La Maire

2012-02-11T08:00:00.000-08:00

Well the big freeze that appears to have hit the whole of Europe has reached the Ariege as well!

The snow started at the end of last week, with a heavy fall on Sunday. Since then the sun has come out, but with the biting wind it has been extremely cold. Dave has been coaxing the boiler into doing its best and trying to curb its appetite...it is eating twice as many wood chips in this weather, but at least the house is warm! The boiler did go on strike last weekend - it seems it has never experienced cold like this before! Dave spent most of the day sorting out the problem, which turned out to be a frozen pipe! We were lucky that was the only problem!!

We decided to make the most of the conditions on Thursday and went to Andorra for a good days skiing. It was actually warmer up there in the mountains and sitting on the chair lifts with the wind behind us and the sun on our faces was absolute bliss!!

The snow, sun and extreme cold have made for an absolutely beautiful landscape and we have wrapped up warm every day to get out and take our February 'photo a day'!!

Until we publish those at the end of the month, here are a few of the 'rejects'!

https://picasaweb.google.com/106845264213097004579/Le GrandFroid

January photo a day albums

2012-01-31T06:18:00.000-08:00

We are both attempting to take a photo a day throughout this year and will put our 'albums' up on the blog at the end of each month. On some days we felt more inspired than on others, but here are the first 31 for January.

Lesley's album

https://picasaweb.google.com/106845264213097004579/https://picasaweb.google.com/106845264213097004579/JanuaryPhotoADayAlbum2012#

Dave's album

https://picasaweb.google.com/106845264213097004579/https://picasaweb.google.com/106381824485045047134/January2012#

28th January 2012

2012-01-28T08:43:00.000-08:00

Last Sunday we drove to the little village of Moussoulens in the Aude to sample a little bit of traditional French life. It was the annual truffle fete. There were many stalls serving food and local crafts, as well as wine tasting. But the main event, the sale of truffles, started at 2.30pm, and not a second before! The 'delicacies' themselves were carefully unwrapped about 5 minutes before the sale was allowed to begin. In the meantime the crowd had been gathering in anticipation with cash at the ready and cameras clicking frantically. When the sale was finally allowed to begin, it was a bit of an anti-climax, for us anyway. It was very calm and good-humoured - but huge amounts of cash changed hands. Being able to cultivate truffles here must be a sure way to get rich quick!

You can see some photos of the event in our album below

We have had some lovely weather again this week, but it's all changing this weekend, with snow forecast for tomorrow and temperatures dropping. However we made the most of the of the sun today and drove up to the little village of Larcat, between Tarascon and Ax. We followed a recommended 2 hour circular walk up to the little Chapel of St Barthelemy which is situated in the most wonderful spot. Apparently an outbreak of cholera in the area in 1854 provoked the decision to kill a local family infected by it to prevent it spreading. As atonement and in commemoration, this little chapel was built -so a tragic story, but such a tranquil place. There had been a dusting of snow overnight as well, which made the walk even more beautiful and atmospheric. When we reached the snow-line we went from warm sun into a snowy winter woodland -beautiful!

As a reminder of life as it used to be in this area when the villages were more highly populated and people had a much greater need even than now to live off the land, the agricultural terracing of the valley is still very evident. This can be seen in a couple of the photos in our album here

https://picasaweb.google.com/106845264213097004579/TruffleFeteAndAWalk

January 15th 2012

2012-01-15T03:30:00.000-08:00

We had a good journey back to La Maire on 3rd January, despite driving through the storms sweeping across the UK and northern France. We left Maidenhead at 5am and arrived here before 9pm which was good going - probably the best drive yet!

The last couple of weeks have been mostly dry and sunny with the occasional morning frost. The countryside has a very different look at this time of year. Now that all the leaves are down, the fields are empty of crops and the verges all cut back and tidied it looks very pristine and open - and surprisingly green. The snowy mountains also look very close in the clear air.

We had another walk on Tuesday at the Prat d'Albi, the summit just the other side of Foix last week. Lisa joined us for a really enjoyable walk and picnic. Incredible views again - see the photo above.

We have also spent some time driving around the local area delivering leaflets to publicize our chambres d'hotes, watercolour classes and picture framing. On leaving the neighbouring village on Thursday we saw a hot air balloon - quite an unusual occurrence here! It was starting to descend so we drove uphill hoping to see it land. We were in luck - it came down in a field right next to the road. It was clearly such an unusual event for the cows in the field that it caused a stampede! Dave was lucky enough to have his camera on him - so a photos will appear in his 'photo a day' at the end of the month.

