I know there is a theory of JDI or “Just Do It” but we are definitely list people. I generally have one list with everything on a single sheet where Breezy will prefer to have separate lists on different bits of paper.

Towards the end of our stay in the Pyrenees there is always a lot of little jobs to finish plus some essential things to do in order to shut the barn down as such.

Little jobs were things like; finish back filling the wall and sow grass, put in stakes for raspberries, put tin on new log pile, plant roses…

Shut down jobs include; disconnect batteries, fly mesh off windows, clean toilets & fridge…

We did make time for a little foraging too as in the last week the mushrooms have appeared. The rest of the summer has been very dry and the pickings very lean.

Parasol mushrooms, birch bolets and hedgehog fungus provided us with starters in the last week at the barn.

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The sun always shines on Breezys Birthday and this year was no exception. Also it has become a tradition to venture out for a walk to somewhere new. This year we set off from near Aulus and headed up the valley to Etang Garbet. A fabulous path leads through the trees up to the magnificent lake. Family friendly and very popular during the summer.

From there we continued on up the valley to Etang Bleu with the intention of taking in one of the peaks behind. The way up involved a little scramble and was not so well travelled but gave great views of Etang Garbet on the way. We realised that with the shorter days we would not have time to go further and get back in daylight so enjoyed a leisurely picnic by Etang Bleu before heading back down.

A fish supper with nice wine to finish off a lovely day.

Slight change of plan this week as initial plan was to be away hut to hut walking in Spain but my back went the day before we were due to go so we had to postpone. After 2 fairly painful days light duties could resume again and we had a really fun, productive week getting all the little jobs done which we have been meaning to do for ages. To top this we had glorious sunshine, wall to wall blue skies and no clouds pretty much all week, water butts are close to empty so a slight rain dance going on here too in the hope we don’t have to start the trips to the river to get water!
Scotty sent over a set of curtains which she no longer needed and so they have been installed in the green room . Suspended on an old bit of copper pipe sprayed silver and a couple of old finials which we found in the bottom of a box.

Anyway, lots of painting jobs for me which I could do in the sun at a slow pace. We now have an array of brightly coloured dining chairs rather than some rather drab looking ones! One of the chairs needed covering so we found some material that Al had snaffled from somewhere and I set to with the staple gun. Closest I will get to sewing!!! Anyway, looks great and is the extra bedroom chair we have been meaning to sort for a while.

Al had seen in a magazine something quite fun with letters in latin “In vino verde” meaning In wine we trust, thought it might be quite fun to have a go and get it up on one of the beams in the guest room. So using up lots of old pieces of wood we cut out the letters, routed them, sanded them, painted them, waxed them and got them up! Quite a lot of work took most of the day but we like it!

Another nice too was to make a blackboard to hang up in the hallway. Again trying to use up some of the wood so we can see the hallway rather than it being a wood pile. Again more chopping, painting and assembling….now in use and on the wall.

Naomi my god daughter gave me a HUGE jigsaw a year ago which we have not done yet as we have not had a table big enough so we set to making a jigsaw board to accommodate this monster of a puzzle! Managed to find 2 large pieces which we hinged together which should fit it on. Now just to do the puzzle!

Managed to get the fruit bushes pruned ready for winter time too plus lots of other little pieces in the garden.

We are slightly over lugging buckets of water up the hill to water the ever expanding veg patch so we have bought some rain water capture vessels for behind the barn so we can hopefully just use that water from now on, once it rains and fills the things up!!! Took a while, fitting, balancing and getting in situ with pipes flowing the right way. If it works well we will probably put another one at the other end at the back to be the water feed for the pantry tap.

Al did a steady stream of 20 buckets a day back filling the wall we have built this year and now it is almost there so just top soil to go on and to grass it. We want to create some beds for flowers there too and get a climbing rose to grow up the front terrace. Trying to get more colour to the place.

On top of that this week has been tidying up the garden a bit, strimming, collecting brambles which are in abundance and enjoying lots of lovely healthy food.

Had a lovely day trip out to see Ian at his new place just the other side of St G, he cooked a yummy lunch for us, and it was nice to relax in the shade and catch up. We caught up with Rene and Anouk on the way back with a few glasses of rose as we had not seen them for ages it felt like. They are in very good form and chilled with the end of the season getting closer now for them.

Since Laney left we decided to have a few days of pottering and getting little jobs done.

It has been boiling hot all week mainly in the 90’s so we have been back filling the wall and or strimming pre brekky in the cooler part of the day before the sun has hit the barn. The back filling has taken a long time and still quite a lot more to do. Gradually dismantling the old step by the gable end and putting the earth, broken rocks and anything else into the back fill. It will also help keep the gable end drier which is good for our bedroom which is a little underground.

Spent lots of time in the garden sorting out the veggies, plants and some weeding too. Veggies are in full swing now so no need to buy veggies from town which is great. Made a new compost heap too from fork lift pallets as the old one is overflowing.

