Working hard

I know.  I am terrible at updating my blog.  It is just that life keeps getting in the way and so I have no time to sit at the computer.

A short time after my last post I received an urgent request from someone I know to take over from her at her job.  After a lot of discussion and deliberation, I have taken it on and am now even more busy than before.  But you can't really knock back paid work when on offer can you.

So I spend my weekday mornings working in garden, looking after the poultry and cats and doing all the usual household tasks.  Then the afternoons are spent teaching english at a local school and tutoring kidlets in english.  We have had a good giggle thinking about the fact that there is going to be a whole generation of French children who grow up speaking english with an Australian accent.....

As it is more academic than what I was doing before, I need to prepare lesson plans and do a lot more prep work.  A lot of fun though and the kidlets are mostly really good.  A few challenges, but nothing I can't handle.

Guy is not coping well with my working afternoons.  He is such a stress boy and spends all the time I am away from home ripping his fur out.  He looks very moth eaten and scruffy.  Have tried everything to calm him down, but he is so attached to me that he can't cope with me being gone for any amount of time.  At least when working in the garden he can see me, but when I drive off he falls apart.

Eric.  Well he is his usual self and really doesn't care much so long as food bowl is full and he has a warm spot to sleep.

Poor Sophie is getting very old and starting to show her age.  I have a feeling she will not last the winter.  It will be sad, but at least the last few years of her life have been very comfortable and she has had a good quality of life with us. 

McKinnell is growing up and turning into a very handsome young cat.  He is starting to fill out and keep some weight on now, which is a good thing.  Still an absolute sook and cries for cuddles and attention, but with a lovely nature and personality.  A real talker too.  He loves to follow me around "helping" outside and meowling the whole time.

The hens are doing really well and all my chicks from this year are at the layer stage, so we have plenty of eggs.  Nougat still hates Garlic, some things never change.  Garlic is still my sooky boy and loves his cuddles, but is getting way too big to pick up for very long.  He is magnificent and much bigger than Nougat.  I keep telling Nougat to stop picking on Garlic.  Someday soon Garlic is going to realise he is the bigger rooster and put Nougat in his place.

My duckling is growing well.  Not big enough for Christmas dinner, so it will live a while longer.  It is best friends with the dwarf/legbar hen and they spend all their time together.  Really cute to watch them.

In september I visited a Chateau that is famous for its gardens with the garden club.  The Chateau de la Bourdaisière.  Absolutely fabulous!  Incredible gardens with all sorts of flowers, but specialising in tomatoes and dahlias.  We had the special lunch menu where everything was tomato based which was really good and very interesting.  You normally don't think of tomatoes as a dessert fruit, but the tomato sorbet we had was lovely.

I am loving the glossy black tomatoes, and am going to try and grow them next year.  Will also be trialling a new way of staking the plants.  They had them attached to tripods, which were much more sturdy than the single stake that most people use.  Shall see what happens next year.

The school I am working at is only 15minutes away, but most of the kids did not know me beforehand.  Now I am known by all of them, to the point of not being able to go anywhere without one of them coming up to me and trying to talk in english.  Cute, but some days you really want to remain anonymous...lol  The stories I could tell after such a short time.... there are NO secrets when children are involved.  I should be writing them down so I can write a book afterwards.  The secret life of French families, or somesuch title.

All the staff are really nice and have been very welcoming and helpful.  I think I am very lucky to have such a lovely group of people to work with.  It really does make a huge difference.  We always have a nice chat and quite often a good laugh over something.  Helping my french enormously as well.

We are spending Christmas here this year.  Our roof is being replaced and work is due to start at any time after 25th december, so we need to be onsite ready.  It will be good to not have to worry when we get storms.  Normally we are frozen in place each time the wind gusts, waiting to hear the insidious drip drip of leaks, or the crack and clatter of another tile breaking/turning to dust - or mud during heavy rain.

Personally, I am fine with staying home and curling up in front of the fire with the cats and a good book.  I also have 2 really nice teas to enjoy, so I am quite content.

Speaking of books, my kindle has died.  I was devastated!  Mind you, as Wayne said, it has seen A LOT of use over the years that I have owned it.  It has also travelled all over and is probably more well travelled than most people.  Luckily all my books are archived so I can access them still on my new kindle.  After a month, I received a new one for my birthday which was wonderful.  It is already bulging with titles and getting a good workout.  Still trying to get used to the new way of using it though.  No buttons like the old one, just touch screen controls.  Sometimes I am wondering why it won't go to next page, only to realise that no matter how many times I press the side it won't work... you need to touch the screen. Sigh.

Busy time of year.....

Wow!  It just seems like yesterday that I made my last post, and here it is two months later.

I had heaps of catching up to do after my recuperation, and have been so busy that time has just flown by.  In fact there are still things that I am behind on.