The next job in the house is to put up some bannisters around the stairs in the attic, which we are using as my picture framing workshop. Suitable wood is very expensive to buy, but luckily Dave found some old pieces of manger in the stables which are perfect for the job. He is cleaning them up ready to put in place - they should make a nice feature as well as serving a purpose!

Yesterday evening we were invited to dinner with Jean Paul and Magali, along with Jean Paul's sister and brother-in-law. It was a very lively and enjoyable evening - speaking both French and English, and the time flew by. We could hardly believe it was 1.30am when we got up to leave!

We love the way that aperitifs are often the most important part of the meal here. We had a choice of champagne and 6 different kinds of whisky - so Dave was in his element!The meal was also delicious!

Today we went out for a local bike ride to clear our heads! We explored a different route out from La Maire, up through the forest following the St Jacques de Compostelle route, then back down through the country lanes - beautiful!!

There are a few more photos of the month so far here

https://picasaweb.google.com/106845264213097004579/January2012

Lucy's 'Chubby Creations'

2011-12-30T02:16:00.000-08:00

New cards and prints by Lucy

Click on the link below for more information
Chubby Creations by Lucy Olver

Happy New Year!!

2011-12-30T02:04:00.000-08:00

Spotted on the river at Henley on Christmas Eve

At least they will have deserved a large portion of Christmas Pudding!!

We have had a lovely Christmas and New Year break in England and will look forward to driving back to La Maire on 3rd Jan.

The blog will continue in 2012. It is our New Year resolution to produce a 'photo a day'. Our albums will be posted on the blog at the end of each month

Happy New Year to everyone
Lesley and Dave

Dave's birthday

2011-11-30T01:51:00.000-08:00

Dave's birthday dawned bright and sunny, so we decided to drive up through one of the mountain passes and find somewhere to walk. We parked at the top of the Port de Lers and walked upwards! Views both on the way and at the top were stunning yet again. There is still just a sprinkling of snow on the summits which adds to the beauty of the scenery. We drove on to a little lake with the most wonderfully clear reflections before returning home via the 'scenic route' and a beer stop.

Our photos of the day are here

https://picasaweb.google.com/106845264213097004579/PortDeLers

A sunny autumnal day and a new bread oven!

2011-11-27T03:43:00.000-08:00

Dave:

This week I have been building a traditional wood fired Roman bread oven in the barn. Made from clay dug up from the back garden it has been very satisfying to finally make good use of some of the clay that caused us so many problems this time last year, when we were wallowing in it in the pool hole. Made of three layers of clay mixed with sand and straw the oven was finally completed on Sunday and has survived three fires during the building process to help dry it out. We are now looking forward to traditional Italian pizza cookery, and if I feel very brave even a roast dinner. All being well the oven should be able to reach temperatures of 300 to 350 deg C which allows pizza to cook in about 2 mins, or as it slowly cools it can cook a roast joint of meat in a very different way to a normal oven. That's the theory, but time will tell.

Lesley :

We had more chambres d'hotes visitors here for a couple of nights at the beginning of the week. They had booked the two rooms upstairs, so Dave and I decided to move into the Pyrenees Suite while it is empty. We settled in well and are still there!!

English friend and fellow artist Sara called for coffee one morning and we had a productive hour discussing printing and selling our work. We both agree that this is such a lovely place to live as an artist - we really are spoilt for subject matter. However there seem to be more artists here than there are customers, so selling is not quite so easy!

Sara's lovely paintings and photography can be seen here:

https://saraspencer1965.blogspot.com
(Copy and pastethe above link into a new browser to see Sara's website)

Now that he has finished his metallurgy course, Jean Paul is doing some work experience to help him decide what to do for the rest of his working life. This week he has been trying out a boulangerie in Pamiers. The daily 'baguette' is such an important part of French life that it has been interesting to hear how it all works and how 4 people manage to produce over 800 baguettes a day!

Yesterday evening we hosted a dinner - there were nine of us altogether, six English, one South African, one Dutch and one French. Everyone helped out, bringing generous and delicious offerings of food and wine. It was great fun - the perfect way to liven up a dark evening, but I don't think I will need to eat for another week!

