - well, I've always wanted my very own willow! I'm so glad we did. It may still not look as handsome as it should, but the potential is there and, now that it is not being over-shadowed by the barn, it will have every chance to become a fully-fledged grown-up willow!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhYMpwFoDlEPMU4S09hS0QncThMQUYrMyPqVKOqperZZxXeXGIR72iimAm93eX80LCPQlyGcqmEn7uOoNQ3HjwNQf8IE0F-_vKIfmfmKQA6CODr01bBuELbJdgkvIglUIxsAj23kb2rLs/s1600/Barn+2011+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhhYMpwFoDlEPMU4S09hS0QncThMQUYrMyPqVKOqperZZxXeXGIR72iimAm93eX80LCPQlyGcqmEn7uOoNQ3HjwNQf8IE0F-_vKIfmfmKQA6CODr01bBuELbJdgkvIglUIxsAj23kb2rLs/s200/Barn+2011+001.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>This was the barn; the tree next to it is the willow - you can see just how close it was to the barn.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjKD92jbdI-vuhL-uO7PtyEnszA7h5EMuQQZh6hctNsAx-TcwB9ocFWUC1sUUMuPtIZbO2Dt0Hus3Mcx-U-DExarugX-8SIVLSGqV4Af5ihAWmrHetkPqvnkYC3tH0b3p88vif7TxQpkA/s1600/Barn+demolition+2011+009.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjKD92jbdI-vuhL-uO7PtyEnszA7h5EMuQQZh6hctNsAx-TcwB9ocFWUC1sUUMuPtIZbO2Dt0Hus3Mcx-U-DExarugX-8SIVLSGqV4Af5ihAWmrHetkPqvnkYC3tH0b3p88vif7TxQpkA/s200/Barn+demolition+2011+009.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Although it doesn't look too good here, the timbers were very good. A tree surgeon bought the barn because he knew he could make good use of them. It took three days to demolish because he and his helper could only work weekends. This picture was taken at the end of the first day - all the corrugated iron sheets had been removed, apart from the roof, and it was down to the bare bones. We could already see what a difference it would make to the space once it had gone, and the tree surgeon, despite the hard work demolishing it, was delighted with the timbers. He will use some of them to make a woodstore and a tractor shed, and his helper would have the rest for the house he is restoring, so we know they will all be put to very good use.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHWfozwuEKPnXGocsio_E4pd8kksPvDA1I7kuPCU9Z3-4gUPiD_PgGTcrg2NICJ2njmVXST-aQJtwHJa4zSNAVFpKC4iE0MkfJ8wZps1fgn6SmjhRpC5g7iV4bhXelrpGZGbt7lVwwjyI/s1600/Barn+demolition+2011+021.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHWfozwuEKPnXGocsio_E4pd8kksPvDA1I7kuPCU9Z3-4gUPiD_PgGTcrg2NICJ2njmVXST-aQJtwHJa4zSNAVFpKC4iE0MkfJ8wZps1fgn6SmjhRpC5g7iV4bhXelrpGZGbt7lVwwjyI/s200/Barn+demolition+2011+021.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>The willow tree! Doesn't it look sad? You can see that it is resprouting from the side that was over-shadowed by the barn. It is healthy and this year's new growth looks very good, so I'm glad we saved it, although it will be a while before it looks as good as it should! I'm sure now that has light all around it, it will start to grow well. I shall try and remember to take a photo at the same time each month to chart its progress.<br />
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The straw that was inside the barn has been taken by two local farmers to be used for animal bedding. I was worried that it would be mouldy and rotten but, because it's been kept dry all these years, it was perfect for animals. Our neighbours' caravan is in another part of the garden; he will be using it shortly, after which it can be stored in an old stone barn we have, alongside the trailer. There was also another pile of timber in the barn that was no good for building but ideal for burning, so our friendly local pig farm took it away in their horsebox to be used in a woodburner. On Friday morning it was busier in this little hamlet than it has been for years - two tractors and a 4x4 with a horsebox all busy emptying what was left of the barn!<br />
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Well, that's the saga of the barn - we still have to make good the area that it was standing on, which means finding five tons of topsoil and planting with grass seed but that will be an ongoing project. The worst is over!<br />
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I will post again soon - I have been crocheting so I have photos to post of the things I have made so far this year; not many because there aren't enough hours in the day or days in the week!<br />
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Thanks for reading and I hope you all have a lovely day! Me? I've just looked up at the ceiling here in my office - now where did all those cobwebs come from? I'd better go and deal with them!Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891469997569397154noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024822165442949442.post-51372886347617113462011-04-05T20:24:00.000-07:002011-04-05T20:24:27.684-07:00It's been a while!This is my first post since the start of the year! I have no idea where the time goes but go it certainly does! Life is more challenging now than it's ever been, and we've been so busy working on the house (which is very nearly finished), dealing with the world-famous French red tape (which will never be finished), and work. Squeezing in time for the things I REALLY want to do, like crocheting, photography, reading, writing for leisure and pleasure, and so on, is very difficult because there will always be the essentials such as cooking and cleaning - not the most interesting of occupations but it would soon become noticeable if they didn't get done!<br />
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I have lots of photos to sort through - of the house, things I have just about found the time to make, and places and people that matter to me.<br />
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My very best news is the arrival of my fourth grandchild, a beautiful little girl called Megan, who weighed in at a very bonny 8lbs 12ozs three weeks ago today; her big sister, Summer, is bewitched by her, and her cousins Sam and Lucy now have a new baby to get to know. I can't wait to get back to the UK to see them all, but the French red tape has put a hold on plans. We have nearly overcome that particular problem, and will soon be on our way. Meanwhile, via the wonders of Skype, I can at least see them all.<br />
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Oh, and some more news - we've been invited to our very first French wedding! Our lovely neighbours will get married in July and it looks like it will be an eventful day, with the first ceremony conducted by the local Mairie, followed by the Benedictine Nuptiale in the commune's church (which is gorgeous and situated right next door to our beautiful local chateau), then there will be a vin d'honneur at one village hall, and a further reception at another village hall, with dancing which could run long into the night - I wonder if they'll be putting on a mini-bus?!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNzxxXo7A-M5KBbsjHFX8jCsWmi3K3KMHq_xXCG4V5Rqv1ox5x1Sff1KX87eeo7ATsUC9tfLBdTnUzGrRhdBYKYKtEdmas64u5QJ_pcm4Gu-eH8pMQv1OS3E9QEjme6I4zMqpvUB3IRI0/s1600/Blog+photos+2011+002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNzxxXo7A-M5KBbsjHFX8jCsWmi3K3KMHq_xXCG4V5Rqv1ox5x1Sff1KX87eeo7ATsUC9tfLBdTnUzGrRhdBYKYKtEdmas64u5QJ_pcm4Gu-eH8pMQv1OS3E9QEjme6I4zMqpvUB3IRI0/s200/Blog+photos+2011+002.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>For now, here are some recent photos<br />
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The blossom on this old plum tree in the garden, set against a lovely blue sky, looks like a big fluffy cloud.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS_6ficMQtpdI2Dz3V0-t2PM7-jSdH9Txw52p9hNAdfc8bmHNO91gcVr89_F7LEOuHzAYnGqWtljieR3pD5bW12NuqMToW7_n58SjMbdyE5XTe-1X3uo5_ODjIXpdR-V-40VTrVwC52zE/s1600/Blog+photos+2011+004.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS_6ficMQtpdI2Dz3V0-t2PM7-jSdH9Txw52p9hNAdfc8bmHNO91gcVr89_F7LEOuHzAYnGqWtljieR3pD5bW12NuqMToW7_n58SjMbdyE5XTe-1X3uo5_ODjIXpdR-V-40VTrVwC52zE/s200/Blog+photos+2011+004.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Some gorgeous daffs that had naturalised themselves in the garden - aren't daffs the most cheerful flowers, especially after a long cold winter?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdq5q5Pq8xQtTlW3dS_FQ-09ur_JI3ZAsJwqbxnitN0VIwVbvsjUqNA0SWG66Hb8exCeE0Kn9BC2QBYd19h5_VTdWbGD9P2r6q38MFfnPfNotSGZobH6JWGyYrpeXWhOZFVu2mv2RV4ag/s1600/Blog+photos+2011+013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdq5q5Pq8xQtTlW3dS_FQ-09ur_JI3ZAsJwqbxnitN0VIwVbvsjUqNA0SWG66Hb8exCeE0Kn9BC2QBYd19h5_VTdWbGD9P2r6q38MFfnPfNotSGZobH6JWGyYrpeXWhOZFVu2mv2RV4ag/s200/Blog+photos+2011+013.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Yesterday's beautiful sunrise which developed into a lovely warm and sunny summer's day.<br />
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Well, that's my post for today. I really do hope that I will be able to post more frequently from now on!<br />
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Thank you for reading and have a great day!Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891469997569397154noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024822165442949442.post-71758585471057340052010-12-24T22:06:00.000-08:002010-12-24T22:06:16.684-08:00A Christmas wish from me!I haven't been on here for quite some time, for various reasons - some good and some not so good, but I simply couldn't let the day go by without sending Christmas greetings to everyone, along with my hopes that you all have a healthy and happy 2011.<br />
