Ste Ella
Let me take you back to February 1st 2007. The Big Day had dawned.
Jon and I woke before the crack of dawn in a hotel near to our, now empty except for three cats, home. We had dinner the evening before with youngest daughter and her husband and had been very disappointed with the food and the service. We had selected this particular hotel as we'd had very good meals there in the past, we must have hit an off night and it was a sad last night as UK residents. Oh well, c'est la vie, as they say.
We gathered our belongings, crept out of the back door of the hotel and returned to our house to collect three cats and a couple of thermos flasks of hot water for the journey.
Cramped into our packed little car, with one cat box on my knee, we drove to our pre-arranged meeting point where Jon moved into my mother's car and the cat box was placed on the passenger seat of my own car.
As I climbed into the driver's seat I noticed a rather unpleasant smell and, thinking that one of the cats had had a bit of an accident, I tried to see which one and whether there was anything I could do to clean her up. I didn't find anything nasty so put it down to a cat with a nervous tummy!!! We carried on down to the Channel Tunnel.
The three cats were very well behaved and only shouted for ten minutes or so each time the car stopped and started up again.
At the Channel Tunnel I was stopped by UK Passport Control.
'Good morning, Madam. How many people in the car? Just one? And three cats. Where are you headed for?'
'France' I said.
'Where exactly?' he insisted, so I told him.
'And how long are you staying for?'
That was the best bit. 'For ever!' I said with a big smile.
He waved me through with a muttering 'Lucky you!' and I was pleased not to be bomb checked at the next point.
Arriving in France we didn't see a soul and we began to wonder whether the £400 or so pounds we had spent on getting the cats vaccinations, rabies jabs, blood tests, microchips and pet passports had been worth it. But even though no-one else wanted to know we were glad that we had taken every precaution.
The long journey south was uneventful until we noticed thick snow by the side of the autoroute just north of Limoges and on southwards.
It got dark. One of the cats decided that she'd had quite enough of this being cooped up, thank you. Worked out that if she pushed her nose against her basket enough times the zips would come apart and she could make a bid for freedom.
Well, as much freedom as the back of one small hatchback loaded with bags, cat boxes, litter trays, cat beds and bedding would allow her.
The first I realised was when looking in the rear view mirror I saw the silhouette of a large furry cat wandering past the back window.
I pulled on to the hard shoulder - one of those points where it is really narrow. Jon pulled in behind me in Mum's car but, sensibly stayed in the car. We both knew that if I opened my car door the cat would be out like a shot.
I managed to persuade her back into the basket and found a piece of something to tie the zips together. We were now only about 30 minutes from home.
On arrival we found a very cold, very dark house which we had expected and a white garden full of snow - we hadn't expected that.
The cats were freed from their boxes in the kitchen. Queued up to use the litter trays and then hid under the sofa, the sideboard, anything they could find. One of them had been sitting for 12 hours on the unfortunate accident she had had back in Surrey and was a rather disgusting mess. Very embarrassed, she began to clean herself up.
Guess what we did?
We opened a bottle of champagne. Mum cooked us a nice meal.
The first day of the rest of our lives was nearly over.
One year on was it worth it? Yes. Are we happy? Yes. Do we find enough to do with our time, what with not going to work and all that?
Are you kidding?
Showing posts with label cats. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cats. Show all posts
Friday, 1 February 2008
Monday, 21 January 2008
This and that
Ste Agnès
I'm still struggling to get our big PC working properly. I've reloaded the operating system and it worked fine, then we seem to have got a virus - heaven knows how it got through the firewall and the anti-virus software but I gave it a Lemsip and it got better. Now it's started giving me funny messages, something to do with Visual Basic, hunting for the solution to that the virus came back again so I had to repair the operating system (trying Beechams Powders this time).
Now the screen is playing up and I lost the use of the webcam which was working nicely with Skype last week.
So, between doing the housework and getting lunch I've been sorting out Skype (webcam now working again), and now we're going through a mammoth defragmentation, which is soooooo slow!
It was great to use the webcam as we were able to 'see' our grandsons over the weekend. Jack has lost his two front teeth - with a little help from the school playground I hear - Leo is talking much more than he was and they both seemed to enjoy seeing us too. Hopefully this means that Leo will find us a little less frightening next time we see him in a few weeks' time. This may not be the case of course as he might think we are very small people who live in a computer. He was looking behind the screen for us the other day when we were talking to him and he kept kissing the screen. Can't wait until we see him for real.
We've been making the most of some milder weather and sat out in the garden the other day. We were just chatting when Figgy appeared with one of his little mouse friends that he likes to bring back from time to time for a game of tag. I don't think the mice much appreciate it but he thinks they are more fun that the balls he usually plays with indoors. Figgy and the mouse took a breather and we were astonished to be joined by a young tabby kitten. We were more astonished by Figgy's and Misty's behavour - they just sat and watched it as surprised as we were. The kitten clambered all aound the veranda of the chalet, where we were sitting, rubbed itself up against us and generally tried to make itself very appealing.
We were steadfastly ignoring it (we're certain it comes from our new neighbours) when suddenly the mouse decided it had had enough of a break and made a bid for freedom. Figgy went to go after it but our new friend, who was a good 20 yards further away than he, also leapt into action and got there first.
We expected a battle, a chase and lots of caterwauling but Figgy just let them go! He and Misty just watched the kitten 'deal with' the mouse in it's own way. If they could have been sitting with dropped jaws I'm sure they would have - so would we. In fact the only time Figgy growled at the kitten was when it tried to walk round behind him - he obviously felt a little threatened.
Yesterday the little thing was back again, trying to climb through the kitchen window (which was shut) and looking very endearing.
We don't want to encourage it so ignore the little scrap, whilst not wanting to chase it away - next door is not so far after all. We are trusting to our cats to let this one know whose territory it is here. Not that previous actions lead us to believe they are capable of it!
I'm still struggling to get our big PC working properly. I've reloaded the operating system and it worked fine, then we seem to have got a virus - heaven knows how it got through the firewall and the anti-virus software but I gave it a Lemsip and it got better. Now it's started giving me funny messages, something to do with Visual Basic, hunting for the solution to that the virus came back again so I had to repair the operating system (trying Beechams Powders this time).
Now the screen is playing up and I lost the use of the webcam which was working nicely with Skype last week.
So, between doing the housework and getting lunch I've been sorting out Skype (webcam now working again), and now we're going through a mammoth defragmentation, which is soooooo slow!
It was great to use the webcam as we were able to 'see' our grandsons over the weekend. Jack has lost his two front teeth - with a little help from the school playground I hear - Leo is talking much more than he was and they both seemed to enjoy seeing us too. Hopefully this means that Leo will find us a little less frightening next time we see him in a few weeks' time. This may not be the case of course as he might think we are very small people who live in a computer. He was looking behind the screen for us the other day when we were talking to him and he kept kissing the screen. Can't wait until we see him for real.
We've been making the most of some milder weather and sat out in the garden the other day. We were just chatting when Figgy appeared with one of his little mouse friends that he likes to bring back from time to time for a game of tag. I don't think the mice much appreciate it but he thinks they are more fun that the balls he usually plays with indoors. Figgy and the mouse took a breather and we were astonished to be joined by a young tabby kitten. We were more astonished by Figgy's and Misty's behavour - they just sat and watched it as surprised as we were. The kitten clambered all aound the veranda of the chalet, where we were sitting, rubbed itself up against us and generally tried to make itself very appealing.
We were steadfastly ignoring it (we're certain it comes from our new neighbours) when suddenly the mouse decided it had had enough of a break and made a bid for freedom. Figgy went to go after it but our new friend, who was a good 20 yards further away than he, also leapt into action and got there first.
We expected a battle, a chase and lots of caterwauling but Figgy just let them go! He and Misty just watched the kitten 'deal with' the mouse in it's own way. If they could have been sitting with dropped jaws I'm sure they would have - so would we. In fact the only time Figgy growled at the kitten was when it tried to walk round behind him - he obviously felt a little threatened.
Yesterday the little thing was back again, trying to climb through the kitchen window (which was shut) and looking very endearing.
We don't want to encourage it so ignore the little scrap, whilst not wanting to chase it away - next door is not so far after all. We are trusting to our cats to let this one know whose territory it is here. Not that previous actions lead us to believe they are capable of it!
Tuesday, 15 January 2008
Eventful day
St Marcel
Yesterday we bundled Figgy and Misty into the car and took them, shouting obscenities at us all the way, to the vet.
Yesterday we bundled Figgy and Misty into the car and took them, shouting obscenities at us all the way, to the vet.
They don't know yet that they are going on a little holiday themselves to a very nice cattery some 40 minutes from here, but they were totally unimpressed at the car ride to the vets, not even half the distance.
Once there they settled down in their carriers in the waiting room and not a peep, even when a big Boxer dog wanted to make friends. We were quite surprised when he walked in accompanied by his two mates the cat and the rat, but they seemed to be a happy family.
They went ahead of us and we were joined in the waiting room by a very skinny greyhound instead. Poor things, they always look so terribly undernourished, don't they?
