Tuesday

Busy day of work, obviously Meow thought she wasn’t getting enough attention however so insisted that Matt play with her more. All of a sudden we heard a really loud noise and went to investigate. I’m still not sure what it was that they were carrying below the helicopter – ideas on the back of a postcard please (or just in the comments would also work, but I like a bit of retro).

In the evening we spent our time looking for a short break. It seems however that our idea to go to St Jean de Luz may not work out… [That’s the price for 1 room for 2 nights!] Back to the drawing board…

[30 August 2022]

Wednesday

After work I studied the marriage guide to see what we need to provide and what we need to do when. So I set to work starting to create our wedding dossier ready to give to the Marie. Ah the French do love their paperwork, maybe one day I will learn to love it too, but not today.

Once Matt was finished we went back to the pergola. While Matt and Jonny had made a start on it, once I inspected it further it turned out that there had been a slight cock up, A for effort, not so great on the execution. The pieces were the wrong way round, they had to go on the other side to attach the beams. So we took it apart and put it back together. Not a bad job eventually though if you ask me, and since you’re reading this I guess you did 😉

It’s getting late though so time for a well deserved glass of wine, dinner and bed.

[31 August 2022]

Thursday

My first day of ‘not working’ and I don’t think I’m very good at it. Job 1: make Job 1 the priority – Wedding. Cressida is on her way to ensure I’ve read the notes correctly, she’s a gem. They appeared to have no idea what I was saying, thankfully my preparation of documents wasn’t in vain though and they got the idea. The Mayor wasn’t in to confirm anything but it looks as though he won’t ask for translations of all our documents – finger crossed as that won’t be easy and would be quite expensive.

I had two ‘interviews’ today. I also realised why nobody knows what I do for a job. It’s always different. I basically just work on projects that have a health or life sciences aspect to them.

The pergola was almost done but needed the final finishing touches, and a good clean to get all the dirt and stickers off. Finally it was properly finished, well, it’s still not drilled into the new tiles but I’m holding him off on that until he’s absolutely certain where the various summer kitchen elements are going so I don’t end up with multiple holes in my new terrace. It also looks like there is another festival coming up just down the road in Cierp-Gaud – I wonder if it will compete with the Marignac rave scene, I doubt, we’re very cool in Marignac!

Since we’ve been working so hard I made a nice roast chicken, roast potatoes and gravy. Of course by the time I’d finished it was pretty late, but it was still warm so we ate on the veranda.

[1 September 2022]

Friday

Decided to put off the mail run till after cleaning the kitchen. But since we were going out [to the post office- and later with friends], I put on my best Lidl shorts.

I’ve officially finished work, but of course I haven’t. Unfortunately I have a non-compete so I can’t take on this new job in October. I have plenty more to do though, as I have now taken on the biggest, and most important job of my life. Planning my wedding.

I’m not remotely phased, if I can manage the ‘input’ of 8 founders for a 300 person event in a different country, I can manage a small circle of friends in my garden with only Matt to contend with. I am however a Projects Director and I will manage the **** out of this.

Checklists, Group 1: Event planning – paperwork, flowers, lighting, etc etc, etc – [I’m not documenting it all here, although I do need to consider the best way to share the process]

Group 2: House – what needs to be done, and by when so that we have somewhere the immediate family can be – it will not be finished or perfect

Group 2B: Garden – it’s a wedding not an open house, what needs to be done to make the garden, wedding, and outside the star of the show?!

Of course all of this was interrupted by Matt. It seems I’d also promised to go to the dechetterie today. The trailer was half full of wood and I have nowhere to stack the good logs. So a quick clear of the wood shed, which was grim with spiders and cobwebs, the trailer was stacked to the brim. I then convinced him to take all the other recycling and rubbish, so the back of the beast was also full.

Vincent was nowhere to be seen and I was expecting to be asked for our papers – we still haven’t got the official sticker for the dump proving we are locals. Instead we owned it, pulled up, took off the trailer, signalled to the wood area and then he came to help me unload the wood. I have to say that the dechetterie has the most amiable and helpful people.

I’m *ucked however if when chucking out all the wood with nails in didn’t catch my bloody shorts – my best Lidl shorts – FFS! Of course I swore loudly, in French. He was more polite than I was, but he was very sympathetic. I did however spot a couple of not completely ugly pots that only need a little care, and not-Vincent seemed happy to donate to me. So not a bad result.

Back home and Matt has more work to do. So I’m back to wedding planning. A checklist is all good but it’s a bit pedestrian, however I appear to have lost access to the tools of my trade [MS Project – not available on a Mac]. Some things will be fine on Excel but I need a Gantt Chart!!

The good news is that we have friends nearby to break us from our madness. Well… something like that. JC arrived for a trip up to ‘the new bar’. Of course we go there and it was closed. Best head home for a warm up drink.

Rick and Ron kindly went to check for us. Good news, it is now open. JC are already preparing their exit strategy however – very sensible – and drove us up. We therefore arrived super quick and settled in for the evening. It was grand.

Back home super hungry so time for ‘canapes’ and then a very nice leftover dinner.

After dinner we let the cat out but seemed she was interested in something else. After shooing her away we found that it was a big toad. The house was not the best place for it though so Matt moved it out before he got stuck in the door so he can get safely back to Toad Hall.

Matt’s now in bed while I finish this, I hope you enjoyed it, the cat certainly liked being on my lap and I’m exhausted.

[2 September 2022]

Saturday

Late start to the day as I needed a good rest but Matt was up and did some shopping. I however spent my time playing in the pottager.

It’s all looking good and was nice of Matt to help for a bit too. Time for us to finally get ready for our trip. Will be nice to have a break but of course it requires packing and getting everything ready first. Good that we’re going in the car though as we can be a bit more frivolous on what we take with us. Since we’re going away though we should probably do something with all those tomatoes I collected – more sundried tomatoes.

[3 September 2022]