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Although I am missing my family, the Husband and I will be spending Christmas day in very good company, and I will raise a glass to Blogland and bloggers everywhere - this virtual world is a wonderful community, and the blogs I have followed this year have made me laugh, made me cry, taught me new things, reminded me of things long forgotten, given me somewhere to share my life, and allowed me to share in the ups and downs of other people's. <br />
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A big 'thank you' to all those who have followed me this year , especially as I know I don't post very often! Here, by way of a Christmas card to you all, is a photo of some of the lights that have been put up around our little corner of France! <br />
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Happy Christmas!!<br />
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Thanks for reading!Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891469997569397154noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024822165442949442.post-91725251927939476342010-11-18T05:30:00.000-08:002010-11-18T05:42:57.139-08:00Time at a premium, and a beautiful entirely unexpected gift!Busy, busy, busy! That's me lately! We've been very busy working on the house and the work is well and truly coming on now, especially the kitchen. It still needs painting and tiling but is now organised enough for me to have proper baking sessions! I never thought that day would come! Today's efforts are two loaves of bread (mind you, that didn't stop at all no matter what state the house was in - we just don't like shop-bought bread, not even here in France!), and one Victorian sponge. I suppose I should take some photos but there's already a piece out of the sponge - maybe next time!<br />
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The Husband and I have been helping out at a nearby farm, an English-run pork farm which breeds Gloucester Old Spots and Berkshires, and produces the most fantastic meat - including things that we just can't buy here, like proper bacon, sausages to die for, sausage rolls, and so on. We've not been helping with the meat side of things (although one particular chicken seems to have taken a fancy to the Husband!) but with a barn they are converting into a proper English tearoom/cafe. On Saturday, they are opening the tearoom and having a Christmas Fayre and Farmers' Market, something we are all looking forward to. It's been a lot of hard work sorting everything out in time, but I'm sure it will be real success. The couple who run the farm deserve it to be - they work incredibly hard all the time.<br />
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We spent the day there yesterday - it was freezing cold and pouring with rain but we worked hard and soon warmed up. Well, apart from our feet! Today, I'm posting photos of the sunrise we had first thing yesterday morning - I would never have believed the weather would turn so bad after such a promising start!<br />
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I know they say 'red sky in the morning, shepherds' warning' but, a month or so ago, this sunrise would have heralded a lovely sunny day. <br />
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No proper pictures from the farm yet but I will take some on the big day. For starters, here's one of the back end of Sausage, the pet pig!<br />
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She was in a sulk because she wasn't allowed in the barn while we worked! She's safe, by the way - this is one pig that will NOT be turned into sausages!<br />
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I was feeling a little down recently - mainly to do with missing the family, especially now that Christmas is just around the corner, and being fed up with living on a permanent building site knee-deep in dust. The lovely Chalky of Chalky's World (see my blog list on the right) very kindly sent me a package. It was a complete surprise and a very lovely thoughtful one, too. Here's a photo<br />
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Thank you so much, Chalky; it was so thoughtful of you and really did cheer me up!<br />
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Thanks for reading!Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891469997569397154noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024822165442949442.post-39079807104195723432010-11-16T05:43:00.001-08:002010-11-16T05:43:50.884-08:00Latest Knit Your Square update!<!-- Google Spreadsheet Element Code --><br />
<iframe allowtransparency="true" border="0" frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?output=html&widget=true&single=true&element=true&gid=0&key=0AhOgVamMPLdkdFpxNGhUTzA4Q1I4MlMzRlNpVy1fWmc" style="border: 0pt none; height: 360px; margin: 0pt; width: 720px;"></iframe>Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891469997569397154noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024822165442949442.post-85621886317374016802010-11-10T21:54:00.001-08:002010-11-10T21:54:30.949-08:00We will remember them<div align="center"><img alt="In Flanders Fields, printed in 1918 by the Heliotype Co. Ltd. Ottawa. CWM AN-19760596-002" class="diddly" height="566" src="http://www.warmuseum.ca/cwm/exhibitions/remember/images/19760596-002.jpg" width="440" /></div>Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891469997569397154noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024822165442949442.post-61760779508641631782010-11-02T05:03:00.000-07:002010-11-02T06:54:00.683-07:00The view from my door and a walk in the park!A long time since my last post - again! I can only blame the ongoing renovation work and the French!<br />
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Yesterday was the most perfect autumn day, and a bank holiday here, too. I got a bit camera-happy because nature was wearing its best clothes. You'll find a lot of photos here but very few words. I'll just let the photos talk for themselves!<br />
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Another view from the house.<br />
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The local park in all its autumn glory!<br />
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I hope you are all enjoying a lovely autumn.. Although I know it heralds the end of summer and the beginning of winter, it's definitely my most favourite time of year!<br />
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Thank you for reading!Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891469997569397154noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024822165442949442.post-71544909172381182332010-10-23T21:44:00.000-07:002010-10-23T21:46:08.786-07:00How long since the last time I was here?Well, I really can't believe how long it's been since I last blogged. I had no intention of leaving it so long but the time has flown and I've been caught between a rock and a hard place while the work on the house continues. The kitchen has seen the worst of it, by far. Every house we've ever owned has always needed work doing to it - major work. But this one has been the most difficult. There is almost nothing worse than living in a house while it is being renovated but this one wasn't really a house when we started it! It was just a series of rooms - some of them open to the elements - with dirt floors and dirty old stone walls. I suppose we've come a long way but you can sometimes be blinkered to the progress by the difficulty of living in the inevitable mess.<br />
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I keep thinking that the kitchen is almost finished and, to us, it is when we consider how much work has been needed but, judging by these photos, it still looks as if there's a lot more to do. What I can say is that it is getting just a little bit easier as each day goes by.<br />
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This is the Husband taking off all the old tiles before plastering the walls and replacing the kitchen units that we had installed temporarily some time ago, and adding more....<br />
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... and this is the mess he made! Nice, not!<br />
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This is him again, slapping on the plaster. It was a lot more awkward than plastering a plain ceiling because he had to go in between the beams. The plaster dries within an hour so he has to work fast, then leave it a while and go back over it to smooth it off. He couldn't avoid getting plaster on the beams (or so he tells me!), so they needed cleaning up and sanding over - the dust had to be seen to be believed! It there's one thing I can barely stand, it's dust!<br />
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There is, however, a chink of light starting to shine at the end of this very long tunnel! This, to us, looks organised! We still need to paint the walls and ceiling, add the tiles and finish off hiding the remaining cables. The kitchen itself came from the UK (we brought it over on the ferry strapped to the top of the motorhome we had at the time!), and we've run out of edging strip for the worktop. We've ordered it and will be adding that as soon as it arrives. The Husband is looking for a piece of timber to turn into a shelf on the upright of the return. As he has already made one for the upright behind the sink unit, he needs to make sure they match, so we are hunting around for a piece of oak. The last piece he found in one of the barns but, try as he might, he can't find another one!<br />