October saw the death of one of my chicks.  I had purchased two dwarf chickens (not bantams) as my "mother hens" for next year.  The sweetest of the two was still a bit too young to cope with being outside in the cold and unfortunately she died.  I was a bit sad as she was the one that liked to cuddle.  A lovely little personality and quite tame as well.

Two weeks later my rooster took ill.  He was quite often a bit "off colour" as he ate anything that he could fit in his beak.  Bees, rubbish, you name it.  If it could be swallowed - it was swallowed.  He developed sour crop and could not be saved.  Unfortunately he was very much a "don't touch me" kind of rooster, so by the time I could touch him, he was too weak and sick to survive.  A real shame as he was a superbe rooster and absolutely enormous.  I have a replacement, but he is just not quite as good as my original.  Nothing wrong with him, but the first one was a hard act to follow.

November saw heavy frosts starting to hit and everyone racing to get ready for winter.  The garden however was still in full flower, so I am still now - in december - doing my autumn pruning!  Another week should see it done for the year.

We spent a weekend weather proofing and insulating the hen house.  It really is a chicken palace now!  I use the deep litter method, so it is very cosy inside.  The mice think so too..... grrr.  They are so bold that they don't even move till you get right up to them.  Have been putting mint in the house which mice hate, but it only lasts a few days to a week and has to be redone.  I will get rid of them though!  If all else fails, I will lock Sophie in there overnight.....

The spare bedroom is now much better organised and more user friendly for my sewing projects.  Cannot wait to start making a few new outfits.  Same with the office.  I had a major sort out and reorganised a lot of things and now have a good work space for my craft projects as well as desk space for working.  Much nicer and easier to work there now.

Guy and Eric are loving our new heating.  The wood pellet fire is fabulous and they think it is just for them.  There is now a basket in front of it and they take turns curling up in it and basking in the warmth.  Think I might have to get a second basket so they can each have their own.  Sophie, meanwhile, has discovered the joys of a heated bed.  We have a heating pad in her bed in one of the outbuildings.  It is on a timer and turns on around 17h30 and off around 08h30.  Between those hours she is not to be found outside.  In fact, she demands dinner at 1700h and then goes to bed!  In the morning she stays in bed till it starts cooling off, and quite often is still in bed late in the morning.  Very funny when you go looking for her and call out for ages, only to go into the dependance and see a little furry head poking out of the cat bed all blinky and fuzzy eyed.

We planted a new apple tree this weekend, part of the plan of getting ready to replace a few fruit trees which are very old and not fruiting very well anymore.  It will bear fruit in about three years, so that will be just in time for the current old trees to be fading out.  Gradually over the next few years we will replace some of the older fruit trees and rejuvenate the orchard.  Will be nice to have eating apples as well as the current cooking and cider apples.

Our neighbour has been in hospital the past few weeks.  All ok now and he is back home, but his chickens have meantime moved out and decided they prefer to live chez nous.  I was feeding them whilst he was unwell, and combined with the fact that they have always wandered in when the gate is open and visited our terrain, they now think I am their owner.  They follow me around everywhere and if they hear my voice they come running (have you ever seen chickens run flat out?  Funniest thing you have ever seen!!!).  After the fruit tree planting saturday I was digging up the parsnips and the last of the carrots and beetroots with the assistance of his flock.  Really funny to have a flock of chickens poised attentively around you waiting for a juicy worm or bug to be unearthed.  Had to be careful not to tread on one of them if I stepped backwards!  Afterwards I was trying to put them back in their coop, but it was more like a Keystone Cops or Benny Hill episode than anything.  I am tempting them through the gate and closing it, to turn around and walk back to the house, only to find more chickens to herd towards the gate, shepherd through, close, turn, more chickens..... repeat repeat repeat.  The cheeky beggers were walking in the gate and along the fence a bit (till behind a tree and out of sight), then flying back over to my side again whilst I was busy getting their flock mates through the gate.  All in the freezing cold without my coat on.  I was not a happy bunny, but had to laugh as it was so ridiculas.

The photo above was taken by Wayne on his iphone.  Me wrangling the neighbours chickens with the assistance of Sophie.  She loves chickens, and always helps me feed, lock up etc every day.  Mind you, she is also quite fond of sampling any tidbits I throw out for them as well......

Anyway, Christmas is coming quickly and hopefully things will slow down a bit.  We are celebrating on Christmas Eve with our neighbours (French celebrate Christmas Eve, not Christmas Day) which will be lovely.  We are sharing the food preparation and it should be a great night.  The 25th we will be recovering quietly at home, and gathering strength for the Orphans Picnic on Boxing Day which we are hosting.  (Casual potluck for friends in our group who are not travelling to family for the fetes.)

