The Month Starts Better Than It Ends

The weather continued to be marvellous into October - we try hard to remember days like these, during the long very wet winters, and it proves very difficult BUT we must make the most of it.

The first job this month was to collect, and then distribute tonnes of stone into the areas that Craig had dug and flattened around the house and the animals. The ground has always become very muddy during the wet weather, which meant that we had walked mud into the house and slid around the animal pens. One day, one of us is going to fall over - and it's bound to be me ! It's easy to say that we would take our shoes/boots off every time we come in, but it's not always as simple as that !

Anyway, as I said, the stone was collected from the quarry, tipped, and then spread with several hours of back breaking work. The result was great, and has proved its worth, time and time again. Less mud in the house, less mud in the car, and as a bonus, less weeds !

What a difference eh ? A new wood store too at the back of the area - just need to fill it now.

Another batch of chickens - is that the name for a group of chickens, can't be flock can it ? - was ready for the freezer - all caught (during the only thunderstorm of the month !), delivered and then collected again from the abattoir. We're definitely set up for the winter now.

In between these jobs, as is always the case, Craig was working inside the house. He tiled the downstairs bathroom, fitted architrave round doors - nice finishing touches to make rooms seem more complete. It also means that materials that take up space can be used, and more space created (often for other materials !).

We enjoy wandering around the numerous Vide Greniers that are held here. There are some that we wouldn't visit again, but there are others that have some lovely unique items for sale. I suppose that is the same in the UK of course. Some are held monthly, some have more English type stalls than others and we enjoy having a look, so long as it isn't raining. We visited a lovely Mushroom, Honey and Apple Fair spread over two sites near to Brasparts, and spent an enjoyable couple of hours there.

The farmers work together at Harvest time, so the road outside the house becomes very busy, and often very muddy, from the constant to-ing and fro-ing of tractors with huge trailers full of maize, which they use for animal fodder. The road is very narrow, and there is sometimes quite a traffic jam, and some very near misses.This year was slightly different in that there wasn't just near misses, there was an accident as a trailer tore part of our outbuilding roof off. Two tractors tried to pass each other at one of the narrowest points, the trailer tipped into a ditch, caught the roof paneling, and then drove off !!

This has proved to be a very long drawn out process to get this repaired. To start with the driver didn't stop, and we had to involve the police. The driver turned up on our doorstep the following day, and was very apologetic, the insurance papers were completed, and sent off, and nearly a year later, we are still waiting for it to be repaired !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We realise that we have to accept that the 'idyllic' life, isn't always just that and we have to take the rough with the smooth, and although the month had started so positively, it ended on a sour note - the roof damage, and then we lost all the egg laying chickens overnight to a predator - we assume a fox, but cannot be sure. We forgot, for the first time, to shut them in their housing, and Craig discovered them all dead in the morning. I'm not sure the sight that met him will ever leave him, but he wouldn't let me see it. It was very disappointing too of course and completely the wrong time of year to replace them - no fresh eggs until the Spring now.

Finally, the month ended with some terrible storms - received in the UK too. We were prepared, as they had been forecast - nice and cosy inside - and prepared too for the inevitable power cuts. However, maybe not for the 18.5 hours of cuts that we experienced ! We were quite lucky in comparison to others I understand.

Roll on Spring - and Winter hasn't even started ............

Heading Towards the End of Summer

September 2013 started well - the weather was good, the vegetables were growing, and life was good. One slight fly in the ointment was that the horses we had 'lodging' with us, decided that their grass wasn't good enough now, and wanted to try the grass in our neighbours vegetable patch. Have you ever tried to catch two horses, with no bridles, who really wanted to stay where they were, and guide them back to their own supposedly secure field ? I'm sure that we would have won £100 on 'You've Been Framed' if anybody had filmed us. Craig proved a lot more successful than me, and we did eventually manage to get them back BUT we decided there and then, that we didn't want that responsibility anymore. We became worried that they may escape while we were out and cause damage, or an accident. So, we asked for them to be moved, and although we were a little sad to see them go, there was a lot of relief too !

We managed to spend some time on the beach, as the weather was still so good. There are many beaches local to us, and we always promise ourselves that we will visit more regularly. Our favourite is near to St Nic's. It takes us about 40 minutes to drive there, and we are always amazed at how deserted it is. It is clean, sandy, and VAST .......We often drive a little further on too, where there are bigger waves in a small cove and surfers of all ages. Arthur loves it, but we have to be aware of other dogs, as he is not very sociable, and there are local regulations regarding dogs on beaches.

We had a lovely lunch at the local 'routier' with some friends who have a holiday home here. A 'routier' is what we would call a 'transport cafe', frequented by lorry drivers etc BUT here they are very different to what I think of as a transport cafe. This one serves a magnificent menu every lunchtime - there is a set price, for a buffet starter choice, a main meal, and then a buffet dessert, unlimited wine, and coffee. The lorries queue up and park outside, and the popularity and quality of food served is obvious before you even enter. The big problem for us, is that we don't usually eat a big meal at lunchtime, so struggle with the quantities, and need a sleep in the chair when we get home !!