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We've been tidying up the outside now that the summer is definitely over. We've woken up to a few hard frosts recently, so we needed to bring in the little orange trees we bought during the summer.<br />
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They're now in the conservatory where they are out of danger of frost-damage. You can just see these tiny little oranges - this particular tree is covered with them but whether they will ever be edible - or even orange! - is another matter. This is the first time we've had orange trees so we have no idea what to expect!<br />
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We found this lovely praying mantis in the conservatory - at first, I thought it was a leaf that had blown in through the door, but then it sort of unfurled itself. It's beautifully constructed and just made me marvel at nature - that it can come up with such complicated-looking designs! He (or she? - I know some of them eat their mates after they've had a good time, and this one didn't seem to have any company!) only stayed in the glass for a minute or two - long enough for me to get the camera, of course - then we sent him on his way.<br />
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Well, that's it for now. I won't leave it so long before my next post, although I can still hardly believe how long it's been since my last one! Just think - when this house is finished, I may even have some spare time; now that would be a real luxury!<br />
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Thanks for reading!Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891469997569397154noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024822165442949442.post-68344270411531997802010-09-20T20:03:00.000-07:002010-09-21T22:27:05.018-07:00Back so soon?This is not like me at all - two posts in less than a week?!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0C20IB5lsrT7ksJ3FA_eLVxgu5xjOVLLLGthD6XQoIwp63iNyH0-UwnpFlmkSuPL3N-Ez3Cnywf_NnQrQbkW3u31bJ4UOrKuhiXzykIHOb15NzU5_XW-k7aikpKYrRSHS-ShOUKmmrSM/s1600/Blog+photos+188.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0C20IB5lsrT7ksJ3FA_eLVxgu5xjOVLLLGthD6XQoIwp63iNyH0-UwnpFlmkSuPL3N-Ez3Cnywf_NnQrQbkW3u31bJ4UOrKuhiXzykIHOb15NzU5_XW-k7aikpKYrRSHS-ShOUKmmrSM/s200/Blog+photos+188.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>I just had to share some photos that I took on Sunday. We visited some friends in the nearby village of Gourge (accent over the last 'e' a la Francais!). I've already blogged about this village before and posted photos of the ancient bridge and the water mill on the river but, on Sunday, we started off for home and got side-tracked down an inviting country lane, and found this stunning chateau which took our breath away. It is in the most beautiful setting and just suddenly appeared out of the lovely landscape. Lovely as it is, I don't think I would like to live in it (as if we could ever even think of buying it - property in France is on the inexpensive side compared to the UK but it would still cost a million or so!) - at night I think it could be a bit spooky!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb2xTeUKiZEfhGqKRgTrJKyL8QVVTOi8A2rG5OstXSkv9efXzrzfH79zmOZcpHc0UA6id0aVAcQDIchlAEvpwiYa0Yd1QAI1l8qYXDWocXHvGCim3_2CrzZszVH9Ebhz3aPakh1oZ7F_c/s1600/Blog+photos+186.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb2xTeUKiZEfhGqKRgTrJKyL8QVVTOi8A2rG5OstXSkv9efXzrzfH79zmOZcpHc0UA6id0aVAcQDIchlAEvpwiYa0Yd1QAI1l8qYXDWocXHvGCim3_2CrzZszVH9Ebhz3aPakh1oZ7F_c/s200/Blog+photos+186.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>The photo was taken from the entrance of this lovely old house which had the Husband drooling at the thought of renovating it but, sadly for him, it's not for sale! He still has to finish our house, anyway!<br />
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In the centre of the village we found this little house and I just had to take a photo of the two windows at the top - you can just about see the little metalwork birds in the one on the right. I think it's a lovely window!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1yb1tADW9FzWz0c8n7OhCB6BC536tcGSf1xCglvPh1r9CT1UYvCHHy-Ay9BZX2-S1QfDqxqpy50rnkcSg7JqqxuaO0WgxtOHxz7aodlZ-0Pkei35jAR0-kx0dBcI7DiRIRdCD8QA-P8U/s1600/Blog+photos+170.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1yb1tADW9FzWz0c8n7OhCB6BC536tcGSf1xCglvPh1r9CT1UYvCHHy-Ay9BZX2-S1QfDqxqpy50rnkcSg7JqqxuaO0WgxtOHxz7aodlZ-0Pkei35jAR0-kx0dBcI7DiRIRdCD8QA-P8U/s200/Blog+photos+170.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>All around Gourge there are lovely views of the surrounding countryside - this is just one of them.<br />
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We will be there again on Saturday evening because the local bar is hosting a 'Sausage Sizzle' and the sausages are to die for - from a local farm run by a lovely English couple who rear their own Gloucester Old Spot pigs, and produce the best pork ever. The sausages are the best I have ever tasted.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqp8_j_eWpqb00o2kxL3FNoaLzInJ6had79SJ_s-KH5oYS5QcnZXJxFNfKO1-JJLbdpz1CjiZlJG3H-IEK8ACyEFkqaEQUTIXWbNxKGfLXKYljRuxD6eVwY0qhXe1947pvtbLuH0h6AhY/s1600/Blog+photos+173.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqp8_j_eWpqb00o2kxL3FNoaLzInJ6had79SJ_s-KH5oYS5QcnZXJxFNfKO1-JJLbdpz1CjiZlJG3H-IEK8ACyEFkqaEQUTIXWbNxKGfLXKYljRuxD6eVwY0qhXe1947pvtbLuH0h6AhY/s200/Blog+photos+173.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
Such a shame about the road sign - it just doesn't seem to fit into such a lovely setting, does it?! The flowers are just starting to go over but the colours are still gorgeous.<br />
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....and this was at about 7.30 a.m.<br />
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It was really cold at the time, probably no more than about 8 degrees but, by mid-morning, the temperature had risen to around 25, making it the most perfect day.<br />
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Small but deliciously sweet and tasty - peaches from our very own tree, waiting to be preserved in white wine if we can stop eating them straight from the bowl!<br />
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Thanks for reading - hope you all have a lovely day!Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891469997569397154noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024822165442949442.post-26304017177317487012010-09-17T21:04:00.000-07:002010-09-17T21:04:40.435-07:00How time flies when you are making treasured memories!Well, where did that ten lovely memory-filled days go? There we were on the ferry going to Portsmouth and, suddenly, there we were sailing back to Caen almost, it seems, in the blink of an eye.<br />
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It was a whirlwind tour taking in wonderful laughter-filled hours with our very very good friends who so kindly take us in on our trips back home and spoil us rotten with their company and fantastic hospitality (especially the wonderful cooking!), and share their beautiful family with us - a lovely new baby to cuddle, and a lively new border collie to play with!<br />
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We celebrated my dear mum's 80th birthday with her - and believe me, this was a real celebration for a wonderul lady who has beaten all the odds to reach such a grand age. We are already planning her 85th and 90th! <br />
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We celebrated a few more important birthdays in the year in the family, too - a sister's 50th, a granddaughter's 1st, and a nephew's 21st, and my lovely youngest son and his gorgeous wife announced that they were expecting their second child next March! There was much to raise a glass - or three - to!<br />
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The party was held at The Commodore Hotel in Kewstoke, Sand Bay, Weston-super-Mare. My mum spent some of her childhood there when it was just a little cafe run by her grandmother. The building itself has seen changes but the wild and windswept beach hasn't - it took me straight back to my own childhood when many an hour was spent playing on the sands.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8BKeHvl1RQEiZ-b__uBbYFvuyu8Gw8Am4sbVsV_Oeld2WLDlLqxca27zVAzZwvvAFO0xvv6wLIyJdR3jtNHnJbHDeZuTCil8a8JW7ORkG4tLJw-Ar3o7fKdRc4uA0ycJfWiY2z8gN8hQ/s1600/September+2010++UK+trip+045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8BKeHvl1RQEiZ-b__uBbYFvuyu8Gw8Am4sbVsV_Oeld2WLDlLqxca27zVAzZwvvAFO0xvv6wLIyJdR3jtNHnJbHDeZuTCil8a8JW7ORkG4tLJw-Ar3o7fKdRc4uA0ycJfWiY2z8gN8hQ/s200/September+2010++UK+trip+045.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
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Here we all are in the garden of the hotel - how we managed to get all the children to stand still for a minute or two was amazing!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGJVnGoL7JWSsxX9lZeNUz5AIqIDXxlaikZ4eo_16NQxPAGTRRX3DPpZ3OoupqK4xgNVbpihvLvr2ybBmwS2QDTTFoEWqWOa0kiz2M5ZIo3MhIYDc02uFScnXu5I2BosaIgsPpqHsrHlw/s1600/September+2010++UK+trip+081.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiGJVnGoL7JWSsxX9lZeNUz5AIqIDXxlaikZ4eo_16NQxPAGTRRX3DPpZ3OoupqK4xgNVbpihvLvr2ybBmwS2QDTTFoEWqWOa0kiz2M5ZIo3MhIYDc02uFScnXu5I2BosaIgsPpqHsrHlw/s200/September+2010++UK+trip+081.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