Here are some more photos of Dave's bread oven and of the garden in the autumn.

https://picasaweb.google.com/106845264213097004579/November

Back at La Maire

2011-11-20T10:49:00.001-08:00

We have had 3 very enjoyable weeks back in the UK - it was very good to see everyone, both family and friends. The drive up through France was probably the best yet - not a cloud in the sky all the way, beautiful Autumn colours and a lovely afternoon and evening with Melanie and Steve at their house near Duras on the way

We returned to La Maire last Sunday, stopping off near Versailles on the way to deliver a painting to a family who stayed with us last Summer. It was lovely to see them all again, and the excellent coffee and cakes were very welcome as well. We were very glad of the SatNav, which got us safely away from Paris and on the route south.

Apart from one cloudy day since we have been back, it has been warm and sunny again. However the woodchip boiler has been giving Dave a headache as it really doesn't like mild weather and keeps going out! Believe it or not we are looking forward to some colder weather!!

We have had a sociable week - two dinners with friends, then all our neighbours here for lunch today. We served up traditional roast beef and lemon meringue pie for 10 of us altogether. It was a good chance to get back into the habit of speaking French and they were a lot of fun.

On Saturday, we decided to make the most of the lovely weather and go for another walk - at the 'Prat d'Albi this time, which is just the other side of Foix. The walk wasn't too strenuous and was very open and scenic. The Autumn colours, although just past their best, were really lovely.

There are some photos here

https://picasaweb.google.com/106845264213097004579/LePratDAlbi

A few photos

2011-10-21T07:31:00.000-07:00

A few October photos...........

Mirepoix on a sunny October morning

The Land Rover in its new car park chez nous

October 18th - probably the last day this year I will get to wear my shorts!

October 20th - the first snow has arrived on the summits

Another hike - the Pic de Sarrasi

2011-10-17T07:47:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, Sunday, we went for another hike in the mountains, making the most of the continuing perfect weather. We decided to go up high again as these are walks that we won't be able to do in the winter when the snow arrives. However this particular 'hike' turned into more of a climb!! We parked in a small ski centre (just one button lift and about 5 runs) about an hours drive away. The route took us up through the ski area, which was a bit bleak and cold at 10am with the sun still too low to warm us up. However once up on the crete, we climbed up to the peak of Sarrasi at 2213m. The crete looks a bit precipitous on the photos, but the path was good and the views superb. Arriving at the top, we had superb 360 degree views of the surrounding area. The walk actually continued up another crete to an even higher peak, which the guide book promised us would give 'mega-top' views as opposed to just 'top' views. We tried it, but when the path completely disappeared and the walk turned into a rock climb, we decided it was time to give up! We went back down by a different route, with super views all the way, and arrived wearily back at the car after 6 hours on our feet.

Photos of our walk can be seen here
https://picasaweb.google.com/106845264213097004579/PicDeSarrasi

Making steel - final episode!

2011-10-17T07:28:00.000-07:00

Last week, Jean Paul built his Japanese forge to strengthen the iron extracts from the first forge by heating it at a very high temperature and adding just enough carbon to turn it into steel.

This is an open forge, and so-called because the Japanese used them to forge their swords.

The fire worked well - the pieces of iron extract were added along with more charcoal. The metal melted and collected at the base of the forge. Jean Paul then extracted them from the fire and compacted them with a hammer. This process didn't go entirely as planned as the pieces of metal, now steel, kept breaking up into smaller pieces. Jean Paul had already realised that something had not gone according to plan in the original forge, probably due to the materials used in the building of it. It just goes to show that this is a very technical and complicated process where all the elements need to be exactly right for the process to work. However, Neil came to the rescue with his forge, and we managed to salvage one piece of solid steel, which can be seen in the photos here

https://picasaweb.google.com/106845264213097004579/MakingSteelEpisode3
Jean Paul was relieved after 4-5 weeks of work to finally have a piece of steel to present for his diploma, but was disappointed that it didn't go entirely as planned. However the whole process was very interesting ....and he might well have another go!

