October already

 

Wine fair, some for Christmas

Sunny and 33°,  October 1st good start, with watering a must!  Swam, in clear warm pool, still 28°  Looks like I need a new pool cover, starting to tear.  Also await a quote for a new Vanne, valve and robot pump as the last one purchased at the start of the season is beyond repair, due to damage from filtration glass beads.

I have my final guests from Montreal, Canada.  They have five days of sun forecast and the temperature should get to the low thirties.  They are enjoying the weather and the pool, and will visit Carcassonne, Lautrec, Albi and Cordes-sur-Ciel.  They already have lunch at Le Jardin du Clocher, on their to-do list!

I took the usual walks to Bald hill before my operation next Wednesday.  My friend John is returning, so I got some wine in, from the wine fair which happens every year this month, to make way for the next influx of wine, this should keep him occupied. when not looking after me!

As it's a quiet month, so I thought I would reflect on the past year.

January

Brickworks

 

After a fun Christmas and New Year, we got our first booking of the season.  In Puycalvel where the brickworks are, four 1000sqm building plots have been created and sold.  Building has started on one plot.  Skiing in Kaprun with my mates, one from the USA.

 

 

February

Ski Baqueira

Stayed with friends in Weybridge for a few days after my return from Austria.  Returned home to a light covering of snow.  Took the kids skiing in Baqueira, Spain with a friend Jean-Phillipe and his son Fausto.  All the kids skied well and enjoyed the holiday.

 

March 

Little rain since Christmas, bad for the farming community.  Charlie's 14th birthday. Cannot believe how tall he is.  Decided to use AIRBnB to advertise the gites  (a big success).

 

April 

Farmhouse and Grange

Easter walk, "Omelette de Pâques" big turn out after Covid.  Spring well under way, with summer visitors like the Golden Oriole arriving.  Masses of Orchids everywhere.  Realmont tractor fair with my friend Ian.  Fibre rollout starts "poles appear down the lane".  Badger caught on wildlife camera. 

 

May

Finished the seasonal jobs ready for first guests.  Vide greniers start in most villages. Visited Damiatte and Montdragon.  Went to Biocybele with JP, large organic community fair. Two Coucou de Rennes chickens arrive (Marans).  Find over thirty Bee orchids in lower meadow!

 

 

June 

First guest arrive (after May guests had Covid and were unable to travel).  Demolish and tidy up dog compound and old lean-to for Clementine's campervan.  Have fab lunch at Le Jardin du Clocher with Nigel who lives in Sydney, Australia and owns Puycalvel chateau.  New cafe in Lautrec "Suzalia" at site of what was the second bakery, great coffee and cakes.  Went to a lake side BBQ, then Auberge Espagnole in Moularès with Clementine, where I met a French friend Patrice, with whom I played football when we first arrived in France.  Video here:- Auberge Espagnole

 

July 

Fish market Le Mans

Trip to Le Mans to see Grandad and Sandra. Charlie excellent in play at theatre.  Good friend diagnosed with cancer.  Lost a chicken and duck to a marauder.  Now three chickens and three ducks.  Lunch at Le Jardin with friends from Kuala Lumpur.  Puycalvel fete, three days of meals, apéros and music. Tom and Evie have birthdays.  Tom now taller than Janine!

 

August

 

Bread Festival Lautrec 

Lanz Tractor

Visit Marché de producers in Mazamet and Castres with family.  Tractor fair in Cuq, great to see old cars, tractors and meet people, as first time open since Covid.  Kids and I attended, then went to the Bread festival in Lautrec.  Toulouse visit with a couple of mates to The Frog and Rosbif - English style pub, then margaritas and fantastic Mexican food.  Watched the Perseid meteor shower with all the children from the bank of the meadow, saw Starlink "train" of satellites.  Kayaked at Canoe Tarassac with Charlie and Evie, great fun lots of rapids, ended up going down biggest rapid backwards, whiplash and sciatica.  But bizarrely worth it.  Funeral and wake to celebrate my friends life. 

September

Walking Lilou

 

August 31st operation cancelled, they did not call to confirm arrival time, so I used the time given by the surgeon,  John who came over to look after me, instead spent his time with me to visit Carcassonne, Rabastens, Castres, Lautrec, Puycelsi and Castelnau-du-Montmiral.  We enjoyed great wine and meals out at various restaurants.  John's favorite "Le Jardin du Clocher".  Daily walks with Lilou to Bald hill before breakfast.  Visited the Dom Robert tapestry museum in Soreze, which was excellent.  Then met JP for lunch of cassoulet at Pub Saint Martin.

All in all a busy year, so far.  The Fibre WIFI is close and in the next week or two they should connect to the main hub in Puycalvel.  I should then, be able to order the service.  I have my operation on 11th and hope to be fit enough to go with the family to Roses in Spain for the Toussaint holiday.  The good news is my Father-in-law is a lot better following a few trips to A&E, antibiotics and has an operation booked 16th, so we will both be convalescing around the same time.

I started a French conversation class and French lessons 19th, two hours a week.  Hopefully improve my French skills (which after 10 years are pretty basic).  Closed during Toussaint.

Back home, I was amazed I actually walked out to meet John, after two nights in hospital.  The surgery went well and I now have a nurse who comes daily to dress the keyhole surgery incisions.  Both my father-in-law and I had the same robotic operation, but for different reasons.  I am taking it easy with friends doing any lifting, shopping etc. But, I can make a cup of tea!  So far Roses is looking very possible, which is excellent news, as one can always have fun on a family holiday.

Parasol Bat

Getting ready for winter, John has put away the parasols, pool cushions that had lots of overwintering wasps, shield bugs, beatles and one bat!
On the mend, catheter out, staples removed, lots of tablets, daily injection and blood tests twice a week.  In a week or so hopefully back to normal  The health service here is efficient and well organised, when they made a mistake, with lack of medication, they immediately emailed my local pharmacy, so I could collect the same day!  The nurses who attend daily have been very efficient and friendly.

Bit of rain in the night, sunny with clouds today, not as windy as yesterday. It's getting colder, but pool still a swimmable temperature of 21°, so the kids will be in tomorrow, as the weather looks better.  The bad news is that I need to replace the filter  (cheaper than repair), the good news is my supplier will install a new pump for the robot.  Finish my medication today, a week of injections, then just rest to promote the healing of the keyhole surgery.  

Just in time for our Toussaint holiday.