We needed to be with Ian and Nina for 11am so started the day with a monster internet session to get on top of things.  We were still late leaving once we got all the rubbish, water containers and recycling down to the van.

Ian wanted a had to take the scaffolding down at his place near Seix in exchange for some lunch. In the end we also shifted a new stove into one of his barns from his van as well. Over a lovely lunch we put the world to rights and put some clothes through their washing machine.

Down to St Girons for a small food shop and to buy some more tile grout.

Back to the barn to unpack and dry washing.  No big meal required so we had some scrambled egg on half a bread cob each and devised a shut down list for the barn.

Exactly the same start as yesterday.

Once breakfast was out the way we got organised for the next sections of the tree to come down.

Breezy got the garden organised and sorted for winter while I scaled the tree again. I shall be glad when I don’t have to go up the tree again.  It is getting more difficult now. As the trunk gets broader it is not so easy to get the saw cuts on each side to marry up. Also, I can’t remember exactly how long the chainsaw blade is but it is not long enough to cut right through so you have to cut from every angle in towards the centre of the tree.  On the ground this is not a problem but when you are attached to the tree beneath where you are cutting (for obvious reasons) it is quite tiring and takes significantly longer.

Back to the porch, filling plasterboard joints and trimming squirty foam.

Lunch of bread cobs and pate.

In the afternoon we:

• foraged for more brambles
• shifted the fallen pine logs (ropes required)
• transplanted sage and mint to near the doorway to the barn
• collected a muck truck of donkey poo for the garden

Now the Muck truck is really sick. Struggling to get up the hill in 1st gear with very little weight in. In the evening I fired off an email to the manufacturer explaining the symptoms.

BBQ duck salad for supper.

Almost a complete day of no chain saw use.  We did manage to avoid cutting any trees down but not quite a chainsaw free day.

Started in the usual fashion.  I make coffee and pour Breezy a juice, fetch stuff for breakfast and boot up the satellite broadband. Up to a couple of hours work on the old tinterweb sorting stuff for the chalet in Chamonix for the winter then a breakfast of fruit and yoghurt.

Once done then as ever there is a list of things to do and a logical order in which to attempt them. First up is more brambling followed by sorting out the last little bit behind the new wall at the front of the barn. Having built the deck there is still a little area at the end between the deck and grass slope to backfill and “do something with”. I have made a couple of stone steps and want a small rockery (apparently very big in the 80’s).  This is driven partly by my desire to grow some alpine plants but mainly by the need to get shot of some rather large rocks that I can’t lift. Finished – another tick off the list.

Next was to grout the floor tiles in the new porch. Again it is a use up of materials which in this case was insufficient leaving us with a couple of tiles still needing grout.

Later, Breezy took the strimmer and had a bracken thrashing session. We fitted a new down pipe to the gutter at the back of the barn and then the chainsaw came out to tidy up some of the pine tree sections now on the floor at the base of the tree.

Pork curry with dhal & rice for supper.

With just over a week or so left before we head back to Chamonix on route to the UK, there seems to be a bit of a spurt on to get things ticked on lists. Different people to see, jobs to do and internet stuff to get sorted.

As per usual we booted up the computers and sat bashing away at the keyboards before breakfast of fresh fruit and yoghurt.

The jobs list started with tiling the porch. The tiles were the free ones we salvaged from Chamonix last winter and the glue was left over from the first porch. It would not last until next year so it makes sence to use it now. And we had just enough glue for the job.

Next up is the tree, or should I say next is up the tree. Chainsaw trousers, helmet, ropes, slings, harness and steel toe cap boots; oh… and a chainsaw. Top came down in one 3m length followed by two more 1.5m lengths. They hit the ground with quite a thud.

Late lunch and Breezy picked up the strimmer while I fettled the steps up from  the new terrace. The strimming is to cut the small bracken shoots in the meadow. We have an annual battle with the bracken but slowly it is getting weaker so hopefully we are winning.

Finished with a forage for blackberries for Breezy to make a tart with. Hot shower (not down to solar action) and a cuppa tea.

September has been glorious and then only day it decides to rain is my birthday so our walk was not to be this year. So after a leisurely am with pressie and card opening we tackled the porch.

Main thing was to get the ceiling in to the porch area. So used up any insulation we had left. Then on to plasterboarding, electrics and then filling the joints before calling it a day.

In between times I had a quick forage out the back to find some mushies to go with the steak. 1 parasol out the back and 2 cheekily hiding out via the main side terrace. We had a dash in between rain to favourite field and added a birch bolette to the collection. We ran back as the rain started to chuck it down again!!!!

Neither of us felt like a shower in the rain so we lit the fire did a little quick internet, skyped a few people  and then cracked open the pink fizz and then had delicious steaks, with salad and wild mushies perfecto!

