Visits, trips and skiing

For my Mum

Well the sad news first, I travelled to the UK on 1st March and in the afternoon my 89 year old Mum passed away peacefully.  I was with my brother and sister, so had plenty of support.  A week of sorting out funeral, wake and paperwork.  Back the end of March for five days.  She visited La Bastide before Covid and I have fond memories of her visiting our house in Weybridge every week to see her grandchildren.

Baqueira Spain

On the slopes

This weekend I travel to Baqueira Beret in Spain for a week in the snow.  Looking forward to a week with friends, one with whom I last skied in Les Deux Alpes over 40 years ago.  He is travelling over from the USA.  Snow is due the Sunday we travel.  

Due to my back problem I was only able to join in lunches and drinking at our favourite bar, the Croak.  One lunch we made a brilliant sunshine visit to the Moet champagne bar.  Seven of us consumed great food and seven magnums of Champagne.  I'm pleased to say friends paid!

Great food and wine at the Cinco Jotas (Five Jacks) at 1800m.

Chipirones

Sausage and black pudding

Victoria plum

Back at La Bastide, spring is in full sway as the apricot, cherry plum and almond trees have finished blooming.  We have Victoria plum and Mirabelle in full bloom, the two large cherry trees are just starting and will be in full bloom by the end of March.  The ditches are full of yellow celandine and cowslip.  The garlic planted before the frost is now four inches tall and farmers are out in force ploughing, planting and demonstrating because of the price of fuel.

Happy Sussex

The chicken and ducks continue to enjoy the warmth of spring and I'm enjoying the eggs, however, duck eggs dropped on the grass have been predated twice.  I think a magpie.  Today a large chicken egg, undoughtily a double yoke.  I am not drinking for a few months and have cut down on the amount of food as my sister called me "Pooh bear" more than once, unfortunately she is right, I have put on a number of kilos.

The hedges are now trimmed, grass cut and pool cleaned ready for the kids at Easter when I hope the weather will be better.  The heating from the solar farm will be commissioned next month.  The trampoline net was damaged so it has been removed.  I will try to get a new one next week when I return for my Mum's funeral.

We have a film crew arriving 1st April to interview us and film for a series in the UK called "We bought a village" which is exciting.  They will film the Gites inside and out, so I will have to get cleaning.  Let's hope for good weather for the filming.  

The war in Ukraine continues with the refugee crisis growing, good to see the UK government are doing so well!  In France we have been asked to provide essential supplies and housing if possible.  After Brexit, and Covid I think the whole world would have liked to get back to whatever you call normal.  We now have a war on our doorstep and the talk seems to be escalating towards WW3....I hope not, unfortunately Putin has his back against the wall due to the two day war turning into a disaster for Russia and the Ukrainian people.

New road in Lautrec

We are in the process of getting fibre, Lautrec has a main hub and they started to run all the cables.  This involved replacing the road surface. Once all the cables were laid and pipes reconnected, the process of replacing the road is now underway.  We are due fibre in November.

I had better finish on a high note, blue skies plenty of sun and a day in the garden, after Pilates and breakfast.  The season is ramping up with six bookings so far, last year most bookings came in from April once people understood the travel rules.  This year I will replace three old mattresses and buy some new bedding for the Grange and Farmhouse.  Can't wait to get in the pool which is already 14 degrees, cold, but beautifully clear water.