Cold January 2021

Snow days

The month started well with warm days, then we had a cold spell minus four degrees and a morning of snow, much to the delight of our children.  Mid week there was snow in Paris, with people skiing, sledging, and as they were distracted from the Coronavirus pandemic people smiled, laughed and threw snowballs.  We have had a lot of rain this month with the ground sodden.

The chickens are still laying, but due to the week of freezing weather I have had to fill the duck pond with a watering can.  The ducks are now six months old and we have had our first duck eggs!  The eggs are dirty like the ducks who do not make much of a nest, but lay on the duck house hay floor.  I will eat for breakfast with some LISDUGGAN farm bacon that Janine bought for me at Christmas.

Well access

I have driven past a well for six years near Carbes, but stopped today to look

at the structure.  The well was full and I could imagine villagers collecting water, from the platform above  fifty-plus years ago.  We have a similar well in our garden (no roof), but it has no water and was filled in years ago.

Below you can see the actual well water and the structure built around the well to allow for protection and the drawing of water. 

Traditional well

Well water

Life the world over continues with Covid taking centre stage, France is reported to be very slow with the vaccine, and from here it seems slow due to the fact that the French have an aversion to most vaccines.  In the UK it seems the vaccine is being rolled out, even if a bit haphazardly and the number of people vaccinated is growing.  My Mum (87) who contracted and got over Covid-19, has now been vaccinated.  Some of my older friends have also receiving the vaccine.  

We are now in a 6pm-6am curfew to curb the apéro effect.  The French government is desperate to get people back to work, to kickstart the economy.   Indoor activities will cease for a while.  Evie had just returned to Kung Fu and Tom ping pong.  Charlie can still play rugby as it's an outside sport.  I would not be surprised to see a UK and French lockdown, as it will take around six months to vaccinate enough people to start relaxing the restrictions.  At least schools are still open, however teachers, in my opinion - frontline workers, are waiting on government action to receive the vaccine.

Since December 31st we have a Brexit trade deal, but I fear in the short term it will cause a lot of problems.  I now seem unable to purchase and get delivery from a number of UK websites.  I even read that as many as 150,000 businesses on eBay and Amazon alone, are unable to ship to Europe as tariffs push their prices up and delivery costs have become far too expensive.  

This month also sees the departure (at long last) of Trump and a new US President.  Lets hope Joe Biden can address all the issues and unite the American people.

I'm missing my visits to see friends and family in the UK and visits to the pub or bar!  I think while the vaccine is rolled out life will not start to change much.  Our business will be quiet again this year, but we will take the time to improve La Bastide for future visitors.  This includes an upgrade to the pool area with new liner and outdoor shower, plus lots of little projects. Jean-Phillipe and I have cut down a 12ft high hedge of Jasmine (we don't think its ever been pruned) we know have a great view and a lot of branches to burn!  Other trees have been felled and stacked for firewood, including a very dead cherry tree.  I will attempt to improve the potager and grow more vegetables.

Saturday became a red letter day, when on our way back from horse riding, Evie and I spotted an unusual bird perched on a wire.  It flew off and we identified it as a black winged kite.  It quartered the farmland looking for prey and occasionally hovered.  It then perched again on a wire and we were able to watch through binoculars for a few minutes.  The black winged kite has extended its range into Spain and I have heard from our local LPO representative that a few pairs breed locally.  I will check the area again in spring.

Below is a photo of a postcard from Puycalvel from the 1960s showing the café that later became Chez Yvette, closing a few years before we arrived.  In the 1950s there were two cafes, now we have none.  Luckily Lautrec is only eight minutes away with great bars, cafes and restaurants.  This picture was taken from the local village magazine Echos du Castellas (named after the square below).  The big news is that fifty years on we are supposed to get fibre in Spring this year, depending on Covid restrictions, but still no café!

Puycalvel Marie, school and café circa 1960

After a dry January, I will be glad to drink some good wine and beer.  I also plan to run more often on my elliptical trainer, add stretching exercises and strengthen my core.   All good for someone with ataxia or anyone my age!  Roll on Spring and warmer weather.