I had a short visit back to the UK to celebrate Ian's 30th birthday. As usual, a busy, hectic few days - trying to fit everyone and everything in, and not succeeding - and then returning with the usual cold ! I do miss the family, but it is always nice to come home.

Then of course, there is the excitement to see what Craig has been doing, and what differences there are. This time, he had been working in the Utility Room - plaster boarding the walls, and also painting the walls on the landing. He had also cleared areas outside the chicken pens, ready to accept gravel to make a path, and also prepared the area outside the side/new front door/decking area. There was a huge difference - AGAIN !

Time To Start Harvesting

I think that I have said before that the weather plays a big part in our day to day activities - if it's raining (as it often is !), the animals still need tending to, the dog still needs walking etc, but if its fine and dry, then we try to work outside. The weather tends to be similar to that in the UK, as we are of course very close, but maybe just a couple of degrees warmer. We haven't had snow since we have been here, but know that if we do, we are likely to be stuck. However, due to the location of the house in relation to the sun, if its sunny - IT IS HOT - we have had temperatures up to 42 degrees. In these circumstances, we try to get the work done early, and then stay inside until it cools down a little.

Sometimes, this is not possible, and trips to the DIY shops, Builders Merchants and even grocery shopping have to happen whatever the weather !

Since we sold the bigger van, in order to collect plasterboard etc, we have hired a van from the local supermarket. A big bonus is to share this hire with others who need items as well. We have done this on a couple of occasions, and it proves beneficial to all parties.

Craigs new project was to build a porch and decking on the side of the house. The front door will open onto this, so we felt we needed to give the door (and us !) some protection from the elements. It was a good job to do at this time of the year, as this side of the house is in the shade until the afternoon. Craig always has a plan in his head, and I often can't imagine what it will look like until it is well on the way, so it's a good job I trust his judgement !

The vegetables have started to ripen, and it gave us a good indication of what to plant next year, and how much.......for example, I have made enough potato and courgette soup to feed the whole village, with the glut of courgettes we have. We have tried to give them away as well, but everyone appears to be in the same position, so next year we will plant less of them !! I've made pickled beetroot and red cabbage too - Mrs Beaton would be proud of me. As you can see the onions and garlics are drying well too .....

We do try to enjoy the scenery and outdoors here when we can - not as much as I would like, but when we heard about the shooting stars, we set the alarm for 1am and sat outside in our PJ's watching them. There is no light pollution here, so visibility is great on occasions like this. I bought Craig a telescope before we moved here, and he is determined to set it up as soon as possible. The following evening, we had a visit from friends, and we sat on the road outside the house watching them again at 1.30am - can't imagine doing that anywhere else !

We had some more visitors, who stayed a couple of nights - friends of the family. They flew into Dinard, and then hired a car. They were in France for a week, and managed to fit us in for a visit while they were here. We weren't able to show them around too much as sadly illness struck - not great when you are not in your own home, but it's one of those things. Luckily, everything turned out ok in the end, and they were able to continue with their holiday.

We had some buyers for one of the tractors at this time, who traveled over 11 hours each way to collect. They were a lovely couple, and invited us to stay with them should we need a stop over point if we decided to travel south for a holiday. They were unable to get all the parts onto the trailer, so made a second trip a week later to collect the remainder !

We needed to put the car through it's CT (Controle Technique) again - this is like an MOT, but needs to be done every two years. I can't believe that it's been two years since the last one. However, I find it as nerve wracking as ever. The bonus here though, is that you have two months to complete any necessary works, but luckily, in our case nothing was necessary - just a couple of advisory points this time.

The Onion Fair at Roscoff is a favourite trip out at this time of the year. Roscoff is famous for its red onions, and for the 'Onion Johnnys' who used to travel to the UK and sell onions from their bicycles, door to door. We always buy a sack, or some 'tresses' ( strings of onions), along with garlics, and this time we bought some small onions for pickling too. The next couple of days are spent stringing the onions, so that they keep better for the year. Mind you, with our crop in the vegetable plot, we didn't need to buy so many.

The Horse Sitters

The Summer continued...visitors were looming so work was cracking on at a fast rate of knots.

The bathroom was taking shape - the tiles were in position, grouting continued, and the shower was in situ. I can't believe we had managed for so long without one, but now it was so close, I was becoming very impatient. Once more the problems became apparent - the DIY shops are so far away, so a quick trip to get grout for example becomes a whole morning away from other jobs.  We try to plan as much as we can, but there is always that small item that gets forgotten or overlooked. I have been known to make a couple of trips in one day if something is very urgent, but we don't like to make that a habit !

