Our place in France Chapter 58

Did I say that Spring had arrived and that Winter was over??  How could I have been so ridiculous! We did have a few days of lovely sunny warmer weather which prompted us to do all sorts of Spring-like things – plant some flowers in the window boxes, and some sweet corn in the garden and to give the plants their due, they are all surviving so far but only with special care and attention. As night time temperatures dropped to below zero again, we hastily made space for the on the floor in the dining room, worried that would freeze overnight. Each day that appears to be sunny, they go outside again and as I say, so far seem to be thriving. Even our sweet corn in the garden is bravely sending up little green shoots so here’s hoping!

On Monday evening, Courtney set off on her much anticipated Paris trip, leaving at the unearthly hour of a quarter to midnight. Her group consisted of 26 non-French students and also in the bus was a class of slightly younger children who were all French citizens being taken to Paris to introduce them to some of the wonders of their French heritage. The two groups had different itineraries so were only together for the trip there and back in a luxurious ( and enormous) bus. They had a wonderful time, in spite of being rushed off their feet with an over ambitious tour plan, and arrived back on Friday morning absolutely dead on their feet. It may have been very short but was a wonderful introduction to one of the worlds great cities. And one of Courtney’s greatest ambitions was fulfilled. She had always wanted to see the Eiffel Tower in real life and now she has not only seen it but has also been up to the second floor. Seeing the whole city spread out before her was literally breath-taking and she loved every minute of it. . These are memories that will stay with her for ever.

In between her going off and coming back, we did absolutely nothing of note. The days were cold and rainy, and as we keep thinking that the warmer weather really will start one of these days, we haven’t started the fire going again and rely instead on a gas heater. It makes for a lot of early nights in an electric –blanket heated bed. I’m beginning to realise the wisdom of the British saying – ‘Cast ne’er a clout before May be out’. On Fridays when we had to fetch Courtney from Villefranche at 7 am, we were up at 5.30 am to leave home at 6.30 am. On the way to town we always pass  a filling station with, on a high pole outside, an illuminated sign giving the date, the time and the temperature at that moment. When we returned from town at about 7.30 am, the temperature reading was minus 3! Quite cold indeed.

Sadly, not even the best writers can write about nothing and make it sound like sense, so this is all I can send you this week. Hopefully Spring will arrive in time for next week.

Our place in France Chapter 57

Ever since the neighbour announced that he had bought himself a little car to ‘do up’, Neel s has been itching to get his hands on it so he was thrilled to bits when Laurent suggested we take it for a drive on Wednesday morning. Make it no mistake, it is no Ferrari, Maserati  or Rolls-Royce but it is really cute and unbelievably noisy! It was a lovely day again and we took a series of back roads with virtually no traffic, so enjoyed our little tour. Seeing that this is a utility vehicle, in fact, it has remarkably comfortable seats albeit rather cosily positioned. My knee nearly got put into third gear several times! On the way back to our starting point, we got a different glimpse of the Lot River valley to our usual one. The cliffs above the river are spectacular and are known as ‘causses’ here. Because it is such an outstanding landmark there are plenty of businesses around here that include the word into their name – a restaurant is called ‘Les Jardins de la causse’ (the gardens of the cliffs) or the Boucherie de la Causse (butchery of the cliffs) and so on. I suppose it is more of an escarpment than cliffs, in actual fact. Anyway, we had a lovely outing.

The following day we had an appointment to keep in Figeac, about 30 minutes’ drive away. They say you learn something every day, and that day we learnt that an appointment at 4.30 at a place opposite one of the schools, was not good planning. The GPS always tries to take us to the correct side of the road at our destination, so we found ourselves taking a very roundabout route to achieve this. At one stage we were directed down a small alley which got narrower and narrower until we almost got stuck, and then we had to reverse out which was quite nerve-wracking. The device is a real boon most of the time but can also be a real pain. Neels was amazing. The school day was ending and the everywhere was full of cars and pupils; there was no parking anywhere and we were almost late for the appointment. In the end I got out and walked the rest of the way while he waited for a parking space to become free as parents collected their children.

