Where does the time go?

We have just booked a couple of trips for us to go over - a weekend in mid-march and then a week at the beginning of May.  The March trip will be to view the improvements which have just been finished.  These should make a big difference in the triple bedroom upstairs - mainly a larger shower-room with new fittings and a small velux window, as well as a now firmer floor in the bedroom!

As ever, photos of the improvements will be posted here when we get back.

We will also be working out what we need to buy to build a new set of kitchen units to form a peninsular between the kitchen and the dining room.  We intend to include a wine fridge in this area, which will be very useful and will leave more space in the main fridge for food!  Installation of the kitchen units will be my work when I'm out there in May.

We have heard from our builder that Gironde has not been immune to the cold weather we have been experiencing in the UK.  Apparently, one night the temperatures reached -17c, and they have had 15cm of snow.  The south-west of France does not normally see much more than a dusting of snow, and therefore are not equipped with gritters and snow ploughs.  Roads were closed for a number of days and schools and businesses were also forced to close.

We will of course ensure there is plenty of heating oil for the boiler, so if the worst comes to the worst in August, the central heating will work!!!!!  (I can't for the life of me believe that would be necessary!).

Finally, we initially thought that bookings were coming through a bit slower than the last couple of years - or at least none of the enquiries we received seemed to be coming off for various reasons.  We felt that the recession might be starting to bite.  However, we have just had a couple of bookings in quick succession, which means that August is now fully booked.  Hopefully the interest will continue and we will also let July and most of June, as we did last year.

Thank you to all our visitors for keeping the faith with us!

Oh yes - nearly forgot!

Other improvements which may be appreciated even more, are the addition of heating to the swimming pool, and wireless broadband........

Improvements for next year

For this year, we made many changes and improvements, not least of which was the new shower-room.  We have more planned for next year.

Firstly, there is one improvement which hopefully won't be noticed! The floorboards under the laminate flooring in the triple bedroom need replacing - a hangover from the flooding we had in 2008.  Making these more solid will make my mind rest easier!

Whilst that is being done, we have decided to completely refurbish the en-suite for that bedroom.  There is the possibility of making the inside bigger without increasing the footprint - I know this is a useful magic trick , which can't work everywhere, but an extra 10inches width will make all the difference.  In addition, there will be a velux window in there, which will also make it less claustrophobic.  Whilst we're at it, we will be replacing the basin and loo, more in line with the style of the new shower-room.

As well as a couple of other small things, we are having a basic ceiling put up in the utility/boiler room.  This is phase one of the project to make that room more usable - phase 2 will be next year, rendering the stone walls and then painting walls, floor and ceiling.  As a result these sights will be a thing of the past!

Finally, we hope to put in some more kitchen units - a peninsular coming out of the wall the other side of the door to the utility/boiler room.  One thing we have always found is the lack of food preparation area.  This will resolve that problem.

The Hedges

We have been getting Mr Balthazart, our gardener to keep the leylandii hedges well trimmed.  He had been doing that, but there was one section which was out of control.  This was affecting two cherry trees, which seemed to be suffering.


We have now had this section chopped back down (photo below).  The difference is stark, but as the hedge was not providing privacy from anything other than the horses in the next door field, we think it will be fine.  Just hope the cherry trees appreciate the extra light!

A weekend Away

The Rugby team we support, London Wasps were drawn against Union Bordeaux Bègles in the European Challenge Cup this season.  As soon as the fixtures were announced, I booked the flights for Pip and me, together with my son Andrew.  Therefore 11 - 13 November we were at La Matha.

There were other things to do apart from the rugby.  We went shopping in Leroy Merlin in Bordeaux for toilet, washbasin and tiles to refurbish the small shower-room upstairs (more on that later), and of course, we had to visit St Foy market!

Saturday evening, we had a nice meal in a restaurant in the shadow of the football stadium where the game was being held.  That was followed by a bit of a walk-over by Wasps - six tries to two: 14-47 - but that really capped a great weekend.

Oh yes - the weather was fantastic - 20c during the day!  We had both breakfasts outside on the terrace - that's what it's all about!

Another Trip from La Matha

We had a week in La Matha at the end of October (half term week, although without children!).  We were joined by four friends, and had a thoroughly good time.  We ate very well - cooking a lot at the house, as well as the usual evening at La Terrasse and a really good lunch in Chai Pascal in St Emilion.

One day we decided to go out along the Dordogne towards Sarlat.  The first stop was Les Eyzies, which is near to where they have found the earliest remains of modern man.  We went for a nice walk along the valley in search of an image of a fish, but were disappointed in not finding the fish!  In the village, there is a visitor centre, called "Le Pôle international de la Préhistoire", which is in an amazing building.  The museum was a bit disappointing - we expected to be able to go around the houses which are nestling underneath and attached to the cliffs.

We had a great picnic lunch there, and then moved on to a very old chateau in the woods, visited 30 years ago by Toby and Sophie who were with us.  This is Chateau Commarque - a spectacular castle on the edge of a hill suddenly appearing out of the woods.

This castle is still being excavated, but it is so dramatic, looking across the valley at another Chateau.

This was really the highlight of the trip - you can climb all the way to the top of the tower, for an amazing view (the picture above of the neighbouring chateau is taken from there).

From Commarque, we went on to Sarlat - a very quaint town.  Beer/wine in the square, and then home for a late evening meal.

The Little Green Frog

Visitors to the house will have read about the green frog, which has captured people's imagination over the last three years.  Earlier this year, we finally got to see the frog, photos below!