The vet was a very, very nice man and said all the right things about our babies.
'They are very beautiful' Well that's enough to make me his best friend for life anyway but then he said:
'Your French is very good'
I smiled and simpered. That's the second time in three days that someone has said that to me - what a boost to the confidence. Although I've studied French to quite a high level I don't get enough practice what with our non-communicating neighbours and only usually chatting in shops and the post office, and I'm extremely shy about speaking French for some unknown reason.
I didn't make any New Year's resolutions but maybe I should make a mid-January one to get out more, speak to more French people. Basically, just, go for it!
We decided to take a drive out in the afternoon, intending to visit one of the local summer 'hot spots' and see how closed it is in January but on the way it started raining so we just carried on and did a tour of the Northern reaches of the Lot department. The far north east of the region is quite different from here (sorry, no photos since the weather was just appalling), it is green and hilly (very hilly in places) . We followed a gushing river for mile after mile, climbing higher and higher until we came to a huge lake. We really must explore this in the summer, if we can stand the traffic!
On the way home we stopped in a supermarket for some vegetables and a loaf of bread. At the checkouts we were overcome by the smell of ... well, I can't put it any nicer ... stale urine. We looked around to see where it was coming from and at the next till was a lady wearing the most revoltingly dirty anorak. The staff and customers, fortunately there were only a few, were all surreptitiously covering their noses with their hands, scarves or whatever else we could find. The checkout 'hostess' moved from her till as soon as was humanly possible to another part of the shop. When we went back to our car we were amazed to see the malodorous offender clamber into a huge new 4x4 vehicle.
It made me wonder:
1. Why did none of us say anything, either to each other or to the offender?
2. How on earth did she not know how revolting she smelt?
3. Would the manager of Sainsbury's have been called to request, politely of course, that she might leave the store and come back after she had taken a bath and burned the offensive anorak?
4. Does anybody ever speak to her?
5. How come someone with a lovely vehicle (which was very clean, by the way) not care about herself enough to pong so?
Maybe I'm doing the lady an injustice. Maybe she had just that afternoon fallen into a pile of horse pooh and wee-soaked straw. Maybe she has a serious illness where she can't smell anything or see the stains on her coat.
Is it me?
We decided to take a drive out in the afternoon, intending to visit one of the local summer 'hot spots' and see how closed it is in January but on the way it started raining so we just carried on and did a tour of the Northern reaches of the Lot department. The far north east of the region is quite different from here (sorry, no photos since the weather was just appalling), it is green and hilly (very hilly in places) . We followed a gushing river for mile after mile, climbing higher and higher until we came to a huge lake. We really must explore this in the summer, if we can stand the traffic!
On the way home we stopped in a supermarket for some vegetables and a loaf of bread. At the checkouts we were overcome by the smell of ... well, I can't put it any nicer ... stale urine. We looked around to see where it was coming from and at the next till was a lady wearing the most revoltingly dirty anorak. The staff and customers, fortunately there were only a few, were all surreptitiously covering their noses with their hands, scarves or whatever else we could find. The checkout 'hostess' moved from her till as soon as was humanly possible to another part of the shop. When we went back to our car we were amazed to see the malodorous offender clamber into a huge new 4x4 vehicle.
It made me wonder:
1. Why did none of us say anything, either to each other or to the offender?
2. How on earth did she not know how revolting she smelt?
3. Would the manager of Sainsbury's have been called to request, politely of course, that she might leave the store and come back after she had taken a bath and burned the offensive anorak?
4. Does anybody ever speak to her?
5. How come someone with a lovely vehicle (which was very clean, by the way) not care about herself enough to pong so?
Maybe I'm doing the lady an injustice. Maybe she had just that afternoon fallen into a pile of horse pooh and wee-soaked straw. Maybe she has a serious illness where she can't smell anything or see the stains on her coat.
Is it me?
Friday, 11 January 2008
D'you know what it is yet?
St Paulin (not the cheese)
It's a cat shelter so that when Mummy and Daddy are out all day and it's raining and they can't get indoors, they can stay dry.
Our cats? Spoiled?
Nah!
It's a cat shelter so that when Mummy and Daddy are out all day and it's raining and they can't get indoors, they can stay dry.
Our cats? Spoiled?
Nah!
Wednesday, 21 November 2007
Walk the cat
St Rufus
Yesterday's weather: warm, overcast, occasional drizzle
It's amazing how different you feel when it's not freezing cold. Suddenly we felt spurred once again into doing all sorts of little jobs we had put off.
We even took the cats for a walk for the first time in a couple of weeks. They enjoy a good walk, in fact we believe that they think they are dogs - if not people. Waiting at the door for us if we've been out. Checking out all new visitors. They even chat to us (no I'm NOT totally mad, they really do talk to us, Misty even answers back when I tell her off!).
We really miss Jazz, wherever she may be but these two are really good company. They seem to feel the same as we do about the missing family member and have become much more clingy in the last few weeks.
Our long-distance cat sitter arrives at Toulouse airport this evening so we have been in a mad whirl of bed making and re-arranging this morning. Off to the airport this afternoon with a stop off for a few shopping items in the meantime.
Yesterday's weather: warm, overcast, occasional drizzle
It's amazing how different you feel when it's not freezing cold. Suddenly we felt spurred once again into doing all sorts of little jobs we had put off.
We even took the cats for a walk for the first time in a couple of weeks. They enjoy a good walk, in fact we believe that they think they are dogs - if not people. Waiting at the door for us if we've been out. Checking out all new visitors. They even chat to us (no I'm NOT totally mad, they really do talk to us, Misty even answers back when I tell her off!).
We really miss Jazz, wherever she may be but these two are really good company. They seem to feel the same as we do about the missing family member and have become much more clingy in the last few weeks.
Our long-distance cat sitter arrives at Toulouse airport this evening so we have been in a mad whirl of bed making and re-arranging this morning. Off to the airport this afternoon with a stop off for a few shopping items in the meantime.
Wednesday, 14 November 2007
One day, two worlds
St Sidoine
Yesterday's weather: bright, sunny, cold.
We've had wet stuff falling out of the sky on and off today. We've not seen any of that sort of thing for weeks so it came as a bit of a shock. The cats found it a bit surprising too and after their usual disappearance through the kitchen door first thing this morning, they drank from their usual flower bowl, sniffed around to make sure there had been no intruders and headed straight back indoors.
We went out to market and the cats decided to stay home making themselves comfy, one on the sofa the other on the bed obviously also taking advantage of the fact that we weren't here to throw the wet, muddy one off the bed. More washing for the pile!
On our way to town the world looked lovely; the sun was shining and the trees were golden brown. We stopped at the post office to collect a parcel that the postman (known as Mr Smiley because he never does) didn't leave the other day even though we were home all day, then we took the 'pretty' route, the back roads down to town. The rain held off while we were shopping and we took advantage to have a quick lunch in town too.
On the way home the hills and trees looked entirely different with black clouds hovering over them; the trees that were golden looked sludgy brown and gray and the air just seemed so much colder. The rain is back again and I'm sure I can hear a cat scratching to be let in again.
Yesterday's weather: bright, sunny, cold.
We've had wet stuff falling out of the sky on and off today. We've not seen any of that sort of thing for weeks so it came as a bit of a shock. The cats found it a bit surprising too and after their usual disappearance through the kitchen door first thing this morning, they drank from their usual flower bowl, sniffed around to make sure there had been no intruders and headed straight back indoors.
We went out to market and the cats decided to stay home making themselves comfy, one on the sofa the other on the bed obviously also taking advantage of the fact that we weren't here to throw the wet, muddy one off the bed. More washing for the pile!
On our way to town the world looked lovely; the sun was shining and the trees were golden brown. We stopped at the post office to collect a parcel that the postman (known as Mr Smiley because he never does) didn't leave the other day even though we were home all day, then we took the 'pretty' route, the back roads down to town. The rain held off while we were shopping and we took advantage to have a quick lunch in town too.
On the way home the hills and trees looked entirely different with black clouds hovering over them; the trees that were golden looked sludgy brown and gray and the air just seemed so much colder. The rain is back again and I'm sure I can hear a cat scratching to be let in again.
Monday, 29 October 2007
I know my place
Ste Narcisse
Yesterday's weather: lovely, sunny. Glass of wine in the garden at lunchtime!
Misty really doesn't like the change in the seasons. She just can't decide between in and out, sofa or garden, high level or low level, but mostly in or out. She spends most of her time sitting at the kitchen door, still confused as to why she can't just walk through it and get her food, blanket or toy Bagpuss that she is so fond of. If we open the door she wanders once round the kitchen and back to the door waiting to go out, so a lot of the time we just ignore her requests.
She will either wander away for all of 30 seconds or mouth a little 'mew'. If that fails she will put her paw on the door thinking that we might notice and let her in. If that fails she will stand on her hind legs to see if she can push the door open with her front paws and if that fails she will jump onto the kitchen window ledge and call to us from there:
'Oi! You in there! Didn't you see me at the door? I just want to come in and walk round the kitchen once and ask you to let me out again.'