The Commodore Hotel from the beach - it stands right at the end of the beach at Sand Bay against a backdrop that has hardly changed over the years. It's fantastic to know that, in a fast-changing world, some things stay almost exactly the same!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3juha0LqmjmubEpr8B-RnNPQmYWxMjHkLum_9rCoTedzDhNpDcsGYnPNc4GEWxsaDUlcnz1pfJIpgmfNzp0E-0laxPuq39N3us9fVQ08HsQBCuMNGMp97SyivsoIu-UTRKl9Kfg3sEmA/s1600/September+2010++UK+trip+088.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3juha0LqmjmubEpr8B-RnNPQmYWxMjHkLum_9rCoTedzDhNpDcsGYnPNc4GEWxsaDUlcnz1pfJIpgmfNzp0E-0laxPuq39N3us9fVQ08HsQBCuMNGMp97SyivsoIu-UTRKl9Kfg3sEmA/s200/September+2010++UK+trip+088.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>The beach at Sand Bay just as the sun was setting at the end of a perfect day. I spent half my childhood playing on these sands and it was lovely to be there again.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj94sbnB-j2jT0pP2kbarAtYvs4-jF7dJziqCq2u2xpoYQ-nj15glMXjcgyj9LHMmfAWq2absfrCCWVdHN1ATpwdUuZ5gNsTOD0en0a015W6bV1FMFvhwMtLsJAfTN8ful08v_8u4KMBSg/s1600/September+2010++UK+trip+080.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj94sbnB-j2jT0pP2kbarAtYvs4-jF7dJziqCq2u2xpoYQ-nj15glMXjcgyj9LHMmfAWq2absfrCCWVdHN1ATpwdUuZ5gNsTOD0en0a015W6bV1FMFvhwMtLsJAfTN8ful08v_8u4KMBSg/s200/September+2010++UK+trip+080.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Another view of the beach which is just a two minute walk from the hotel.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioxYuDlUsvABULCwkTQaXbIcd42uKioUl_QMoG4ee84Dbklg-7rcwTFvKtY4ZdOPrxAiFQaCWAw1apvH2aov-YKxZK_gK3iSqvfcoN6dnLxAZu1LMJ4PbHeM-s54jAsXfu-WqetDr7_hk/s1600/September+2010++UK+trip+101.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEioxYuDlUsvABULCwkTQaXbIcd42uKioUl_QMoG4ee84Dbklg-7rcwTFvKtY4ZdOPrxAiFQaCWAw1apvH2aov-YKxZK_gK3iSqvfcoN6dnLxAZu1LMJ4PbHeM-s54jAsXfu-WqetDr7_hk/s200/September+2010++UK+trip+101.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Of course, a trip to Weston-super-Mare would not be complete without a visit to the Grand Pier which so famously burnt down just a few short yeas ago. They have kept the entrance exactly as it was - sadly, it still isn't open to the public while they iron out a few problems.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj_FeHcNE4lxalrnUhwpDkpbGBuGblnmyPdGbd1fGYX2fBAO8cQHg-bghNLFVTSM4OWd5-116DFZqUKQFG6Oszs7z87D3xHqA2dh62h7rTg7cuYrzwkzFakP-D0Jc-ONhyphenhyphenfYN29vJbGco/s1600/September+2010++UK+trip+095.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj_FeHcNE4lxalrnUhwpDkpbGBuGblnmyPdGbd1fGYX2fBAO8cQHg-bghNLFVTSM4OWd5-116DFZqUKQFG6Oszs7z87D3xHqA2dh62h7rTg7cuYrzwkzFakP-D0Jc-ONhyphenhyphenfYN29vJbGco/s200/September+2010++UK+trip+095.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
The end of the pier, which was destroyed in the fire, has been rebuilt to a much more modern design but it looks exactly right. As you can tell, the weather was quite typical, with the sea almost invisible as usual!<br />
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They are working very hard on the whole seafront area surrounding the pier. By next year, when all the work is complete, it should look fantastic. I can't wait to return. I'm so pleased that the pier has been rebuilt - it's another part of my childhood that holds fond memories for me.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKZNuPJvsSdMln7Q4aPUKQGCzZFpieTM_fNS1sjb9JtJvOpd1x5Y2zoZOSTpPatzfuPjIZWC3xwOyH7gv__NdNN8XiwObe9wEdKW1giZoJ_wtEp0iY8HRZEyjV3BU8vSDtmBLbCpXB0Bo/s1600/September+2010++UK+trip+110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKZNuPJvsSdMln7Q4aPUKQGCzZFpieTM_fNS1sjb9JtJvOpd1x5Y2zoZOSTpPatzfuPjIZWC3xwOyH7gv__NdNN8XiwObe9wEdKW1giZoJ_wtEp0iY8HRZEyjV3BU8vSDtmBLbCpXB0Bo/s200/September+2010++UK+trip+110.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
Another favourite spot between Bristol and Weston-super-Mare is Chew Valley Lake, now a haven for wild birds. The last time we were here in February, it was teeming with all sorts of birds. This time it seemed was just for ducks and seagulls!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht3uEJh7LK0DVWF1r2XkiohLwJXf30oq9dp-Jyl3O0ZHYyx5pnTVPUNvptLxoJPARhnz2ikryyY-W01YHqI9u8zmPGsC0NeHMZEpA5LFK1GR9Y8r4iEkHWpKOUqbT4EDzTopxqFVP8Kss/s1600/September+2010++UK+trip+121.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEht3uEJh7LK0DVWF1r2XkiohLwJXf30oq9dp-Jyl3O0ZHYyx5pnTVPUNvptLxoJPARhnz2ikryyY-W01YHqI9u8zmPGsC0NeHMZEpA5LFK1GR9Y8r4iEkHWpKOUqbT4EDzTopxqFVP8Kss/s200/September+2010++UK+trip+121.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
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At its busiest, it has thousands of birds and the noise is almost deafening.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeO16jnICRSUETgHEK3JO9rxxsAT0_vp_KzpllYvUulbBwyz10WPKwtSne00Y5IAbi1OkCq5jQ5o5W8nMX2CE8HNlnS9QJhxhCGCxBvKdCnRMWX25hwxtMJ6RQJl0z3Va7ktYTj7JsetM/s1600/September+2010++UK+trip+165.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeO16jnICRSUETgHEK3JO9rxxsAT0_vp_KzpllYvUulbBwyz10WPKwtSne00Y5IAbi1OkCq5jQ5o5W8nMX2CE8HNlnS9QJhxhCGCxBvKdCnRMWX25hwxtMJ6RQJl0z3Va7ktYTj7JsetM/s200/September+2010++UK+trip+165.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>And all of a sudden, here we are sailing into Caen on a beautiful summer's afternoon with the temperature quite a few degrees warmer than we had left behind in Portsmouth, and hearts full of memories that will last for years! Aren't families wonderful?!<br />
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Thanks for reading!Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891469997569397154noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024822165442949442.post-70138266259370515932010-09-05T21:34:00.000-07:002010-09-05T21:34:15.240-07:00Back to the UK for ten precious days!Thanks for all the lovely comments about my last post! They're very welcome! <br />
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Well, having been thinking about our forthcoming trip for what seems like ages, we only have one more night's sleep here now. I know the ten days will whizz by and that I shall be very reluctant to come back here, so I shall try and stay positive! We have lots to look forward to including a huge family get-together in honour of my lovely Mum's 80th birthday. As she has suffered a lot of serious health problems throughout her life, it's a hell of a birthday to celebrate, and members of the family are coming from far and wide. I'm sure it's going to be an emotional trip!<br />
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We've been warned about the cooler weather in the UK, too. Here, it's been absolutely fantastic for days and days - yesterday was 29 degrees with pure blue skies and wall to wall sunshine, so nothing to grumble about there! Just have to decide what to pack to be prepared for the UK's varying weather! <br />
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The renovations here have been ongoing but it will be good to have a break from the disruption and dust for a while, although we'll be straight back into it as soon as we return! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCmFcIF3phVu_wpK8fOIpQ9dWjL94wP96WFiGanUvs6yNKNJ0eVoMhUGPnZWiV3yYgvkXjKSOatXLzn0LfsEQ2473dz35tvYhwpRzDnDvuQ92S94lzGLJCrRpr_nJB1Thl2xZeENvnj8M/s1600/Blog+photos+155.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCmFcIF3phVu_wpK8fOIpQ9dWjL94wP96WFiGanUvs6yNKNJ0eVoMhUGPnZWiV3yYgvkXjKSOatXLzn0LfsEQ2473dz35tvYhwpRzDnDvuQ92S94lzGLJCrRpr_nJB1Thl2xZeENvnj8M/s200/Blog+photos+155.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>This is one of my mum's birthday presents - it's my first attempt at making jewellery; just hope it doesn't fall apart when she opens it!<br />
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I have a few more things for her to open but forgot to take photos of them before I wrapped them!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRAAJFy-B1a9f02Q0lI9ax7MyEveYjLd0WkjNT31OHUoQDDjPFV9asDGHzchl9xtw5ZKoBxYhc0Y89Tjo6aKTZp_tOkg077L6huul_TU5LKtoTkKJuGtUcZoT-y-tjesjWfM5ea20l6io/s1600/Photos+to+take+home+025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRAAJFy-B1a9f02Q0lI9ax7MyEveYjLd0WkjNT31OHUoQDDjPFV9asDGHzchl9xtw5ZKoBxYhc0Y89Tjo6aKTZp_tOkg077L6huul_TU5LKtoTkKJuGtUcZoT-y-tjesjWfM5ea20l6io/s200/Photos+to+take+home+025.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
This is the peach tree right now. The peaches are just starting to ripen and should be perfect when we return. They don't get very big but they are deliciously tasty and very sweet. Some are falling off, though, so I hope we don't get any gales while we are away!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3OOeRfe6nKNhpCpaRb46XA807MB1jCgfzFsuv5KYZD3uaGWsejWfE9RA3PpniJMWeFsv4Tc6t4-uchVtMkDY23AbATcpDaNauO1lijJUGYdNTY1nO3pKAr0Rc1_qbPiB-CB_AMnuOazI/s1600/Photos+to+take+home+014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3OOeRfe6nKNhpCpaRb46XA807MB1jCgfzFsuv5KYZD3uaGWsejWfE9RA3PpniJMWeFsv4Tc6t4-uchVtMkDY23AbATcpDaNauO1lijJUGYdNTY1nO3pKAr0Rc1_qbPiB-CB_AMnuOazI/s200/Photos+to+take+home+014.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>We are still in our temporary sitting room. This room is really a big hall turned into a small sitting room - the main sitting room is still down to bare stone walls. At least we can sit and relax in here - last year we had nowhere comfy to sit so this is a vast improvement in our lives! The oddly-shape alcove behind the small sofa now has some lovely shelves in it that the Husband made with some old timber he found in a barn - with some TLC and a lot of hard work sawing, staining and waxing, the timber looks lovely now! <br />
