Just like our cat, Noireau

A barbecue lunch in good company

We had our relatives, Claire and Gervais, visit us in their camper van. The day was splendid, as can be seen in the video here.

The bridge is under assault

The bridge is literally hanging by a thread - well, a rope. Look at the field beyond.

Flooding yet again

After yesterday's full day of rain, the floods followed. This time, to forestall it floating away for the second time, I've slung a 10m rope round the bridge, and tied it to an adjacent tree. It might fail to hold the bridge, as I wasn't paying enough attention to my Boys Scouts lesson on knotting.

Jason's adventure in India

This shows where Jason has reached in his journey. He has taken 6 weeks off to travel around India, and has only a few days left.


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Location:Lavausseau

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.