We have a little plaque by the back door - just in case we should forget
Chore list:
Let cat in .... Let cat out
Let cat in .... Let cat out
Friday, 26 October 2007
No news
St Dimitri
Yesterday's weather: cold, mostly sunny.
A friend called at lunch time today to say that they had seen a strange cat near to them and it might be Jazz. They live just over the hills from us and it was quite possible that she had wandered there. Unfortunately the cat he had seen was no longer there but we hung around for a while until we saw a black and white cat eyeing us from a nearby fallen tree trunk.
We've been for a long walk on the hill this afternoon calling and rattling her biscuit box but there is still no sign of her. We haven't given up hope and both of us feel in our bones that she hasn't come to any harm but is around somewhere and will return in her own good time. We have told a few people that she is missing but as she has done this before, even though it wasn't for so long, we don't want to put up notices locally as I feel that every unrecognised cat for miles around will produce a phone call for us building up our hopes - and then when she turns up on the doorstep and goes off again in a few weeks time we would have to do it all over again.
We have to accept that this is part of Jazz's nature and we won't be able to stop her if this is what comes naturally to her. It was a risk we took when we brought her to France and allowed her outside, we are very lucky that neither Misty nor Figaro (aka the Little Bar Steward) want to roam very far at all and always come to greet us when we return home.
Thanks to everyone for their concern over Jazz. I will certainly keep you informed when (I nearly said 'if' and corrected myself), when she appears.
Yesterday's weather: cold, mostly sunny.
A friend called at lunch time today to say that they had seen a strange cat near to them and it might be Jazz. They live just over the hills from us and it was quite possible that she had wandered there. Unfortunately the cat he had seen was no longer there but we hung around for a while until we saw a black and white cat eyeing us from a nearby fallen tree trunk.
We've been for a long walk on the hill this afternoon calling and rattling her biscuit box but there is still no sign of her. We haven't given up hope and both of us feel in our bones that she hasn't come to any harm but is around somewhere and will return in her own good time. We have told a few people that she is missing but as she has done this before, even though it wasn't for so long, we don't want to put up notices locally as I feel that every unrecognised cat for miles around will produce a phone call for us building up our hopes - and then when she turns up on the doorstep and goes off again in a few weeks time we would have to do it all over again.
We have to accept that this is part of Jazz's nature and we won't be able to stop her if this is what comes naturally to her. It was a risk we took when we brought her to France and allowed her outside, we are very lucky that neither Misty nor Figaro (aka the Little Bar Steward) want to roam very far at all and always come to greet us when we return home.
Thanks to everyone for their concern over Jazz. I will certainly keep you informed when (I nearly said 'if' and corrected myself), when she appears.
Sunday, 21 October 2007
Cat searching
Ste Céline
Yesterday's weather: very chilly but beautiful (see crane photo from yesterday for blue sky)
The cold snap continues but the loveliest thing is that it has brought with it amazing blue skies and incredible night skies. The weather is set to stay nice for the next week, mostly sunny. That is excellent news for the visitors s long as they bring their fleeces and warm PJs with them!
We took a trip out this morning to see a cat that needs rehoming. He's another Maine Coon and his owners have to return to the UK early next year. They feel tht he would be happier rehomed in France than taken to busy SE England. He's a lovely cat, even though he has a very silly name, but he is extremely timid and is also diabetic which means he would need to be fed seperately from our own moggies. Unfortunately we feel we will have to refuse him even though we would be happy to have him because we don't feel that HE would be happy with us and especially with our household of three somewhat boss cats.
Jazz has gone walkabout again since Thursday afternoon. We are confident that she will be back in her own good time but it doesn't stop us from worrying about her. I'll keep you posted.
Yesterday's weather: very chilly but beautiful (see crane photo from yesterday for blue sky)
The cold snap continues but the loveliest thing is that it has brought with it amazing blue skies and incredible night skies. The weather is set to stay nice for the next week, mostly sunny. That is excellent news for the visitors s long as they bring their fleeces and warm PJs with them!
We took a trip out this morning to see a cat that needs rehoming. He's another Maine Coon and his owners have to return to the UK early next year. They feel tht he would be happier rehomed in France than taken to busy SE England. He's a lovely cat, even though he has a very silly name, but he is extremely timid and is also diabetic which means he would need to be fed seperately from our own moggies. Unfortunately we feel we will have to refuse him even though we would be happy to have him because we don't feel that HE would be happy with us and especially with our household of three somewhat boss cats.
Jazz has gone walkabout again since Thursday afternoon. We are confident that she will be back in her own good time but it doesn't stop us from worrying about her. I'll keep you posted.
Thursday, 11 October 2007
Feathered friends and furry ones
St Firmin
Yesterday's weather: Lots of rain!
As an addendum to yesterday's blog Jon has asked me to add that other things that go screech in the night are owls, and there were plenty of them screeching the other night when he was out investigating the cat fight.
Which leads neatly on to one of the funniest things I have seen in a long time - Alan Titchmarsh's programme on BBC 1 last night: The Nature of Britain. The programme was fascinating, well constructed and the photography was just amazing. No, my amusement wasn't caused by the Titchmarsh who has come a long way since Ground Force where he did little other than wind up Tommy Walsh and tease Charlie about, well, her Charlies; I just giggled at the sight of three cats looking all over the house for the birds.
Misty's ears were like radars listening for aircraft, they almost turned a full 360 degrees trying to work out where the noise was coming from. Figaro sat up and looked at the TV but couldn't quite work out whether those flickering images really were birds or not and even Jazz opened an eye to see if there was a snack in view. Not that birds are their favourite snack, they are much to much like hard work to catch when there are dozens of furry creatures and you just have to sit and wait for them to pop out of their holes in the ground.
They may have been more confused because the birds they were listening to were skuas who were busy bombarding the Titchmarsh who had dared to get close and look at one of their babies. It was amusing TV but more amusing cat-watching. They have certainly never come close to hearing anything like a skua but they obviously knew what that noise meant.
Interestingly, when we were seeing images of 7 million screaming starlings doing their incredible evening ballet before diving into their reed-bed beds for the night they didn't bat an eyelid. They obviously realised that they would be severely outnumbered!
Whilst on the subject of birds, I hear on the grapevine that the cranes we saw migrating north at the beginning of March are now heading south again. They don't chatter in the same way when they are heading south so we will have to keep our eyes peeled skyward today. Luckily it is a beautiful clear sky so I hope we may be able to spot them.
Yesterday's weather: Lots of rain!
As an addendum to yesterday's blog Jon has asked me to add that other things that go screech in the night are owls, and there were plenty of them screeching the other night when he was out investigating the cat fight.
Which leads neatly on to one of the funniest things I have seen in a long time - Alan Titchmarsh's programme on BBC 1 last night: The Nature of Britain. The programme was fascinating, well constructed and the photography was just amazing. No, my amusement wasn't caused by the Titchmarsh who has come a long way since Ground Force where he did little other than wind up Tommy Walsh and tease Charlie about, well, her Charlies; I just giggled at the sight of three cats looking all over the house for the birds.
Misty's ears were like radars listening for aircraft, they almost turned a full 360 degrees trying to work out where the noise was coming from. Figaro sat up and looked at the TV but couldn't quite work out whether those flickering images really were birds or not and even Jazz opened an eye to see if there was a snack in view. Not that birds are their favourite snack, they are much to much like hard work to catch when there are dozens of furry creatures and you just have to sit and wait for them to pop out of their holes in the ground.
They may have been more confused because the birds they were listening to were skuas who were busy bombarding the Titchmarsh who had dared to get close and look at one of their babies. It was amusing TV but more amusing cat-watching. They have certainly never come close to hearing anything like a skua but they obviously knew what that noise meant.
Interestingly, when we were seeing images of 7 million screaming starlings doing their incredible evening ballet before diving into their reed-bed beds for the night they didn't bat an eyelid. They obviously realised that they would be severely outnumbered!
Whilst on the subject of birds, I hear on the grapevine that the cranes we saw migrating north at the beginning of March are now heading south again. They don't chatter in the same way when they are heading south so we will have to keep our eyes peeled skyward today. Luckily it is a beautiful clear sky so I hope we may be able to spot them.
Wednesday, 10 October 2007
Things that go screech in the night
St Ghislain
Yesterday's weather: mild, sunny spells. About 17 degrees.
Cats can be very frustrating. Last night Figaro was in nice and early and we refused to let him out again which he was less than happy about. The other two refused point blank to come in and couldn't be seen or heard anywhere. Usually one of us (actually, Jon) will go and find her and bring her in, she's never far away, but last night he had to give in and we went to bed with Figaro as a hot water bottle.
No-one. They still refused to come anywhere near so he bravely went for a walk in his dressing gown to try and find out what was going on.
Figaro settled down to sleep on the window ledge just waiting for us to switch the light off so that he could sneak back on to the bed when he thought we wouldn't notice. I waited. Eventually there was a knock at the front door (which was locked), I opened it and Jon unceremoniously deposited a wriggling Misty into the lounge. She went immediately downstairs for a snack. Well, you know, it was at least 5 hours since she last ate and she is fading away (not).