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I think it's the photo that's listing to one side, not the house - I hope!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiihtOFSZjjxyuFAsTbQICEFtp-SYUbWh2RYLF32pwoChwjhsaum6Zj8mVY53bXOI91Cu4-1nHklMmytmV2ppWzD_VSnrdXmxMuU_GV3Gkv_EUialoblT023BjfElX2PQJe_XafMec6ekA/s1600/Photos+to+take+home+006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiihtOFSZjjxyuFAsTbQICEFtp-SYUbWh2RYLF32pwoChwjhsaum6Zj8mVY53bXOI91Cu4-1nHklMmytmV2ppWzD_VSnrdXmxMuU_GV3Gkv_EUialoblT023BjfElX2PQJe_XafMec6ekA/s200/Photos+to+take+home+006.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>This is the other end of the room - we need to get some curtains up but that's another job that can wait until we come back!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcb2Sid-0KKk69t7Na5laPh-_DKPQ8m-T2eEyHwB0hoy8w6mOV77JRgqV_p-AUQqCeCtlSjP74Wa9snQLGrKAxJwQcFk75qjKdzGk3tpvgnHBcKuFoOfVL995UJxtp0i_KNrZuGkGPGCw/s1600/Photos+to+take+home+023.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjcb2Sid-0KKk69t7Na5laPh-_DKPQ8m-T2eEyHwB0hoy8w6mOV77JRgqV_p-AUQqCeCtlSjP74Wa9snQLGrKAxJwQcFk75qjKdzGk3tpvgnHBcKuFoOfVL995UJxtp0i_KNrZuGkGPGCw/s200/Photos+to+take+home+023.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>This part of the garden was really uneven but some workmen were finishing off the resurfacing work outside the house, and they had to dig up a load of soil - the Husband, being ever on the lookout for things, asked them if we could have the soil, so they brought it round for us. He spent an hour yesterday spreading it around to even up the ground under the tree. They had a digger, too, so he asked if they would move some heavy granite slabs for us - you can just make out some seats that we made with them against the wall - we couldn't have done it without the digger because they weigh too much. We had to force them to take some euros for their trouble AND they worked into some of their lunch hour, which is a lot to ask of French workers! They have some more work to do over the next couple of weeks and I should imagine they'll be glad that we're away!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5MfSOi_YwqTnsZ-nJVON6Hgq5WWVUGUXR03gSUjBI61uXTqQGGTuKJRyXY4ypdZgM7Lj6VrO-7H6ZMM7jUXlVFTGOoARgZd7Sgc2H9F1T6s3TqHvqPV9Dg6PssMXVBvDjDz0039c6ebs/s1600/Photos+to+take+home+027.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5MfSOi_YwqTnsZ-nJVON6Hgq5WWVUGUXR03gSUjBI61uXTqQGGTuKJRyXY4ypdZgM7Lj6VrO-7H6ZMM7jUXlVFTGOoARgZd7Sgc2H9F1T6s3TqHvqPV9Dg6PssMXVBvDjDz0039c6ebs/s200/Photos+to+take+home+027.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>This is a spare table that we can sit at as the sun moves down the garden in the evening. It's away from the main sitting area, and is great for catching the very last of the sun before it sets!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOBkwcCtAvGMdWcfH800sLVvDSC6Uz6ZwTNbMEkeWDPJph9BQby9Mu6v_4QZq8ZYRt4Kga7jcb9LmYyqNFZ9WcQDgRwia8XbOBeKTOBMlp8ocbv3p98PZ868WsBb4k5GgQ8dCoJx6k5GQ/s1600/Building+plot+2010+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhOBkwcCtAvGMdWcfH800sLVvDSC6Uz6ZwTNbMEkeWDPJph9BQby9Mu6v_4QZq8ZYRt4Kga7jcb9LmYyqNFZ9WcQDgRwia8XbOBeKTOBMlp8ocbv3p98PZ868WsBb4k5GgQ8dCoJx6k5GQ/s200/Building+plot+2010+001.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>The workmen finally got round to putting up the fence posts that run alongside our building plots - the local commune needed to pinch some of the land to widen the access road, so they've had to move and replace the fence. Only the posts have gone in so far - we may get the 'grillage' that goes in between them some time soon - it takes forever to get anything done here!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCXanBxd7tuWRfspQ5ByqL3t7d_VZYfscW9cH2IchB9u7qfGYUcPLyZoEIJ9EUpLGvGasqSwMQCAB-7oe5CD1zDzr7wS4Wd45cho-a8zR1XaD-44YdP7rlfscBK9SCengjKVEOx5D6oyw/s1600/Photos+to+take+home+026.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCXanBxd7tuWRfspQ5ByqL3t7d_VZYfscW9cH2IchB9u7qfGYUcPLyZoEIJ9EUpLGvGasqSwMQCAB-7oe5CD1zDzr7wS4Wd45cho-a8zR1XaD-44YdP7rlfscBK9SCengjKVEOx5D6oyw/s200/Photos+to+take+home+026.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>I like this bit of the garden - it shows the end of the drive as it goes out onto the newly-surfaced road.<br />
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I just need to tidy up the big bedroom that the Husband has been working on then I can take some photos. I daren't take any right now; the room is a mess and there is much packing going on ready for our trip back to the UK - oh, and, as it's only 6.30 in the morning, the Husband is still asleep in there!<br />
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Thanks for reading. I hope to catch up with you all when I get back!Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891469997569397154noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024822165442949442.post-449268428941943852010-08-29T22:53:00.000-07:002010-08-29T22:56:46.381-07:00Just outside my door this morning as the sun is rising!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXToYybsvqa39uiC8Zs-fjfs1M0umBa167R-4555PAuKzH6i7vpzcq78IZQYjvbb5PNNYqq02_krZqqodfs35HmwylGihxxghHuOHGbbRXqX5O_4ofdq4d1Iw3sHGPrgzL1Dt_zSI9k2U/s1600/Blog+photos+112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXToYybsvqa39uiC8Zs-fjfs1M0umBa167R-4555PAuKzH6i7vpzcq78IZQYjvbb5PNNYqq02_krZqqodfs35HmwylGihxxghHuOHGbbRXqX5O_4ofdq4d1Iw3sHGPrgzL1Dt_zSI9k2U/s200/Blog+photos+112.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
Just a hint of the sun as it rises behind the trees - looks like it's going to be another lovely day!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCQzWj1TrTv7SBy_1I4K0RKZNmIMmpyMW7Wp9kMEFwTd49_NKhEoQpqgOpQU9tolxDHcqx2onL3RXqktLxeCjWDSQQY3VbHl7cskg22RRntD6PLME8Cqe4fF_D16IbipzJiJvtmMJIavE/s1600/Blog+photos+110.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCQzWj1TrTv7SBy_1I4K0RKZNmIMmpyMW7Wp9kMEFwTd49_NKhEoQpqgOpQU9tolxDHcqx2onL3RXqktLxeCjWDSQQY3VbHl7cskg22RRntD6PLME8Cqe4fF_D16IbipzJiJvtmMJIavE/s200/Blog+photos+110.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>You can just make out the calves here - these two are just a little bit hyperactive. They don't seem to realise that cows are supposed to be calm and peaceful, and we often see them galloping around the field chasing and headbutting each other, and ignoring their mums!<br />
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After a few weeks of hot sunny weather, and a little rain, one of the orange trees we bought a couple of months ago seems to have sprung into life - don't think we'll be picking oranges for a while, though!<br />
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A fiery hot chilli plant - a gift from a friend about eight weeks ago. All the chillies were purple when we first had the plant. I've been warned that this is one of the hottest chillies around so, while I love chilli, I only love the mild stuff. I might try it on The Husband first!<br />
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Looking out of my window right now, the sun has just surfaced above the trees and it looks like we are in for a beautiful day, so I shall try and take some time out (it's NOT bank holiday here!) and take some more photos.<br />
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As it's bank holiday in the UK, I hope everyone there has a wonderful day. I shall be there myself soon - just for a break to catch up with family and friends. Just a few more sleeps to go!<br />
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Thanks for reading!Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891469997569397154noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024822165442949442.post-74762110689655432452010-08-12T22:21:00.000-07:002010-08-12T22:21:40.354-07:00'It's Been So Long' as George McCrae would say!Well, the time sure does fly, not so much when you're simply enjoying yourself, but when there is too much to do and not enough time to stand and stare!<br />
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One of these days, the house will be finished and a few more loose ends will be tied, and I will be able to blog to my heart's content but, as it is, time here is at a premium and I simply run out of it.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBAuPt6AlKurtCT8R6vtK5DD6pyX_ahEYesm0utUx0YhyphenhyphenkqW_FmyM_YP1TXjxUrDkl-8IXNSyaY3uzCeY_SKHS1Y0JMKh1_B9e_Vd0v_eSBNKjdijLTLiXJilpQHr3H_wGKWBdvwgfrO0/s1600/Blog+photos+086.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBAuPt6AlKurtCT8R6vtK5DD6pyX_ahEYesm0utUx0YhyphenhyphenkqW_FmyM_YP1TXjxUrDkl-8IXNSyaY3uzCeY_SKHS1Y0JMKh1_B9e_Vd0v_eSBNKjdijLTLiXJilpQHr3H_wGKWBdvwgfrO0/s200/Blog+photos+086.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>I have, however, got round to replacing the CDs in my car - much as I love the ones that have been replaced, they must have been in there for about six months and have become ever-so-slightly irritating! Here is what I'm currently listening to as I wend my way along the little country roads in this corner of France - I had forgotten just how great is the voice of Al Green. It's a bit of an eclectic collection but I just picked them out at random; I will enjoy them for a while and try not to leave it so long until I change them again. We have a fantastic - if mixed - collection of music which really deserves to be listened to!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA8n88WnqdhqHPzfHqABAVlmDZt4x0hq6il-zVHdWUaEFrDm1x9ILUjAYNoWn0AXN1lZ7ON9E-5Dv81BLow8dwucPJL8djPFlnJAzJIcj-4uvrZRCryjrTjFGQYig8JwLUO6loSzq8QgQ/s1600/Red+kites+August+2010+016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjA8n88WnqdhqHPzfHqABAVlmDZt4x0hq6il-zVHdWUaEFrDm1x9ILUjAYNoWn0AXN1lZ7ON9E-5Dv81BLow8dwucPJL8djPFlnJAzJIcj-4uvrZRCryjrTjFGQYig8JwLUO6loSzq8QgQ/s200/Red+kites+August+2010+016.