Wednesday 2 December 2015

December Break

As we aren't going to be spending New Year at La Matha, we decided to pop over for a few days at the beginning of December. This morning was cold and foggy and we decided to go over to somewhere we haven't really spent any time at - Perigeux. 

On the way over, we drive into glorious sunshine, which stayed for all the time we were in Perigeux. Lovely town. A small market was there just by the cathedral; we managed to buy some meat even though they were starting to pack up. 

By the Fois Gras and Truffle market place - not open! - we found a delightful small restaurant of only 20 covers, called Jour de Marché. We had s fantastic menu of the day - warm prawn salad, stuffed pork loin and a pine nut tart. 

Got back home, where it seems as though it's been foggy all day. 


Saturday 7 November 2015

Autumn at La Matha

We're currently here enjoying some glorious weather in November - early 20c temperatures and lovely sunshine!

When we arrived, we were very pleased to see the results of the work carried out at the rear of the house.  It used to look like this, with oil tanks, a water butt and an unfinished, scruffy lean-to.  The wall of the house had not been renovated like the other walls to the house had been.
In early October, we got a mason to sort it out, removing the oil tanks etc.  We will be getting a new plastic oil tank to go in the lean-to.  As you can see, it's a vast improvement!







Tuesday 5 May 2015

Another Season About to Start

We've just had a lovely weekend over at La Matha - sorting stuff out for the coming season.  This is also an opportunity to post some "before" and "after" photos for the work done in the utility room last year.

The utility room was originally intended as a new kitchen extension to the house, but has always been little more than a shell. This post http://la-matha.blogspot.co.uk/2013/03/well-that-went-well.html shows the "before" photos, and some "after" ones are here:


We have also had a sink and taps put in - here are before and after photos:

I continued painting the fence around the pool - 50% done now, the remainder will be done when we're over at the beginning of June.

We put a bit of decoration up in the terrace:



Sunday 4 January 2015

Happy New Year!

We have just spent New Year at La Matha with some friends - fine wine, good food, excellent company: what more could one want?  The weather has been great as well - clear and crisp in the most part.  I've taken many frosty pictures, as you can see.




We have planned the improvements for this year - mostly they will be hidden, as it is sorting out some plumbing quirks.  We will have a sink installed in the utility/store room as well. Other improvements will be just tidying things up.

We're not sure when we'll be back here next - work and other things will be getting in the way - but we hope to have some time in the spring.