Yesterday's weather: mild, sunny spells. About 17 degrees.
Cats can be very frustrating. Last night Figaro was in nice and early and we refused to let him out again which he was less than happy about. The other two refused point blank to come in and couldn't be seen or heard anywhere. Usually one of us (actually, Jon) will go and find her and bring her in, she's never far away, but last night he had to give in and we went to bed with Figaro as a hot water bottle.
At 1.15am there was the most almighty screech from outside. Figaro was on the window ledge looking out before I could open my eyes and I leapt out of bed ready to go and rescue whichever of our babies was being brutally murdered (as from the noise I could tell that this was, indeed, the case). I limped to the top of the stairs, at which point Jon beat me to it and went down to see who he could find.
No-one. They still refused to come anywhere near so he bravely went for a walk in his dressing gown to try and find out what was going on.
Figaro settled down to sleep on the window ledge just waiting for us to switch the light off so that he could sneak back on to the bed when he thought we wouldn't notice. I waited. Eventually there was a knock at the front door (which was locked), I opened it and Jon unceremoniously deposited a wriggling Misty into the lounge. She went immediately downstairs for a snack. Well, you know, it was at least 5 hours since she last ate and she is fading away (not).
There was still no sign of Jazz who we assume was the screeching one (she can be very vocal when required) so we gave up and went back to bed, having first put Misty and Figaro in the kitchen for the rest of the night. Figaro was initially unimpressed with this arrangement but I gave him some Whiskas kitten food and he agreed to stay put.
This morning it is pouring with rain. A very wet Jazz was waiting patiently outside the door to be let in and the other two refused to go out. Figaro in fact did leave the house but came back in like a shot and went straight to his litter tray. He then tried to dry Jazz off by licking her and, just to show that he still feels the same way about her, he jumped on her back when she was looking the other way.
Jazz doesn't seem to be injured, I think that screeching is her way of seeing off any unwanted intruders, but I expect she could put up a good fight if required.
Who needs a guard dog?
Monday, 1 October 2007
Help wanted
St Louis-Marie
Yesterday's weather: Lovely, sunny and warm
We have been looking at the possibility of a trip back to the UK before Christmas. The main purpose of which is to visit family and friends in a flying visit which will pack in as many people as possible in as few days as possible. In order to do this we are looking for a cattery or cat sitter.
I probably should put a notice in the local paper: 'Staff wanted'. All they really want is someone to open and close the door for them all day long and feed them on demand. Their time is their own and they spend most of the day in the garden or off hunting in the copse, popping back now and then for a light snack of chrunchy biscuits flavoured with heaven-knows-what and added vitamins. All summer long the kitchen door has sat open for them except in the most extreme heat (rare this year) and howling gale when they are more than likely to bt tucked up in a cosy corner inside.
Now we have hit the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness it is becoming chilly in the kitchen in the late afternoon and we tend to close the door earlier than the cats would like. Hence we spend a good couple of hours letting them in and out, one after the other. It is a trait of the Maine Coon that they are snackers and will eat several small meals in one day rather than one or two larger meals as most of our previous moggies did. Ours even take their snacks in small portions and will snack over fifteen minutes or more popping outside to check that the garden is secure from some invisible threat between nibbles. This can mean a lot of opening and closing doors.
They have different ways of dealing with the closed door which is glass from top to bottom. Jazz will sit outside and fix me with a hard stare, knowing that I can't resist letting her in as she can be a rare visitor home sometimes. Misty approaches the door and looks bewildered.
'I know there's a way through here, but I can't work out what it is.' She seems to be thinking. Occasionally she will pat the door with her paw as if she can't believe that there is glass in the way or is it some kind of invisible force field like in Star Trek? Eventually she will give a half mew which is impossible to resist and miraculously the door is opened for her.
Figaro knows exactly what he needs to do. He will stride right up to the door and if it is shut he will attack it with both front paws, as if trying to run up it until we let him in. Sometimes if we are busy we don't react immediately and he will try the same tactic from the kitchen window ledge insisting that if the door doesn't open then surely the window will. If that doesn't work he will try a mixture of shouting to us and trying to run up the window or door at the same time. Which usually produces the required result.
He will then stroll into the kitchen, look us up and down as if to say:
'You just can't get the staff these days'.
If you know of anyone who would like to spend a few days as unpaid doorman to three delightful cats once in a while do let me know. Otherwise we will be saying (with apologies to Shakespeare) 'Get thee to a cattery'.
Yesterday's weather: Lovely, sunny and warm
We have been looking at the possibility of a trip back to the UK before Christmas. The main purpose of which is to visit family and friends in a flying visit which will pack in as many people as possible in as few days as possible. In order to do this we are looking for a cattery or cat sitter.
I probably should put a notice in the local paper: 'Staff wanted'. All they really want is someone to open and close the door for them all day long and feed them on demand. Their time is their own and they spend most of the day in the garden or off hunting in the copse, popping back now and then for a light snack of chrunchy biscuits flavoured with heaven-knows-what and added vitamins. All summer long the kitchen door has sat open for them except in the most extreme heat (rare this year) and howling gale when they are more than likely to bt tucked up in a cosy corner inside.
Now we have hit the season of mists and mellow fruitfulness it is becoming chilly in the kitchen in the late afternoon and we tend to close the door earlier than the cats would like. Hence we spend a good couple of hours letting them in and out, one after the other. It is a trait of the Maine Coon that they are snackers and will eat several small meals in one day rather than one or two larger meals as most of our previous moggies did. Ours even take their snacks in small portions and will snack over fifteen minutes or more popping outside to check that the garden is secure from some invisible threat between nibbles. This can mean a lot of opening and closing doors.
They have different ways of dealing with the closed door which is glass from top to bottom. Jazz will sit outside and fix me with a hard stare, knowing that I can't resist letting her in as she can be a rare visitor home sometimes. Misty approaches the door and looks bewildered.
'I know there's a way through here, but I can't work out what it is.' She seems to be thinking. Occasionally she will pat the door with her paw as if she can't believe that there is glass in the way or is it some kind of invisible force field like in Star Trek? Eventually she will give a half mew which is impossible to resist and miraculously the door is opened for her.
Figaro knows exactly what he needs to do. He will stride right up to the door and if it is shut he will attack it with both front paws, as if trying to run up it until we let him in. Sometimes if we are busy we don't react immediately and he will try the same tactic from the kitchen window ledge insisting that if the door doesn't open then surely the window will. If that doesn't work he will try a mixture of shouting to us and trying to run up the window or door at the same time. Which usually produces the required result.
He will then stroll into the kitchen, look us up and down as if to say:
'You just can't get the staff these days'.
If you know of anyone who would like to spend a few days as unpaid doorman to three delightful cats once in a while do let me know. Otherwise we will be saying (with apologies to Shakespeare) 'Get thee to a cattery'.
Thursday, 13 September 2007
I can see clearly now
Ste Aimé
Yesterday’s weather: Still lovely
Two men and a van turned up yesterday morning. We were surprised really because they had told us they were coming and we aren’t used to people turning up when they say they will. More often than not they will arrive a week, two weeks or even six weeks later than expected.
They backed their van into our garden (it was a tight squeeze), shook hands (carefully in one case as his finger was bandaged in the manner of a cartoon character from the Beano) and promptly ripped out all the windows.
We were still amazed at their arrival and retreated to the chalet where I varnished and Jon worked on the steps.
By lunchtime we had new windows everywhere, fly screens (how I wish we had had those in June) and a hole where the back door should be. They left for lunch and returned less than an hour later. Now I was beginning to wonder if these were real French workmen or had been imported from outer space. We retreated to the chalet again.
At three-thirty we were called back to the house for an inspection followed by the completion of their satisfaction survey (Were we satisfied? Yes, we were) and to write a cheque for the amount one would expect to pay for one or two double glazed, high specification windows in the UK – we had five and a door.
We are so happy with our new windows. I couldn’t hear any traffic in the night (that is, the two lorries who pass along the road at 5am). There is no condensation anywhere in the house this morning. The back door opens and closes without having to force it open the last quarter and the kitchen window either tilts or opens which will be very useful in the winter.
The cats are confused (always a funny sight). The main kitchen door is now glass from top to bottom so they can see in from the garden. Misty finds this particularly puzzling and even when we open the door just enough for her to squeeze through she still thinks she should be able to walk through the glass. This morning I have had the three of them take it in turns to come up to the door, try to walk through, wait for me to open the door, come in, wait for me to shut the door again and then try to walk out through the glass once more.
This is amusing for the first couple of times but it soon wears thin. I am now considering getting a baby gate to stop them from scratching on the glass all the time. However I’m sure they will soon get used to it when I refuse to open the door for them every time.
Yesterday’s weather: Still lovely
Two men and a van turned up yesterday morning. We were surprised really because they had told us they were coming and we aren’t used to people turning up when they say they will. More often than not they will arrive a week, two weeks or even six weeks later than expected.
