What a busy week

last guests arrived for the Gite so daughter had to move into the caravan. That meant leaving our back door unlocked so if they needed the loo during the night that could come in and use the cloakroom. Dogs were very good, barked the first night but not after that.
Yesterday I collected my Mini Cooper and have to say I absolutely love it. Takes a bit of getting used to being left hand drive but that will come with time.
Today the guests left and daughter moved back into the Gite where they will now stay until their house is finished. We have removed some of the furniture so they can have some over their things around them. Took daughter shopping today and helped her find thevFrench version of things. Also got her signed up for a loyalty card so she can start building it up.
Also builder started today and has been busy with the digger. He has dug out the footings for my uitilty room, daughters dining room, new animal/ bird house and log store. We used some of the earth to build up the sides of my tractor tyre pond making it easier for the water fowl to access. It is great to see things moving forward.
The darker evenings have caught us out and we have to adjust our schedules to be here in time to put all to bed.
Major step for me..I had some roast lamb last Sunday. I know where it came from and that it had a good life chemical free. I have had an upset tummy since but guess it will take a while to get used to.
I am working on free range outdoor pork now as I will not eat factory farmed pork. If I can find someone who rears pigs ethically I will buy it. Once we start eating our poultry and water fowl we will be self sufficient with meat.

Another trip to A &E

so another good test for our language skills. On Monday I was out with a friend when P called to say he had had an accident so could I come home as quickly as possible. I was a good half hour away in my friends car having left mine at her house. She took me straight home.
For some time I have been asking P to build the front step to daughters house. The step is a piece of chimney with a patio slab balanced on top! He had stepped on whilst carrying a large bag of adhesive and lost his balance. The slab had tipped over and caught his shin. He had a large L shaped cut with bone showing. Sorry if anyone is squeamish! I put a sterile dressing on it and took him to hospital. Fortunately many medical things are the same being Latin based. The doctor and nurse were lovely. Within 10 minutes of checking in we were in the treatment being seen by a specialist. He and the intern did the sewing. 20 sutures later and we were on our way home.
Problem was our daughter and son in law were arriving to begin their new life with us. I had to arrange for a friend to wait here as did not want to worry them by phoning. Fortunetly I had loaded the slow cooker that morning so dinner was sorted.
Also the lamb I had ordered was delivered whilst we were out. Friend put it in the freezer and I have yet to sort it out!
This is not the first time I have taken P to the emergency room and think it will not be the last!
Phoned our insurance company yesterday to tell them about my new car. New insurance ticket arrived this morning. They will insure my current car free for three months during which time I can drive to a garage or take someone on a test drive. This is to allow us to sell it. Also called the bank to organize a sort of bankers draft to pay the balance for my car when we collect it next week. That should arrive by recorded delivery tomorrow.
No sign of my French driving license yet but it is less than a week since I sent the papers off. Hoping all goes smoothly.
Also signed the contract for the sale of our English house today so will send that back to the
conveyance company. Will be happier once we have exchanged.
So, lots sorted.
Now sitting with the wood burner blazing, a time of year I love!

And here it is...my new to me car. She is French and left hand drive. I hope my new French license turns up without any problems now. I collect my car on 27th and cannot wait.

P is working on his new car too..it will be yellow like mine but much bigger and American! When we moved here we sold our American car as it could not be imported here. We used the money to buy our micro station. It was a yellow C5 Corvette we bought on American eBay and shipped from New York. P is working on finding a yellow C5 or C6 , European spec. Then we will also buy a van to carry the building materials and take the dogs out in. Finally we will both have clean cars that we keep that way. 

Just a quick few lines today....big day tomorrow with daughter and son in law arriving.

Another 1st

today we went to look at a car advertised on. French website. P is treating me to a new car and I have had trouble deciding what to have. All I knew was I wanted a left hand drive and something smallish. He found me a Mini Cooper! We found the house and managed to inspect the car do a test drive and negotiate the price all in French. The way it works here is the current owner has to get a new controle technique (MOT) so that will be done next week and we will pick it up on 27th. All we have to do then is complete a form to change the ownership. It means a lot to me each time we succeed in doing something like this and boosts my confidence. The family were lovely and had no problem dealing with us.
It has taken a long time to feel at home here but I am now feeling I will stay here. Since dad died I have not wanted to go back to the UK at all.
My eldest daughter and her hubby arrive on Monday which is the icing on the cake! It will be so lovely to have both my girls here. We have so much planned now, plenty to keep us busy and fired up to push forward with our self sufficient life style.

