Another hot day. Clive arrived just after 9am and the boys set too. Mainly digging digging and more digging to get down to hard rock where they could dig a trench for the foundation.

Sadly me back still not great and digging is the worst thing for it so I cracked on with sanding the beams for the second bedroom, sanding down the plasterboarded wall for the cupaboard and then re plastering it. Also had time to sand the wood for the back wall frames of the second bedroom.

By midday the foundation was prepared, all that prep work of shifting rocks was well worth it as Clive did not expect to be at this stage until Tuesday so that is great. Clive went home for lunch and to get the mixer etc.

In the afternoon Clive mixed and Al scooped all the cement along the foundation of the wall before they both got the first layer of rocks in place. Cover up as storms are forecast and clean up and then beers on the terrace. Boys have done well.

Wall foundations

Setting 1st rocks

We had been asked for an apero from Didier and Vero who we have met at a couple of the recent fetes. We are never really sure what to expect. We arrived and a group of about 12 of the villagers arrived drinks came out, BBQ was laid, nibbles provided so aperos was slightly more than just that!. The bonfire was lit, table and benches arranged and pork spare ribs, merguez sausages cooking, cheeses and crepes inside as it started to rain. They are renovating a house at the end of the village so inside was in a building site but all good fun. Luckily not too late  and home by 11pm. A relaxing fun evening but the French was hard to understand with so much slang and so so quick.

Internet before brekky and then after that we attacked moving the internet up to the main barn in a few stages….take out all kit from down in out building, take dish down and re mount up on the main barn wall. Point the thing in which is always a fiddle and requires patience, consequently a job for Al rather than me!!

I did a few odds and sods strimming, sanding down the curvy wall ready for second plaster.

Got it in place and pointed to correct satelite and left it to sort itself out whilst we went to pick fruit for Clive but no need they are back from hols so we were let off that! Quick tea with them and a stop at the auberge on the way back to drop off tools, have a quick drink and chat with Anouk and then head back up.

Al sorted the issue with the internet a loose cable so all pointed and ready to attach all the other bits and pieces.

A nice salad for lunch, pork, feta and beetroot as some of the goodies.

Then it was on to making a shelf for all the internet gubbins downstairs, sorting out power and hey presto internet is now in the main barn. Should make life much much easier.

VERY hot showers and then we had a lovely BBQ outside. Marinaded chicken with ginger, soy, port, sesame and lots more. I also made a new coconut sauce to go with it, both delicious with salad from the garden and a glass of rose happy days.  Some hands of bezique until the light went and to bed.

Another glorious day. After yesterday we were both quite tired last night so opted against the alarm wake up this morning but low and behold 630am wide awake!!!

We did a couple of hours internet for Ski Breezy again before brekky and then into the veggie patch before too hot. The strong winds we have been having have battered the mange toute which needed stringing back up and lots of them too so have picked some for supper at the same time along with lettuces and broccoli.

We then set to digging out the next raised bed and then digging it over. An hour later job done. The turf we have relayed (loose term) plonked near the original veg patch in an attempt to start trying to level the back terrace out a bit. This will happen over a long period of time I think but hopefully in the end it will become more like a garden than a field at the back of the barn.

We had asked Daniella up for coffee as she has not seem the place for 4 years so quite a few changes. Coffee on the terrace and it was hot hot hot.

Before lunch we quickly did all the little jobs that needed the jigsaw and the circular saw so we can hand the tools back to Anouk and Rene on our way to Clive’s tomorrow. We have made a butterfly shaped key holder, a new table top for a coffee table upstairs and finished off the edging on the 2nd bedroom floor. Nice little jobs to have ticked off the list.

Lunch inside as it was so hot salad from the garden and then a cheeky little siesta was in order! Al tackled a few more electrics, I finished dismantling another pallet and the  varnished items this morning got a quick sand and the coffee table top got a quick oil.

Piping hot showers almost too hot and then internet looking for recipes for red currant jelly plus other ideas to use up red currants which are nearly ready and there are oodles of them!

Marinaded pork going oin the BBQ tonight with garlic, peppercorns, lemon, rosemary and oil should be good plus fresh veggies from the garden and if we have room the final slice of the rhubarb and almond cake which Al has really enjoyed. No butter or flour in it but scrummy nonetheless.

After being here 5 years I think. We have not yet managed to get out and about on our bikes and it has been on our agenda for a while. Anouk had kindly taken the time to print out some of her recces for us so we had a few to choose from.

We did a few hours of internet first, then brekky, made butties and headed off about 10.30am down to Seix.

I am slightly notorious for being over ambitious when it comes to days out and about and  iting off more than we can chew is quite normal. This could have been one of those days!!!