They backed their van into our garden (it was a tight squeeze), shook hands (carefully in one case as his finger was bandaged in the manner of a cartoon character from the Beano) and promptly ripped out all the windows.
We were still amazed at their arrival and retreated to the chalet where I varnished and Jon worked on the steps.
By lunchtime we had new windows everywhere, fly screens (how I wish we had had those in June) and a hole where the back door should be. They left for lunch and returned less than an hour later. Now I was beginning to wonder if these were real French workmen or had been imported from outer space. We retreated to the chalet again.
At three-thirty we were called back to the house for an inspection followed by the completion of their satisfaction survey (Were we satisfied? Yes, we were) and to write a cheque for the amount one would expect to pay for one or two double glazed, high specification windows in the UK – we had five and a door.
We are so happy with our new windows. I couldn’t hear any traffic in the night (that is, the two lorries who pass along the road at 5am). There is no condensation anywhere in the house this morning. The back door opens and closes without having to force it open the last quarter and the kitchen window either tilts or opens which will be very useful in the winter.
The cats are confused (always a funny sight). The main kitchen door is now glass from top to bottom so they can see in from the garden. Misty finds this particularly puzzling and even when we open the door just enough for her to squeeze through she still thinks she should be able to walk through the glass. This morning I have had the three of them take it in turns to come up to the door, try to walk through, wait for me to open the door, come in, wait for me to shut the door again and then try to walk out through the glass once more.
This is amusing for the first couple of times but it soon wears thin. I am now considering getting a baby gate to stop them from scratching on the glass all the time. However I’m sure they will soon get used to it when I refuse to open the door for them every time.
Wednesday, 29 August 2007
Too darn hot (not complaining!)
Ste Sabine
Yesterday's weather: hot and sticky
Yesterday was one of those days when just to walk from one end of the garden to the other left one in a very unladylike state of dampness. I remember my mother saying that ladies never sweat or even perspire, they 'gently glow'. Well, I was 'gently glowing soaked' yesterday! So, naturally it was a day for strimming, trimming back overgrown shrubs and wheeling the debris back and forth in the wheelbarrow. A long cool shower made me feel normal again - for about twenty minutes. If I go outside today I will get wet for a different reason. It is still really sticky but there is thunder around and it has rained - only a little so far. Also, someone has stolen the opposite hillside. I can't see it at all this morning. Could be fog, I suppose.
The cats are all grumpy too, which is a sure sign that a storm is brewing. I feel so sorry for them in their fur coats when the weather is so hot and sticky. They all have their favourite places for their afternoon nap. The kitten has taken up residence upstairs by the front door, in the fork of a tree or on top of the garage. All three are hot places even if he finds what little shade there is, so we are always surprised that he settles there. Misty tends to follow us around a bit but usually settles in amongst the rosemary and lavender right by the back door where there is shade in the afternoon and Jazz, who used to be found on a garden chair has now discovered the best place of all, a cool ledge in the cellar. She particularly likes this one at the moment because Figgy hasn't found it yet and even if Misty did discover her, she really can't be bothered to jump all the way up there. So Jazz is quite safe.
Today I will be mostly looking for fig recipes (hoping that Figgy doesn't get upset and think I mean him). The figs are suddenly ripening and there are hundreds of them. Not wanting anything to go to waste, but at the same time not needing to eat too many figs at once, I will be looking for ways to cook them, freeze them and preserve them. Unfortunately they are, as usual, very small. I have been reading up gardening tips to see if there is any way I can prune the tree or thin out the branches to encourage larger fruits but I think the tree is so old, like the apple, that it is probably beyond help. I don't know yet whether we will keep the tree forever, but at the moment it gives us a lot of privacy in the summer. I love the shape of it and it brings the wrens and robins close to the kitchen window (only when cats aren't in evidence) so we would certainly have to replace it with something if it went. But that is a decision for the future.
Yesterday's weather: hot and sticky
Yesterday was one of those days when just to walk from one end of the garden to the other left one in a very unladylike state of dampness. I remember my mother saying that ladies never sweat or even perspire, they 'gently glow'. Well, I was 'gently glowing soaked' yesterday! So, naturally it was a day for strimming, trimming back overgrown shrubs and wheeling the debris back and forth in the wheelbarrow. A long cool shower made me feel normal again - for about twenty minutes. If I go outside today I will get wet for a different reason. It is still really sticky but there is thunder around and it has rained - only a little so far. Also, someone has stolen the opposite hillside. I can't see it at all this morning. Could be fog, I suppose.
The cats are all grumpy too, which is a sure sign that a storm is brewing. I feel so sorry for them in their fur coats when the weather is so hot and sticky. They all have their favourite places for their afternoon nap. The kitten has taken up residence upstairs by the front door, in the fork of a tree or on top of the garage. All three are hot places even if he finds what little shade there is, so we are always surprised that he settles there. Misty tends to follow us around a bit but usually settles in amongst the rosemary and lavender right by the back door where there is shade in the afternoon and Jazz, who used to be found on a garden chair has now discovered the best place of all, a cool ledge in the cellar. She particularly likes this one at the moment because Figgy hasn't found it yet and even if Misty did discover her, she really can't be bothered to jump all the way up there. So Jazz is quite safe.
Today I will be mostly looking for fig recipes (hoping that Figgy doesn't get upset and think I mean him). The figs are suddenly ripening and there are hundreds of them. Not wanting anything to go to waste, but at the same time not needing to eat too many figs at once, I will be looking for ways to cook them, freeze them and preserve them. Unfortunately they are, as usual, very small. I have been reading up gardening tips to see if there is any way I can prune the tree or thin out the branches to encourage larger fruits but I think the tree is so old, like the apple, that it is probably beyond help. I don't know yet whether we will keep the tree forever, but at the moment it gives us a lot of privacy in the summer. I love the shape of it and it brings the wrens and robins close to the kitchen window (only when cats aren't in evidence) so we would certainly have to replace it with something if it went. But that is a decision for the future.
Tuesday, 28 August 2007
Should I shut up?
St Augustin
Yesterday's weather: Hot and sunny
I'm sure our French neighbours think that we are mad. After all, we are surely exposing ourselves to risk, I mean, fancy not closing all our shutters as tight as possible at night! Heaven knows what sort of light might escape from the house at night, or into the house in the morning.
We can see less than a handful of other properties from our house and they are all closed tight to the outside world as soon as it gets dark. The only exception is if the household is out for the evening, which is rare. Then they will close all the shutters and leave an outside light on until they return.
We, on the other hand, have windows and shutters open wide all night on the upper floor. Downstairs we do close up the shutters in an attempt to persuade the kitten that until we are up and about, it is still regarded as night. This doesn't work. Just as soon as the sun stretches its arms and gives a yawn thinking that it might consider rousing itself in a while, the kitten gets some sort of uncontrollable urge to scratch on all the doors and yowl until one of us gets up and lets him out. The other two cats, grown up, sophisticated ladies that they are, don't really understand this behaviour at all and would be quite happy for a bit of a lie-in (like us) but as soon as the door is opened, they feel that it would be just rude not to take advantage and pop outside as well.
I love to wake up with the sun, when it is just getting the energy to pop its head over the hillside straight in through the bedroom window, that is when I am ready to wake up and head for the kitchen for my morning cuppa. (By the way, Jim @ Farnham, the UK postal service is obviously worse than we thought because I never did receive that old tea bag you sent me a couple of months ago)'
There is, of course a security aspect of closing the shutters, and we do ensure we are burglar proof when we leave the house for any length of time. Even though crime is a rarity here and a burglary would make the local newspaper it is a requirement of our household insurance that we secure the house when we leave it, so shutters are closed. Somehow though, I feel that this is an invitation to burglers. If someone suddenly decided to take to a life of crime one day, all he would need to do is look for a house where all the shutters are closed all day. Or maybe not, since that is just about every other house around here outside the summer months and all the year-round residents know which houses are closed up for the winter.
Our neighbours are true creatures of habit. We could set our watches (if we wore them, which is one of the great things about being retired) by the sound of their cars leaving and returning every day. We know when to put lunch on by the sound of our neighbour returning every day for his own lunch at 11.45. We know when it is 11.15 on a Thursday and Sunday because the bread van visits the group of houses opposite. We know when it is 7.10 am or pm because the church bells chime for 5 minutes. And lately, I know when it is getting on for 5pm because my young friends come for a walk past the house for young Swanne to play with the kitten. Sadly, they will have to go home soon and probably won't return until next summer, but I'm sure they are now itching to get back home to Swanne's Daddy who is a chef and couldn't take a summer holiday at all.
------
I was reading a blog yesterday that I knew I hadn't read in a while. At first I thought I was going mad because one posting looked familiar and then I realised that it was almost a direct lift from another blog that I do read regularly. I can't believe that anyone would want to do that from my daft ramblings, but if you are considering it, please don't or at least ask me first and give me some credit for writing it in the first place. It is just as bad as theft to plagarise someone else's writing, and if that person has been kind enough to link your blog to theirs (I noticed the link had now been deleted) it is also extremely bad manners.
