We're now back from a lovely week out at La Matha, spent with some friends. We did a few chores/DIY stuff, but also did a lot of visiting places, eating out and tasting/drinking wine. Later posts about the trips we made with some photos.
One big thing that was sorted out was additional insulation for the large en-suite shower room - the ceiling had been insulated; however, the wall behind the washbasin was just plasterboard. This was the reason why, when the weather got to -15c last winter, we suffered some damage in that bathroom. As a result, I bought 100mm think insulation sheets and some adhesive. It took me less than two hours to insulate the whole of the back walls, including our cupboard on the landing and the triple bedroom and shower room. Hopefully the problems of last winter will not be repeated.
If the weather does get as cold as it did last winter, I also rigged up a frost thermometer for an oil-filled radiator for the large en-suite. This has now been left so that it will come on if the temperature falls below 0c.
One thing that had been annoying me was that, for a couple of years, a hazel bush had grown so large that it obscured the swimming pool from the master bedroom window (not that I spend a lot of time looking out of that window!). I had bought a good bow saw, and started to be a lumber-jack. Soon the whole party joined in the fun - stripping the leaves and making kindling and firewood. We did not pull up the roots, but will chop down the growth each time it gets too much.
Finally, and all the visitors from this year will be please to know this, we have finally identified the source of the blocked loo and slow draining shower in the main en-suite. This is caused by bad angles/joins in the pipework from the loo and the shower. A French plumber called Nathaniel Botti will be sorting this out the w/c 22 October.
Monday, 15 October 2012
Saturday, 29 September 2012
Is this Flash, or Not?
When I first created the website (www.la-matha.com) back in early 2008, I was putting something very simple together. The software I was using was NVU, which is now BlueGriffon, which is freeware. It does not have many rich features in it, although if I knew how to type HTML code, I could have done great things!
The original Pictures page was just a table which contained a series of pared down pictures - it did its job, but it was basic.
Earlier this year, I used some different software to build a website for my business (http://www.opriskconsultant.com/ - have to give it a plug!), and bought an easy to use program called Coffee Cup. This was fine, if a bit stilted - it was harder to customise things in it. I decided not to re-build the La Matha website using Coffee Cup, leaving it as it was. Coffee Cup also produce a Photo Gallery program, so I got that, and very quickly produced quite a good little gallery which could run a slide show. I was happy........ until I tried it on my iPhone. Of course Coffee Cup Photo Gallery produces the slide show using Adobe Flash, which is not supported by Apple - if you don't know, there has been a long battle between Adobe and Apple: Adobe promoting their Flash protocol, and Apple wanting the world to follow them with HTML5. Apple have now won, and Adobe are no longer going to be bringing out new versions of Flash.
Anyway, Coffee Cup announced that the new version of Photo Gallery can produce HTML5 slide shows, so I got an upgrade. However, that only works if you take up their hosting package, which I don't need, as I already have a web service that I use. Not happy.
I then found a new software called JuiceBox. That produces a photo gallery using HTML5, and what's more, there was a free version! Happy days!
The newer and better photo gallery really looks good - see for yourself: http://www.la-matha.com/Pictures.htm and the great thing is that you can view it on an iPhone or iPad!
The original Pictures page was just a table which contained a series of pared down pictures - it did its job, but it was basic.
Earlier this year, I used some different software to build a website for my business (http://www.opriskconsultant.com/ - have to give it a plug!), and bought an easy to use program called Coffee Cup. This was fine, if a bit stilted - it was harder to customise things in it. I decided not to re-build the La Matha website using Coffee Cup, leaving it as it was. Coffee Cup also produce a Photo Gallery program, so I got that, and very quickly produced quite a good little gallery which could run a slide show. I was happy........ until I tried it on my iPhone. Of course Coffee Cup Photo Gallery produces the slide show using Adobe Flash, which is not supported by Apple - if you don't know, there has been a long battle between Adobe and Apple: Adobe promoting their Flash protocol, and Apple wanting the world to follow them with HTML5. Apple have now won, and Adobe are no longer going to be bringing out new versions of Flash.
