Percy Pest

February 4th, 2010

Percy 290110
My office companion (a.k.a .Percy) loves to sit and watch me tapping away on my laptop sometimes putting his paws on the keyboard and adding extra content!!
The main reason for him sitting to the left of my laptop is that the heat is vented out that side on cold days he is quite happy to cuddle up to my laptop!! However I am less happy and have to constantly move him away a little much to his annoyance.
Percy is now 10 months old and the sandy colour on his chest and stomach now more visible when it first started to appear I thought he had lay in something so he was given a bath only to find it didn’t come off oops!! Poor Percy!!
He is still very playful I often find my fruit and vegetables all over the place his particular favourite things to “pinch” are keys and mobile phones!! I now have to hide them!!

Sangliers

January 22nd, 2010

In all of the time that I have been in France (since 1992) I have never actually seen a living wild boar (sanglier) in the flesh! I have only seen the damage to our “lawn”. You can imagine my surprise on Christmas Day evening when it was just getting dark I closed Luc & Sebastien’s bedroom curtains as I did so I could see something moving down on the riverbank! Not just one but lots!! i.e 8-10… those are definitely not rabbits I thought!! As I closed the curtains further they became clearer …definitely a family of sangliers led by Mum and Dad and their youngsters. A definite Christmas day surprisesangliers

Visit to Holland

November 1st, 2009

We had a flying trip to Holland to go and see Oliver and Valerie before the winter months set in.haarlem_yvons_blog1

River Floods on 22nd October 2009

October 22nd, 2009

This is a picture of the bridge across our normally babbling brook taken after yesterday’s storm. At its height it was just above the hand rail!! The last time we had seen this was in September 2003 (just after we moved in here)

This is a picture of the bridge across our normally babbling brook taken after yesterday's storm. At its height it was just above the hand rail!! The last time we had seen this was in September 2003 (just after we moved in here) The river rises (and falls) amazingly quickly  and just takes everything with it as you see I have a bit of clearing up to do !!!  After the waters had subsided I took a look down by the river where are garden pump usually is, thankfully I removed this the day before as we had heard the storm warnings from TV and friends. On wandering a little further I found a stone musket ball this is the second that I have found so far this one being a little larger ( 4cm) than the first I presume it would have been a missed shot at a sanglier (wild boar) Of which we get around here sometimes ,like a few weeks ago .... although I have never actually seen one I have seen the damage they have done to our lawn it is like a tractor has ploughed across it!! Three times they have done this! We have given up trying to flatten it .We did think of a fence but we were told this would be a complete waste of time and that the only solution would be a shotgun ( to date we have had no further attacks on our lawn!!). Our little vegetable plot down by the river has just about survived and the connecting pipes for the pump are still there ( I wired them together just in case!) Although during the storm we lost power a few times there was no Thunder and lightning just stair rods!! At least the water table will be replenished ...it really needed it after our long hot summer. See more at our site:  <a href=

The river rises (and falls) amazingly quickly and just takes everything with it as you see I have a bit of clearing up to do !!! After the waters had subsided I took a look down by the river where are garden pump usually is, thankfully I removed this the day before as we had heard the storm warnings from TV and friends. On wandering a little further I found a stone musket ball this is the second that I have found so far this one being a little larger ( 4cm) than the first I presume it would have been a missed shot at a sanglier (wild boar) Of which we get around here sometimes ,like a few weeks ago …. although I have never actually seen one I have seen the damage they have done to our lawn it is like a tractor has ploughed across it!! Three times they have done this! We have given up trying to flatten it .We did think of a fence but we were told this would be a complete waste of time and that the only solution would be a shotgun ( to date we have had no further attacks on our lawn!!). Our little vegetable plot down by the river has just about survived and the connecting pipes for the pump are still there ( I wired them together just in case!) Although during the storm we lost power a few times there was no Thunder and lightning just stair rods!! At least the water table will be replenished …it really needed it after our long hot summer. www.villeneuvette.com

Unloading the grapes for harvest

September 10th, 2009
The summer now at an end and the vendange (grape harvest) is in full swing the tractors trundle along with their heavily laden trailers full of grapes which leaves the roads sticky with grape juice. The grapes get, pressed and checked for alcohol content. Then off to be fermented then later bottled.  On another subject it was mentioned to us by some our guests this year that they found some of the signs for various airports a little ambiguous as the names of the airports changed.  Most have two names but some three!! not very helpful I must agree. So as to clear up any further confusion here is a list of the  airports closest  to us:     Montpellier / Frejorgues / Mediteranee      Nimes / Garons      Carcassone / Salvaza      Beziers / Agde      Marseille / Marignane
The summer now at an end and the vendange (grape harvest) is in full swing the tractors trundle along with their heavily laden trailers full of grapes which leaves the roads sticky with grape juice. The grapes get, pressed and checked for alcohol content. Then off to be fermented then later bottled.
On another subject it was mentioned to us by some our guests this year that they found some of the signs for various airports a little ambiguous as the names of the airports changed. Most have two names but some three!! not very helpful I must agree.
So as to clear up any further confusion here is a list of the airports closest to us:
Montpellier Frejorgues /Mediteranee
Nimes/Garons
Carcassone / Salvaza
Beziers / Agde/Vias
Marseille / Marignane

Our new cat Percy

June 21st, 2009

On the 8th June as promised to Luc and Sebastien (after one of our two cats died last year) We now have Percy Percy (name from Blackadder). He was just two months old and tiny compared to big fat Foxy who still wont come near him and has taken to staying upstairs.