Then we had HOT WATER - real hot water from the tap, and not from a kettle !!! No need to boil a kettle to wash up, wash ourselves etc. Such a luxury, you wouldn't believe. It took a couple of days to sort out the fact that the water was meant to heat up overnight on the cheaper rate electricity, but we were there, and now I don't even think about it - well who does ? You turn on the tap, and it's there isn't it ? But when you haven't had it - WOW !

THEN, we used the shower for the first time.....there was a short fight about who was going to have the first one, but Craig won - after all he had done the most work. What a luxury - to be able to wash your hair in a shower instead of with a jug over a bowl in the sink !

Arthur the dog celebrated his 'official' 3rd birthday. We use the date that we brought him home, as we have no idea of his actual day, and then add a year, as he was about one year old when we got him. So, we brought him home two years ago. How time flies, and now I can hardly imagine life without him.

We have some friends who keep horses, and they were struggling for grass. We asked them if they would like to use one of our fields for a few months, and they jumped at the chance. It was of mutual advantage, as they would keep our grass down as well. We had just had to pay to have the grass cut to try to keep it under control, so this would maybe help avoid another added cost.

They arrived to fence off the area with tape and posts, and bring the water container etc. They would be coming daily to check up on them, as we have no idea when it comes to horses !! Other than to talk to them on the way to check the sheep, and feed them apples that had fallen from the trees that is !!

The two horses arrived and were soon settled in, although the first morning we woke to find them in with the sheep. I think they were overawed  by the length of the grass they had, and felt more comfortable with the shorter grass that the sheep had. Anyway, extra fencing was put in place, and all was fine for the time being. It was exciting to have other animals here, especially as we weren't responsible for them - we had visits from the Vet, and the Farrier, for them, so we watched things that we wouldn't normally have seen. It is all a learning curve!

My sister and her husband were our first visitors of the summer. They were only here overnight, but it was great to show them around, and instead of the view they had from the camera on the computer, they were able to see the work we had done, and were still doing. The visit was too short to show them much of the area, although we managed a quick trip into Huelgoat for a cup of coffee overlooking the lake.

The vegetables were all growing well, as were the weeds and the flowers. It proved very difficult and very time consuming to keep on top of it all, especially in the heat of the summer.

We pondered over the idea of putting a large shed to the side of the house, and had a look round at the various types, sizes etc that were available here. However, over a certain size, and permission has to be obtained, so we decided that we would have a go, as it would give us another option to our progress here. We checked with the Mairie, completed the forms (not without a few hiccups - the French love their paperwork !), and sent them in.

Sometimes we have to compromise over things we want for the house, either because of price, or maybe we cannot find the exact things we want. This happened with the lights in the kitchen - we wanted lights hanging over the work surface, and bought some that were 'OK', but of course, the minute they were up (and so couldn't be returned), we found some that we had originally wanted !! It took a little extra work to get them up, but they look great, and as a bonus, we managed to sell the others !

From this...........

To this.......

I am always so grateful that I have a very handy, and understanding husband who doesn't mind that I can change my mind, even after he thinks he has finished something, only to have to re do it, to keep me happy !

Is Self Sufficiency Worth All The Hard Work ?

June 2013 - the weather was good, the days were long, dates for visitors were looming, so where to start ?
That is one of the problems here - you need to make the most of the dry days, but still keep the momentum going for the renovation of the house - not forgetting that you need time out too to enjoy the beach and the scenery.

Days are filled with feeding, watering and cleaning the animals, walking the dog, and of course cleaning, washing, and feeding and watering ourselves ! Someone asked me one time, how we filled our days, and it is so difficult to say. The time just flies by ! Once we sit down in the evening, it is very easy to doze off in the chair - all that fresh air, and physical work. I'm not sure how Craig keeps going sometimes.

Craig was desperate to get the vegetable patch up and running this year. Our neighbour ploughed and rotovated it, but the hard work was done by Craig - in all weathers, he was out there trying to overtake, or just keep up with, the weeds ! He planted everything you could imagine - from lettuce to leeks, from tomatoes to turnips. It looked great - very orderly, very impressive.....

And it wasn't long before things started to grow apace.....

It was the right time of the year to buy some new chicks too - we tried to hatch from eggs, but weren't very successful. It's a big learning curve here ! We used a manual incubator, which meant having to turn the eggs regularly - who knew that you had to do that eh ?! - and even after following all the correct instructions, the success rate was very poor ! It proves easier, more cost effective and less time consuming to buy day old chicks, and raise them. Yes, they need an infra red light, a secure warm 'house' inside, and regular feeding and cleaning, but the success rate is much higher (and they're very cute!). Arthur loves them - every time we have them, he is on a mission to watch their every move. I'm not sure I would trust him alone with them though, after all he is a terrier !