Anyway we parked up and headed off the agenda was 30km which does not sound too bad but the 1000m vertical climbing maybe was a bit too much considering neither of us are bike fit at all! Anyway, nothing ventured nothing gained….

It was pretty much 15km of up, up and up. Firstly it was great single track over completely new terrain for us and quite different barns in this area all the way up to Col de Catchaudegue all good fun and we felt fine. We then had a long traverse around Bourix hill on 4×4 track. The final 3.8km up to the summit felt more like 38km and we were both pleased to get to the top for lunch and to get off the saddles!!! Getting back on the saddle was not that much fun.  Al had to put up with me jumoing off my bike quite a few times with leg cramps not just in oine leg but both!!!! Luckily the weather was quite cool so it was great for MB.

WOW the descent made it all worth while. Crazy Ken would love it!!!! Single track through meadows then, into woodland, pretty much single track the whole way back down. Loved every bit of it and great to be back on the bikes. Drinks, stretching and then on to see Ian and Nina at their house just above Seix for a cuppa and a catch up. They have made great progress and the place really beginning to take shape. The yoga barn is an incredible space.

Late back to the barn at 745pm hot showers and then a new meal for dinner. I have been off carbs for a few weeks in an aim to reduce the number of Michelin tyres but tonight was an exception. Felt like we had earned it. Marinaded lamb with chinese 5 spices with a chinese sauce. Noodles stir fried with red peppers and mange toute and all tossed together with the lamb and ginger and peanut sauce twas quite different. Really enjoyed it. I dont think I would have it again by choice but Al said he would. We collapsed in front of a film, Hotel Marigold excellent fun and then to bed pleasantly pooped!!!

A couple of hours before brekky of shifting rocks and wall prep before it got too hot, seems to be making progress albeit it slowly.

One of the things that Ken mentioned when he was here that he thought the floors upstairs could do with another varnish. So we took his advice and spent the first couple of hours, hoovering the kitchen area upstairs, then scrubbing and mopping before we could start the re varnish. At the same time we got the second coat on for the 2nd bedroom. Banished for the next few hours from upstairs and inside whilst it all dried we then attacked some internet stuff.

Floors were dried by lunch time so we could prep another salad lunch before Al sorted some electrics in the afternoon and I did the final coat upstairs and downstairs. Banished again whilst the floors dried. Outdoor work was on the agenda.

We then had time to prepare some more of the area to make work for the wall building. Moving dead wood, sheets of tin from the old back area to make access much easier for getting to the access the rocks which we will need in due course to re build the wall. Al got the chain saw out and lopped a few big branches off the pine tree which were at head banging height!

Hot showers much needed and then it was a lovely evening outside with BBQed marinaded chicken a new salad with fresh peas from Clive’s garden, mange toute from ours, bacon and pinenuts delicious.

We have decided with this heat the way forward is a couple of hours work before breakfast and the sun hits so alarm goes at 645am and we start at 7am.

This morning the strimmer decided to work so I set to, to finish the large patch of bracken and then we only have a tiny bit left at the back to do tomorrow. Meanwhile, Al continued with digging out rocks from the collapsed wall in prep for Clive’s arrival. I joined him after an hourish. By 9am bracken was gone and the wall is getting there, long process.

Usual fruit galore breakfast and then over to Clive’s before the sun hits there to pick his rasps pretty easy and thousands of black currants. Made a start and popped them all in his freezer for him but a few more hours of that still to be done.

A quick fill up with water and then a drop off of wedding clothes to be housed till next wedding at Anouk and Rene and then back to the barn for lunch in the sun but with the parasol well and truly up. Mushie and chive omelette and salad.

Then we wanted to finish laying the second bedroom floor which all went down pretty quickly and we got one coat of varnish on too. So that just needs a quick sand and another couple of varnishes before we can attack the walls.

A quick mange toute and strawberry pick before red hot showers, internet and we are hoping a BBQ outside steaks and salad on the agenda.

The alarm went off at 6:45 again but this time we got up. It feels like we are behind schedule, though to be honest we don’t have a schedule; there is just too much to do in the time frame we have given ourselves. We both work better under pressure!

Breezy headed off with the strimmer and I started sorting out the area at the front where we are gonna build the wall. Once Breezy had finished we changed the head to brushcutter and she set off again towards the bracken. Unfortunately the machine refused to restart so she joined me digging rocks out of the bank.

Just after 9am we had a healthy breakfast of fruit and yoghurt we came up with a plan.

It is now 6:30 pm and we have installed a new mast for the satellite dish, built the frame for a forth raised bed, moved food stock upstairs, started laying the rest of the wooden floor downstairs and emptied the van.

Salad supper and another early night.