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>We have finally had the outside light connected - it's great for those after-dinner cuppas (or glasses of Vino Collapsio!) and at least we can see each other now! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbld8VStnMZJvn0UXgHXxMmZ4FJJLPM8xrAeqlVBQM5ASbED0Jje5bWqS_ST4tfZfVdozz4re422-QvF3xh4eZ4mE6X9Ffi1Ujt9GkVvx7jotuFqktbgmQy8PfLK2rUO221dFFSpV36kc/s1600/Red+kites+August+2010+018.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbld8VStnMZJvn0UXgHXxMmZ4FJJLPM8xrAeqlVBQM5ASbED0Jje5bWqS_ST4tfZfVdozz4re422-QvF3xh4eZ4mE6X9Ffi1Ujt9GkVvx7jotuFqktbgmQy8PfLK2rUO221dFFSpV36kc/s200/Red+kites+August+2010+018.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>We had to visit a nearby town the other day to collect a bit we needed for my car (the bit, part of the air intake, apparently, is called a 'souffle' here in France!). Anyway, we found a lovely second-hand shop nearby - it's huge and stuffed with all manner of exciting and interesting things, and would take a couple of day to explore fully. We found these lovely little tables that we couldn't resist - they wanted €30 for the three but the Husband boldly offered €20 and they agreed! We'll probably take them indoors for the winter, but I think they look lovely with some little lavender plants on them. I need to find some better-looking pots, though! I'm also very tempted to crochet things to hang on them but I'm not sure the Husband would share my enthusiasm! <br />
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Well, that's it for today, I think. I have more photos to post (of the renovations) but need to sort through them first!<br />
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Thanks for reading - have a great day, wherever in the world you are!Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891469997569397154noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024822165442949442.post-55911896114301532622010-08-04T22:18:00.000-07:002010-08-04T22:18:49.711-07:00Long time no see - again!Well, I had no intention of leaving it so long since my last post on here but, oh, doesn't the time just fly by - especially when you are enjoying yourself?! We had a thoroughly magical time when Son Number One visited last week with his lovely wife and two gorgeous children - they filled the house completely the way only children can. We spent most days visiting parks and our lovely local lake resort; the weather was perfect and they were able to spend hours swimming, too. We are lucky enough to have several fantastic parks here with loads to do for children almost without spending a penny, apart from buying the odd icecream. The children bought a volley-ball set with them so that was set up in the garden, along with the basketball net that we bought ages and ages ago and have just got round to fixing to the wall. The Husband and I did a lot of running around last week - it made us feel like children, too!<br />
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It's quite a climb to reach this viewpoint but well worth it - one of our favourite views of Parthenay<br />
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Yet more activity - yet again, we just watched...<br />
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A surprise visitor to the garden. We've been told that hedgehogs are protected here in France. Although it's unsual to see one during the daytime, this one looked to be the picture of health. He sat there for ages while the grandchildren took photos - the perfect subject!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCtpDpclRGVGOoKOfUMCLX5kO49YwuLPmrybQKstOWA6u9X7_OJ6RMdf2xlrKuyPAGY4oudNYkO_hfc8Q5eNZXLSrpT5mBMpkJYxRGpig7D_Di9Y93tMGNp5QvXSjsKKsEcd5UxPxk7ew/s1600/Family+visit+July+2010+108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCtpDpclRGVGOoKOfUMCLX5kO49YwuLPmrybQKstOWA6u9X7_OJ6RMdf2xlrKuyPAGY4oudNYkO_hfc8Q5eNZXLSrpT5mBMpkJYxRGpig7D_Di9Y93tMGNp5QvXSjsKKsEcd5UxPxk7ew/s200/Family+visit+July+2010+108.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>No, this wasn't in the garden! We have a local park with a real menagerie of animals in it - this peacock posed perfectly for the photo that my grandson took.<br />
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Well, that was the latest family visit - I miss them all now that they have gone but we will be visiting them soon, so I have lots to look forward to!<br />
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I shall try and blog tomorrow with updates on the renovations to the house - there is still a lot to do but progress is being made, slowly but surely!<br />
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Thanks for reading!Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891469997569397154noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024822165442949442.post-63003368828574079812010-07-15T21:00:00.000-07:002010-07-15T21:00:01.016-07:00Down by the river!It's been some time since my last post, mainly because I lost both phone and internet access from Friday until Tuesday, all courtesy of France Telecom. The phone suddenly went dead on Friday evening; I checked with the neighbours, and it seemed that the whole area had been affected. As one of them said, 'possibly the whole of France, who knows?' accompanied by the inevitable Gallic shrug! No-one else seemed to be as bothered as I was - which must be because I am the only English woman in this part of France! There is just no sense of urgency here at all - luckily, no-one in the hamlet needed the emergency services!<br />
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We look after a holiday home in a gorgeous little village called Gourge (accent over the 'e' for pronunciation), about ten miles away. Gourge is one of the prettiest places here, and the holiday home itself is lovely. Owned by two English couples, it has been renovated beautifully and furnished in an exceedingly French way, although they assured me that almost everything came from Ikea in the UK!<br />
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Anyway, I digress - we called over there yesterday evening because the latest guests had just left. I had intended to collect the bedlinen and towels for washing, but found that it had already been done and, in fact, as the little lady opposite informed me, some was still hanging on the line, so that saved me a job. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNg2HbX_1ivZAakcCwKELU1oUKtTnNJEa2-rtXcKkbAxcuWEIU4rUt4s6LVTj0hO_MIk37FMNxXrHB9BWvBJS4xITeT47Pgiqhua-J9H1D2euHIFZT1G0OP9P200myLIHbEt2RFI89NSA/s1600/Gourge+-+July+2010+002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNg2HbX_1ivZAakcCwKELU1oUKtTnNJEa2-rtXcKkbAxcuWEIU4rUt4s6LVTj0hO_MIk37FMNxXrHB9BWvBJS4xITeT47Pgiqhua-J9H1D2euHIFZT1G0OP9P200myLIHbEt2RFI89NSA/s200/Gourge+-+July+2010+002.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB9d_UmuYqDw4mnS1yikhaF2MxjXvuIrXwq5DTjJUfNecXtwIseJZ924ZtQDXlgO_-lY2JseTu_ikCPpq2GdNuW0X7UpJxzOwCKlB1ic73nD3emqI90leKA3AMhxtFsZn3PM8W5cbVtwU/s1600/Gourge+-+July+2010+006.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgB9d_UmuYqDw4mnS1yikhaF2MxjXvuIrXwq5DTjJUfNecXtwIseJZ924ZtQDXlgO_-lY2JseTu_ikCPpq2GdNuW0X7UpJxzOwCKlB1ic73nD3emqI90leKA3AMhxtFsZn3PM8W5cbVtwU/s200/Gourge+-+July+2010+006.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
When we were last there, just under two weeks ago, the garden was really showing off the climbing roses - they were already shedding petals and I collected loads, in yellow and hot pink, to make pot-pourri. Yesterday, sadly, all the petals had gone but there was this gorgeous gladioli just starting to flower, and, in another corner, this beautiful hydrangea.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDW7Aai-xBRETSQVkdUdfb9UVBICsdBemOqBU3T4hvdfdff74FKmmpxq3rFrnfcyaHP-2eD2Wdiu5YZG8DFW1gYsJEXyXDRvl-NCWTYWFpnXwp_zAz2epLVCgmY7fPdUTtoz5-iE3kF8k/s1600/Gourge+-+July+2010+066.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDW7Aai-xBRETSQVkdUdfb9UVBICsdBemOqBU3T4hvdfdff74FKmmpxq3rFrnfcyaHP-2eD2Wdiu5YZG8DFW1gYsJEXyXDRvl-NCWTYWFpnXwp_zAz2epLVCgmY7fPdUTtoz5-iE3kF8k/s200/Gourge+-+July+2010+066.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Here is my pot-pourri in the making - in the bowl so far are pink and yellow rose petals, bay leaves, some lavender (which is not quite ready, really, but I couldn't resist picking it!), some lemon peel, and leaves from one of our orange trees. It already smells delicious, but I may add some herbs later.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsYDu3CZpP-T3WBzfFNQpgNx2dacj3sOxUPSqnwQTm1EO5IAW15xoUd-bnc-Hi73WsZSgZ-d7Wfq6lwD_W9GjWkBxa9aHLxZ8-IP01wf0YcbrsK4IYEmR_mobboEUdA6djyMowesPLWes/s1600/Gourge+-+July+2010+007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsYDu3CZpP-T3WBzfFNQpgNx2dacj3sOxUPSqnwQTm1EO5IAW15xoUd-bnc-Hi73WsZSgZ-d7Wfq6lwD_W9GjWkBxa9aHLxZ8-IP01wf0YcbrsK4IYEmR_mobboEUdA6djyMowesPLWes/s200/Gourge+-+July+2010+007.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>After we'd locked up the house, we took a trip down to the lovely river Thouet that runs through the village. It was about 8pm and the sun was low in the sky, casting a golden glow over the countryside. The old mill house here dates back to the Middle Ages; the old wooden wheel is no longer in use.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXARCc_N_qb6uUNY8Hc8uSHCFMHfyeGORJGmdY5xoXubBGJtgoAEuwvPmzZ8GSg7FBMZ4A6Yeu265yWJdVQV6e8QB2h3Br-nXqTRlEodJbbqSxufqWnjl_m2IhNbh1ir67RvcRRhv-CHo/s1600/Gourge+-+July+2010+025.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhXARCc_N_qb6uUNY8Hc8uSHCFMHfyeGORJGmdY5xoXubBGJtgoAEuwvPmzZ8GSg7FBMZ4A6Yeu265yWJdVQV6e8QB2h3Br-nXqTRlEodJbbqSxufqWnjl_m2IhNbh1ir67RvcRRhv-CHo/s200/Gourge+-+July+2010+025.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