Talking of Arthur, he has a regular check up at the Vets - his MOT we call it. He has his injections etc, and every time the Vet asks us if he needs the Rabies jab. This is only necessary now if we plan on a visit to the UK, and up to this point we haven't taken him. It would be quite disruptive for him, although the car is one of his favourite places, but we know that we could take him if necessary - he is chipped, and has a passport ! As usual the Vet is pleased with him - Arthur has a good life with us - some would even say he is spoilt !!!

While all this outside work took place in the drier days, the bathroom was progressing well - Craig split his time between the inside and outside, and we were on a countdown towards the arrival of a few sets of visitors - we needed a fully functioning, private bathroom as a priority..........................

The word for 'Sheep Shearer' in French ?

We do get caught out here with the number of Bank Holidays sometimes. The difference being, that here they celebrate the ACTUAL day, and not the nearest Monday as happens in the UK - thus May Day, is on May 1st, and not the Monday after, so often that Holiday is in the middle of the week. Also, if the Holiday falls on a Thursday, the business/shop/factory/school may close on the Friday too, but if the Holiday falls at the weekend, then they don't appear to have the Monday instead as would happen in the UK.

I suppose, having been brought up in England, this all appears a little alien to us, and as I say can catch us out. It is so quiet here, in our little hamlet, that sometimes it is difficult to tell what day of the week it is anyway ! Sometimes, we discuss whether it may be a Sunday or not, as we won't have seen any cars go by, and then suddenly the School minibus passes by !

Anyway - the twin lambs were growing fast, and we came to the conclusion that the second female sheep hadn't been pregnant as there was no sign of any further births. However, three weeks later, we were putting the sheep in the pen for the night, when we realised that she was giving birth in there. We hurriedly moved the others out again to give her space. The lamb was born, quite weak, but alive, and we spent a couple of hours with them, trying to help her feed etc. In the end, we had to let nature take its course, and went with trepidation the next morning to have a look at them both - they were both OK - Mum and daughter !! We now had five female sheep !

If we have a problem with the animals, we often have to scour the Internet for solutions. We discovered that the chickens (or one of them at least) was pecking at their eggs. We knew we needed to discourage this, as once started this would continue, and encourage the others to follow suit. There were various methods, so we started to follow them one by one - we separated them until we found out which chicken it was. Then we put some golf balls in the brood box, so that if she pecked them, nothing would break, and so maybe she would get fed up ! Anyway, one by one, the methods proved unreliable, and we were left with no alternative but..... We have quickly come to realise that we cannot have animals as pets - if they don't provide us with meat or eggs, then they have to go - we are not a charity, harsh as it may seem.

We have become friendly with various people now - both French and English, and we are often invited to small parties to celebrate family occasions. We always try to go, as I believe that if someone is kind enough to invite us, then we should make the effort too. Sometimes, we may not stay too long, but it helps with our integration and communication skills - we have been to Birthday parties, Anniversary parties, July 14th (Bastille Day) parties etc etc. The rule of thumb though, is if you are going to party given by a French person, then it is impolite to take a bottle of wine with you - apparently, this indicates that you think that their wine is no good ! It is quite awkward as it is a gift often taken to an English party or dinner isn't it ?

Craig has always been a fan of full cream milk, and here the only milk readily available is UHT (long life) milk. He has 'suffered' with it up to now, but we were told of a local farm where we can go, take our own bottles, and fill them ourselves. The cost - well, minimal !!! This has become a regular happening now - part of our routine. We have to time it right though, as it is too warm in the vat if the cows have just been, or are being milked. We wait until it has been cooled. Also it is collected by lorry of course, so we have to time it so that it is still there ! We have been caught out a few times, and allowed ourselves to run out, which hasn't gone down too well !!

Another problem arose, in that we needed to get the two adult sheep sheared - we had missed the boat last year with this, and the older of the two had a big matted heavy fleece that needed to come off. We couldn't leave it again. We advertised on a local forum to no avail, asked friends etc, and then decided to ask a elderly French couple who lived nearby, who also had sheep. This is not easy - I had to plan what to say before we went, and had to look up various words - who would know what 'sheep shearer' is in French ??? Anyway, we went, the couple were lovely (although I did hear her say to her husband as we walked down the drive 'that English couple are here !'), and they even rang a man for us. It was all arranged - why did we worry about it ? The man arrived and it took him about 10 mins to do the job, despite the fact that he was about 75 years old, and he had to fling the sheep over on to their backs and hold them still between his legs ! I'm not sure the sheep were impressed, but they must definitely have been cooler !

All sorted - a glass of wine, and off he went - til next year..................!

Baby Lambs - Twins at that !

At last we had the sheep back again - five months after they 'escaped', and then were 'found', we had them back in our field. Hopefully, they had been serviced by the ram, and were pregnant. Our mentor on these matters, thought that they were but of course only time would tell, but we were ready. We modified, and repaired their pen, and checked the fencing. One big bonus was that the field had had time to rest and the grass was thick and green for them. We spent a long time just watching them from the gate. They seemed content at last.

