Well we are very well rested after our 3.5 weeks away exploring Northern Portugal and Galicia in Spain. We were very lucky with the weather except for our planned week in the Picos de Europa which was rained off on the way down and due to Al's knee we  decided against it on the way back as he would not have been able to climb or walk, so we will leave if for another trip.

We loved Porto especially the tasting of the various ports from Offley's port house. Anyone venturing that way a great place for a week end, lots to do and very relaxed.

We spent the rest of the time mainly wandering up the coast camping all the time, a bit of biking, walking, swimming in the sea and eating delicious fish and seafood which we mainly cooked our our FAB BBQ which my brothers had given me for a 40th birthday pressie, very well used already.

We had lots of time for reading, playing cards and games at night, making plans for the barn and forgetting about everything else really. Perfect.

Sadly all these things come to the end and we headed back via Pau hospital where we spent 5 hours waiting for Al to be seen. Finally after we had both finished our books Al got to see the doc and had his knee x-rayed and it looks like he has a small tear on the ligament which they think will heal in 2-3 weeks, fingers crossed that it does.

So we then headed home via a supermarket to stock up on some food for the week and then back to the barn.

We saw the Dutch couple who live next to the auberge briefly who have also just arrived back for a few weeeks holiday so am sure we will see them for an apero soon.

All looks still in tact at the barn, no lettuces though I think "manged" by the slugs. Water buts are now full and no leaks so the repair has worked.

The delivery of ballast has arrived ready for the floor in the main barn, just need to get it up to the barn now next challenge!!!! 13 ton of it!!!

Inside the outhouse actually felt a bit damp for the first time ever but when we hear about how much rain they have had here not really surprising. I am sure after being lived in for a few days it will be fine.

We just brought up from Vinnie what we needed and then had some yummy prawns for supper and bed as we were both quite pooped.

Good to be back and good to arrive in the soleil

We awoke at 8am to the sun streaming through the little front window boded well for another hot day. It is so good to finally see some sunshine and have some warmth.

After brekky we had long list of things to do as normal.

Main things we wanted to achieve was to get some strimming done around the outbuilding and main barn and we wanted to attack the overgrown veggie patch.

We tried to get the strimming done before it was too hot and then we could attack the veggie plot. The red currant and herbs seem to be doing really well not so sure about the garlic we planted we will see. The Aquiliga (spelling?) looked great around the edges with lots of different colours.

We had a major sort of things to go in bags for Spain and then things for our trip to Italy and things to stay. We think we now know where everything is well most of it anyway!

Stuart had given us a set of shelves and some rails( amongst lots of other things) which we constructed and then put up in the outbuilding which gives us more space. Very important living in such a small space that we make use of ever bit of it!

We also put some pictures up, a mirror and Scotty’s fab idea of a photo gallery frame which she gave us. Which is perfect hanging up on the back wall with lots of piccys of family and friends for all to see. Makes the place feel more like home too. Thanks Scotty.

Great to have a hot shower outdoors all with the solar shower bag before dinner a good old Shepherds Pie after an anchovy salad to start with all outside with a few round of cards. Perfect.

Scotty's Photo Frame in Action  Friends and Family

Happy Birthday Laney we were thinking of you and raised a glass to you in the evening too.

Sun shining again making the choice of what to do a great deal easier.

We wanted to finish digging out the veg patch and strimming the back terrace in the morning so we could plant some lettuces and beans in the evening when it was cooler.

We swapped around between us one strimming and the other digging and weeding and by midday we had the veggie plot ready for planting, the back terrace strimmed as well as some paths to the back strimmed making access easier. Chimney pots (called slate tiles) replaced on the chimneys at the back of the barn which had come off with all the snow during the winter.

We then had a couple of hours fettling the bikes and the van ready for our trip. Now full of climbing gear, camping gear, bikes and anything else you can imagine.

A late lunch and then we planted the lettuces, beans, sun flowers and sweet peas and watered them in.

Had a bit of a plan re getting materials on site and logisitics for getting the main floor down when we get back. A huge job and we are just hoping that Le Forgue will deliver to the bridge otherwise, we are going to need to re assess again.

Another hot shower and we headed down to Salau for more water to confirm dates for Dad at the auberge and to try and touch base with Clive but to no avail. We had forgotten their landline numbers and no reception with the mobiles.

Back for another anchovy salad starter and then sausages with pesto potatoes and beans in between a battle of cards. Great to sit outside till 10pm as it is warm enough and light enough too.

Feel like we have made quite a lot or progress in a couple of days even if doing just lots of pottering jobs.

Veggie Patch  Veggie Patch Back Terrace Strimmed

After our overnight stop just outside Limoux we headed towards the barn in glorious sunshine. We had a quick stop in St Girons for some food before heading on the final stretch to Salau. The village was quiet, the new owners into the Auberge busy gardening ready for the summer season.

Always good to get back and see that the place is still standing except for the toilet vent pipe with fan which seems to have keeled over again but this time it seems to have snapped the flu pipe so a bit more fettling there to be done in due course.

Whey hey nobody has broken in but even more re assuring is how secure the outbuilding was, so much so that we had to break in ourselves!!!

Somehow which we still cannot work out the latch for the top of the stable door had slid down so we could not actually get into the outbuilding!!! Not a chance to break the main door so in the end we dismantled the window and Al squeezed in. It was tight!!!

The outbuilding seems to have survived the winter well and was clean, dry and free of animals which was great.

We spent the rest of the day unpacking Vinnie who I am sure was relieved to get rid of the weight!!! Bit by bit we brought things up from wood that Al had rescued from the skip in Chamonix, to cupboards from Cham Share, to boxes of food left over from the winter, to wires, bikes, climbing kit etc etc etc.

The cupboard that we got off Cham Share for the outbuilding is a perfect fit and already makes a huge difference. A place to put pots and pans etc rather than on the floor as before.

With only planning to be around for a few days we were trying to get things unpacked without having to re pack too much on Monday when we head to Spain.

The place has not lost any of its beauty and the river is roaring with all the snow melt and hot sunshine in the valley, cascades looking impressive  and the peaks were as clear as anything, a great day to arrive and unpack as doing that in the rain would have been miserable.

We needed to get water from the fountain in Salau and we also wanted to say hello to Anuk and Renne who have taken over the auberge. So we filled up with water and stopped in to have a drink and say hello. They seem like a really fun couple, keen bikers and lots of ideas for the auberge. So I booked Dad in for a couple of nights for his stay in July and we will plan to eat there one night and have Dad up for dinner at the barn for the other night.

We trundled back up the track and had dinner with a glass of wine. It was actually quite chilly so we lit the stove and the place was toasty warm. We did not manage to squeeze in a mattress this time so were back to the lilos for sleeping on and will pick up a mattress on the way back from Spain.

To bed with the sound of the river and nothing else.

Breaking In!!!  Flowers A spot of gardening Needed!