On the 8th June as promised to Luc and Sebastien (after one of our two cats died last year) We now have Percy Percy (name from Blackadder). He was just two months old and tiny compared to big fat Foxy who still wont come near him and has taken to staying upstairs. Only coming downif absolutely necessary!! When if they do meet she growls and hisses (bad Foxy!!) Hopefully she will get over it soon!! Anyway Percy loves to  play,cuddle and is competely mad!!He literally wears himself out the finds a nice lap to sit on and sleeps. We have to shut him in his room at night so he cat chew any cables (T.V., lighting computer etc anything he can find basically!)

Only coming down if absolutely necessary!! When if they do meet she growls and hisses (bad Foxy!!) Hopefully she will get over it soon!! Anyway Percy loves to play,cuddle and is completely mad!! He literally wears himself out the finds a nice lap to sit on and sleeps. We have to shut him in his room at night so he cant chew cables….

Boys riding around Lac Salagou

May 29th, 2009

Sebastien now having changed to a “big bike “enjoys a cycle ride around Lac Salagou with Luc. Much to their delight there are two streams which run across the road which get cycled through a lot!!!

Sebastien now having changed to a “big bike “enjoys a cycle ride around Lac Salagou with Luc.  Much to their delight there are two  streams  which run across the road which get cycled through a lot!!!  It has now become their number one thing to do at the weekend. Although the weather has now started to get much warmer now (33C yesterday ...quite cool compared to Bahrain!!)

It has now become their number one thing to do at the weekend. Although the weather has now started to get much warmer now (33C yesterday …quite cool compared to Bahrain!!)

Provencal Plumbing!!

May 22nd, 2009

Just a couple of weeks ago I noticed a damp patch on our driveway near the house. At first I thought it maybe just from recent rain we had.

Just a couple of weeks ago I noticed a damp patch on our driveway near the house. At first I thought it maybe just from recent rain we had. So then off to the water meters to check making sure there was no water being used in the house first.Sue enough the meter was still turning!! Armed with pick axe I first uncovered some badly damaged pipe from which I could see the water flowing down. Aftera few more holes, cutting into pipe that housed the water pipes and pictures sent to Mark in Scotland by skype.(The wonders of technology!!) I finally found the leak ..it was a tiny tiny split in the pipe. The cause unknown but certainly not from exterior. Anyway the leak is all now repaired.

So then off to the water meters to check, making sure there was no water being used in the house first. Sure enough the meter was still turning!! Armed with pick axe I first uncovered some badly damaged pipe from which I could see the water flowing down.(due to it being placed far too near to the surface ( not by us I might add!!) After a few more holes, cutting into pipe that housed the water pipes and pictures sent to Mark in Scotland by skype. (The wonders of technology!!)

I finally found the leak ..it was a tiny tiny split in the pipe. The cause unknown but certainly not from exterior. Anyway the leak is all now repaired. And my shoulders recovered from the digging!!

Summer begins with cool pool!!

April 25th, 2009

l-res-pool-1-2204092
The pool cleaning commenced during the school holidays as the weather was very sunny and warm. Luc and Sebastien helped too. It took about two days to empty the pool. Eventually after getting up all the dead leaves and dirt. It was also karchered to get really clean then the pool could be filled again..a slow process. We finally got the pool full after a few days. Anyway the chemicals are now all added and the pump turning. All we need now is the sun to warm the water then we shall have one cool pool!

Chappele d’Hortus

March 21st, 2009

chapelle1The Chapelle d’Hortus (pictured above) is a place we keep meaning to visit which is really close by just outside the village of Ceyras. We have passed it on numerous occasions over the years as it is clearly visible from the road.

It was built in the late 14th early 15th century beside a gallo-romanic road. It is surrounded by numerous water sources. A well preserved monument of which there are many more to see in the area.

If you are feeling fit you can also visit the nearby St. Guilhem le Desert you can see all the quaint little houses. It is obvious from the doorways how over the years people have grown taller!! You can start your walk from the medieval square up into the surrounding hills (strong footwear and water necessary!!) The hills are home to a rare type of tree called the Salzam Pine.

Another visit we keep promising ourselves is one to the caves of Roquefort about 45 minutes to 1 hour from here. The story goes of how a young shepherd saw a pretty girl on the “causes” he decided to follow her thus leaving his dog to guard the flock and putting his lunch of bread and curd of ewes milk in a cave to keep it cool.

A few days later having been unable to catch up with the young shepherdess he returned very hungry to the cave his lunch now looking somewhat mouldy. So hungry was he that he decided to try it…it was delicious!! Hence Roquefort cheese was born!! The ewe’s milk is still used and to this day ripened in the same way in the caves. To be a Roquefort AOC cheese the Ewe must be of Lacaune breed and come from the Roquefort region i.e Tarn, Aveyron, Aude, Lozere, Gard & Herault. Will keep you posted if we get there!

swing

We are now finally getting into the “swing” of things. The painting of the new wall for the division of the of the house into two apartments has begun. The tiling around the new shower cubicle has been completed.