2011-10-10T00:06:00.000-07:00

After a couple of days of rather overcast and cooler weather, the sun came out again on Sunday afternoon and we decided to go for a local walk. The 'Pech de Limousy' is a hilltop about 15 mins drive from La Maire, offering the most fantastic views all around, both back towards La Maire and over the forested foothills to the summits of the Pyrenees. A 20 minute walk took us to the top - the air was clear and the views superb.
There are more photos here
https://picasaweb.google.com/106845264213097004579/PechDeLimousy

Making steel - episode 2

2011-10-09T23:44:00.001-07:00

Last week Jean Paul finished preparing the furnace for the iron reduction. I helped by sorting the magnetic bits of ore to go into the furnace with a magnet - this was fun, but very messy!!
Thursday was the big day for extracting the iron from the ore. Jean Paul lit the fire in the morning. It needed 3 hours to reach the correct temperature before adding iron ore and charcoal in equal quantities every few minutes. We were able to watch what was going on in the furnace by looking down a pipe with a protective lens which was inserted into the side of the furnace.

The iron should melt and collect in a 'loupe' at the base of the furnace.

Jean Paul wasn't entirely happy with the way the the fire was going - so opened it up with a certain amount of trepidation! Well - there was a 'loupe' but it seems that something didn't go quite right and the iron has too much carbon in it, which turns it into steel. Well, it is steel that he wants eventually, but the loupe now has to be heated in a 'Japanese furnace', which risks adding even more carbon.....which will not be good as he will end up with cast iron!! So the experiment continues this week.......

It is proving to be a very complicated and intricate process where all the elements need to be just right for it to work effectively.

More photos of last weeks experiment are here

https://picasaweb.google.com/106845264213097004579/MakingSteelEpisode2

Another wonderful walk in the mountains

2011-10-02T10:07:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, we drove up past Vicdessos to the Etang de Soulcem for a wonderful day of walking. Just 15 minutes walk from the car park this wonderful valley opened up before us. We had planned to just walk up the valley and back, but the weather was so good that we decided to climb up to a couple of the lakes. It was quite a hike both up and down and when we returned to the car 6 hours later our legs had turned to jelly! It was however a fantastic walk and a great day to be in the mountains.

Some more photos can be seen here
https://picasaweb.google.com/106845264213097004579/Soulcem

The garden in October

2011-10-02T10:01:00.001-07:00

Just a few images of the things that are flourishing in the garden at the moment. On the menu this week: pumpkin soup, fig jam, a little bit of hot chilli pepper, and raspberry crumble, but not all together!!

Making steel - episode one!

2011-10-02T09:28:00.000-07:00

This week we have been further involved in Jean Paul's project to make steel from iron ore. I had another trip up to the area of disused mines in the mountains earlier in the week with Jean Paul and two other students from his course. The lads found an impressive cave which was a real treasure trove of iron ore, so they filled a couple of wheelbarrows which they then transported back down to the cars to share out equally later!! The ore then needs to be broken up, cooked and powdered. The next stage is to cook it in a furnace and to add a certain amount of charcoal to give it strength and turn it into steel. This method apparently gives a much better quality product than any steel produced by modern methods.

Jean Paul has been building his furnace in our barn this week. It is made entirely from earth and has to be made to certain dimensions to ensure that it is effective. It is currently drying - ready for the fire to be lit next week. More to follow.....
Some more photos can be seen here

https://picasaweb.google.com/106845264213097004579/MakingSteelEpisodeOne

Le Mont Fourcat

2011-09-24T07:24:00.001-07:00

We have enjoyed another week of wonderful sunny weather, but the rain of the previous weekend freshened up the air so it has been perfect for cycling and walking. On Tuesday we did a local bike ride which took us along a ridge with wonderful views of the 3 summits of the Montagne de Tabe, which we can see from La Maire

On Wednesday, we decided to climb to the top of Mont Fourcat, the Western-most of these peaks. After an hours drive to the parking area, we started walking up through the forest on an easy path. After a little while we came out into the open and completed the gradual climb to the summit which took 2h 15mins in all. The views from the summit were really excellent - it felt as though we were on top of the world with a 360 degree panorama, taking in the Mont d'Olmes ski area, Foix and Pamiers to the North, as well as far-reaching views of the Pyrenees stretching West and South towards Andorra.After a picnic at the top, we made our way back down, arriving eventually at the car with very wobbly knees!!Some photos of our bike ride and walk can be seen here
https://picasaweb.google.com/106845264213097004579/MontFourcat

Other news this week - we have had guests in the suite and have enjoyed eating with them in the evenings. Last night was warm enough again to eat in the garden. My dancing 'rock' dance class has re-started-more of a challenge this year as I am in the 'advanced' class, but everyone is very patient and willing to explain things several times over so I can understand!! Our quince tree has produced 3 fruit - enough for 4 jars of jam!!