Yesterday's weather: Hot and sunny
I'm sure our French neighbours think that we are mad. After all, we are surely exposing ourselves to risk, I mean, fancy not closing all our shutters as tight as possible at night! Heaven knows what sort of light might escape from the house at night, or into the house in the morning.
We can see less than a handful of other properties from our house and they are all closed tight to the outside world as soon as it gets dark. The only exception is if the household is out for the evening, which is rare. Then they will close all the shutters and leave an outside light on until they return.
We, on the other hand, have windows and shutters open wide all night on the upper floor. Downstairs we do close up the shutters in an attempt to persuade the kitten that until we are up and about, it is still regarded as night. This doesn't work. Just as soon as the sun stretches its arms and gives a yawn thinking that it might consider rousing itself in a while, the kitten gets some sort of uncontrollable urge to scratch on all the doors and yowl until one of us gets up and lets him out. The other two cats, grown up, sophisticated ladies that they are, don't really understand this behaviour at all and would be quite happy for a bit of a lie-in (like us) but as soon as the door is opened, they feel that it would be just rude not to take advantage and pop outside as well.
I love to wake up with the sun, when it is just getting the energy to pop its head over the hillside straight in through the bedroom window, that is when I am ready to wake up and head for the kitchen for my morning cuppa. (By the way, Jim @ Farnham, the UK postal service is obviously worse than we thought because I never did receive that old tea bag you sent me a couple of months ago)'
There is, of course a security aspect of closing the shutters, and we do ensure we are burglar proof when we leave the house for any length of time. Even though crime is a rarity here and a burglary would make the local newspaper it is a requirement of our household insurance that we secure the house when we leave it, so shutters are closed. Somehow though, I feel that this is an invitation to burglers. If someone suddenly decided to take to a life of crime one day, all he would need to do is look for a house where all the shutters are closed all day. Or maybe not, since that is just about every other house around here outside the summer months and all the year-round residents know which houses are closed up for the winter.
Our neighbours are true creatures of habit. We could set our watches (if we wore them, which is one of the great things about being retired) by the sound of their cars leaving and returning every day. We know when to put lunch on by the sound of our neighbour returning every day for his own lunch at 11.45. We know when it is 11.15 on a Thursday and Sunday because the bread van visits the group of houses opposite. We know when it is 7.10 am or pm because the church bells chime for 5 minutes. And lately, I know when it is getting on for 5pm because my young friends come for a walk past the house for young Swanne to play with the kitten. Sadly, they will have to go home soon and probably won't return until next summer, but I'm sure they are now itching to get back home to Swanne's Daddy who is a chef and couldn't take a summer holiday at all.
------
I was reading a blog yesterday that I knew I hadn't read in a while. At first I thought I was going mad because one posting looked familiar and then I realised that it was almost a direct lift from another blog that I do read regularly. I can't believe that anyone would want to do that from my daft ramblings, but if you are considering it, please don't or at least ask me first and give me some credit for writing it in the first place. It is just as bad as theft to plagarise someone else's writing, and if that person has been kind enough to link your blog to theirs (I noticed the link had now been deleted) it is also extremely bad manners.
Friday, 24 August 2007
A 46-er!
St Barthélémy
Yesterday’s weather: Brightening
The Méhari became a ’46-er’ yesterday. That is, it got its new local number plate, so people don’t look at it (as we do any vehicle without a 46 at the end of the plate) and think ‘Huh! Tourist!’. Although we had made an appointment and given the garage the details of the new carte grise they hadn’t made up the number plates and were embarrassed that they weren’t ready for us. Not to worry, we went for a walk round the village in the meantime and caught up with how it has changed in the last 15 years since we first started visiting.
An English Estate Agent has set up there and, locals complain, this has pushed up house prices in the immediate vicinity. But at the same time, and possibly because of the influx of immigrants from Northern Europe, other things have smartened up. There are now two restaurants, two hairdressers, the ironmongery shop has moved in with the florist and sells all sorts of kitsch and the supermarket has had a huge make over. Unfortunately the dogs haven’t yet learned to clear up after themselves and there are gutters with an overwhelming smell of something unpleasant, but this is France. You cannot go for a stroll in any town or village without watching where you put your feet, unfortunately.
When we got back home with our new number plates, we found that our verges had been trimmed back again. Because of the rain this means that the lane is now covered in wet grass and weed cuttings – and we don’t know where Figgy had been hiding but he was wearing a very fetching green camouflage outfit so that he could play at ‘Commandos’. He decided to stay out last night, along with Jazz, probably because it was the first warm-ish dry night for some time. Misty did come in but got lonely in the kitchen all on her own and at about 3am Jon got up to let her into the rest of the house. Consequently she (who is a very heavy cat), came onto the bed, purred very loudly in my ear for half an hour before going to sleep on my feet.
The weather promises a good weekend but it is still very grey outside. We need it to dry up so that we can mow the lawn, strim, and all those other nice jobs that need a dry day.
Happy Friday everyone.
Yesterday’s weather: Brightening
The Méhari became a ’46-er’ yesterday. That is, it got its new local number plate, so people don’t look at it (as we do any vehicle without a 46 at the end of the plate) and think ‘Huh! Tourist!’. Although we had made an appointment and given the garage the details of the new carte grise they hadn’t made up the number plates and were embarrassed that they weren’t ready for us. Not to worry, we went for a walk round the village in the meantime and caught up with how it has changed in the last 15 years since we first started visiting.
An English Estate Agent has set up there and, locals complain, this has pushed up house prices in the immediate vicinity. But at the same time, and possibly because of the influx of immigrants from Northern Europe, other things have smartened up. There are now two restaurants, two hairdressers, the ironmongery shop has moved in with the florist and sells all sorts of kitsch and the supermarket has had a huge make over. Unfortunately the dogs haven’t yet learned to clear up after themselves and there are gutters with an overwhelming smell of something unpleasant, but this is France. You cannot go for a stroll in any town or village without watching where you put your feet, unfortunately.
When we got back home with our new number plates, we found that our verges had been trimmed back again. Because of the rain this means that the lane is now covered in wet grass and weed cuttings – and we don’t know where Figgy had been hiding but he was wearing a very fetching green camouflage outfit so that he could play at ‘Commandos’. He decided to stay out last night, along with Jazz, probably because it was the first warm-ish dry night for some time. Misty did come in but got lonely in the kitchen all on her own and at about 3am Jon got up to let her into the rest of the house. Consequently she (who is a very heavy cat), came onto the bed, purred very loudly in my ear for half an hour before going to sleep on my feet.
The weather promises a good weekend but it is still very grey outside. We need it to dry up so that we can mow the lawn, strim, and all those other nice jobs that need a dry day.
Happy Friday everyone.
Wednesday, 22 August 2007
Garlic soup and Bergerac wine
St Fabrice
Yesterday's weather. Very unseasonal!
We had a lovely day yesterday. We dropped in at the garage to arrange for new number plates for the Méhari and made an appointment to have them fitted on Thursday. Then we took a drive up into Dordogneshire to look at the views and have lunch in Domme.
Somehow we managed to miss all the rain and even sat outside the restaurant in the square where we had an extremely nice meal. I apologise to vegetarians now, but I thought I would describe this meal as it is typical of this region of France.
It started with the local speciality garlic soup. This might sound pretty anti-social, especially if you are not a garlic lover but it really isn't, it's a light white soup which always contains slices of pain de campagne and is really delicious. Knowing the health benefits of garlic it is probably very good for seeing off colds. And vampires too. Jon and our friend then had a duck terrine with foie gras, staying with the local speciality theme. I had a very nice smoked salmon and carpaccio of salmon duo. Then we had a speciality of that restaurant, a very rich coq au vin cooked in Bergerac wine served with wild mushrooms which were probably picked locally as it is coming in to mushroom hunting season.
The desserts are to die for! A Dommois is a cross between a mousse and an ice cream, made with walnuts and has a slightly nougat-y flavour. It's very popular in this restaurant. I chose a dish that is translated as 'cork-shaped rum baba with summer fruits'. Mmmmm. On my plate were two small rum babas with a small pot of crème anglaise a strawberry coulis, an apricot coulis, a slice of pineapple, a strawberry and a spoonful of chopped up Calvados jelly.
We aren't really dessert people, but we do enjoy a dessert when we are out for lunch or dinner, it's the only time we really spoil ourselves. That dessert alone would have cost about £8 in our favourite restaurant back in the UK, but here it was included in a set menu which was ridiculously well-priced. We are always amazed how French restaurants can produce an excellent meal for such a good price when back home in the UK the equivalent would probably cost around 2 1/2 times as much. That probably explains why restaurants like this one are always full, not only with tourists but locals too.
After lunch we took a pretty drive back home so that our visitor could collect his luggage before we returned him to the airport. The weather had been very miserable really for August but we had a lovely visit with him and look forward to his return later this year, we hope. On our way back from Toulouse we saw the most spectacular sunset through some amazing cloud formation, but by the time we were half way home the clouds had gathered and it rained heavily all the way. Back here we were greeted by two dryish cats who had obviously found shelter, and one little fellow who looked several pounds lighter than usual and rather spikey with his fur all soaked!
