"tis been a long cold winter but now it's spring!

A quick recap for those that want to know...

Well we're now living in a lovely spot, very secluded, large garden on the edge of a woodland just a few minutes from our little house that we WILL start renovating very soon!

We have 2 pigs, 7 hens - just 2 laying at the moment, a beautiful

cockerel called (Arthur!) and lots of anonymous white chickens we are raising for our freezer. Killing you're own food is no fun believe me, we are currently battling with our consciences as we have to kill the pigs... We feel like traitors, but we have given them a lovely life in the woods, they are happy and content and now it is 'that time'. We have two appointments today, one with the slaughterer and one with the butcher - I'll tell you how it goes...

2010

I have forgotten how to do this - it may take me some time...

It's been over 5 months since moving here and everything has gone so smoothly it's unbelievable! Instead of the dreaded mobile home as our main abode while doing up the house we were offered the option of renting a lovely place with a little barn and loads of ground. To top it the quickest route from both properties is just a short 5 minute walk through the woods, both have woodland on the edge of their gardens, amazing, fantastic for foraging!

Back in communication!

OK, it's been a long time - over 8 weeks before we have our very own broadband service! Sorry, a lot has happened in this time and I will endeavour to fill you in when I find the time...

I've just had a amazing walk in the woods, a bit of a forage actually. Chestnuts (Chataigne) are falling abound and we just had the first rain so the mushrooms are popping up furiously!

The bit before now...

Fay's thoughts...I meant to start this blog before but it was all a bit too much when I finished work at Crown Gardens - 5 days later and the van was packed!! Stressful to say the least, especially when not everything fitted in it...

Anyway that was all prior to the first visit, my first visit on 21st July 2009, the day before we signed the contract. The only thing I knew about the place was from a few photo's and Roger's assurance that I would love it....

Roger, Sid and myself all set off and had quite an adventurous over-night ferry journey ending in me having a panic attack looking for Roger, at the top of the ferry, and Sid, on the lower floor - great! Anyway more about that little adventure another time.

On Arrival at La Chatellier...

Exhausted from the journey, we poked our heads into the window - not yet officially ours we went to Gerry & Ann's place for rest & replenishment & more rest, and yet more rest - in fact we nearly wrote off the whole day sleeping - never, ever do an overnight ferry trip without a cabin.

No time to rest, a full van was ready to be unloaded - it was all hands on deck, Gerry, Ann, Sid, Michael, Rog and I set to it. Bloody hot, we did the job in a couple of hours, hung out in the garden - the long grass made it difficult to really see what we were buying but my first instincts were good. Fireplaces amazing and weird little window seats built into the stone wall - full of character and the garden, well plenty to keep me busy there.












22nd July 2009 - the big day!

Regis, our Mr Fixit and translator came to meet us early. We had two interesting things to due today - the first one, to meet the sorcerer and water diviner that the bole hole company had sent to to where to drill for water. Fascinating to say the least, apparently to become a sorcerer you must be born with specific astrological constellations - he claims he is 99.9% correct and even finds lost dogs by swinging his pendulum over a map!

Next task , to go to the Notaries' office to sign the contract! Not so interesting as the whole affair was, of course, conducted in French. Poor Regis had to quickly translate everything to us, quite exhausting actually...

A quick lunch then over to the bank but no it’s Wednesday and it’s only 1pm - early closing on Wednesdays and very long lunches - we must remember that in future - everything shuts for lunch except the restaurants...

Later that day Roger and I went back to our new home to soak up the atmosphere and have another recky. It was lovely, so peaceful and I discovered the old fruit and vegetable patch, found raspberry canes, strawberry plants, thyme and evening primrose growing wild - wonderful!

Pretty exhausted we went back to Gerry and Ann’s, everyone had disappeared to bed and so did we...

The next day was back on the road to get the ferry from St Malo to return to the UK to get the dogs, the rest of our stuff and say our au revouir's - the bit I wasn’t looking forward to...


Back in Brighton

The dogs were supposedly very disturbed when we were in France - obviously totally aware something big was going on - they were sooo pleased to see us when we arrived home xxxxxxx lots of dog licks! We had to sort out all the usual things plus get the computer fixed, buy a trailer, work out how to get a number plate with no documents as they were in France, find out dosh due to us was not going to arrive for months and months, blah blah, attempted to say goodbye’s, I couldn’t face a leaving party, sorry folks but too much for little ol’ me xxx


Saturday, 1st August - Brighton to Torquay trip

Up at 6.30am, dropped Sid off to work then back to pack the trailer, all packed up, had to transfer funds to various people and left Brighton by 9am on Saturday 1st August - the beginning of Pride weekend. Driving off via the shop to say cheerio to my darling gorgeous daughter Sid, I’m going to miss her so much xxxxxxxxxxxx

Last night Sid and her friend, Brooke, were painting there nails bright gold, getting themselves prepared for the Pride party - I do hope it doesn’t rain but unfortunately that’s the forecast - in fact we’re half to Torquay now and the weather is foul - really wet drizzly rain - let’s hope Brighton’s micro-climate works in it’s favour today. We are supposed to be camping in Teign Valley with Arthur, Adrian, Martin and the kids but not sure if it carries on like this.