Anyway, Coffee Cup announced that the new version of Photo Gallery can produce HTML5 slide shows, so I got an upgrade. However, that only works if you take up their hosting package, which I don't need, as I already have a web service that I use. Not happy.
I then found a new software called JuiceBox. That produces a photo gallery using HTML5, and what's more, there was a free version! Happy days!
The newer and better photo gallery really looks good - see for yourself: http://www.la-matha.com/Pictures.htm and the great thing is that you can view it on an iPhone or iPad!
Tuesday, 11 September 2012
End of the Summer
We're now at the end of the summer. We have family staying at La Matha at the moment, and one more set of visitors staying at the beginning of October, before we go out on 6 Oct. We really can't wait, as we haven't been able to go there as much this year as we did last year.
At this time of the year, thoughts turn to improvements we would like to make for next year. We have done a large number of improvements over the last couple of years, as chronicled in earlier posts. What more is there to be done?
One thing we would like to do is render the walls in the utility room, and then paint them and the ceiling. We will probably have the stone walls finished in the traditional "pierre apparente" that we have outside and on some internal walls - strangely, it is a cheaper finish, and looks so good! Doing that, and then painting the concrete floor should make the room (which is just used for storage and as a utility room) much less dusty and be a tad more inviting than it is at the moment. Oh yes - we will also have to see what we can do to replace the cracked glass in the sliding patio door in that room.
Another idea we had for an improvement was to build a large pergola on the hard stand to the left of the house. With some shade over the top, that will be an ideal area to have the table tennis table, which, unless people bring it outside, is a bit cramped in the utility room. That area to the side of the house is the least attractive part of the grounds, and is in need of a tidy-up even if we don't do the pergola.
A final thought on the pergola is that we have not been able to find any for sale in France, which will mean buying a kit in the UK and taking it over. That means hiring a van again, which will also be a good excuse for buying a load of wine again - memories of bringing back about 700 bottles last year.........
Further posts will be made of what we decide to do.
At this time of the year, thoughts turn to improvements we would like to make for next year. We have done a large number of improvements over the last couple of years, as chronicled in earlier posts. What more is there to be done?
One thing we would like to do is render the walls in the utility room, and then paint them and the ceiling. We will probably have the stone walls finished in the traditional "pierre apparente" that we have outside and on some internal walls - strangely, it is a cheaper finish, and looks so good! Doing that, and then painting the concrete floor should make the room (which is just used for storage and as a utility room) much less dusty and be a tad more inviting than it is at the moment. Oh yes - we will also have to see what we can do to replace the cracked glass in the sliding patio door in that room.
Another idea we had for an improvement was to build a large pergola on the hard stand to the left of the house. With some shade over the top, that will be an ideal area to have the table tennis table, which, unless people bring it outside, is a bit cramped in the utility room. That area to the side of the house is the least attractive part of the grounds, and is in need of a tidy-up even if we don't do the pergola.
A final thought on the pergola is that we have not been able to find any for sale in France, which will mean buying a kit in the UK and taking it over. That means hiring a van again, which will also be a good excuse for buying a load of wine again - memories of bringing back about 700 bottles last year.........
Further posts will be made of what we decide to do.
Wednesday, 8 August 2012
Flying Visit - the Results
Hmm -how write this and paint it in a positive light?
In May this year, we organised internet access through SFR. This was set up with the help from a former colleague in Paris, as the number you have to use for this can only be dialled from France..... Anyway, it all went smoothly: the kit arrived in the post, I was able to set that up, change the password etc, the engineers arrived and set the line up. It was working well, as evidenced by blogs on this site posted from there. However, when our daughter visited in mid-July, she reported that, whilst they could access the wifi, but there was no internet access.
After contacting SFR, it turned out that they had cancelled the contract for a "technical reason", but with no notice. We then had to go through the process of setting it up again: why didn't I walk away then?
Anyway, we had to have new kit and return the old stuff (no chance!), and then an engineer had to come to set the line up - why that had to happen when there was no need for an engineer to turn it off, beats me! The visit was organised for 25 July, when some visitors were already staying there. I decided that it would be better for me to pop out for 24hours to meet the engineer, and set up the wifi box. I took the advantage or sorting other stuff out as well (below).
