Friday

Tonie – So, today I knew I needed to do the big chore I was supposed to do yesterday but decided to make the most of the sun, and that this is my holiday after all. To be honest though, it was one of my preferred chores. Like any good DJ, my job was to bring the roof down! It was hot and hard work but breaking stuff is super satisfying.

Chan – With Matt and I working she’s been cracking on and making great progress. We also had the building company back from Toulouse who had done the ANAH quote for the insulation. We’d decided not to go down that route but were looking for a quote to do the ceilings on the first floor. They are generally blank and ceilings are hard work and no fun, especially at the heights we have. We agreed that we would do the walls first (and run the power etc) and then they could add the ceilings once we’re done – October seems like a good time, and once everyone is back from their 2 month summer holiday. We also mentioned the potential to do the outside of the house and took lots of photos to start putting together a quote but they will come back in a few days to finalise it.

Once she was finished and we’d finished work, it was time for a ‘treat’, we’re going to leave the house! I know, but she’s worked hard today so it only seems fair. We’re off for a walk to the lake. We’re also meeting Jonny and Cressida there so that we can introduce the dogs, fingers crossed it goes well. As you’ll be aware if you’re been keeping up to date, we aren’t going to be able to stop in at Mum’s favourite haunt since it very sadly burnt down recently so we had to take some drinks with us. It was still very beautiful though.

We walked back through the village but sadly the pub was also closed so no joy there either. France is very quiet during July and August as anything that isn’t a tourist destination is closed. Jonny and Cressida joined for a quick drink before heading home and then it was time for a garden BBQ.

[8 July 2022]

Saturday

Tonie – So, it was an unusual start to the morning, I got up and all was quiet – that was not the unusual part as I expected Chan was still in bed (it wasn’t past midday) – taking Anya down and there was no sign of Matt. Took Anya for her morning constitutional and back in for a quick coffee… still no sign of our hosts.  

Having discussed with Chan a few of the jobs that needed doing and the bright sunshine, I decided today was not going to be another one in the attic covering myself in hundreds of years of dirt and grime. Today I would make the most of the sunshine and work on shredding the enormous mound of sticks and other various detritus from the garden.  With almost 2 years of tree cuttings this was likely to take longer than we would be staying.

Realising that we were alone and Chan and Matt had gone to St Gaudens I was able to pull out the chipper, grab the loppers, shut the gates and let Anya run free whilst I made a start on the behemoth task ahead.

Chan – There are a number of things that Matt and I want to go up to St Gaudens for, (just the usual Action, Noz and Troc trip) but nothing too exciting so Tonia’s decided to stay behind and make sure that the pool doesn’t go anywhere.

Troc first and I saw a rather lovely trunk but couldn’t decide, I do tend to want to think over purchases, I’m definitely not an impulse buyer. It was about to close for lunch so I had a little time to think about it while we went to Estancarbon for more shopping. We couldn’t find anything we were looking for but I was still thinking (and talking) about the trunk. I’ve wanted one since we got here and I couldn’t have the one that was in the house before we bought it. Clearly I talked about it more than enough and on the way back Matt insisted that we went back to get it. I was very pleased he did.

Back at home I showed him the label, he hadn’t even noticed it at the Troc, but does seem as though it was destined to return to Marignac.

First time to hit the pool, then to admire the flowers.

Tonia – Having received the text to say they were on their way home, it was time to get the pool opened up and start the cleaning process, all ready for a dip when they got back. 

Next on the agenda (after the obligatory oohing and ahhing over the new trunk) there were just minutes to run up and get ready to head to Johnny and Cressida’s for dinner.  Having taken Anya last year and needing to tie her to a tree I made the decision that she would stay at home, she’d been out plenty and it would save all of us the stress of worrying about the dogs.

Back at home and Matt has found glow worms – of course you have to then say the rhyme: “I wish I was a glowworm, a glow worm’s never glum, cos how can you be grumpy when the sun shines out your bum?”

[9 July 2022]

Sunday 

Tonie – Today is the day of the delayed Mayor’s visit!!