The same couldn't be said for poor Arthur though. We had to take him back to the Vet. His sore wasn't getting any better, and he was keeping us awake at night by continually licking it. It got to the stage, that I had to move his bed right next to ours, so that I could put my arm out in the night, and  pacify him without getting out of bed ! This time, he had another injection and antibiotic tablets, but no diagnosis was made - maybe a bite, maybe an allergy, maybe an abscess ..... Anyway, two days later, we decided to try a different Vet, with a different view point. He shaved the area, inspected it under a magnifying light, and then prescribed cream and more antibiotics. This time, thank goodness, the treatment worked, and Arthur recovered, and I slept through the night again ! Needless to say, this is Arthur's new Vet !

When we fancy a trip out, we enjoy visiting Brest. It only takes us about 40 minutes to get there, and there are a lot of individual shops - as opposed to chains - and it makes a pleasant change. There is also a KFC there !! We didn't realise how much we would miss takeaways and junk food. We didn't eat that much of it back in the UK, but when it is not available, you want it badly - so, on the rare occasion we visit Brest, we stop off for a KFC - a real treat !

We hoped to make a concerted effort on the vegetable patch this year, so we asked our neighbour if he would plough the designated area for us as a start. He very obligingly did this, and I know it wasn't easy, even with the tractor, as it hadn't been worked for many years. It gives a huge psychological boost though to get a big job like this done. After a few days, he returned to rotavate it for us, and we managed to get some manure on it beforehand, so that it would be dug into the soil at the same time. The next step was to harrow it - listen to me with all these technical terms !

Three weeks after the sheep returned, we had twin lambs - it was very exciting ! Craig went to let them out of the pen one morning - we had made the decision to pen them at night, so that if they did give birth, they would be secure and warm - and the older of the two sheep looked very uncomfortable. He rushed back to the house, and called me to watch. Unfortunately it became evident very quickly that there was a problem, and the lamb was stuck. All those years of watching 'Countryfile' gave Craig the confidence to help deliver the lamb - at that point, we didn't know that there were two ! The first lamb very quickly recovered and the mother cleaned her. Everything looked great, until we realised that another was on the way. This time though, she delivered her second with no problems - strangely, or so I thought, standing up, so that the lamb just landed on the grass. We were the proud owners of two female twin lambs - they were so cute ! They became our responsibility too though - we had to dock their tails, put cream in their eyes, tag them etc etc.

One of our big headaches, is trying to keep on top of the grass cutting in the back field. Ideally, we would like to cut it ourselves, but as yet the tractor is not up and running, and it is really too much for the strimmer. Having goats is another idea, but not one that we really want to follow, so we wait until we see a farmer pass by with a topper on the back of the tractor, and ask if he would be prepared to help us out. Most times they have been very obliging, but it would be great to be able to do this ourselves.

Life (and Work) Goes on !

Craig continued to work in the workshop - he was now at the point where he was lining the tools up, putting the ladders on the wall etc. He can be - well, we both can -  a little OCD at times. Our argument is, that we can cope better like that, it keeps us happy and doesn't affect anyone else. Those of you who know us personally will understand what I mean. I have to do certain domestic chores on certain days, and feel uncomfortable within, if they are not done !!

We decided that now that the bedroom was taking shape, we needed to put better bedding on the bed - we had been using the same two or three sets since we had arrived. That meant, that they had been covered in dust more times than I cared to remember, so it was lovely to see the new sheets, quilt covers etc that we had bought several years before in preparation. Mind you, it also meant that we 'discovered' that we had purchased more sets than we remembered - as things were going into storage, we forgot about them, and somehow managed to buy more ! Anyway, remembering our new 'mantra', we sold at least three unwanted sets - no point in storing eh ?

Mothers Day came and went - always a difficult day, although we always manage to speak to the 'children', and to Craig's Mum. Mind you - I always tell them that Mothers Day in France is actually not the same day as in England, hoping that I may get two sets of cards - doesn't wash with them though, but it is true !!

We offered to store some of the furniture from the restaurant here for Sue and Peter. They were panicking a little with space and time issues for vacation of the property, so we agreed to help them out, now that Craig had a secure and dry area in the workshop available. They were hoping to sell most of the items, so were hoping that it wouldn't be for too long. Of course, the day we arranged was extremely wet - typical Brittany weather really.

We discovered a Hungarian restaurant locally which was a big surprise, and decided that we would pay a visit one evening with some friends. The proprietor was very pleasant, and the room housed not only a few tables for clients but displays of Hungarian wares - clothes, ornaments, and such like. We had a nice Goulash, and enjoyed the atmosphere and company. It was a big change to get washed and changed for an evening out !