On Tuesday I had ventured down to the lower part of the property to help hang out the washing and to inspect the newly sown sweet corn. It is the first time I have been able to do that for about seven months due to the really nasty sciatica I have had. And on Friday we went down to the bus stop to meet Courtney when she returned from school, followed up by a walk around the village on Saturday. It was well worth the effort as the flowers are so beautiful at the moment.

Sometime over the past weeks, we put up a frame-work that could support one of those seed/fat balls that the birds enjoy so much. At first we thought that the birds couldn’t see it, or that they were shunning it because it is quite close to the house, but then suddenly they discovered it and my goodness, have they enjoyed themselves. We have also enjoyed seeing them, because we can sit in the lounge and watch them from there. I intend to get a lot more pictures.

Otherwise, things are going well here. The flowers are blooming, the sun shines most of the time and  the weather is even warming up ever so slightly – when it remembers. Last Tuesday night was 0 degrees again and only 1 degree the next night so we are still using the electric blanket to warm up the bed (Sissies!) However we will soon be able to sit out on the verandah for long periods which we are looking forward to.

Our place in France Chapter 56

A very quiet week with not much activity but an awful lot of paperwork that had to be completed. Some of the forms required information from home which had first, to be requested by email and then we had to be around to receive the replies in case they were not adequate. It was, in fact, a highly boring time. It was all necessary however, so we had to get through it. Then when it was all done and the answers all in, we had to go off to Rodez with some of the documents. So we made a day of it; going first to Rodez, about fifty kilometres to the  east of us; then taking a scenic route via Decazeville to Figeac in the north; finally returning down the main drag back to Villeneuve and then home.

Decazeville is a town with a varied history. It was founded on a lucrative mining basis, silver coal, iron and tin having been found in large quantities. A typical mining town grew up around the various mines and in the 1830’s could boast a population of a few thousand. Today, however with the decline of the mining industry and having lost out to its neighbor, Aubin, in claiming a railway link, the town is relatively quiet. We have heard that the mining museum in the town is quite interesting, but somehow we never seem to stop there for long enough.

We reached Figeac at about lunch-time which was the plan, and stopped for a light lunch in one of the many eating places around the square. We ordered what we thought would be a small snack and were horrified at what arrived – an enormous plateful of food with a massive helping of chips on the side. Needless to say we all managed to eat it – apart from all the chips – and it was quite delicious. We had asked for a leg of duck with salad, but also got a piece of foie gras on a slice of bread and a slice of goat cheese……. and chips!

The drive home again was spectacular. The trees have now all ‘greened up’ and it is wonderful to see all the various shades of green . The pastures are also a rich lush green while those fields which were bright with yellow daisies last week are now covered in a haze of shimmering grey-white as the dandelion heads take over. Along the way we came across a property with two newly built cazelles, the stone houses that were so typical of this area many years ago. Normally they have fairly flat domed roofs, but these two have much higher cone shaped roofs and look very attractive. We think  they may be the start of guest accommodation for a holiday retreat.

A couple of weeks ago I began to knit again, having not done any handwork since we arrived here. I am going to knit a series of eight-inch dolls and see if a friend of ours will put them on her stand for the Christmas fair in Cajarc. I have quite a way to go though as there are about twenty dolls in the collection and I have only completed one so far. Courtney was obviously impressed with my efforts and asked me to teach her how to knit – again. I tried to teach her some years ago but once she went home again, knitting rather fell by the wayside. She is also making a doll but off a different pattern and is getting on really well. I am both proud and impressed with her efforts. We will send pictures when we have something show for all the hard work..

Our English neighbours have arrived for one of their annual two week breaks, with their children. They have a new car which is a hybrid of some sort. All I know about it is that it is really spooky when it comes and goes because it moves so silently. One minute there is no car in their driveway and suddenly it’s there, like a ghost car. It doesn’t even seem to crunch the gravel in the roadway which makes it all the more silent. Oo-er!!