Engineers were due to arrive between 13h and 15h; however, at noon, I received a call saying there were no engineers available, and therefore, the visit was cancelled........ Numerous calls to attempt to resolve it failed.
On my return to the UK, I called on daily basis to find out when the engineer was going to visit, with no success - I kept on being told that they would let me know. After a week, I gave up, and decided to go with another provider, France Telecom, and cancel SFR. When I contacted SFR, I was told that the contract had been cancelled! They had done it again, without telling me!!!
OK - France Telecom have given us a good contract: slightly more a month, but it can be turned off when we're not there. Engineers have already been, and internet access has returned!
The other little things to sort out were electrics and the boiler. This year we noticed that whenever we turned the oven on, the power would cut out. It turned out that the heat pump and pool filter kit were on the same electric phase as the oven, which meant it was over-loaded when the oven was turned on. The electrician arrived and simply moved the pool stuff onto a different phase of the power supply - problem sorted.
The heating engineer needed to come as the hot water was either too cold or too hot - the boiler didn't start until the water was less than 40c and only cut out over 80c. A new thermostat and control has now been installed.
Finally, I have to say it was very strange being in the house when guests were there - a bit like being a stranger in your own home! The visitors were charming and very kind to me - I had to hang around all day, waiting for the heating engineer to arrive, and he didn't turn up until 18h.
All in all it was frustrating. I managed to get a couple of niggles sorted out, but the lack of the internet, the whole reason for the trip, was very annoying. That has now been resolved, which is why I feel I can share this with you!
In May this year, we organised internet access through SFR. This was set up with the help from a former colleague in Paris, as the number you have to use for this can only be dialled from France..... Anyway, it all went smoothly: the kit arrived in the post, I was able to set that up, change the password etc, the engineers arrived and set the line up. It was working well, as evidenced by blogs on this site posted from there. However, when our daughter visited in mid-July, she reported that, whilst they could access the wifi, but there was no internet access.
After contacting SFR, it turned out that they had cancelled the contract for a "technical reason", but with no notice. We then had to go through the process of setting it up again: why didn't I walk away then?
Anyway, we had to have new kit and return the old stuff (no chance!), and then an engineer had to come to set the line up - why that had to happen when there was no need for an engineer to turn it off, beats me! The visit was organised for 25 July, when some visitors were already staying there. I decided that it would be better for me to pop out for 24hours to meet the engineer, and set up the wifi box. I took the advantage or sorting other stuff out as well (below).
Engineers were due to arrive between 13h and 15h; however, at noon, I received a call saying there were no engineers available, and therefore, the visit was cancelled........ Numerous calls to attempt to resolve it failed.
On my return to the UK, I called on daily basis to find out when the engineer was going to visit, with no success - I kept on being told that they would let me know. After a week, I gave up, and decided to go with another provider, France Telecom, and cancel SFR. When I contacted SFR, I was told that the contract had been cancelled! They had done it again, without telling me!!!
OK - France Telecom have given us a good contract: slightly more a month, but it can be turned off when we're not there. Engineers have already been, and internet access has returned!
The other little things to sort out were electrics and the boiler. This year we noticed that whenever we turned the oven on, the power would cut out. It turned out that the heat pump and pool filter kit were on the same electric phase as the oven, which meant it was over-loaded when the oven was turned on. The electrician arrived and simply moved the pool stuff onto a different phase of the power supply - problem sorted.
The heating engineer needed to come as the hot water was either too cold or too hot - the boiler didn't start until the water was less than 40c and only cut out over 80c. A new thermostat and control has now been installed.
Finally, I have to say it was very strange being in the house when guests were there - a bit like being a stranger in your own home! The visitors were charming and very kind to me - I had to hang around all day, waiting for the heating engineer to arrive, and he didn't turn up until 18h.
All in all it was frustrating. I managed to get a couple of niggles sorted out, but the lack of the internet, the whole reason for the trip, was very annoying. That has now been resolved, which is why I feel I can share this with you!