We took the next set of birds to the abattoir, but were disappointed with the results this time. We had kept them too long, and over the winter months as well. We learnt from our mistakes, and now know that it best to buy them as chicks in the Spring, fatten them up over the Spring and Summer months and then despatch them early. They struggled to thrive in the cold, so were smaller and tough - NOW WE KNOW ! It is only through making our own mistakes, that we can discover what works for us.

Henry had his first birthday - we weren't able to be there with him of course, but managed to speak via Skype, although if I remember rightly, his big sister commandeered the conversation ! I do feel sad that we can't be with them and see them as often as we would like, but like to think that they know where we are and can speak whenever we want to.

Poor Arthur (the dog) became ill - how useless do you feel at a time like this ? It's like having a baby - you know they aren't well, but they can't tell or show you where. He developed a sore patch near his tail, so I had to take him to the local Vet's. He had an injection of antibiotics, but to be honest I wasn't over confident that my concerns had been listened to or understood. We had heard varying reports on the Vets here, but decided that it was worth using the more local one to start with, to see how we got on, and then decide from there. For the time being at least, Arthur was OK. Let's see what happens when the antibiotics kick in.....

Poor Arthur......

Looking Forward to Spring

February 2013 - we had a cold spell of weather, and there was a sprinkling of snow - it actually settled in Huelgoat in the town, but not here in the countryside. How weird is that ? It's usually the other way around. Our friends rang us to see if we were cut off, and we had a strange conversation as they were almost cut off, and we weren't, and weren't sure what they were talking about !!!

I had the disappointing news that the restaurant where I had been working had been sold, so although my work there was sporadic, from March it would be non existent. I was pleased for the owners though, as they had been trying to sell for a while. It was a lovely little restaurant, but very time consuming for them, and very limiting as far as having a life outside of the business. For me though, it had given me not only a small income, but a positive boost to my French skills, and my confidence.

Craig worked very hard after our UK break - a short holiday like we had last month, often gives us both a boost. He wallpapered the bedroom wall behind the bed (although now, we don't really like it, and it may need to be redone). The study was painted, the curtain pole and curtains were hung, and we put some family photos on the wall. Now, when we sit using the computer at the desk, we can look at the grandchildren. Makes me smile every time !

We decided that as we replace an item, or discover that it is not needed, or even in many instances that we have duplicated items, we will either sell, give them away, or bin them. Over the years, as many of you will empathise with, we have just stored them 'just in case'. No more, we try not to store what we don't need, so now that our 'proper' desk was in situ in the study, we advertised the table that we had been using. It started as a kitchen table, became the computer table, and then 'started' to become a table that everything was dumped on - it was time for it to go ! We advertised it, and sold it the same day - way to go !!

We decided that this year we would make a determined effort with the vegetable plot. The first point to start was with a polytunnel/greenhouse. It wasn't expensive, and wasn't big, but was a start. Then Craig sprayed the whole area with weedkiller. It wasn't ideal, but the ground hadn't been worked for about 20 years, and short of hand digging the whole area, there wasn't a huge choice. We are quite open minded about organic methods, and try not to pollute etc, but sometimes in some circumstances it is necessary to use a commercial product to help.

We had a few good bonfires to get rid of the garden waste that could not be composted. We are limited by the Mairie, as to what times of the year we are allowed to have bonfires, so have to be aware, and sometimes, I have to visit them to check the dates when we have forgotten. Basically, we are OK in the winter months, but the dates vary from area to area.

We babysat the rabbit belonging to our friends as they were off to Spain for a short holiday - to have some sun and blue sky - not that I'm jealous ! We have plenty of room in the cages that we have for the rabbits usually. They are only all full if we have baby rabbits to fatten up, but over the winter months we try to reduce the amount of animals that need looking after. We want the least amount to do outside, when it is cold and wet of course.

Craig did a lot of work in the workshop. Now that he had started in there, securing the exterior, he made the most of the area inside, putting up internal walls, even putting windows in, and enjoying the space that he wanted for his tools, and his projects.

The year was progressing, Spring was in the air, and it gave us a thrill to think that our second Winter here was coming to an end, and warmer times were ahead.

New Light on the Subject

OK, a New Year, and a fresh start and perspective on our life here ! 2013 would be a positive and fruitful year - that would be our motto.

Craig continued with his security work - fitting sensor lights, building doors for the workshop etc. He was determined that we wouldn't be caught out again. We discovered that we weren't the first people to be burgled around this area, and some friends called a meeting of similarly concerned people to discuss the problems. It was decided that the Mairie would be approached as it was felt that the Police were maybe not connecting all the information as the victims were in different communes, so different Police Stations were involved.

The Mairie was in fact very sympathetic and helpful, and agreed to have a chat with the necessary authorities - nothing came of this 'chat' though sadly, and we have recovered nothing, but has made us pull our socks up, and stop being so complacent and quite as trusting - how sad !

