Now this has happened a couple of times now and it is slightly alarming. At 0630 we both woke up to the sound of tiny feet on the insulation in the roof. We think that there is only one animal but it either has to go or start wearing slippers indoors.

Considering that we went to great lengths to mesh off the eaves when we put the ceilings in and that the gable ends are capped in concrete between the beams, I don’t know how the critter is getting in.

Fortunately we can drop the downlighters out and pop odd bits of poison into the roof space, so that is what we have done.

Late breakfast and an amble up to the waterfalls with Anne. I went to the 1st one and Breezy and Anne went onto the next while I pottered about the barn.

Lovely lunch of bread, cheese, pate and salad on teh terrace before Breezy gave Anne a lift down the piste to her car about 1600.

Showers, BBQ ribs and a random film, then it’s the weekend.

Shopping tomorrow!

It seems like we have been on the go for a couple of weeks now. Early mornings with a stint outdoors in the cool before breakfast once the sune hits. Then a list of jobs during the day or feeding Clive rocks and mortar. Finish late, shower, food, internet and bed.

We have not made time to put tools away, sharpen knives, sweep up or even just sit.

Today we are expecting Anne to come and stay so it’s a good excues to do all the things taht we have neglected over teh last couple of weeks. Hoover and mop upstairs, open up the outhouse and air it, light the fire outside and clear all the cardboard and paper out, weed the garden, shift the reamining cement and sweep the porch. Had a great day doing all the little things.

Breezy sorted out an old crate as a log box for the Yotul stove near the kitchen. We found that we have a load of cucumbers in the garden so no need to buy any more of them (as we go through 2 a week). Got loads of runner beans coming so chutney may be on the cards again?

Anne arrived around 1700 so we prepared a paella while she got settled in. Had a lovely evening chatting on the terrace until the moon came up and after the moon had gone back behind the mountains.

Having topped off the wall yesterday all that remains is to point up the top surface between the stones and clear up.

In no particular order:

• Shift the remaining sand up to behind the last ruin
• Shift the remaining huge boulders down to the front terrace
• Take down the scaffolding and pack it into Clives van
• Sort out tools, who’s is who’s and take all Clives kit down for him to take back

So the plan was to get all taht done in the morning and then to backfill the terrace in the afternoon. Unfortunately Clive tweeked his back first thing so it was decided to knock the backfilling on the head and give him the afternoon to see if he could get his back looked at by the Osteo in the village.

This was actually a bit of a good thing for us as we are both tired. Clive set off to take the scaff back while Breezy and I sorted tools and equipment out for Clive to come back for the second trip.

I just got down to the parking when a load of loose cows appeared on the piste as Clive turned up.

Smoked salmon salad for lunch; a little lie down and off down to Seix to pick up some odd groceries. Called in with Alison & Peter on the way back and also Anouk at the Auberge in Salau.

Scrabble on the terrace

Steaks on the BBQ after a game of scrabble on the terrace.

Yipee!

Actually managed to get a lie in until 0730 as we are nearing the end of the wall and there is little preparation to do before Clive turns up.

Less than 2 foot of wall to go but going is much slower as the steel reinforcement goes in and the stones are selected carefully. Also the wall has two visible faces so the stones have to be “facers” on both sides.

Finally finished in the drizzle at 1850hrs and Clive shot off for his supper.

Pork curry and an open fire.

The End!

Monday morning and the alarm went off at 0645 again. Now eagerly anticipating the end of walling.

Morning of walling in the sun with Clive while Breezy made a cake and some rhubarb chutney.

Over lunch I sorted out the 3 waste pipes to get burried under the terrace between the building and the new wall.

After lunch Clive came in the flatbed truck with another ton of sand. That got loaded straight into transporter and mucktruck and deposited beside the mixer. Half an hour of backfilling before the thunder, lightening and fat rain started. Quickly covered the wall with a tarpauline and scuttled inside for a cup of tea.

The rest of teh day was written off so Clive went home.

Tai Curry and open fire evening.

It’s rained and the water butts are full again. I guess that they were down to about a quarter full or less. Overnight we have caught about 1,500 litres and that is only off 25% of the roof. So we don’t have to go get river water for the mortar mixing.

Unfortunately the rain is continuing which means no progress on the wall.

I went off in the van to pick up more cement from St Girons and left Breezy in the barn working on Ski Breezy stuff and emails. I got back at noon and Breezy was still tapping away at her keyboard getting emails out to clients.

Lunch was salad and ham then I started a proposal for a client in the Netherlands while Breezy made some redcurrant jelly with the fruit from the garden. Minor catastroph when clicking down a lid of a jar and redcurrent jelly coated the worktop, floor and us.

Game of scrabble before sausage supper and a hand of cards before bed.