Hope everyone has a lovely Christmas and look forward to having more time in the New Year to blog more frequently.  Best wishes!

Atelier

This afternoon I did something which I have wanted to do for a long long time.

No, I did not run amock in a garden centre with an unlimited budget!..... I went to a cake decorating workshop.

What a great way to spend the afternoon!  We had so much fun and finished the session with mince pies and mulled wine and a cup of tea.  Lots of laughter and chatting as well as exploring our artistic side in icing.

Before I went, I had said I wanted to do snowflake patterns, but after seeing a cake with holly on top changed my mind and wanted to do something similar.  A girl is allowed to change her mind.

We started with fruitcakes made by Bev,

and she took us through covering them with marzipan,

then sugar paste, (modelled expertly by Janice),

and then decorating with sugar paste.

  Lots of sticky, sugary fun.

Aren't we a clever bunch?!  Three completely different ideas starting with the same basic cake and icing techniques.

Bev is running classes at her home this week and next, so book in quick.  A great Christmas present for a family member or friend, or just a nice treat for yourself.  You can find her at www.cheztantemabel.com

 Classes will also be available next year with other themes (ie; Easter etc).  Check out her website, some of the cutest things ever can be found there.

My holly decorated cake will be raffled to support the Combined Services Support Group this saturday lunchtime in Fenioux at Café des Belles Fleurs. 

Raining and pouring

Wish I was snoring....

It is perfect stay in bed weather.  Autumn seems to have given way to winter a tad early.  We have had hard frosts already and everything has gone into hibernation - animals and plants. This week has seen heavy rain, and more heavy rain.

The fire has been lit from lunchtime every day.  The cats are most appreciative of this.  It does make the house lovely and cosy, and I like the look and feel of a fire as opposed to electric or gas heating.

No real news.  I am still working away at my photography course as well as my other projects.  Wayne is still working hard and travelling from time to time.

Looking forward to our Christmas in Australia.  Eight years is far too long.  Also to see all the family - including all new children in the family - and to catch up with old friends.  We have less than three weeks together in Australia, but cannot complain.  It will just be good to be there.

Christmas time is here

... and hopefully the eurostar is running.....

Just a quick message before the last minute rush.

We are supposed to be going to London for Christmas.  I say supposed to be, as the eurostar has been running a very limited service due to all the snow we have had in France and England.  Not only has it affected the airports, but the trains have been hard hit as well.

As of this evening the website was saying we will travel, but then we have had more snow since that update.

Who knows what will happen.

What I do know is that whether we are in London or Paris we will have a lovely Christmas.  There is a good chance it will be a white Christmas, and that is something special for these little Aussies.

The boys are going to the cat sitter tomorrow, I will miss them enormously.  It will be a huge change for Eric who thinks he is so big and brave and fearless.  A real character.  He is growing at a great rate of knots and is becoming more and more acrobatic with each day.  Learning new tricks - when he wants to (he is a cat after all - not a goggie), and being so cute it is hard to punish him when he is naughty.  His latest trick is to bring me his stuffed toys whilst I am sleeping.  I wake up in the morning with a collection in bed with me.  Adores his stuffed skunk and lamb, carries them around the appartement and keeps them near him, and thinks his bilby is the perfect toy to bash up.  The Loch Ness monster he just washes and fusses over.  Plays fetch when he is in the mood and there is nothing better to do.

Guy is getting a bit muscular now.  All the playing chase around the appartement is doing him good.  Still a gorgeous snuggly boy though. 

It will be good to have a big house for them to play in.  I can imagine the games of chase up and down all the staircases...... and they will learn all about basking in front of an open fire.  Something which I am sure they will excell at.

No pics of decorations.  Due to having a teenaged kitten/cat and being about to move house, I have not done any lighting or decorations at all.  Must say I do miss the smell of pine boughs in the house. 

The pic above was taken by Wayne in Beaver Creek USA last winter.  Kind of appropriate for here this winter.

I hope everyone has a lovely Christmas with family and friends.

Christkindelmarik, Strasbourg 2010

Just a quick post with an update on the trip to Strasbourg.....

Yes it did go ahead.  The TGV was running, albeit at a much slower speed than usual.

We had a fabulous day wandering around the city and exploring the little markets scattered throughout it.

Lunch was sauerkraut (for C.) and Civet de Biche (venison casserole, for me).  

The whole city smelt like Christmas.  Spicy, warm and enticing.

Lights and decorations abounded, and the whole city felt very welcome and a bit like Santa's grotto....

 More pics in the album to the left.

The angel picture is specially for two lovely friends.  Firstly to Joan.  Her Christmas angels are glorious affairs.  Hope you like the ones at the top of the post Joan.

 

 These ones are for Barbara.  Well wishes and hope you are not having too rough a time with chemo.