Spring has sprung

The bridge is in place

 And this shows the bridge is now in service, allowing our tractor mower to easily cross from one island to another.

The curious case of our bridge

In February we had a heavy bout of flooding, and our bridge was washed away. It was able to move as it had not been properly staked into the ground, and as it was clad in timber in was possible for it to float. We walked down river, and found it perched on an island about half a mile away. It was far too heavy for the three of us to carry, so we had to dismantle it completely. The metal base is a galvanised iron gate, and is very strong, as we as heavy. It has now been re-erected back in place, and properly staked, so it should be secure in future.

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Location:Lavausseau

Biscuit rembered

Our cat, Biscuit, was killed by a passing car last week. He was 6 months old, and had become such a beloved member of our family. He will be remembered for having a wonderful disposition, and enchanting character.

Exercises in Poitiers

I go to a Physiotherapist (Laurence) each Tuesday for exercises. They only last for one hour, but that is enough for us fogies. The photos show Laurence and a fellow subject for treatment, as well as myself.





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Location:Poitiers

The Accident

Amanda was driving along a country road yesterday, when suddenly there was a terrible crash. She was on a main road, approaching a set of crossroads. At the junction, on a minor road, a car was waiting. As Amanda was about to draw alongside, the car suddenly pulled out, and struck the front of her car. It looks like a write-off, but Amanda is well. She was taken to hospital for a checkup, but apart from bruising by the seat belt, she was declared to be in good health. The other driver, also unhurt, immediately confessed his error. When the Police arrived, and saw that he had disobeyed the STOP sign, they fined him 90 Euros and gave him 4 penalty points on his Driving License.

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Location:Bas Etang

Hedgecutter in progress

The French are fastidious with their road maintenance. Here is a picture of the Hedgecutter driving past our house. The roads and verges are always immaculate.


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Location:Lavausseau

Reaction Theatre

We went to see "Inspector Drake" last night at a small theatre in a village nearby called Secondigny. It was an amateur production, but the seasoned actors were muff free, and excellent characters.


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Location:Secondigny

Autumnal bonfire

It is always so satisfying to banish detritus into the ether. Here I was burning the fallen leaves that had accumulated over the last weekend.


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Location:Lavausseau

Biscuit

 

We have a new kitten which we have named Biscuit. He is a very friendly chap, and gets on terribly well with our other cat, Noireau.

Staying in a Chateau

We visited the Loire area with some friends, and stayed at Le Mesangeau chateau.


It had been beautifully renovated, and was in first class condition. All the modern conveniences were there, including, of course, WiFi for us discerning travellers. The owners prepared a superb evening meal, and I would recommend the place to everyone. Have a look at it in TripAdvisor.com .
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Location:Bas Étang, Lavausseau, France

Bees swarming in Bas Etang

We suddenly noticed that bees had been congregating above our bedroom. So we contacted our local farmer, who keeps a lot of bees, and asked him to come and help. As the bees probably come from his collection anyway, he has left us one of his hives, and told us that the bees will migrate to the hive in about a week. They did just that, and the picture here shows them swarming on a very hot day. We now await the farmer's collection of the hive.


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Location:Lavausseau

Spring is well underway

These flowers are in full stride, and herald the beginning of wonderful weather we are expecting here in Lavausseau.

Location:Lavausseau

Cleaning the Tiles

 

 

 

Every year, after the end of Winter, the tiles look dirty, and covered in moss. They require a hose-down with a strong high-pressure jet. And I've got just the equipment to do this. Here is a before-and-after set of pictures.

The sun has come to Lavausseau

 

At last we have a touch of Spring already. The greenness is beginning to show, and will be in full growth within weeks.

The French number plate

 One other thing worth mentioning about the system of French number plates. The Departement number was incorporated in the registration number itself. So my number used to have the 86 within it. Now it is excluded. But it is still there, as the number plate manufacturers in each Departement display it on the far right of the plate, together with a Map! Previously, people had a new number plate if they moved to another Departement. I needed a new plate as the car was registered previously in the UK.