La Terrasse
As mentioned below, a few days ago I stayed at La Terrasse during my flying visit, and am happy to report back my findings. The restaurant and rooms (difficult to call it a hotel!) have been taken over by a husband and wife from Belgium, and their son. In the morning, I had a good chat with Eric, the husband, who was charming.
My room was fine, although when I was let into the room, the windows were closed and the shutters open. It had been a very hot day, well over 30c, which meant that the room was like a furnace. The temperature did not abate until the early hours of the morning - I did not manage to sleep very well.
Now for the restaurant. What we liked about La Terrasse was that the menu was quirky - a little bit different, and not traditional french cuisine. Unfortunately, that has changed. There are now a series of menus, starting with the "Menu Touristique" at €19.50. This now implies that it is just like all the other French Restaurants. That said, the food was good and interesting. I was a bit disappointed by my faux-fillet, which was tough. Other diners had what looked good main courses, for instance, an interesting mixed grill, served on a wooden model wheelbarrow.
I did enjoy my meal, but not as much as I used to there. As a result, I am disappointed - we will eat there again, but not as regularly as we used to.
My room was fine, although when I was let into the room, the windows were closed and the shutters open. It had been a very hot day, well over 30c, which meant that the room was like a furnace. The temperature did not abate until the early hours of the morning - I did not manage to sleep very well.
Now for the restaurant. What we liked about La Terrasse was that the menu was quirky - a little bit different, and not traditional french cuisine. Unfortunately, that has changed. There are now a series of menus, starting with the "Menu Touristique" at €19.50. This now implies that it is just like all the other French Restaurants. That said, the food was good and interesting. I was a bit disappointed by my faux-fillet, which was tough. Other diners had what looked good main courses, for instance, an interesting mixed grill, served on a wooden model wheelbarrow.
I did enjoy my meal, but not as much as I used to there. As a result, I am disappointed - we will eat there again, but not as regularly as we used to.
Thursday, 26 July 2012
Les Coquelicots, Landerrouat
I think that I've mentioned this before, but an old bar in a near-by village, Landerrouat, has had a make-over. New owners took over 6 months ago, and have created a bar/café, an épicerie, and a crêperie. These are all linked, although if you go into the épicerie entrance in the middle, you will be hemmed in by the shelving. That section has some basic supplies - useful if you need something urgently say at lunchtime when the supermarket in Pellegrue is closed.
The café has a weekday set lunch menu for €11.50. I went there yesterday, and had vegetable soup, tomato tart (which was delicious!), lamb steak with garlic served with kidney beans, cheese and a creme caramel. Oh yes, the price also included a demi picher of red wine (50cl) and a coffee at the end.
The Crêperie as a wide menu of savoury and sweet pancakes. This is open up to 10pm - it may be good for desert after a bbq at the house!
The food from the café was good, honest stuff, and well worth a visit if you are happy to take the risk on the set menu. Of course that risk is off-set by using the Crêperie menu!
The café has a weekday set lunch menu for €11.50. I went there yesterday, and had vegetable soup, tomato tart (which was delicious!), lamb steak with garlic served with kidney beans, cheese and a creme caramel. Oh yes, the price also included a demi picher of red wine (50cl) and a coffee at the end.
The Crêperie as a wide menu of savoury and sweet pancakes. This is open up to 10pm - it may be good for desert after a bbq at the house!
The food from the café was good, honest stuff, and well worth a visit if you are happy to take the risk on the set menu. Of course that risk is off-set by using the Crêperie menu!
Tuesday, 24 July 2012
Flying Visit
About to fly out tomorrow morning, coming back the following day. Need to sort out a couple of things. Main point of this post though, is to report that I will be staying and dining at La Terrasse in Duras. As blogged earlier, Millie and Arnaud have sold up, so it will be interesting to see what it is like now.
One interesting point to note - if you put "La Terrasse Duras" in Google, our website comes second in the search results - it certainly does in the UK. It will be interesting if it is the same in google.fr! Watch this space......
One interesting point to note - if you put "La Terrasse Duras" in Google, our website comes second in the search results - it certainly does in the UK. It will be interesting if it is the same in google.fr! Watch this space......
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