No hanging about today. Up early and a quick internet session to check for any urgent enquiries for the chalet this winter then preparation for Renee and Anouk coming for lunch.

I had been through the blog entries for last year to find out what we fed them but could find nothing mentioning that they came up at all. So they are getting the usual paella and cheese and rhubarb cake.

Food prep done and table arranged on the new front terrace, Breezy and I had time for a cup of coffee before they arrived. After a tour of the establishment we cracked open a bottle of fizz to celebrate the end of their season in the Auberge.

Great company and the food went down well. Renee did say that if his memory was correct we gave them paella last year. Note to self – Don’t give them paella next year.

They had to be back at the Auberge for 4pm as gusts were arriving. They left at 4.15pm on foot but had parked halfway up the piste.

We cleared up, washed up and played games before an early night, neither of us needing more food.

An early start. In fact it was still dark when the alarm went off. Very quick instant coffee and fruit before heading down the valley and into St Girons.  1st stop was the builders merchant as we need more 100mm waste pipe.  When we were walking the other week with Sauze & Patrick, Clive came up to the barn and replaced a section of gutter which was broken. Now we can attach a down pipe and divert rainwater at the back away from the back wall.

Laundry next.  A bit of a monster load with 2 sets of bed linen so very dirty went in one machine and not so dirty in another.  Quick jaunt into town to find a couple of birthday cards and some tobacco, a coffee and collect laundry again.

Last port of call was the supermarket for the food stuffs.  Back to the barn to unload.  Forage for brambles and cheese on toast for lunch.

The Muck truck is decidedly ill and has lost power. Exhaust seems smokey and engine could be misfiring.  The manual covers basic “home” maintenance but does not even show where the spark plug is. I assume it has a spark plug. Think I shall have to look on the web.

Afternoon of small jobs as   of a rest.  Drying laundry, getting logs in, stewing rhubarb, plasterboarding the porch and clearing space in what will be the pantry.

Cool shower under the tree and a warm prawn, feta and rocket salad for supper.

Another glorious day here in paradise. September has just been stunning and has made working so much more enjoyable not having to think about what the weather is going to do.

A session on the old internet and breakfast. We had run out of water so I headed to the village for a quick fill up. Got back and Al had already started on the next clump of trees. We have kept the fire going since we started it with Sauze and Patrick more by luck than anything else.

A new system today, fell the trees tidy up and log at the same time before felling next lot. All went very quickly and I reckon 2 more hours will see the final bit of the log pile full. Hoorah that will be a huge tick!

We had a quick sort out of frames and doors after the fiasco of yesterday trying every door with the frames trying to work out which one fitted and it was bound to be the last door we tried!!!! We also moved loads of wood from the fridge wall so we could hang doors easily and have more space to work.

Lunch on the new terrace, anything we could find in the fridge!!! I had a bit of salad and Al had some salad and a butty.

Afternoon it was back on with the porch building. Always easier the second time around especially since we knew this time which doors went with the frame!!! Managed to get the frame secured, doors hung and the handle on by the end of the day. Looking good.

Al went for a forage, I caught up on loads of Ski Breezy e mails and also in the middle of trying to get the ghetto apartment rented for the winter, never that easy from afar.

It was then drinks and a game on the terrace before wild mushroom omelette for supper. Which was truly scrummy more mushies then eggs….

An early night as we are up early tomorrow for the St Girons shop day and to get something to put in the fridge, supplies are rock bottom.

Woke up to another blue sky day ahead of us. A stint on the computers catching up as always a few more bookings taken for Ski Breezy always a good start to the day!

It was then back to the tree felling so we are gradually filling up another wood store for future use and clearing the meadow land behind the veggie plot. It is hot work with the fire going but we are slowly making good progress, it just takes time.

We did a quick forage for brambles before lunch and got around 500g so great for breakfast and you never know may even get around to making a tart before we go!

A light lunch as neither of us very hungry after our rhubarb cake mid morning snack!

Afternoon, well a couple of hours was set aside for starting the second porch. Mainly making a framework and working out how to fix it in place. We have been putting this off with the lovely weather and wanting to be outside but we are really wanting the place animal proove before we go and this needs doing if this is to happen!

Very hot showers and then a quick forage and came back with some more pied de moutons and some parasols excellent we have a starter for tonight from the land!

We had a game of rummikub outside before having our wild mushie starter. Just simply fried in olive oil and served with pita bread no need for anything else twas scrummy! BBQed pork ribs marinaded in cumin and coriander plus some veggies from the garden.

Then a night of star gazing it was not too cold and there were thousands of them but no luck with shooting stars maybe tomorrow.