Having spent much of the morning going over a lot of the cleaning jobs we had done last week inside, Matt was back from topping up the levels of white and pink wine for the visit and it was time for a job that would take all three of us to complete.

Having had our dip relatively late in the day on Saturday, we’d noticed that there was a tree obstructing the last sunshine. Naturally, this was not acceptable for madam! So today we will address this heinous issue. Out is was with the large ladder, the electric choppers and walkie talkies. Having managed to get the ladder “in place” it neither looked particularly secure at the top or bottom, I was put in place to hold the ladder and make sure Matt didn’t fall to his death – or more likely a hospital visit. Chan naturally was directing the event from the other side of the trees near the house. 

Happily we completed this and the next pictures are not of us taking / visiting Matt in hospital. Instead it was time for a bit of a break and with some magic Matt, we had the ideal French set up to watch the Formula 1 – yes, with drinks, bbq food and water hammocks in the pool!

With the race over and realising that the day was rapidly getting away from us, we dried off, got all of the furniture out and into position, we were ready to run upstairs for a quick change. Matt and I had been adamant that we wanted to be at the other end of the table from the Mayor (who doesn’t speak English) and near the Mayor’s friend who we had been told was fluent. Naturally, these things never occur as planned and so after the tour of the house, the Mayor sits himself as far from our interpreter as possible and Matt and I resort to a mix of pigeon French and charades to get through the conversation at our end of the table. 

Once the esteemed company had taken their leave, we were able to relax and Matt and I were very proud of our efforts, particularly in seeming to have amused the Mayor with our “exceptional” (read questionable) language skills.

[10 July 2022]

Monday 

Tonie – With it being Monday, Chan and Matt were back to work, sadly, as I had decided to use my work from anywhere for 2 weeks of my trip, it was also a work day for me.  That said I was able to make a quick trip to the supermarket and decided on a special treat for my lunch – foie gras and goats cheese on fresh French bread. 

Chan – It seems that we have Mirabelle plums growing randomly in our hedgerow which is pretty cool. We’d not seen them before but apparently they are a delicacy and hard to come by, they are also meant to make a great sauce for duck which also happens to be a local delicacy.

[11 July 2022]

Tuesday

The pool guys are back….

The building company from Toulouse is back today to provide another quote for the exterior. They have also arrived with the supplies to fix the joist in the corner of Room 7 free of charge, which is awesome but no doubt well paid for in the other work that we have already signed up for.

In France you can’t choose just any colour for your house, they have to be sanctioned colours. You also have to get permission from the Marie if you want to change the colour of the house. Despite not originally wanting ‘a pink house’ we’ve rather fallen in love with it, and as the old maternity home I suspect that there would be challenges from the locals if we were to try to change it, so we’ll be sticking with the pink.

If Tonia’s going to take down the ceiling then we are going to need to clear out Room 7 into the blue bathroom, which also needs clearing before it can be refilled, yay, such fun!

[12 July 2022]

Wednesday 

Tonia – Anya and I spent the majority of our day working up in the attic – sadly it was office work still and not getting things done on the house. I have now shown a fair few of my colleagues the view from my office over the valley and everyone was suitably jealous.

Chan – Matt and I just had to work, it was another busy day and we’ve been doing a lot recently.

[13 July 2022]

Thursday 

Chan – Doggy daycare begins today. JC are off to Cress’ brother’s wedding so we have the two dogs. Not entirely sure how this is going to go with Anya but we’ll give it a go, hopefully they will warm to each other, and if not we can always take the boys back up the road to JC’s place and leave Tonia to relax at ours.

Tonie – After spending the morning working the “guests” have arrived and all of a sudden, my new job has become referee!

Anya was not too happy particularly to see Woody and we made several experiments as to how we could tie them up so that they could get to us without getting to each other. Sadly, we experienced a slight altercation as it appeared that Woody’s lead had quite a lot of stretch to it when you have a 30kg dog on the end of it who doesn’t like the 10kg dog barking at them. 

With modifications done it was time for dinner and Chan’s specialty “kinda like a pizza” dish

[14 July 2022]