Wednesday, 26 July 2017

So much to do, so little time

I am writing a couple of posts this week as I have fallen behind with everything that has been going on.

So much for the slow pace of french living - we have had the exact opposite.

Our renovations on the house are now complete. We are now getting the back yard dug up and stones and pavers layed. The pavers were delivered today along with the sand and concrete.
He had to lift them over the fence






We had the local water people turn up (3 of them) as they have to quote on moving the water meter from inside under the kitchen to external to the property.

We also had the antennae guy here replacing a part in the satellite.

Then a guy knocked on the door to try and sell us some French wine.

There were also friends that dropped in to say hello and to see all the digging works. So a pretty full on day.

The house and yard seem like a money pit at the moment but am sure we will be pleased with the final end result.

We went up to Paris to meet our son Mick who spent a wonderful 6 days with us. We had 2 days in Paris and then 4 days here at the house. In that time we travelled back from Paris by train, took Mick to Gargilise and had lunch after doing a hike through the forest, held a big party for my birthday, Mick and I did a 4 and half hour hike at Chambon sur Voiuze, went to the Boussac markets, toured the local Chateau, had lunch in Boussac, had dinner at Les Pierres Jaumatres, played french monopoly and had drinks in the back garden. All this in four days. On the fifth day we drove him to Lyon to catch his train to Interlaken, onto Grindelwald and then flying home via Zurich. We had 2 days exploring Lyon.
Luxemburg Gardens

Pantheon

Pantheon at the top
St Germain markets

St Michel

Our back yard

Playing monopoly
Randonee



Cafe in Boussac


Boussac Chateau

Boussac Chateau
Near river in Lyon



We keep asking ourselves did it really all happen - it's like a blur.

My birthday bash was fantastic. Received some beautiful gifts.



As well as all of this going on also managed to paint the gates.


Bill has been digging holes to try and find pipes and electrical cables as well as connecting up storm water pipes that weren't connected to the mains. So much to do, so little time..........

Wendy

Highlights and lowlights of our one year in France

We have now been in France for exactly 1 year and 11 days.

Yesterday we picked up our 2nd year visa from Gueret.

Our year has been full of:

  • adventure
  • travelling 
  • socialising and entertaining 
  • works/renovations 
  • trip back to Australia 
  • organising of paperwork
  • stripping back of linen cupboard 
  • wood work projects - building of wardrobe space and shelves for bedroom, architraves and skirting 
  • plumbing work 
  • works in the barn 
  • sewing projects
  • cooking and home grown foods 
  • soap making
  • curtain making
  • setting up stall at brocante
  • selling stuff via facebook sites
  • attending many local village functions 
  • many luncheons and dinners 

  • surviving winter
  • house sits 
  • making new friends 
  • getting to know neighbours 
  • learning french in many different ways - private lessons, village group lessons, Duolingo
  • regular attendance at the parish catholic church with setting up tables and cleaning up afterwards
  • visiting different markets

There's probably so much more I could mention but have to stop somewhere. Least of all to say that our year in France has just been full on from the time we arrived.

The highlights of the year have been many but will keep the list to a few main ones:
  • Recent visit from our son Mick 
  • Ensconcing ourselves into all things french
  • Meeting some wonderful people 
  • Randonées 
  • Seeing the most amazing countryside change in all four seasons
  • the price of the french wine
  • Looking forward to our next 12 months in France - hopefully at a slower pace
Some of the lowlights of France:
  • getting used to the closing hours of businesses at lunch time
  • the bureaucracy
  • checkout operators not packing your groceries
  • missing Bunnings, vegemite, milo, Allen's lollies, cappacino's, cooked breakfasts



Here's to our second year in France

Wendy