 The neighbours on the other side, the French ones, have just bought themselves a rather ramshackle ‘deux-chevaux’, a small Citroen that in its original state had a two horse power engine. They have progressed a long way since then and are now very sought after.  Laurent is not very mechanically minded but he has persuaded Neels to help him restore it. It isn’t a huge job, because the car actually runs and Neels has driven it ‘around the block’ to see what needs doing. I think they are going to have a lot of fun and I look forward to seeing the finished product.

Our place in France Chapter 55

Activities this week have centred mainly around Courtney. She is on holiday at the moment and needs something to keep her occupied apart from reading. So on Tuesday she had aranged to meet a friend in Villefranche and then go home with her, spend the night and then go by train the next day to Toulouse. Friends mother had arranged to do some shopping on Tuesday morning and said we should all meet up at the station, where she would collect Courtney, with a bicycle, and take everyone home again.The first snag came when the friend and her mother arrived at the station in a sedan car with a boot full of shopping bags. In other words, no room for a bicycle! After a short discussion on whether or not to take the bikes  to Toulouse, they decided that it would be more fun if they had some form of transport, so we ended up following them home to the village where they live about the same distance from Villefranche as we are, but on the opposite side of the town. When we arrived, we were invited in to see the pottery that Mme Pabion makes It is simple and has very clean lines, decorated in pale blues, white and and beige. Very pretty indeed. Then we had a cup of tea while sitting on the wisteria-hung balcony and enjoying their wonderful view. Then we left them to it.

The following morning, the girls rode down to the station which was quite an exhilarating ride with some really steep downhill sections and were in good time for the train. Once in Toulouse, they made their way to the friends violin class and Courtney found a quiet place to chill out. After the lesson they rode around the town looking at various sights and enjoying a sandwich in the park until they found themselves all out of places to go but two hours left before their return train. So they went to the movies - what else would two teenagers do?! Unfortunately, when they returned to the pole where they had  left their bicycles locked up, the friends bike had been removed, lock and all. This we found quite shocking as this sort of petty crime is very unusual. Somewhat upset, they made their way back to the station, caught the return train and we picked up Courtney at Villefranche again - her friend having got off at the previous station. Perhaps a lesson in being too trusting but there is no way any one of us could have foreseen this.

On Thursday we set off at some unearthly hour for Rodez to make application for our residence permits to be renewed. Being so early, we didn't have to wait but these affairs are never without some complications. First one was that we had omitted to include self-addressed envelopes with all the rest of the papers. Not such a big problem though, as the post office was right across the road. While I continued to watch our papers being perused, Neels nipped acros the road and bought a pack of stamped enveopes, two of which we addressed and haned in. Then came the bad news: they wanted an income tax declaration for 2015 and 2016. We explained that on January 1st of those two years we had not been living in France - the rule here being that if you are not resident on the first day of the year, you are not eligible for tax, but that cut no ice. In that case, they said, we want a declaration to that effect or a tax certificate from South Africa. Oh fiddle! That meant another hours drive just to bring back two sheets of paper. One can never win with bureaucrats!

On the way back from Rodez we took a little detour through Rignac to show Courtney the 'iron horse'. Quite a while agaon we went to visit some friends whom we had never visited before. Giving me directions, our hostess told us to 'turn left at the iron horse'. I didn't query it at the time tinking it was the name of a hotel or something, forgetting, of course, that the name would have been in French! Anyway, when we got there, it was, indeed, an iron horse and similar to a cow and calf we had seen elsewhere. It is very cleverly constructed out of all sorts of odd bits and pieces of iron and is larger than life size. beautifully made and well worth seeing again.

Also on the way back, we came around a corner and weregreeted with the sight of some extraordinary metal sculptures standing in a field. We think they are made by the same artist we have seen before, who uses all sorts of household bits and pieces for his work. hand are often made from forks, while noses are upside down spoons. They looked really weird standing there and we just had to stop and inspect them.