Yesterday's weather. Very unseasonal!
We had a lovely day yesterday. We dropped in at the garage to arrange for new number plates for the Méhari and made an appointment to have them fitted on Thursday. Then we took a drive up into Dordogneshire to look at the views and have lunch in Domme.
Somehow we managed to miss all the rain and even sat outside the restaurant in the square where we had an extremely nice meal. I apologise to vegetarians now, but I thought I would describe this meal as it is typical of this region of France.
It started with the local speciality garlic soup. This might sound pretty anti-social, especially if you are not a garlic lover but it really isn't, it's a light white soup which always contains slices of pain de campagne and is really delicious. Knowing the health benefits of garlic it is probably very good for seeing off colds. And vampires too. Jon and our friend then had a duck terrine with foie gras, staying with the local speciality theme. I had a very nice smoked salmon and carpaccio of salmon duo. Then we had a speciality of that restaurant, a very rich coq au vin cooked in Bergerac wine served with wild mushrooms which were probably picked locally as it is coming in to mushroom hunting season.
The desserts are to die for! A Dommois is a cross between a mousse and an ice cream, made with walnuts and has a slightly nougat-y flavour. It's very popular in this restaurant. I chose a dish that is translated as 'cork-shaped rum baba with summer fruits'. Mmmmm. On my plate were two small rum babas with a small pot of crème anglaise a strawberry coulis, an apricot coulis, a slice of pineapple, a strawberry and a spoonful of chopped up Calvados jelly.
We aren't really dessert people, but we do enjoy a dessert when we are out for lunch or dinner, it's the only time we really spoil ourselves. That dessert alone would have cost about £8 in our favourite restaurant back in the UK, but here it was included in a set menu which was ridiculously well-priced. We are always amazed how French restaurants can produce an excellent meal for such a good price when back home in the UK the equivalent would probably cost around 2 1/2 times as much. That probably explains why restaurants like this one are always full, not only with tourists but locals too.
After lunch we took a pretty drive back home so that our visitor could collect his luggage before we returned him to the airport. The weather had been very miserable really for August but we had a lovely visit with him and look forward to his return later this year, we hope. On our way back from Toulouse we saw the most spectacular sunset through some amazing cloud formation, but by the time we were half way home the clouds had gathered and it rained heavily all the way. Back here we were greeted by two dryish cats who had obviously found shelter, and one little fellow who looked several pounds lighter than usual and rather spikey with his fur all soaked!
Wednesday, 15 August 2007
Introduction to a Swanne
Ste Marie
Yesterday's weather: hot, sticky.
For the last couple of days Figgy has had a visitor. Not many people pass by our house apart from the neighbours in their cars on their way to work or home again. If anyone is passing they are usually walkers making a circuit from the village through the woods on this hill behind us, or maybe mushroomers after some of the cepes which the locals find a delicacy and we find a challenge. So we were surprised to find a young mother and her toddler son sitting outside the gates playing with Figgy the other day.
I went to speak to them. 'Bonjour', I said. 'He's very friendly, isn't he?' 'Oh, Madame, he is too friendly' said the young mother. She went on to tell me that she had been to visit Figgy a couple of times in the last few weeks and that he had followed her and her son down to the main road. She was so worried that the cat would run onto the road that she tried to frighten him away before gathering up her little one in her arms and running home.
Home for the summer, she said, is a house opposite where she and her son are staying with her parents for the whole of August. She pointed it out and we chatted for a few minutes before she and her son went on their way.
They returned yesterday. I was hanging out the washing as they passed and I waved to them. She asked if it would bother us if they stopped to play with Figaro again, but they hadn't seen him as they passed the gate. I went to find him and they came into the garden to play for a while. She had brought with her a bag of beans and tomatoes from her parents potager with a little note inside saying that it was from our neighbours opposite, Monsieur and Madame L. In a way I was disappointed. We've always referred to her as Mrs Veranda (or Mrs Veranda-Flapper thanks to her 'own' contribution to this blog some weeks ago). Now, I have to call them by their real names. But we were also very touched that her daughter had taken the trouble to collect up a bag of what were, I must say, delicious beans and tomatoes. She stopped a while and told us about all our neighbours that we haven't yet met. They all live behind big fences and have big dogs so we haven't been bold enough to go and knock on doors.
The little boy is such a sweetie, the sort of child you want to hug to you. He loves Figgy and was amazed by the size of Misty who he followed around the garden as she tried to get away from this child that she hadn't been properly introduced to. The child's name, we were told is Swanne. We've never heard that one before but maybe he was named for his elegant long neck. We are looking forward to their next visit. Perhaps I will wander home with her to meet the Verandas in the flesh instead of by semaphore as she flaps her tea towel over the veranda after every meal.
Delivery update
I had a phone call yesterday from the people who are delivering the chalet, shed and shower. Is Madame sure that a big lorry can get up our driveway to deliver it? Yes, Madame is sure there will be no problem. No, but is Madame sure that there will be access for a big lorry? Yes, Madame is quite sure. OK, then, how do they find the house? I gave directions. Thank you. But is Madame quite sure that the lorry will be able to deliver to her house?
By this time I was beginning to think, like Terry Wogan, 'Is it me?' Yes, there will absolutely, definitely, for certain be NO PROBLEM to get a big lorry up to the house to deliver the chalet and other items. Well, if Madame is sure then they will deliver by the end of the week. This week? Yes, Madame, this week. I didn't quite hear him say normalement but I'll believe it when I see it. He is going to call me when the delivery is imminent.
It wasn't until I had put the phone down that I began to wonder what he would have done if I had said that he couldn't get a big lorry up to the house.
Yesterday's weather: hot, sticky.
For the last couple of days Figgy has had a visitor. Not many people pass by our house apart from the neighbours in their cars on their way to work or home again. If anyone is passing they are usually walkers making a circuit from the village through the woods on this hill behind us, or maybe mushroomers after some of the cepes which the locals find a delicacy and we find a challenge. So we were surprised to find a young mother and her toddler son sitting outside the gates playing with Figgy the other day.
I went to speak to them. 'Bonjour', I said. 'He's very friendly, isn't he?' 'Oh, Madame, he is too friendly' said the young mother. She went on to tell me that she had been to visit Figgy a couple of times in the last few weeks and that he had followed her and her son down to the main road. She was so worried that the cat would run onto the road that she tried to frighten him away before gathering up her little one in her arms and running home.
Home for the summer, she said, is a house opposite where she and her son are staying with her parents for the whole of August. She pointed it out and we chatted for a few minutes before she and her son went on their way.
They returned yesterday. I was hanging out the washing as they passed and I waved to them. She asked if it would bother us if they stopped to play with Figaro again, but they hadn't seen him as they passed the gate. I went to find him and they came into the garden to play for a while. She had brought with her a bag of beans and tomatoes from her parents potager with a little note inside saying that it was from our neighbours opposite, Monsieur and Madame L. In a way I was disappointed. We've always referred to her as Mrs Veranda (or Mrs Veranda-Flapper thanks to her 'own' contribution to this blog some weeks ago). Now, I have to call them by their real names. But we were also very touched that her daughter had taken the trouble to collect up a bag of what were, I must say, delicious beans and tomatoes. She stopped a while and told us about all our neighbours that we haven't yet met. They all live behind big fences and have big dogs so we haven't been bold enough to go and knock on doors.
The little boy is such a sweetie, the sort of child you want to hug to you. He loves Figgy and was amazed by the size of Misty who he followed around the garden as she tried to get away from this child that she hadn't been properly introduced to. The child's name, we were told is Swanne. We've never heard that one before but maybe he was named for his elegant long neck. We are looking forward to their next visit. Perhaps I will wander home with her to meet the Verandas in the flesh instead of by semaphore as she flaps her tea towel over the veranda after every meal.
Delivery update
I had a phone call yesterday from the people who are delivering the chalet, shed and shower. Is Madame sure that a big lorry can get up our driveway to deliver it? Yes, Madame is sure there will be no problem. No, but is Madame sure that there will be access for a big lorry? Yes, Madame is quite sure. OK, then, how do they find the house? I gave directions. Thank you. But is Madame quite sure that the lorry will be able to deliver to her house?
By this time I was beginning to think, like Terry Wogan, 'Is it me?' Yes, there will absolutely, definitely, for certain be NO PROBLEM to get a big lorry up to the house to deliver the chalet and other items. Well, if Madame is sure then they will deliver by the end of the week. This week? Yes, Madame, this week. I didn't quite hear him say normalement but I'll believe it when I see it. He is going to call me when the delivery is imminent.
It wasn't until I had put the phone down that I began to wonder what he would have done if I had said that he couldn't get a big lorry up to the house.
Wednesday, 1 August 2007
Six months on.....