I love the willow tree in the foreground that seems to be growing straight out of the water.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD4ZKFbxihsQ4sIlozGihQNnXCOQeph4aQwkGVQNY84wc-g4Kfpd1hU4d5WEP-JekDG6obGWYxCDpMOANbmF8Ubvn9g6L2WD5BPZdaOhVV8u6drWXaWeU51mseHs1KpdDTuRDdDNVEvhE/s1600/Gourge+-+July+2010+028.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiD4ZKFbxihsQ4sIlozGihQNnXCOQeph4aQwkGVQNY84wc-g4Kfpd1hU4d5WEP-JekDG6obGWYxCDpMOANbmF8Ubvn9g6L2WD5BPZdaOhVV8u6drWXaWeU51mseHs1KpdDTuRDdDNVEvhE/s200/Gourge+-+July+2010+028.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
Gourge now has a thoroughly modern bridge to take the traffic, but the old one is still there for strolling along. A Gallo-Roman bridge, it was built in the 11th century over the river Thouet, which runs from Nantes to Poitiers.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo1vwOL0em85DinLRhg_pXbouxAogtmVzoSpWgfmxRw-bjawDh66vz_4qcdEndtl-GbkZpEU9YnwifO6BZiHOxU3NWrIWVdDP52pCofZP8pVotas-zbNlEQcEo_ou7dFqzC16319OQCwk/s1600/Gourge+-+July+2010+050.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjo1vwOL0em85DinLRhg_pXbouxAogtmVzoSpWgfmxRw-bjawDh66vz_4qcdEndtl-GbkZpEU9YnwifO6BZiHOxU3NWrIWVdDP52pCofZP8pVotas-zbNlEQcEo_ou7dFqzC16319OQCwk/s200/Gourge+-+July+2010+050.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Here you can make out the passing places that were set in along the bridge. The pathway is made from heavy granite cobbles, and you can see the centre that has been worn away by all those footsteps from times gone by. I wonder how many people have crossed this bridge in all those years?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjiO5FrgcMLpL-O2OrE11sHSdrMhkufIsdGk-CZZbp-nHfKg4Io1fY3-c2qglwKXFIjY_McsxBVpsSE8tOhB3G8IM9-BoYukeZZszb60WCd7HHNDMZSCA6w1XTg4Cx-A3FmoVhsimjkSM/s1600/Gourge+-+July+2010+056.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjiO5FrgcMLpL-O2OrE11sHSdrMhkufIsdGk-CZZbp-nHfKg4Io1fY3-c2qglwKXFIjY_McsxBVpsSE8tOhB3G8IM9-BoYukeZZszb60WCd7HHNDMZSCA6w1XTg4Cx-A3FmoVhsimjkSM/s200/Gourge+-+July+2010+056.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>The Husband was taken with this house so I had to take a photo of it!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHr4QCNdlrgH56hmuA6TF0_OduOJfn3Pn8NfUkWBRoq0mn0-8yC_nULCZl5hwZ6jbedtWC9K2VSisPmbXsqYC22urMaCdY-TzazRV-OVikYqZyG_qBycmkUnmL4JK7LxVJ068B9EQSNdQ/s1600/Gourge+-+July+2010+058.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHr4QCNdlrgH56hmuA6TF0_OduOJfn3Pn8NfUkWBRoq0mn0-8yC_nULCZl5hwZ6jbedtWC9K2VSisPmbXsqYC22urMaCdY-TzazRV-OVikYqZyG_qBycmkUnmL4JK7LxVJ068B9EQSNdQ/s200/Gourge+-+July+2010+058.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>and I was taken by these gates that hide a little house up on a hill. I would loved to have ventured inside!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinGbVjnYJt2LKsk09mKj_G0udaMj3GcFLZwonxRjCj6ivDvW-xeWesFT8J_dize_3ldpV7WnE3iayO9s5PJYKZM58em5Dcd9yUGJV5qwUrVKqzgLwuNpw2qdNIXhjcEharRY9kSB9lno8/s1600/Gourge+-+July+2010+061.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinGbVjnYJt2LKsk09mKj_G0udaMj3GcFLZwonxRjCj6ivDvW-xeWesFT8J_dize_3ldpV7WnE3iayO9s5PJYKZM58em5Dcd9yUGJV5qwUrVKqzgLwuNpw2qdNIXhjcEharRY9kSB9lno8/s200/Gourge+-+July+2010+061.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>A nosy photo of someone's garden! It runs right down to the river; what a lovely spot.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizmHRaOjrzvtaHYzsJLleKycokTUwucEHwPDPFMz3XP-wXh186vVP6pepx_RAOelzVzZsxgRz-7FeFypcN4SAch3a1Ze3paJOldWL-NYvIGr0Y6syxmn4Au38ysoGtxZ2QXY8WwlYtN_c/s1600/Gourge+-+July+2010+054.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizmHRaOjrzvtaHYzsJLleKycokTUwucEHwPDPFMz3XP-wXh186vVP6pepx_RAOelzVzZsxgRz-7FeFypcN4SAch3a1Ze3paJOldWL-NYvIGr0Y6syxmn4Au38ysoGtxZ2QXY8WwlYtN_c/s200/Gourge+-+July+2010+054.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Someone else's garden with its neat rows of veggies....<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPwbmETV8_isAJqGAPlGncTm8UKuvFY9ObiQ13DIdEQ-7ya9KzHK3i5NTUGfStfgK2WtnTX6D8uArPvXU0ciTWM2h9DrZRgxSmxWdCbyR5MEYgcUWeq52tiZ86UhyphenhypheniBy_2rwRm5c7LwmA/s1600/Gourge+-+July+2010+063.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPwbmETV8_isAJqGAPlGncTm8UKuvFY9ObiQ13DIdEQ-7ya9KzHK3i5NTUGfStfgK2WtnTX6D8uArPvXU0ciTWM2h9DrZRgxSmxWdCbyR5MEYgcUWeq52tiZ86UhyphenhypheniBy_2rwRm5c7LwmA/s200/Gourge+-+July+2010+063.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>... and this is on the way home. The French love their trees; this is one of my favourite roads here because it is so typically French. Just after Christmas, the powers that be cut the trees back so far that we thought they'd been killed off for good. It seemed to take ages for any signs of new life to show but, all of a sudden, the branches started to grow, and the leaves slowly appeared, and now they are almost back to their former glory. The French really seem to brutalise the trees here in the winter months, but they obviously know what they are doing, and there are many stunning boulevards here with perfectly-planted regiments of trees lining them.<br />
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Well, that was our lovely evening out and we thoroughly enjoyed taking time away from the renovations to enjoy the best of what France has to offer, and it cost us nothing but a bit of petrol!<br />
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Thank you for reading!<br />
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</script>Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891469997569397154noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024822165442949442.post-40857050347937972412010-07-04T03:42:00.000-07:002010-07-04T03:48:50.511-07:00A beautiful start to the day!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJija4FJSY0hJRS0xQsNOyv4u_uWQR9AazOCV3DLlD9isPTzh9nYaAcoEwWsyLGf4jt-t0Cq5lrYaZcgMiBHyErEftse1MSOVEKs96iJ7FobeEtfM7Wg40Wz1pNBvWJsUKvEl_NYRRRkA/s1600/Parthenaise+vache+003.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJija4FJSY0hJRS0xQsNOyv4u_uWQR9AazOCV3DLlD9isPTzh9nYaAcoEwWsyLGf4jt-t0Cq5lrYaZcgMiBHyErEftse1MSOVEKs96iJ7FobeEtfM7Wg40Wz1pNBvWJsUKvEl_NYRRRkA/s200/Parthenaise+vache+003.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>After days and days of high temperatures, the weather had a different feel first thing this morning - like the sort of day when you know that you can sit outside for more than ten minutes without turning into a crisp! I sat outside with my first cuppa of the day and watched the cows grazing in the field next to my garden. These aren't anxious, fast-munching cows, rather they take their time, stopping every few mouthfuls to admire the surrounding countryside. They are so far from pollution and other threats - they live a happy peaceful life, completely unaware, thankfully, that they are eventually destined for the table. They are called Parthenaise; they are local to this part of France, and the farmers are immensely proud of them. They have quite an enviable routine at this time of year - eating all morning and sleeping all afternoon, when all you can see moving are tails and ears, switching away the flies. I think I might follow their example one of these days!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMioJuxatGva92_uCXRLiFs_bkv84hjjSNsIoG3rpGCi2DtxadDxPvRb1VL69PRLTTwMzU6EtEqsoSLPmqeKph_sr2guxoT45r8o0gt59YRXNgxNnZtInDVuwWx6sAgNNNlLWAMYht7UA/s1600/Blog+photos+052.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMioJuxatGva92_uCXRLiFs_bkv84hjjSNsIoG3rpGCi2DtxadDxPvRb1VL69PRLTTwMzU6EtEqsoSLPmqeKph_sr2guxoT45r8o0gt59YRXNgxNnZtInDVuwWx6sAgNNNlLWAMYht7UA/s200/Blog+photos+052.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>The sun was just starting to filter through the trees; no-one else was around - mind, it was early and everyone else in the hamlet was probably still asleep! It is Sunday, after all - only a mad Englishwoman like me would be up this early, especially in France!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAJct4sija8YPpZocdc8woH78AGilUSORCrX2wUAje8494sAzzMfac6K0KN0joCTZfYmodItFWJdw0alx7c4enBbBH3yVEiHAjiBnCZKiIS8YcHz9XSphSiNty0AqNHBXi3Y7SIL7h09U/s1600/Blog+photos+038.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAJct4sija8YPpZocdc8woH78AGilUSORCrX2wUAje8494sAzzMfac6K0KN0joCTZfYmodItFWJdw0alx7c4enBbBH3yVEiHAjiBnCZKiIS8YcHz9XSphSiNty0AqNHBXi3Y7SIL7h09U/s200/Blog+photos+038.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Back indoors, I loved the way the sun seeped through the little window high up in the dining room, so out came the camera again!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKWRXCUL4yn2mZ5LQBsqotVqQI3mkVqRJNkTyQ1-VZ2kIOPnJaF9F1tC47TRSnNmqcifGlU9ZzxHvc3DOk-8qGpsy0CNHNxgZACzh0_LzidRMAeOo8Ht4OlSzr-nYwHEqCtQQ0Ym6Ll6Q/s1600/Louis+as+England+were+crashing+out+of+the+World+Cup+2010%21+002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKWRXCUL4yn2mZ5LQBsqotVqQI3mkVqRJNkTyQ1-VZ2kIOPnJaF9F1tC47TRSnNmqcifGlU9ZzxHvc3DOk-8qGpsy0CNHNxgZACzh0_LzidRMAeOo8Ht4OlSzr-nYwHEqCtQQ0Ym6Ll6Q/s200/Louis+as+England+were+crashing+out+of+the+World+Cup+2010%21+002.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>It can't have gone unnoticed that the World Cup has been occupying the minds of fans - whether they be true fans who follow football right through the season, or those, like me, who don't normally watch but can't help but get caught up in the World Cup itself. I really wished I was back in England because I knew that the flags, and anything else red and white, would be flying frantically from every available point. Here in France, you'd be forgiven for thinking that France had not qualified - not one flag flying, not one piece of cheerful bunting fluttering in the breeze - it's no wonder the team looked demoralised! Whilst England did not do as well as we were all hoping, at least they got that far - I won't mention 'the' goal! The Husband and I watched the team play Germany on the edge of our seats - well, until about ten minutes into the second half when I thought it was more interesting to put the bins out, and the Husband turned off the TV in disgust and carried on pottering about in the garden! The only member of the family with no opinion either way was Louis, the cat - here he is just as it was becoming obvious that our team were on the next plane home! I'm sorry it's such an inelegant pose; he has no shame! I'm not sure what he'll be like when we've had him 'fixed' at the end of the month! He spends most of his time like this, with the odd break for food, and a slow, very slow, walk around the garden!<br />