Coppicing is always on our list and since it was so dry this week we made a start, flip me it was hot and hard work but we have cleared a little with 3 half days. Al wielding a chain saw, me using the loppers and then lugging wood up the hill for logs later and burning the smaller stuff. 90 degrees and a bonfire maybe not such a brainwave!  We have a POA for coppicing now but need to get both chain saws in working order again before tackling the larger stuff at the back.

The last bit of fettling in the pantry was to make some blackboard cupboard doors for the top units.  We are trying to use up the wood stock we have currently stored in the barn, supplies are slowly going down.  Anyway, doors now made, painted with blackboard paint, handles from stripping out some old caravans and they finish off the pantry very nicely. Now we just need to clean it up and start using it as a pantry rather than a dumping ground!

Saturday was fiesta day in the village. The local Chase/hunt  and the Trout Lovers Association had invited all the people whose land they use during the season to a meal in the village.  A really good show, 85 people and a scorcher of a day all in the marquee by the church.  Melon, venison pate and salad to start, lamb chops, sausages on the BBQ with risotto and beans, local cheeses and apple tart!  Needless to say very little food needed for the rest of the day. I t would have been Mum’s birthday and we like to sit and reminisce a little with pink bubbles and raise a glass to her.  So a perfecto evening to sit on the helipad in sunshine, looking at the views and thinking of lots of happy times and memories.  Mum would have approved of the gorgeous weather, view, company and of course the sunshine which she always loved.

We were meant to be in Spain for 4 days hiking today but my back decided to give in yesterday so we have post poned that whilst I do some sofa surfing and R&R and Al is pottering on with the list of more little chores.  I can at least totally catch up on work stuff for the winter which I have been putting off with all this good weather we have been enjoying.  Winter seems a long way away but the bookings are coming in especially now the schools are going back.

We have followed a wild boar up the 4×4 piste in the van for about 200m which was fab, and also seen a few deer out the back near the veggie plot. All very exciting!

Our great friend Laney had planned a few days with us so we collected her from St Girons on Tuesday for a few days hiking. Our initial plan was to go to Spain walking hut to hut but all the refuges were full so we changed plans.

Aperos at the barn

Arrival day we managed drinkies outside and dinner around the fire inside which was a fab start.

Next day was an early start as we thought Laney might like the lovely loop to Pic Trois Seigneurs. Perfect walking weather hazy sunshine so not too hot for the ups. It is a stunning walk with a steep start followed by a lovely ridge line up and down to the final push to the summit for lunch.

Clouds were building and storms were forecast for later that day but they seemed to vanish as we descended and by the time we got to the lake perfect dipping conditions for Laney and myself.

From there a steep 30 mins descent before back gently through the woods and back up hill to the col. Back to the van just as the clouds came down and mizzle saturated, perfect timing.

Forecast was not good for the next day so we decided to potter about, book train tickets for Laney, go mushrooming and brambling. Wild garlic mushies and cheeses for lunch before a short stroll up to Cirque D’Anglade in the pm in the mist.

Adventure was a 2 days trip to Mt Valier which we have done before but we wanted to try another loop with Laney. BIG day with a lot of up over 1600m. A truly stunning day hike up to the hut through such varied terrain, gorgeous woodland and cascades to start with on steep terrain. This then opened out into meadow up to the first cabane. Another steep section to take us up towards the second cabane and then a more gentle stroll up to Col Barlonguere with great views of Etang Long below. Late lunch at col around 215pm.

Again clouds were rolling in and storms were forecast so we had a quickish lunch before making our descent to the lakes. The reflections into the clear blue blue water was just amazing. Saw a couple of marmots too.

Etang Long has a few exposed bits with cables to help you along the way and then down to Etang Rond which is steep and scrambly in places, so quite challenging for Laney. The clouds seemed to have disappeared which was great so I had a quick chilly dip in Etang Rond before the final few hundred metres back up hill to the refuge Estagnous at 2245m.

Due to the forecast on Saturday there was only 15 of us in the hut which was great. Drinkies well deserved and great fodder as well. Super nice guardians there.

The night was howling winds and by the time we woke it was mizzle and clouds swirling in and out. Initial plan was to climb Mt Valier and then head out but we opted to just trundle out as weather was pretty rubbish. Good call as weather got worse. Steady descent back to the van with some tricky steeper bits in wet conditions, saw Laney on her derriere a few times. Just in one piece by the end with a slightly bad wrist for Laney from one of her tumbles.

Instead of wraps we thought lunch in Seix would be a better option so stopped and had menu de jour of aubergine/mozzarella and then guinea fowl in an orange and rosemary sauce which was lovely.

Last night for Laney so we opened the bubbles she had brought us, garlic wild mushies around the fire with chinese chequers as the game we are all enjoying and then a veggie curry before early to bed for an early start tomorrow to get Laney to St G for her train to Cannes.

Fabulous quality few days with Laney proper catch up time. Just a shame weather in the evenings was not great so no meals on the terrace. See you next year Laney with Hoggster in tow!!!!

Just a quicky with a couple of pics of the new wall out the front of the barn. All we gotta do now is back fill it, plant up the slate slots, shift the unused rock (~3ton), shift the unused sand (~4ton), na na na…