Craig had a significant birthday, and although I wanted to surprise him with a trip back to the UK to see the children and grandchildren to celebrate, I couldn't actually spring it on him in the end, as we had to prepare to leave the house and animals. It is not an easy task, as those of you in a similar situation will know - we have to arrange for someone to come here to feed and water the chickens and rabbits, and then find a 'home' for Arthur too. We could take him with us as he has the necessary paperwork, and he loves going in the car, but it would disturb his routine, and our friends love having him on a short term basis (well, they say they do !).

Anyway, we had a lovely few days. It is always fun, and hectic, seeing everyone and catching up, but sadly, it is not possible to visit everyone, and needless to say, someone gets left out....but of course, not forgotten. The journey home is always a little sad, but then you have the promise of returning home, and the new found energy to start again and push on.

We had our first snow too !! It was very cold, but very beautiful in the lanes and hedgerows - however, it lasted just a few hours. We had received photos from the Winter of 2010/2011 from our neighbours, when the roads were impassable due to the snow, but as of yet (as I write, we are coming to the end of our 3rd Winter here) we have had nothing like that. We are always prepared - we keep a Weather Forecast app on the computer, and any signs of snow/ frost etc in the next few days, has us checking the fuel for the fires, animal feed, and our own supplies 'just in case'. It never hurts to be prepared - can't you just tell I was a Girl Guide !

While we were away, we made the decision to have the ceilings plastered in the bedroom, snug, landing, bedroom and bathroom. It is one of the only jobs that Craig doesn't feel confident to attempt. Because it is a 'visible' job - one that everyone will see, we decided that we would 'get a man in'. In fact, it was two men ! But the mess and disruption was horrible - well worth it afterwards, but not good at the time ! It took three days in all, from start to finish, when we could get back to normal, and clear up again. However, once again, it made another huge difference, and gave us another boost.

The study was plaster boarded, and the bedroom was prepared for decorating. Craig came up with this ingenious idea of bedside lighting to avoid having lamps, and the accompanying trailing wires. I was very impressed, as I hate the clutter, and it makes it a clearer surface - what do you think eh ? I'm not sure the pictures do them justice, but you get the idea !

Medical Care

We had our first experience of French medical care - Craig cut his thumb, and it was obvious straight away that he would need stitches, so we made our way to Carhaix hospital. We had heard that it didn't have the best of reputations, but we were very impressed with the quality of care and cleanliness etc, and have no complaints. After a very short wait (that in no way compares to the waits in a UK hospital ), Craig was stitched and sent on his way with two prescriptions ! The first was for all his dressings, and the second, we discovered, was to be given to the nurse who would visit daily to dress the wound, and then to take the stitches out at the appropriate time !!!!

This put a slight set back to progress, but against my better judgement, Craig was determined to continue with what he was able to do with a big dressing on his hand. He was working on the bathroom, building a wall to surround the shower, and a cute little shelf inserted in it, so that we could store the shower gel etc. He tiled the whole room floor to ceiling too, so that it is easier to clean, and no decorating to repeat. We now had a heated towel rail too - how exciting - the first room in the house with permanent heating in place.

Wardrobes were built, and we could start to fill them with clothes that had been in bags and suitcases for about 18 months. It felt as though I had a whole new set of clothes.

On the basis of Craig's good experience with the hospital, I decided to visit the dentist, as I had been having a few problems with my teeth. However, once he told me that my treatment for three fillings would be over 650 euros, I decided that they didn't hurt that much !

A major set back at this time, was the discovery that we had been burgled. Not from the house, but from the workshop and shed where Craig kept his tools. It was a bit strange, as for a few days Craig kept saying that he had mislaid things, but we just thought that he had put things in a different place and forgotten, as we had never encountered anything like that here. However, he then realised that boxes that should contain tools, were in fact empty. The burglar had emptied them and replaced the boxes so that nothing looked different - very clever ! We went to the local Police Station and made a statement, and two Policemen visited and took photographs of the area. They weren't very optimistic though, and in fact didn't seem particularly interested, if I'm honest. Two days later, the burglar returned !!!! We tried to report it locally, but the Station was closed, so we had to go further afield. This time however, they were a little more interested, and we had to visit them several days later, with an up to date list of stolen items. Nothing was ever discovered sadly, and we had to put it all down to a very bad experience, and even now, over twelve months later, we are still discovering items that are missing. Tools are being gradually replaced, but the quality tools have gone, and tools that Craig had received as gifts, or as hand me downs from parents and grandparents, can never be replaced. It put a big damper on our morale, and made us suspicious of everyone, and a lot more vigilant.

Work stopped on the house, and began in earnest on the security in the work shop. Craig was determined that we wouldn't be caught out again. He installed security lights, new walls and doors, and even windows. 2012 was ending on a sour note, but I was determined that 2013 would start better, and planned a surprise visit back to the UK for Craig's birthday.