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I'll be back later with photos of the outside of the house that the Husband is currently painting! He hasn't quite finished yet - I'll go and tell him to hurry up!<br />
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Thanks for reading, and I hope you all have a lovely day!Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891469997569397154noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024822165442949442.post-29910755886114325462010-06-23T03:29:00.000-07:002010-06-23T03:29:22.658-07:00A little bit of everything!Yet again, it's been a week or so since my last post BUT I am happy to report that a fellow 'hooker' from our charity knitting group on moneysavingexpert.com came to visit us at the weekend! Check out her great blog, Chalky's World (link in the sidebar). From that you will see that Chalky and her husband divide their time between Spain and the UK; they are driving back to the UK from Spain, and part of their journey took in our little bit of France, so I nervously but boldly invited them to stay for the night and they did! They arrived on Sunday and you'd have thought we'd known each for years! You couldn't hope to meet a lovelier friendlier couple. We had a lovely time. Sadly, the weather was cooler than it should have been but we still managed to show them a little bit of the area and, in the evening, we sat and chatted and even did a bit of hooking - although I have to confess that Chalky did more than I did!<br />
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Here we are standing in front of their Sunshine Bus!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifRWArh16y4hxdrf5-iTKfAWjGVyGlhc3WWM6OTY-_H0J5FnP4GJ4xwORb2Wx7Al9Z6pZ1mNie3p-CO1YviWDux0_qp_A-bHrtzaA1jWvfvDehC2Ybj81j0_M_CiovOKNoP1GnxWh69yY/s1600/Blog+photos+035.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifRWArh16y4hxdrf5-iTKfAWjGVyGlhc3WWM6OTY-_H0J5FnP4GJ4xwORb2Wx7Al9Z6pZ1mNie3p-CO1YviWDux0_qp_A-bHrtzaA1jWvfvDehC2Ybj81j0_M_CiovOKNoP1GnxWh69yY/s200/Blog+photos+035.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>They came armed with some lovely home-made Seville Orange and Brandy Marmalade, Aubergine Chutney (both delicious), a bottle of Spanish Rioja, and a bottle of Spanish Brandy, some fresh lemons, some of which I made into lemonade from Lucy's lovely recipe on Attic24 - see photo. It's delicious and really easy and cheap to make, especially as it needs diluting like squash so a little goes a long way. It makes a lovely refreshing drink during this hot weather.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3HaAb6-jvU811cWllX6MzUFukSSimgBbUpm0qji59ZAFkoIUKFy4nZ6J7zganPja8F-Uvll1A8K_Yu9hb37XKfLyMpTCQmTb7_iQMss1x5n1mgQ8H-RPZ1P4JyR1FBCApcI9KK93qBGk/s1600/Chalky's+bunting+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3HaAb6-jvU811cWllX6MzUFukSSimgBbUpm0qji59ZAFkoIUKFy4nZ6J7zganPja8F-Uvll1A8K_Yu9hb37XKfLyMpTCQmTb7_iQMss1x5n1mgQ8H-RPZ1P4JyR1FBCApcI9KK93qBGk/s200/Chalky's+bunting+001.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Another treat which Chalky sneakily left behind for me to find when they left was this absolutely gorgeous bunting. When all the renovating here is finished, I shall find the perfect place for it. Meanwhile, we have a gazebo which we will be putting up in the garden soon - it will look lovely on that (only in dry weather, of course!). Having Chalky and her husband here - after months and months of chatting via the online forum - was wonderful and we thoroughly enjoyed their company.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4lgDPDqeH6cT7qtryYRFKNKXuX_gE8aMyxfuu0mnnW-MegaynhtOus7O-7oKyUKsjS-_QDlBil6peKn-opGOmbXXZF6SVVGV8eB4gWuFXnFiSHLiUCTYkrCFY-YglCbPvHHvAEsz72T0/s1600/Blog+photos+036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4lgDPDqeH6cT7qtryYRFKNKXuX_gE8aMyxfuu0mnnW-MegaynhtOus7O-7oKyUKsjS-_QDlBil6peKn-opGOmbXXZF6SVVGV8eB4gWuFXnFiSHLiUCTYkrCFY-YglCbPvHHvAEsz72T0/s200/Blog+photos+036.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Another pretty thing in my life right now is this lovely little dress I bought for my youngest granddaughter's first birthday in August - I have found a pattern for a little crochet bolero that will go with it, along with a doll that I hope to make for her.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikNr92QzFAcLtxUXsyekAyBMNxlhbdM47AWx_XZ-0ugM8FBbqPz3jWUHmA49uhxzuOfaB4Fv1zsHdgmlKiLvlThjYKrtEHLwtM_6Aed2SzRjzJ2OQZw_JQTc2bEouNQSPu0Ts_HHJYzj8/s1600/Blog+photos+037.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikNr92QzFAcLtxUXsyekAyBMNxlhbdM47AWx_XZ-0ugM8FBbqPz3jWUHmA49uhxzuOfaB4Fv1zsHdgmlKiLvlThjYKrtEHLwtM_6Aed2SzRjzJ2OQZw_JQTc2bEouNQSPu0Ts_HHJYzj8/s200/Blog+photos+037.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Not quite so pretty but progress nonetheless is this that the Husband has been working on outside - it's a wall beneath a window. The left side shows the wall as it was, the right side shows it now that 'chaux' has been applied between the stones which, once dry, will make it look more.... how shall I say it?..... more organic, I suppose.<br />
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The Husband has been working hard in the kitchen but the work in there has been so intense (and difficult to work in for me!) that he gave me the choice of a couple of days off while he worked outside, or carry on with the kitchen. Of course, I opted for the first choice, although I know it's only putting off the inevitable! Still, the weather is so good, he might as well make the most of working outside.<br />
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Hope the weather is good where you are! Thanks for reading!Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891469997569397154noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3024822165442949442.post-37820583316080704172010-06-11T21:18:00.000-07:002010-06-11T21:22:51.881-07:00Hurried woman syndrome!When I first started this blog, I had every intention of posting on regularly. Well, that has gone completely out of the window! I hadn't counted on just how few hours in the day, days in the week, and even months in the year, there really are!<br />
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I seem to do a little of everything and achieve a lot of nothing! A little crochet but a lot of planning things to crochet - the list gets ever longer. A lot of 'helping' the Husband with the house renovations - and a lot of clearing up and reorganising afterwards - that list gets ever longer, too. And, of course, there's the endless round of cooking, cleaning, shopping and other boringness to contend with.<br />
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However, things progress - slowly but surely.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1LymCFQbOrBKanI_hRRSKaVz-y0HePWUl_dA0aIVLNDoMEquSQCSVatvzSfAGvPQb0XeoI6bjO353FAi94z6VjFDk9Tkc4fDys8Wl0wVReexRlLccT93DKhfhx89AgKsJUSdvJstnXxQ/s1600/Flowers+007.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1LymCFQbOrBKanI_hRRSKaVz-y0HePWUl_dA0aIVLNDoMEquSQCSVatvzSfAGvPQb0XeoI6bjO353FAi94z6VjFDk9Tkc4fDys8Wl0wVReexRlLccT93DKhfhx89AgKsJUSdvJstnXxQ/s200/Flowers+007.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>A nice treat yesterday was some roses from a friend's garden - the pink ones are spectacular and ramble along a white wall that really sets them off. I found a few carnations to put with them. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqWMzIVPYJ6KYm0IR1VKpR4YK2tbe2s0OhQHQkdu8oZBtup5P_LGh32_YextPfiwsTxTfp63Ibbt1HbC83Y8kogthPy_SKU-yG3nsuwSXmBn1pVnJMCAqYf3mb9Zs8K8btqDjDGNb2Gco/s1600/The+garden+-+May++2010+001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqWMzIVPYJ6KYm0IR1VKpR4YK2tbe2s0OhQHQkdu8oZBtup5P_LGh32_YextPfiwsTxTfp63Ibbt1HbC83Y8kogthPy_SKU-yG3nsuwSXmBn1pVnJMCAqYf3mb9Zs8K8btqDjDGNb2Gco/s200/The+garden+-+May++2010+001.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><br />
Meanwhile, this is a bloom on an indoor hibiscus - I only wish the flowers lasted more than a day. The plant was a birthday present last year; it was beautiful until we went away in February and it didn't like being ignored. I was ready to throw it away but the Husband has tended it lovingly and restored it, if not to its former glory, at least half way there. <br />
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I will update on the renovation work a bit later - I have to sort through all the photos first!<br />
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Have a great day, and thanks for reading!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>Kathyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04891469997569397154noreply@blogger.com1