Making charcoal

2011-09-11T05:08:00.000-07:00

A different and interesting week!

To complete his course in metallurgy, Jean Paul has to make a quantity of charcoal using traditional methods. This involves collecting the wood and then building a fire which gently smoulders over 1 - 2 days to convert the wood to charcoal. A large quantity of soil, grass and ferns is required to cover the wood and allow just enough air to enter. It needs to be constantly watched while it smoulders to prevent the wood from actually catching fire and burning to ash. Jean Paul lit the fire in his Mum's garden on the Wednesday morning and camped out all night to keep watch over it. Dave and I went to watch the grand opening and it was rewarding to see that it had worked - a huge pile of perfect charcoal! The next job is to build a kiln (in our barn) in order to extract iron from rock. This is quite a complicated but traditional and effective process, so we will look forward to seeing it put into practice over the next week or two.

There are more photos of the charcoal fire here
https://picasaweb.google.com/106845264213097004579/Charcoal#

Also this week, the swallows have been very active. There are hundreds of them in and around the garden, seemingly attracted by the swimming pool - we love watching them swoop over the water for a drink. However, they also appear to be gathering en masse in advance of the winter exodus. On several mornings this week, we have seen them lining up shoulder to shoulder (wing to wing!!?) on the electricty cables - quite a sight!

We have also had some really beautiful morning mists with the slightly cooler mornings - always well worth a photo or two!

We have also enjoyed having more guests here this week, both from Berkshire and Wales, and spent a couple of entertaining evenings with them all over dinner. We have had a good week of warm and sunny weather and it is still warm enough to eat outside most evenings.

5th September

2011-09-05T13:18:00.001-07:00

Odile from the farm told me last week that they would be killing the ducks on the Wednesday, and if we wanted one, we should let her know. Sure enough, we went up to the farm on the Wednesday afternoon and purchased both a duck and a chicken for the freezer. We had noticed on the Wednesday morning that the ducks were all over our garden, on the walls, on the roof tops....and assumed that they knew what was coming and this was their last taste of freedom. However, it turned out that these ducks did indeed know what was coming and had the initiative to escape - so they have a few more weeks of life left yet! This pleased us a bit! Although we were happy to buy a fresh duck for the freezer, we had seen them as babies about 4 months ago, so seeing a few of them grab a little longer to live was quite satisfying!
However, as can be seen in the photos above, the next brood are already out enjoying the freedom and fresh air! So although their lives are short, they are happy! C'est la vie!!

2011-09-04T03:02:00.000-07:00

So as promised - the pool landscaping so far! Just the bottom left-hand corner still to do. Dave has put in some steps and paving slabs as well as filling the area immediately surrounding the pool with pebbles, bordered by kerbstones to keep them in place. This is the best option at the moment while the back-filled earth settles, which can take a few years. It is good to prevent the grass growing too close to the pool edge as well, because cutting it has proved very difficult without filling the pool with greenery!

The whole area looks much more finished now - and very 'beach-like'! We have had some warm sunny days this week as well so have been able to enjoy it as well.

We are still busy with visitors during the coming week, and despite a rather overcast day today, the weather is still looking quite promising, so they will hopefully be able to see the area at its best - and the pool will remain in use until it just gets too cold!

We managed another bike ride one morning last week, and I have been finding some time to paint - see one of the results above. It is proving quite a challenge capturing the unique light of the landscape here. It changes constantly. I love the way the mountains get progressively paler as they recede into the distance, and the summits are nearly always topped with a few bits of cloud. The sunflowers are being harvested now, and the corn will also be taken down in a week or two depending on the weather. However the figs are ripening - so it will soon be time for more jam making!

30th August 2011

2011-08-30T11:44:00.001-07:00

A quieter week at La Maire! The weather soon cooled down after the weekend of the 21st, and by Wednesday the morning temperature had dropped to 12 degrees - and the pool just 20 degrees! However, the sun soon returned and things are more or less back to normal in the upper 20's and the pool back to a comfortable temperature for swimming. Evenings have been lovely - warm and calm, and we are still eating dinner outside.

