Got an email from the recruiter this morning to provide various bits of paperwork. The lovely Peter has also agreed to be one of my references. That’s all back with them so time to get on with my work. Big long list of people to contact. It’s certainly interesting working with such a wide range of people, from small local charities and residents associations to the Chairman of NHSE and CMO to the UK Government. I just hope that I haven’t made any stupid mistakes!

Anyway, with that done it ‘s time for lunch. After lunch Matt is off to have another go at getting the ride on mower started. He’s made progress as at least it is now turning over. I spend the time clearing the path to my potting shed door so I can throw it open when the weather is nice again. Just as I’m about to start checking out the ground ready to find out what sort of soil we have and where I’m going to put the veg planters Matt wants to go to the garage.

There’s no putting it off any longer, so first we prep what we need to say – they didn’t teach us the words for ‘dodgy clutch,’ ‘lack of hydraulic pressure,’ or ‘slave engine’ at GCSE. Of course the garages are crazy busy at this time of year. The first garage can fit us in on the 11 Jan so we book it in, we can always cancel it if we can find somewhere that can do it sooner. Just round the corner to the second garage. As we drive in we see a massive pile of cars so we’re pretty doubtful. The chap there is really nice. He asks Matt to pop the hood, has a poke about and suggests a couple of potential fixes. Unfortunately, this is rapidly followed by gesticulations to all the other cars he has backed up and no way that he’ll be able to look at it before 11 Jan but we are welcome to pop back in the new year to see.

As we drive back to the house we check out what’s going on nearby, we’ll have to look it up with the Marie but it seems that it’s going to be a pretty big building.

• 

• 

• 

Since that’s done and it’s such a nice day Matt and I are finally going to go on that loop around the side of the mountain on the edge of the village. Tonia’s up steaming again and keen to stick at it. It’s a really lovely walk though and lots of foraging for table decorations etc.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

Back home and to more work. Looks as though the new contract has arrived too. Need to get a change made though so have to send it back.

Matt’s heading down to Intermarche for a few bits and pieces so I take the opportunity to go and decorate the monkey puzzle. He looked pretty bewildered when he got back but I think he liked it.

• 

• 

I’m sure Matt loved it! He’s then back to the lawn mower – and result – he’s got it working!!

• 

• 

I start to spray some of the foraged goods silver to make the table decorations later. Once again, Matt insists that I don’t spray over the plinth at the back. Apparently, it will be just like the deck in London. I don’t really know what he means by that, it added character and a story to an otherwise boring area. I think that the silver adds colour but he was very insistent so I moved onto the grass.

• 

Matt has managed to conk out the lawnmower so we push it over the threshold into the garage, it could probably do with a good service. It’s getting dark so we head in. Matt starts on dinner while I make a fire, not sure how much difference it’s making. We’ll run it tonight and check the temperature records again tomorrow, no point burning wood just for the sake of it.

Matt’s not making the same mistake I made with the tartiflette and we have plenty of leftovers, enough for tomorrow’s dinner.

After dinner Matt and I are having a chat about room 7 so we go up to have a look at it and check whether the single beds from the blue room will fit. Unfortunately it looks as though we may have to change our plans, the bedheads are too high for the sloping roof.

I am keen that we get the ceiling decs up. This means clearing up all the paper in the kitchen and moving the furniture around so we can get the scaffolding in. We also get some more lights up.

• 

• 

They’re up though and looking great, reminds me of the ones in the lounge at the farm when we were young.

I start cracking on with the blog for Sunday and Monday while Tonia and Matt watch bake off. Tonia then gives me a bit of help with making a start on Tuesday’s but I’m over it before it’s finished and it’s getting late so it’s off to bed.