Another bit of French bureaucracy sorted...I hope

For some time now I have wanted to change my English driving license for a French one. It is normal to have regular document checks and be breathalised here. It always complicates it because I live here and drive a French car. So this morning I went into our village Marie and asked about changing over. The receptionist speaks no English so it was a challenge. I managed it and also asked for a list of the things I need to send to the prefecture. She had a hand written list so is obviously used to having 'etrangers' making this request. So, I have filled out the form, photocopied my birth certificate, passport, plastic license card and paper license and a utility bill in my name. All along with my original licenses, two dreadful photos and a stamped self addressed envelope all in one big envelope ready to be sent to the prefecture tomorrow. No charge amazingly and hopefully my new French license will arrive before long. Meanwhile I have a photocopy of my English license for when I am stopped by the Gendarmes. I am very proud of myself for doing this. I have no intention now of ever going back to Blighty so it makes sense.
The winter weather has arrived so wood burner cranked up. I love this time of year!

My boys

This is Frank and Bruno. Bruno arrived first as an eight week puppy we rescued. P was doing some contract work in the UK leaving me alone here. With three cats and various chickens and ducks. I cannot say I was too bothered by it but he felt a dog would be good. We have never had a dog before, mainly because I will not take on any animal I cannot look after properly. We have both always worked apart from my few weeks off for each child. As I was a nurse I worked nights so we could manage the child care 'in house'. It would not have been fair to leave a dog on its own. Now we are retired and felt we could give a dog a home. We have the space here too for a dog to roam. P suggested it whilst he was away and I started the search. I found an English run rescue centre and saw  a photo of Bruno on the website. His mum had been brought into the rescue centre and shortly after gave birth to six puppies. Bruno and a sister had been homed with a couple who decided after a short time they could not cope with them. By the time I found him he was the last puppy to go. P came back and we set off for Brittany to collect him. I had bought a collar and lead to bring him home. We also had a puppy cage. It was love at first sight. He was so good on the long journey home, we stopped once to see if he would wee but the collar I had bought was too big! Once home he settled in very well and never made a fuss. At night he went in his bed in the cage and never cried. We knew he had Boxer in him as he had the look and color. We had him vaccinated and snipped and his passport and documents were changed to my name. Our sil named him, as he was part Boxer! The first few weeks were easy, I googled for information and bought a couple of books on dog training. I was determined to do things properly. Then a friend told us about an English couple running obedience and agility classes. We signed up. It was here we were told Bruno was a Boxer/Mastiff cross. We did the classes for a year knowing  it was us that needed training more than Bruno. He did really well and loved the agility part. We came away confident with handling him and with a good understanding of his character. Our trainer kept telling us he would be quieter by 18 months. Almost to the day he calmed down. He has taken a lot of work to keep him under control but now at 3 1/2 he is a lovely gentle dog. We have continued to use the kennels our trainer runs and Frank came from her. Frank is a Tekel/Yorkie cross. He was one of three puppies rescued from a litter being drowned. He was homed but it was discovered he was being badly treated and came back to our trainer. Again it was love at first sight. She was happy for us to take him. She kept him a couple of weeks to be sure there were no personality problems resulting from his bad experience. She also helped him get used to being with big dogs. When we went to collect him we took Bruno so she could see how they reacted to each other. They were fine and have been ever since. Bruno is very gentle with Frank. Bruno is 44kgs and Frank is 4kgs!
They are both very much part of our family now.

My happy geese

Sorry it is rather dark! This shows goose hall and the pond I have sorted for them today. I am very proud of my up cycled pond! It has been created using an old tractor tyre I was given free. We used the inner tube opened up and siliconed onto the the base to form the bottom of the pond. I dug out the earth about a foot and lowered the tyre into it. I then built up the outer edges with earth to create a slope for the geese to get into into the pond. As soon as it was filled they were in it.
I have been rethinking our duck area. When we build the new housing for ducks, geese and goats I will have them all in one area. The duck pond will converted into a wild life pond and we will plant it up with water lilies and such. The new pond is easy to empty and clean which is needed as the birds are very messy. When we dig out the footings for the new animal house I will use the earth to build up the sides more. Eventually it will become a grassy slope. And it hasn't cost me a penny! Or even euro!
Daughter and hubby arrived yesterday with all their worldly goods. It is now stored in one of the unfinished Gites until we have finished their house. They have gone back today to take the lorry back and sort out the final bits. Monday week they come back. We have already had lots of discussions about what we will do here. All positive stuff. We really will be living like a commune which I am very happy about. Together we will be self sufficient. Sil has said he thinks he can cope with killing the poultry and with help at first I can cope with plucking and gutting. I have a lovely lady who will show me and help me. With the small holders association I am planning on joining I will have a network to help me get my new life on track. I also have a good network of people to barter with, something I am very keen to do.
I feel very fortunate to be able to live this way.