ALLO ALLO....Listen very carefully, I will say zis only once!

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Well, I looked out of the window this morning and had the most unexpected but welcome suprise….BRIGHT SUNSHINE!!

I dressed in haste, but a t-shirt does make a different but unique style of summer shorts, and raced downstairs to enjoy the rays. I spent hours in the garden tidying up, digging the hole for the pond and setting up the BBQ for a nice al fresco lunch….the birds were singing in the trees and children screamed in delight as they ran through the streets playing their wondeful games. I even managed to stretch out on a lounger for an hour to soak up the rays and it was whilst lieing there that it happened…..

I woke up and realised it was all a dream. I got out of bed and opened the curtains and guess what? Yes, it was and still is, raining!! Bang goes my day clearing and prepping the border, I think and now I have to fill my time with something else.

So, the choices are…..

OR….

write a blog about our first trip to France back in Feb/March with some pics included and continue to work through GoY!

So, no contest. Here we go….

‘My girlfriend left me for a Tazmanian Goat Herder and now wants me to marry her dad!’, it is then…..

Just kidding all….God, this rain is starting to get to me!

So, before Xmas, our friends in Chesterfield asked if we would like to join them on a road trip to her cousin’s place in France. He had bought a farmhouse somewhere in the south of France with 12 acres or so of land and had invited us along with our friends. Mmmm, didn’t have to think long about that one! We had a chilling 5 days there but would def fly next time – our friends don’t fly! It was a loooong drive as they did it over 3 days but it was great, all the same.

So here are some pics of our time there:

The farmhouse is located in CATUS.

View from the back veranda:

Looking up at the house from the back garden….well, from halfway down the garden! 12 acres is a lot of land, after all!

Iain, the Lord of the Manor, had already dug over his intended veg patch with his second hand mini tractor…

Having so many trees and log burners in the house, it makes sense to chop up the dead trees that have fallen down and make logs for the winter months.

I’m a lumberjack and I’m okay….

…I sleep all night and I work all day – and I don’t always wear the appropriate safety attire! This is Iain, the owner, and he did eventually put helmet, ear muffs and gloves on following my concerns. I didn’t partake in the chopping but did stack the logs for him.

A few hours in CAHORS – very nice place…

CRACKING VIEW GROMIT!!

Arch over Valentré bridge in Cahors

Cathédrale Saint-Étienne

Courtyard inside the Cathedral.

Views across the river in Cahors:

And then the next day, we visited Rocamadour. Built into the side of the cliff face it is stunning. Hope you like the pics, there are a few…

This is at the top of the run down to Rocamadour. Notice that the trees all look the same. They are cut to look this way but I can’t remember why!

Looking up from the street…

The Black Madonna is housed inside this little chapel and is is place of pilgrimage and interest for thousands of visitors every year:

Looks a nice little place to live – chocolate box methinks!

…..and a couple of days left chilling on the farmhouse and a chance to take some more pics….

The path at the top of their land. A lovely walk that takes you all around his land and the area – stunning views with deer running wild!

I have told them to take the ‘balles de fat’ out of the net bags in future!

Anyone looking?

And that’s it folks. Have other pics but got to stop somewhere. Sorry if you’re bored now and well done if you lasted this long!

Now, as I sit here looking out of the window at the sunsh……pouring rain, I’m trying to remain positive and thinking of the plus points of all this rain…

1. It will save me creating a pond area as there is one forming itself right now!

2. I get to spend time with a swine flu victim – not many can say or even want
to say that!

3. I get to now read more great blogs from all you wonderful folk as well as
peruse the many wonderful pics you all share.

Gardening today is most surely off the menu…..‘MOTHER! Where’s me snorkel and flippers?’

• 29 Jul, 2009
• 6 likes

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