We have had more visitors - in the past week from Spain, Canada and Belgium, both on holiday and house hunting. We have also had some more time to relax. It has been a real treat to spend some time sitting by the pool, reading in the garden and going for bike rides.

Dave has also found time to start landscaping the pool area and I have started painting again.

The photos above are of Dave's tallest sunflower!!!.......and a typical Ariege view of countryside and mountains from a local bike ride.

See the next blog entry for photos of the pool landscaping and a painting!

21st August 2011

2011-08-21T12:43:00.000-07:00

We treated ourselves to a day out today. It is still extremely hot so we decided to go up into the mountains. Jean Paul had recommended a short walk to a lake just the other side of Ax-les-Thermes so we decided to give it a try. It took us just over an hour to drive there, and we started walking by 9.30, before it got too hot. After a steep climb through the forest to start with, the footpath soon flattened and opened out to provide us with a really lovely walk up to the Etang de Comte. The scenery was stunning, the weather perfect and the walking easy. We spent a lazy hour or so at the lake, then slowly made our way back down to the car.

On the way home we did a detour up to the ski resort of 'Ax les 3 Domaines'. At 30 degrees it was difficult to imagine it as a ski resort, but we hope to be able to try it out this winter.

More photos of our day can be seen here

https://picasaweb.google.com/106845264213097004579/EtangDeComte#

A few guest comments from our first season

2011-08-21T12:41:00.000-07:00

Your gorgeous house, beautiful garden and immaculate accommodation, not to forget your amazing hospitality, made for an unforgettable stay

Quel accueil agréable: le calme, la sympathie, le charme de la belle nature…..

We arrived at La Maire to a very warm welcome and a lovely suite which exceeded our expectations by a good margin…….

Merci pour votre accueil chaleureux, votre générosité et ces petits moments de partage qui rechauffent les coeurs.

Great holiday, superb accommodation and fantastic company. Hospitality at its best! Thankyou so much for a great week

3 jours qui furent un grand moment de nos vacances. Le site est merveilleux dans un environnement natural qui a gardé tout son authenticité. Lesley et Dave nous ont fait partager de tres agréables moments de convivalité Franco- anglais et leur table d’hote vaut le détour. Avec un moment tres particulier que fut le cours d'aquarelle donné par Lesley

PS!

2011-08-20T09:41:00.000-07:00

A perfect evening at La Maire! 38 degrees with a welcome breeze. It is calm and peaceful -all we can hear are the birds and chickens. Even the farmers are having a rest from the heat. A glass of chilled rose on the terrace with ripe home-grown melon after a welcome dip in the pool - this is what we came here for!!

2011-08-18T13:30:00.000-07:00

The last few weeks have been a social whirl! It has been lovely to have friends to stay, but also to meet so many different and interesting people - our chambres d'hotes guests. Some just stay for a night, some for a few nights, some for a week. Some are French, some are English, sometimes some of each at the same time. We love meeting complete strangers on our doorstep, enjoying a few dinners with them, then bidding them farewell as good friends. We do enjoy seeing families having fun here. After all the hard work we have put into La Maire this year, it is so very rewarding to see everyone enjoying the house, the garden and the pool.

On Saturday evening we were invited to a party thrown by Denis, our near neighbour from the farm. He was celebrating his 40th birthday along with his cousin, also 40 and also called Denis! The French certainly know how to enjoy themselves!! It all kicked off in the village hall with aperitifs and plates of lovely food. Denis and Denis dressed up as the guys from 118 118 (118 218 in France!!) and provided us all with a bit of light entertainment...actually very funny! At 10.30 we were all led into a long marquee set with tables for a banquet of paella, bread and wine, cheese and mouthwatering profiteroles. In between courses we were treated to a firework display outside....then the dancing started at about 1.00am!! Of the 150 or so people there we were the only ones who were not close family or old friends so we were honoured to be invited. We were made to feel very welcome and loved the lively atmosphere - lots of singing, laughing and banging on tables!!

We also had our English friends from the village here for drinks on Monday evening - we missed you Sara...come back soon! It was good to have the chance to get together during this very busy month of the year when everyone in France seems to be on holiday except those running chambres d'hotes and gites!!

11th August

2011-08-11T08:21:00.000-07:00

Just had to add these 2 images of our very own sunflowers!!

August 8th 2011

2011-08-08T11:54:00.000-07:00

Have just spent another lovely weekend - this time with friends Melanie and Steve. The weather forecast was for rain all weekend but luckily it turned out to be wrong! We spent a hot and sunny afternoon at the pretty hilltop village of Carla Bayle - see photos above.

It is now the height of the season so all the artists studios were open and it was probably as busy as it ever gets with tourists -mostly British! However we didn't witness any sales so its probably not worth investing in studio space just yet!!

We ate outside on both evenings but had to rapidly retreat indoors on Saturday when a perfectly calm and warm evening developed into a storm with gusting winds and heavy rain - within minutes!!

Otherwise, the grass continues to grow and we have more visitors in the house this week. It feels very good to dee people enjoying the house and grounds - and especially the swimming pool!!

1st August

2011-08-02T07:37:00.000-07:00

We can hardly believe it is the 1st of August already - where did July go?! We arrived back at La Maire on Thursday at 11.00am after a very early flight and spent the rest of the day grass cutting and shopping. The rain of the past week has given a new lease of life to both grass and weeds -good for the farmers but not for holiday makers!! However the sun has returned this weekend, just in time for us to welcome our very good friends the Pollocks and the Deweys. We all enjoyed several happy hours of walking, eating, drinking, table tennis, lively discussion and lazing by the pool.
Thankyou David Pollock for the first 3 lovely photos above.

A French family also stayed with us at the weekend. They were here for a wedding in the village - and some wedding it appeared to be!! There were 500 people at the little village church, and then afterwards at the family home just across the valley. However in true plain and simple simple Ariege style, the wedding car was a landrover decked out in local greenery - see photo above!

2011-07-23T05:50:00.000-07:00

Since the family left we have had all sorts of weather conditions thrown at us - unsusual for the Ariege, or typical?! Who knows!! A couple of wild thunderstorms interspersed with both cloudy days and also very hot and sunny days have encouraged both grass and weeds to grow like crazy, and have also created the most wonderful cloud formations at times.

The sunflowers have been at their best and temperatures have been plenty warm enough for swimming. Lucy has been in most mornings before breakfast! The pool is now finished, coping stones and all, but we just need to landscape the surroundings.

We enjoyed having old friends Claire and Paul here to stay for a few days, and we had a lovely meal at the Auberge in Carla Bayle. The restaurant is high up in the village so when a huge storm battered the windows during the meal, it felt as though we were on a boat in a stormy sea! Luckily it abated in time for the walk back to the car. There is a photo above of us all in the village above.

On another wet day, Jean Paul took Lucy and I to Toulouse. Luckily the torrential rain stopped for our wander around the city - a very colourful city with a lively square and lots of old streets to wander though and a pretty tree-lined walk along the river. See photos above. We had a nice lunch and found a few of our favourite shops for a browse before driving home - again in torrential rain!!

Daniel left us to return to Maidenhead on the Friday, then we enjoyed having more visitors to stay - both English and French. One sunny evening we enjoyed dinner in the garden with both English and French guests. One of the pleasures of providing chambres and tables d'hotes here in France is the opportunity to meet so many different people and also for them to meet each other, to sample each others traditional foods and attempt to converse in each others languages. We ate pate made at the farm, chicken chasseur and sticky toffee pudding!

We are now back in Maidenhead for Lucy's graduation ceremony which took place on Thursday. It was a lovely day and we were very proud to see her receive her well-deserved certificate for a 2:1 in Graphic Design.

We will now enjoy a few more days here in Maidenhead before returning to La Maire to welcome more friends and customers to stay - August will be a busy month and we hope that the sun will shine!!

10th July 2011

2011-07-10T07:32:00.001-07:00

La Maire is feeling very quiet this afternoon after saying goodbye this morning to Clive and Sue and the girls and Mum and Dad. They all arrived last Sunday, along with Daniel and we have had the most wonderful week. It has been great to have the house full for the first time and of course to be able to spend the week with them all, as it doesn't happen very often!!

We spent the week eating, talking, swimming, relaxing in the garden, playing table tennis, walking and visiting local towns and villages. Everyone helped so the catering was never a chore!!

On Friday evening we had our eagerly awaited party to celebrate finishing (well, almost!!) work at La Maire. The weather was perfect - calm and warm. