[vc_row][vc_column][postgallery_grid id=”Grid_20170609″ data_source=”data-4″ null=”” slidesetid=”SS_G6_20170609″ content_type=”image” height=”200px” align=”aligncenter” lightbox=”yes”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Our house is on the road, in fact it is on a T junction, not something we would consider in the UK but here with less traffic it is fine. The only problem we have had is that people get to the junction and then get confused so they were sometimes pulling in onto the hardstanding in front of the barn whilst they discussed and consulted maps. We wanted to discourage this habit. The final decider that made us do something was when the fishing season had just started. We were sitting on the terrace in the sun and a car pulled up in front of the barn. Two men got out and went into the boot, Liz stood up so they could see her; ignoring this they retrieve fishing rods and started to walk down the driveway between the house and the barn. “Qui êtes-vous et qu’es-ce que vous faites?” Liz asked. Without stopping they responded that they were going fishing “Arrêtez! Je suis désolé, vous ne pouvez pas, c’est une propriété privée” Liz was exercising her best French. They stopped and proceeded to shrug and argue saying they had a permit.. Eventually they gave up with bad grace and drove away. Extraordinary behaviour! We think they must have been coming for years while the house was empty and thought they could bluff their way into continuing. We invested in some substantial concrete tubs which we have filled with red pelargoniums and two red and white “propriété privée” signs which were hung across the driveway and the entrance to the west field. \that should stop them!

We decided that we must get gates to put between the two buildings, and this would also help when the chickens arrive as we plan to let them be free range and so they need to be protected from the road. Gates here are hellishly expensive so we decided to visit the local ‘Brocante Fer’. He had some perfect old, very solid, gates. We asked how much… 1800 euros, even worse that brand new! So we gave up and hoped something would turn up, perhaps a friend would know of someone getting rid of theirs. A week or so later we were driving through a village near us and Liz spotted some men working at a large house “Oh look, go back!” she exclaimed. Margie did a quick about-turn and then drove up the drive to the workmen. Sure enough they were replacing the gates. After some discussion we agree on a very reasonable price – knowing that we would have to pay for the fitting on top of this. Our trusty friend Remy collected the gates for us and they were unloaded ready to be fitted. The local ferronnerist from Puy-L’Evêque was engaged to fit the gates which he did this week. they are splendid and look really good. We need to rub them down and repaint them but in total this cost less that half the price of  brand new gates and much, much less, probably a third of the price of the lovely old gates. So, all in all we are very pleased.

While Margie was away for a few day Liz jet washed both the terrace in front of the house and the east terrace – which came up really well and can now be used if we want dinner or cocktails  (!) somewhere different. This made a huge difference to the feel of the house and when Margie returned she was very pleased. She was also surprised by the change at the front of the house; Liz had managed to clear one of the beds beside the entrance steps. The bed is not large, about one metre by five metres, but had not been cultivated for many years. It was brick hard and full of grasses, dandelions, plantain etc. On Margie’s return the bed had been transformed to have beautiful yellow and blue-violet flowers. This week we have done the other bed on the right of the steps, we have continued the colour theme and once the planting has ‘relaxed’ it will be really lovely. The locals have all made very complimentary comments and the village does look lovely when you enter it now what with our new beds and the pots of pelargoniums.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][postgallery_grid id=”Grid_20170609_02″ data_source=”data-4″ null=”” slidesetid=”SS_G6_20170609_2″ content_type=”image” height=”200px” align=”aligncenter” lightbox=”yes”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]

We continue to have poor internet here. We have been told fibre is coming to the village in the next year and not a moment too soon. Our connection is very slow and drops out a lot. At least we have one, some of the time, there are some people nearby that  just can’t get a connection or loose it for days. It does make emails and doing the blog a bit difficult as loading the pictures takes forever of the line drops and we have to start again.  Well, in truth we aren’t so bothered as we aren’t working now and so the impact is not such a problem,as long as things go eventually it’s OK if a little frustrating.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator color=”custom” accent_color=”#deead0″][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1/2″][vc_column_text]Perhaps you would like to know…
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