Things have changed since the last one.
This time I have a 7 week old , rather displeased young man on my lap, necessitating one finger typing. Wife is down the soutien scolaire with the other two doing some lets teach the little frogs some english. In return ours get to play scrabble in french. He is now asleep so i will try to put him down (in a non veterinary way). My money is he will be back in say 2 mins.
In chronological order.
Still knocking out the produce.
The biggest puff ball in St Front history. Aubergines and even more aubergines : gridled then soaked in balsamic and olive oil dressing, Dean's aubergine surprise and alternatively baked and blended with tahini, lemon and garlic.
Pumpkins grown specifically for Halloween which didn't really happen this year ie; no 'I have the biggest, strangest, smallest pumpkin competition' But at least I can make pumpkin soup repeatedly.
Son decided to grow peppers and I think it would be fair to say we were rather successful, but what do you do with 5 hundred chilli peppers? Paste, dried, put in oil.Composte.
Felix has added rugby to his repetoire of sports. He is rather easy to spot at the tournoi. He is the only long blond haired enfant running around surrounded by shaven mini thugs. But for 40 Euros for the year and he gets a free sani ( sandwich) and a drink after each session, and he is out of the house for upto 5 hrs each Sat: bargain.
He also added river swimming to his hobbies and was totally chuffed when he traversed the L'Isle for the first time with Dean. Ellie was well p***ed when she didn't. However she has found her metier in pottery and is producing lovely christmas gifts for her blessed parents. Oh I can't wait.
On my one year's anniversary we had a little storm. The day started innocently enough as I picked up Madame Jambon (Ham) and proceded with me trailer to venture towards bubble f**k nowhere to buy 15 bales of straw to make Felix a den. Should have realised things weren't quite right as Martine ( that's Mrs Ham to you) had to keep hopping out of the car to lug fallen branches of the road. Eventually we arrived at her husband's brother in laws place. There he was with his neighbour doing the first pressing of his grape crop. Cue : big concrete container rotary thing and loads of squidging with your wellies. Then try the Bourru. Fifteen day old brew : interesting, fruity little number but actually quite palatable.Went in the kitchen to meet the wife and mother in law. Dressed in obligatory blue pinny, slip on green plastic wellies, skinned lapin on the wood burner, but lovely home made biccies. Meanwhile chaos : live stock have escaped courteousy of storm, neighbour can't get out , fallen tree. So had to wait to get the bales. Once loaded up with bales off we went again. On our return journey phoned by anxious wife. No power, no phone ( she used our guests mobile: smart person) , no car but not in labour. Get back home and devastation greets me. Trees down everywhere ( we have lost our biggest walnut tree), roof tiles off only to find the beloved one sipping tea with our guests.
One month on and there are still leftovers from the storm scattered around, despite the best efforts of Eric and his tronconeuse, Ellie and the munchey scruncher and Thierry and his tractor. Now Thierry ( one of our neighbours) has taken being anal to a higher level. I get the feeling he may be regarded as a little frugal too. Who in his right mind digs a 13m deep well on his own to avoid being on mains water supply? Has a 58 year 25HP Massey Ferguson tractor which looks like it has just come out of its wrapper and has all of his spanners, screwdrivers etc in beautiful lines. But he shares a passion for chilli peppers and produces some of the finest peppers I have ever seen.
4 days after the storm our guests left ( they helped remove three pine trees and lug them on to a huge pyre, always good to provide an alternative break for city dwellers). That evening the waters go. Not totally happy as it looks like Ollie has done a jobby. Call up Sharon to baby sit. Jump in car and off to Bergerac. Despite the journey being a little bumpy and swervy no contractions. Arrive, male avant garde mid wife. Contractions!!, gas and air, feels like I am tripping. Baby. Wrap wife in bacofoil. Always a nice look. A bit 80's but suits her. Kids well pleased with new arrival. Ellie has fallen in love big time. We even find her changing his nappy when we have deserted him. Felix even fessed up that he was pleased we had a baby, having informed us prebirth that he didn't want a baby. So all in all Nirvana.
When you have a baby it's a little bit like being the pharoah in the Pharoah versus Moses. First you get a plague of parents, then a plague of in laws, then a plague of friends. But it's great. On tap free labour ; Erect new greenhouse, plant 500 alliums, narcissi, croci and tulips, cut laurel hedge ( we have been grassed up by some DIY enthusiast to the Mayor that our front hedge is too high and we need to trim it asap), assault the wood down by the river to clear fallen trees.In addition you get a delivery of essentials such as Twinning's English breakfast teabags and horseradish sauce ( it's an outrage you can't get Sainsbury's taste the difference horseradish sauce these days, I blame global warming me) and of course Branston pickle for Felix's cheese and pickle sandwiches without the cheese.
Now to Rosie who has taken a leaf out of Son's book. She started knocking out the eggs. A little small, but a lovely colour and flavour. But after doing 8 or so, she has stopped. It might be the arrival of 5 new female competitors or maybe she just doesn't feel like it. Felix reliably informs me that he has seen Rocket and Rosie 'doing sex' but still rien.
Last week I had a flash back. Back in Wallington I had to paint the breakfast room/kitchen three times as the colour just wasn't right for my lovely wife's eyes. Fast forward to La Feuillade.. You know darling I think the Olive trees would look better further over to the right. Rake off gravel, lift weed suppressing membrane, dig up 2 nicely rooted olive trees, replant aforementioned olive trees and reposition the uplighters to boot. As long as she is happy eh?!
Anyway must cook lunch now as kids have basketball, pottery and theatre this afternoon.
Take care Tone xx
This time I have a 7 week old , rather displeased young man on my lap, necessitating one finger typing. Wife is down the soutien scolaire with the other two doing some lets teach the little frogs some english. In return ours get to play scrabble in french. He is now asleep so i will try to put him down (in a non veterinary way). My money is he will be back in say 2 mins.
In chronological order.
Still knocking out the produce.
The biggest puff ball in St Front history. Aubergines and even more aubergines : gridled then soaked in balsamic and olive oil dressing, Dean's aubergine surprise and alternatively baked and blended with tahini, lemon and garlic.
Pumpkins grown specifically for Halloween which didn't really happen this year ie; no 'I have the biggest, strangest, smallest pumpkin competition' But at least I can make pumpkin soup repeatedly.
Son decided to grow peppers and I think it would be fair to say we were rather successful, but what do you do with 5 hundred chilli peppers? Paste, dried, put in oil.Composte.
Felix has added rugby to his repetoire of sports. He is rather easy to spot at the tournoi. He is the only long blond haired enfant running around surrounded by shaven mini thugs. But for 40 Euros for the year and he gets a free sani ( sandwich) and a drink after each session, and he is out of the house for upto 5 hrs each Sat: bargain.
He also added river swimming to his hobbies and was totally chuffed when he traversed the L'Isle for the first time with Dean. Ellie was well p***ed when she didn't. However she has found her metier in pottery and is producing lovely christmas gifts for her blessed parents. Oh I can't wait.
On my one year's anniversary we had a little storm. The day started innocently enough as I picked up Madame Jambon (Ham) and proceded with me trailer to venture towards bubble f**k nowhere to buy 15 bales of straw to make Felix a den. Should have realised things weren't quite right as Martine ( that's Mrs Ham to you) had to keep hopping out of the car to lug fallen branches of the road. Eventually we arrived at her husband's brother in laws place. There he was with his neighbour doing the first pressing of his grape crop. Cue : big concrete container rotary thing and loads of squidging with your wellies. Then try the Bourru. Fifteen day old brew : interesting, fruity little number but actually quite palatable.Went in the kitchen to meet the wife and mother in law. Dressed in obligatory blue pinny, slip on green plastic wellies, skinned lapin on the wood burner, but lovely home made biccies. Meanwhile chaos : live stock have escaped courteousy of storm, neighbour can't get out , fallen tree. So had to wait to get the bales. Once loaded up with bales off we went again. On our return journey phoned by anxious wife. No power, no phone ( she used our guests mobile: smart person) , no car but not in labour. Get back home and devastation greets me. Trees down everywhere ( we have lost our biggest walnut tree), roof tiles off only to find the beloved one sipping tea with our guests.
One month on and there are still leftovers from the storm scattered around, despite the best efforts of Eric and his tronconeuse, Ellie and the munchey scruncher and Thierry and his tractor. Now Thierry ( one of our neighbours) has taken being anal to a higher level. I get the feeling he may be regarded as a little frugal too. Who in his right mind digs a 13m deep well on his own to avoid being on mains water supply? Has a 58 year 25HP Massey Ferguson tractor which looks like it has just come out of its wrapper and has all of his spanners, screwdrivers etc in beautiful lines. But he shares a passion for chilli peppers and produces some of the finest peppers I have ever seen.
4 days after the storm our guests left ( they helped remove three pine trees and lug them on to a huge pyre, always good to provide an alternative break for city dwellers). That evening the waters go. Not totally happy as it looks like Ollie has done a jobby. Call up Sharon to baby sit. Jump in car and off to Bergerac. Despite the journey being a little bumpy and swervy no contractions. Arrive, male avant garde mid wife. Contractions!!, gas and air, feels like I am tripping. Baby. Wrap wife in bacofoil. Always a nice look. A bit 80's but suits her. Kids well pleased with new arrival. Ellie has fallen in love big time. We even find her changing his nappy when we have deserted him. Felix even fessed up that he was pleased we had a baby, having informed us prebirth that he didn't want a baby. So all in all Nirvana.
When you have a baby it's a little bit like being the pharoah in the Pharoah versus Moses. First you get a plague of parents, then a plague of in laws, then a plague of friends. But it's great. On tap free labour ; Erect new greenhouse, plant 500 alliums, narcissi, croci and tulips, cut laurel hedge ( we have been grassed up by some DIY enthusiast to the Mayor that our front hedge is too high and we need to trim it asap), assault the wood down by the river to clear fallen trees.In addition you get a delivery of essentials such as Twinning's English breakfast teabags and horseradish sauce ( it's an outrage you can't get Sainsbury's taste the difference horseradish sauce these days, I blame global warming me) and of course Branston pickle for Felix's cheese and pickle sandwiches without the cheese.
Now to Rosie who has taken a leaf out of Son's book. She started knocking out the eggs. A little small, but a lovely colour and flavour. But after doing 8 or so, she has stopped. It might be the arrival of 5 new female competitors or maybe she just doesn't feel like it. Felix reliably informs me that he has seen Rocket and Rosie 'doing sex' but still rien.
Last week I had a flash back. Back in Wallington I had to paint the breakfast room/kitchen three times as the colour just wasn't right for my lovely wife's eyes. Fast forward to La Feuillade.. You know darling I think the Olive trees would look better further over to the right. Rake off gravel, lift weed suppressing membrane, dig up 2 nicely rooted olive trees, replant aforementioned olive trees and reposition the uplighters to boot. As long as she is happy eh?!
Anyway must cook lunch now as kids have basketball, pottery and theatre this afternoon.
Take care Tone xx
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