On Friday it was Courtneys turn again.  We had heard her rattling around downstairs before we even woke up properly and vaguely wondered what she was doing but presumed she was getting herself some breakfast. What a surprise then, when  she appeared at the bedroom door carrying a tray all laid out out with breakfast for both of us. Carrying two trays actually. She had thought this all out beforehand and had even asked the family members what sort of eggs we preferred. We each got an egg of our choice with delicious bacon and tomato with a slice of toast and a cup of real coffee. I can't recall ever having been brought breakfast in bed prepared with such love and care and we were almost overwhelmed. what a simply lovely gesture!

,Later the same day, one of her other school friends was having a belated birthday sleepover party and she had to be delivered at 3 pm and collected again at 11 the next morning. There were 12 of them altogether and the parents had borrowed the next door neighbours gite for the night. It appears to have been a jolly night for all, including sitting around the camp fire at the parents home, walking back to the gite in the middle of the night and clambering over some plastic wrapped hay bales en route and then dancing until the early hours. They all seemed to have enjoyed themselves.

Seeing that it has been Courtney who has enjoyed all the activity this week, I am not sure why we were all so tired, but one way and another we all slept until well after midday today. Maybe it was the amount of TV we watched last night!

Our place in France Chapter 54

After the excitements of last week, perhaps it is just as well that this week was far more sedate and restful. It gave us time to look around and appreciate the new season, bursting forth all around us. The trees seem to be a bit reluctant to show any real signs of greenery yet but the fields are ablaze with thousands of little yellow daisies, interspersed with minute white and blue flowers. For the very first time ever, we have managed to plant and grow a daffodil. Three, in fact. Thank you to the Garstang Gardening Club that gave us three bulbs when we visited there last year. The bulbs lay around for quite a while before they were eventually put into a pot, as we were fairly certain that they would not come up. After all, we had never had success with bulbs before, so why should things change now?? But, after a few weeks, little green shoots appeared which grew bigger util they turned into daffodil leaves and buds. Then, suddenly we had a flower! Wow! And then another and hard on its heels came the third one. What excitement! You can tell we aren’t gardeners, can’t you? All this excitement for plants doing what they are supposed to do. Ridiculous! One of these days we really should apply ourselves to the piece of veld behind the house……..! In the mean time we will reserve our energies for tending the pots and troughs on the verandah.

We have decided that as it seems to be Spring and that should mean the onset of warmer weather, we will not be making any more fires in the wood burner, so have cleaned it out until next winter. I am delighted, in a way, as it makes a lot of fine sooty dust which settles simply everywhere and is a real pain to remove. However, we will all miss the cheery warmth and glow each evening. It has its pro’s and con’s though – wood has often to be split into smaller pieces, down in the cellar and then carried upstairs to the fire, and generally when we need to make the fire, it is cold, rainy and altogether miserable outside which is where we have to go to fetch the wood. Wood is heavy, too, and although we have a specially designed bag for carrying the split wood, which makes it easier, the person who can carry the most in one go is the person who does the least trips up and down the stairs. Guess who? The man of the house, of course! It still takes two or three bags full to see us though an evening though, so not so good for him.

On Saturday a motor rally had been arranged in the area surrounding our nearest town, Villeneuve, so Neels and Courtney went off to see what it was all about. The assembly point was the huge cattle market area at the bottom end of town (where we once went to attend a Vide Grenier car boot sale type of thing) and it was really well supported. The whole area was covered with tents, caravans awnings, pantechnicons and cars, and people milled about like ants. Once the rally started, Neels and Courtney found a view site on the plan of the route, and made their way there and enjoyed an exciting couple of hours as car after car came whizzing past them and into a tight hairpin bend, spraying gravel in all directions. It had rained during the night, and continued off and on during the day so the roads were muddy and greasy and made for entertaining viewing.

Which all brings us back to Sunday again. This has become our customary rusk-baking day and I am taking care to teach both Neels and Courtney how to make them so that one day they will magically reappear when the rusk container gets a bit low. Nothing like being hopeful is there.