New car registration

It took a few weeks, and a lot of money, but I finally managed to register my car in France. It required a number of documents:

1. A Certificate of Conformity. This is produced by the car manufacturer to vouch that the car was made in accordance with European standards. As MG Rover is now defunct, I bought it through a Company based in Slovakia. The operation seems to be perfectly legal, but it cost 262.80 Euros - a not totally dissimilar amount that I paid to MG Rover itself for my previous car. Why it is necessary, when a blanket assurance that all its cars meet the EU requirements, thereby making individual certificates unnecessary, I do not know.
2. A Controle Technique. This is similar to the UK's MOT certificate, and a thoroughly good thing. It cost me 60 Euros.
3. A VAT approval. This is given by the French Tax Authorities, after examining the VAT invoice from the Vendor. This costs nothing!

After approving these documents at the Prefecture, I paid 262.50 Euros for the Carte Grise. This is the Vehicle Document, and certifies me as the owner.

I then bought the Number Plates at a Shoe Repair shop for 25 Euros, plus a riveting kit for 2.40 Euros. And I was ready for the installation, which was kindly done by my friend Robin.



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Location:Lavausseau

Restoration Complete

My old MG TF has now been restored to a fully working condition. Robin has been working on it for a month, and has been installing a K series engine from a wrecked MGF which he'd inherited from a friend. He had the MGF transported over from the UK, and it took about 3 weeks to complete the transfer. It is 120 bhp, rather than the 135bhp of the original, but that will suffice. He is due to have the CT inspection (the French equivalent of the British MOT) on Wednesday, and, if successful we will be able to complete the full legal transfer of the car's ownership. In France an individual is not allowed to scrap a car.


So here is a photo of the old and new cars side by side. We will be able to open a branch of the MG Owners' Club in Lavausseau. Robin also has a MGB, so we'll be able to get it started in style.

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Location:Lavausseau, France

MG TF Reborn

Last week I finally replaced my MG TF with another. I found it on the Exchange & Mart website, and quickly arranged for an AA inspection and Data Check. The AA only found partly corroded water pipes that run along the length of the underside of the car. They recommended replacing them with stainless steel versions that have a much longer and durable life. The car was registered in March 2005, and had done 59,000 miles. Its Cam Belt and Head Gasket had been changed (major bugbears of the MG) and had brand new tyres, and looked in good condition.
I flew over to Stansted by Ryanair last Tuesday, and took a coach to Stevenage, and spent the night in a Holiday Inn. The next morning I went to the car dealer in Welwyn Garden City, and purchased the car. I then took it to a MG TF repair specialist (having arranged this the previous week) in Baldock, which is about 10 miles away, called Brown & Gammons. They replaced the water pipes, as well as repairing a number of other items they discovered, and pronounced the car as a "good buy". I drove on to Dover, staying in a Premier Inn, and travelled over the Channel on Norfolk Ferries the next morning, Thursday. The drive down to Lavausseau was uneventful, fortunately, and I arrived home at 9.00pm.

I had previously come across another car via my friend Dennis (mentioned in my Blog of the 1st January) that I had originally planned to buy. However, the AA inspection threw up a number of problems that the dealer was not prepared to remedy, so I called off the purchase.

The old and the new

It was confirmed that my MG TF's engine was seized. Apparently, the water pipes running under the body from the radiator to the engine (in the middle) had pinhole-sized points from where the water has leaked. I hadn't noticed the rise in temperature at the time, and the engine seized. Here is a photo of the head area.


Fortunately, I have an English friend who lives nearby who is a very keen MG enthusiast. He has bought the MG from me, and will bring over from England a wrecked MGF that he already owns. that MGF was involved in an accident, and was a write-off. However, its engine is in fine shape, and is the same type as in my MG TF. Being an engineer, and very practical, he'll transplant the engine into my old one, creating an MG TF in excellent condition.

I've already found a replacement MG TF through my friend Dennis Hallas. He lives in Chepstow, Wales. He found a 2004 MG TF Sunstorm. The "Sunstorm" name indicates that it has a hard top, as well as a soft top. Here is a photo:


It is due to be checked by the AA, which I joined last week. It has already had a Data Check, which it passed. Next Tuesday it will have a comprehensive inspection. If all is well, I hope to travel back with Dennis on the 14th January, when he returns from a fleeting visit to France, and take delivery of the car on the next day.
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Location:Lavausseau, France