We had a lot to be thankful for - our health, our family, and our life here in a beautiful part of the world, and Arthur of course !

Full Steam Ahead

Well, the work on the very top floor continued. We discovered that by replacing the opening and removing the staircase, we had created a vacuum, that sent the cold air spiralling downwards onto the middle floor landing, so Craig built a small wall to stop some of the draughts. It was planned to be there, and will eventually be part of the room. It also means that during the winter, if needs be, we can block the doorway up at this point.

Now that the floor was boarded, Craig was able to fit the hot water tank in situ. He need to knock the loose plaster off the gable end wall - which meant carrying the buckets of plaster, dust etc, down the ladder, down the stairs and outside - nothing is easy ! Mind you, compared to getting the tank in the reverse direction - through the house, up the stairs, up the ladder, and onto the top floor...well, you can imagine the language !!!!

Craig was on a roll.....now that the water tank was in place, the pipework could be installed from there downwards, which meant that the back of the bedroom wall could be plaster boarded, and while plaster boarding that, he built me a linen cupboard on the landing. Everything was changing at a great pace.

At short notice, Craig made a journey to Plymouth via Roscoff as a foot passenger on the ferry. It was cheaper for him to do this journey, stay in a hotel overnight, and do some shopping, than to buy what he needed here. He travelled during the day, and then had all the next day free, before catching the overnight ferry back here -with an empty suitcase on one journey, and a very full one on the way back. It wasn't ideal as it was tiring, but he achieved everything he needed to, and also had a short break away from the house. We have said that it is something we would do again if necessary, as it was a quick fix for what we needed.

We discovered one morning that the sheep had 'escaped' - I say that with a little scepticism as they had managed to go through the electric fencing, and were nowhere to be seen. There was evidence of where they had been, but we spent all day wandering the lanes, and asking around the local farms with no joy. How could two sheep just disappear ? It was bizarre - we thought of sheep rustlers etc, but could not prove anything. They had ear tags so just hoped that they would turn up, but worrying all the time about potential damage they could do, or accidents they could cause which could all be traced back to us ! We notified the Mairie, and the Police too. Short of putting up posters, there was little else we felt we could do.

Four days later - they turned up. Well, to be honest, we spotted them, among a neighbouring farmers flock ! They were a little bedraggled, but had apparently been caught three or four miles away. It was all a little suspicious, but we just had to trust and accept what was being said. Anyway, we decided to leave the sheep where they were for the time being, as they could run with the ram (that is the expression, I believe), and we could make the area extra secure for their return.

It was time for the pigs to go too now. We have a friend who 'deals' with this side of the larger animals for us, although Craig is able to do it given the space and the time. So, it was bye bye pigs, and hello to a full freezer....

....so full in fact, that we had to buy another freezer to fit it all in !

We had the surprising news that we had our third grandson (fourth grandchild). Surprising to everyone involved !!! Ryan had became a father to Ronnie. A welcome addition to our ever increasing family. It does mean though that Ryan's visits here will become less regular I'm sure ! Four grandchildren - how old must we be now !!! I'm sure that I'm only 28 really - well in my head anyway !!

From Ruin to Rack, not Rack to Ruin....

The kitchen was starting to take shape, and Craig decided to build a plate rack for me to display and store our 'special' crockery (as opposed to our everyday ware). I wasn't too sure what to expect, but left the design and build entirely in Craig's hands. The result was amazing, and I was (and still am) very pleased with the outcome as you can see.....

It was such a success that I commissioned a Butchers Block from the same source....Craig !!

It was also time to take another batch of birds to the abattoir -  this is a  very strange experience, not least in the fact that we had to catch them first ! They had to be loaded into a crate, and then driven. They were all very quiet on the journey there, maybe sensing the destination, and once we arrived, we had to hand them over to the people there. The plan is to collect them the following day, which is slightly annoying as it means that we have two separate journeys to make, but it is so much easier than doing the work yourself, despite what we had been told. We collect them, fully plucked and oven ready. It is a satisfying thought, that all they are all raised by ourselves.

From this....

to this....

and then this..... 

We enjoy a day out at the beach, as does Arthur. There are times of the year that he is not allowed on the beaches, but when he is, he loves it - running around, chasing seagulls but never catching them of course. There are many empty, long stretches of sand near by, and its a relaxing time for us both, to unwind and clear the cobwebs away.

The next stage of the renovation was to board and insulate the floor on the top level of the house. It had never had any insulation there - mind you, none of the house had ! - so we were hoping that by completing this work, it would make it warmer over the winter.

 It gave us some idea of the space we would have, when ultimately this would become a bedroom and bathroom for guests. Once the wall is built around the entrance, and a door fitted in place this will be quite cosy, and private for visitors.