St Alphonse
Yesterday's weather was beautiful, not a cloud in the sky
Today is our six month anniversary. It hardly seems possible that we arrived here on 1 February when the ground was covered in snow. We unloaded two cars, three cats, a thousand tea bags and two huge pots of Marmite amongst other items. Oh yes, and my Mum who came to help us settle in.
The cats were very good on the journey. I don't know if the herbal remedy I'd been feeding them helped but they were a lot calmer than we expected them to be and when we got here they settled in a lot quicker than we expected them to. Jazz immediately took up residence under the buffet and the other two explored. When Jazz finally came out she took a fancy to a crocheted blanket Mum had brought with her and which she kindly donated to the cats (only we know the REAL reason why Mum didn't want it back and I won't go into that here). It is still Jazz's favourite bed companion.
So, six months on and where are we? Still waiting for the windows to be delivered. Still waiting for the chalet, shed and shower to be delivered. Still waiting for the kitchen units to be delivered........ Even Amazon has let me down this week. I was expecting 6 books yesterday and only one turned up. However, our usual postman was obviously training a temporary replacement to cover the round while he is on holiday and they visited us twice yesterday, having forgotten the book the first time round. Perhaps they still had the rest of them at the end of their round.
We are going to celebrate our six months. We just haven't decided how yet.
Yesterday's weather was beautiful, not a cloud in the sky
Today is our six month anniversary. It hardly seems possible that we arrived here on 1 February when the ground was covered in snow. We unloaded two cars, three cats, a thousand tea bags and two huge pots of Marmite amongst other items. Oh yes, and my Mum who came to help us settle in.
The cats were very good on the journey. I don't know if the herbal remedy I'd been feeding them helped but they were a lot calmer than we expected them to be and when we got here they settled in a lot quicker than we expected them to. Jazz immediately took up residence under the buffet and the other two explored. When Jazz finally came out she took a fancy to a crocheted blanket Mum had brought with her and which she kindly donated to the cats (only we know the REAL reason why Mum didn't want it back and I won't go into that here). It is still Jazz's favourite bed companion.
So, six months on and where are we? Still waiting for the windows to be delivered. Still waiting for the chalet, shed and shower to be delivered. Still waiting for the kitchen units to be delivered........ Even Amazon has let me down this week. I was expecting 6 books yesterday and only one turned up. However, our usual postman was obviously training a temporary replacement to cover the round while he is on holiday and they visited us twice yesterday, having forgotten the book the first time round. Perhaps they still had the rest of them at the end of their round.
We are going to celebrate our six months. We just haven't decided how yet.
Thursday, 26 July 2007
Calling Queensland
Ste Anne
Yesterday's weather: glorious
Coincidence, coincidence. Once more I have two events to mention.
Firstly my sister's saint's day. Regular readers will know that she is about to leave us for a couple of weeks r&r, not to mention a bit of retail therapy US style in Chicago, so the joke du jour will end for a while. Safe journey, Anne and have a great time. Oh, and by the way if you venture into Michigan look out for dried sour cherries, they are delish!
Secondly it's my cousin in Oz's birthday today, one of those 'big' ones with a zero at the end. Tons of love is being sent to Queensland from the UK and France. Of course when you are all partying tonight us European relatives will just about be having breakfast, but in France we'll try and fit in a glass of bubbly before it gets to midnight there. Happy Birthday Elaine. Have a wonderful day, you deserve it.
Now to home matters. We had planned to make a start on various projects this week but Jon has damaged his back. Nothing too serious, we hope but he's taking a few well-earned days off the heavy work and hopefully by next week we'll be ready to start digging, lifting, painting and generally working hard again. The weather forecast is very good for the next couple of weeks (if we can believe it this time) so we are fairly confident that we can really push on with some of the outside jobs. Hopefully a dry spell might also stop the grass from growing quite so rapidly, we can almost hear it growing at the moment.
Trying to make a garden out of a neglected wilderness is quite a challenge. As we are on the side of a rocky hill there is very little topsoil to work with. Next to the house used to be a barn.
This is now a big pile of rock as it appears to have completely collapsed, probably about 50 or 60 years ago. Jon worked hard to clear some of this area in the spring and we planted it with some low growing conifers and a few perennials thinking that as this was the only place we could plant for this year, at least we would have a little colour in the garden. Luckily it has proved a good growing place as the two lupin plants have almost completely taken over the upper level and are putting on a magnificent show. They will have to be moved as soon as summer is over. In front of the barn the 'grass' is more weed than anything else but regular mowing is proving to help kill off the weeds and encourage the grass.
Most of this year's plants are in pots on the patio, including the tomatoes (what is left of them) courgettes, peppers and chillies. We have two beautiful oleander plants which are beginning to put on a beautiful show of deep pink flowers, some fuschias and various other shrubs which aren't flowering at the moment but still look lovely in their pots.
We are beginning to plan next year's garden which will start from the edge of the paving around the pool. At least when the pool is dug out we will finally find out whether that area of garden was ever cultivated, which is what I am hoping for, or whether it is just another area that was neglected. The grass grows better over there so we are hoping it is the former which will make things easier for us. We are going to have to choose plants that don't drop too many leaves, or attract wasps otherwise we will spend too much time cleaning the pool and avoiding the wasps. It will be fun pouring over gardening catalogues this autumn.
Once again I am up and about early today. Kitten was scratching at the door at 6.30. I came downstairs and growled at him. That may sound cruel but it is the only thing he recognises to show that I am cross with him. If you raise your voice at him he thinks you love him even more and just purrs and rubs round your feet. But growling frightens him. I let him out and stayed up with a cuppa and this blog. It is a beautiful morning. Jazz has just come home and hoovered up a whole bowl of food. I don't know where she goes overnight but she is usually back here early in the morning. She's now settling down to a busy day of washing and sleeping.
I'm off to make another cuppa and wake Jon up. Don't want him to miss out on the lovely sunshine.
Yesterday's weather: glorious
Coincidence, coincidence. Once more I have two events to mention.
Firstly my sister's saint's day. Regular readers will know that she is about to leave us for a couple of weeks r&r, not to mention a bit of retail therapy US style in Chicago, so the joke du jour will end for a while. Safe journey, Anne and have a great time. Oh, and by the way if you venture into Michigan look out for dried sour cherries, they are delish!
Secondly it's my cousin in Oz's birthday today, one of those 'big' ones with a zero at the end. Tons of love is being sent to Queensland from the UK and France. Of course when you are all partying tonight us European relatives will just about be having breakfast, but in France we'll try and fit in a glass of bubbly before it gets to midnight there. Happy Birthday Elaine. Have a wonderful day, you deserve it.
Now to home matters. We had planned to make a start on various projects this week but Jon has damaged his back. Nothing too serious, we hope but he's taking a few well-earned days off the heavy work and hopefully by next week we'll be ready to start digging, lifting, painting and generally working hard again. The weather forecast is very good for the next couple of weeks (if we can believe it this time) so we are fairly confident that we can really push on with some of the outside jobs. Hopefully a dry spell might also stop the grass from growing quite so rapidly, we can almost hear it growing at the moment.
Trying to make a garden out of a neglected wilderness is quite a challenge. As we are on the side of a rocky hill there is very little topsoil to work with. Next to the house used to be a barn.
This is now a big pile of rock as it appears to have completely collapsed, probably about 50 or 60 years ago. Jon worked hard to clear some of this area in the spring and we planted it with some low growing conifers and a few perennials thinking that as this was the only place we could plant for this year, at least we would have a little colour in the garden. Luckily it has proved a good growing place as the two lupin plants have almost completely taken over the upper level and are putting on a magnificent show. They will have to be moved as soon as summer is over. In front of the barn the 'grass' is more weed than anything else but regular mowing is proving to help kill off the weeds and encourage the grass.
Most of this year's plants are in pots on the patio, including the tomatoes (what is left of them) courgettes, peppers and chillies. We have two beautiful oleander plants which are beginning to put on a beautiful show of deep pink flowers, some fuschias and various other shrubs which aren't flowering at the moment but still look lovely in their pots.
We are beginning to plan next year's garden which will start from the edge of the paving around the pool. At least when the pool is dug out we will finally find out whether that area of garden was ever cultivated, which is what I am hoping for, or whether it is just another area that was neglected. The grass grows better over there so we are hoping it is the former which will make things easier for us. We are going to have to choose plants that don't drop too many leaves, or attract wasps otherwise we will spend too much time cleaning the pool and avoiding the wasps. It will be fun pouring over gardening catalogues this autumn.
Once again I am up and about early today. Kitten was scratching at the door at 6.30. I came downstairs and growled at him. That may sound cruel but it is the only thing he recognises to show that I am cross with him. If you raise your voice at him he thinks you love him even more and just purrs and rubs round your feet. But growling frightens him. I let him out and stayed up with a cuppa and this blog. It is a beautiful morning. Jazz has just come home and hoovered up a whole bowl of food. I don't know where she goes overnight but she is usually back here early in the morning. She's now settling down to a busy day of washing and sleeping.
I'm off to make another cuppa and wake Jon up. Don't want him to miss out on the lovely sunshine.
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