[Meow (pictured) is a neighbour’s cat (no idea which one), she is healthy (and probably spade).]

Wednesday

If you had the heart to read the last post you’ll realise that today is a half post. After a busy couple of days of, what I can say more literally than ever, herding cats we really need to get some serious work done. We have a lot to catch up on.

Just as my call was about to start I thought I heard a little ‘mew’ noise. I figured that with everything that had passed I was just going slowly mad. Thankfully however no more mad than before, it was just Meow coming to visit. She’s never before been to the house this early and certainly not just wandered in without any encouragement.

Since my meetings tend to last longer Matt has volunteered to take the outside post. Apparently today she is very much Matt’s cat, and I think it’s clear who the boss is.

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Between meetings Matt’s also managed to make a little more progress on the kitchen floor. I however was still sat on the porch working, hell of a view though. Unfortunately however it appears that the 9mm that we got at one of the Chaussons is in fact 12mm – which he only realised once he’d laid half the floor with 12mm and 1/3 with 9mm. Oh well, the kitchen floor was always never going to be perfectly flat anyway but new plan required.

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Rang mum.

[24 March 2021]

Thursday

Guess who’s back, back again? Yes, it’s Meow checking in. Lesson learnt: Always better to have thick trousers on when working in case she wants to climb onto you, those claws really go straight through pyjama bottoms. Thankfully Matt is better prepared for a lapcat.

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Afternoon garden walk. We just found a rhubarb patch, or may be burdock – seems this is something we should check out before we start eating it. We rather hope that it is rhubarb so that we can make some nice cordial to go with our gin in the summer (now we have no Sainsbury’s Gin, Rum and Ginger cans; I was rather a fiend for these beauties last summer and bought them all at almost every opportunity).

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Working. Then had Danielle’s leaving party. It’s been a very long time since I last had a work quiz. When it was over I quickly went to try and make some more progress in the veg patch, these onion sets really do need to be planted soon and Matt’s on a call in the living room.

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Matt’s prepping dinner [steak and cheese pie] while I work, however I’m apparently in charge of decoration this time. Can you guess what they were?

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Time for showers, more work, lots of emails and, of course, updating all of you. Anyway, it is late again and I am exhausted again, so, good night all! x

[25 March 2021]

Friday

Seems that Meow can’t stay away at the moment and has been going in for ‘attack cuddles’. I don’t see her or Matt complaining though.

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Another busy work day but I think Matt and I are getting pretty much caught up now. Matt has been making some progress with the flooring again and done a fantastic job around the sink, clearly it needed a bit more specialist cutting for this one.

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Had a quick look around the garden and seems that some one of the tulips has finally popped open. It’s very beautiful. Some other interesting signs of growth at the back of the house. I wonder what they will be when they grow? Also finally managed to get that lavender planted up. Apparently deer don’t like it and it helps to put them off your crops. Since we have giants holes in our hedge and wild deer that sometimes roam into our garden this could be usefull

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Caught up with Peter at the end of the day. I loved it. We haven’t had enough time to catch up. Will be doubly great when we can finally do it in person.

What a rugby match! Well done Scotland. Of course I was supporting France (I’m pretty sure they revoke your Carte de Sejour if you don’t), but damn Scotland played well and was nail biting throughout. Was going to have a quick 9 holes with Rhys before bed which turned into a couple of rounds with Rhys, Lee and Vicky and much later than planned. Is it a sign of too much VR crazy golf when I dream of them and I still hear their voices but have started imagining them having floating heads with visors?!

[26 March 2021]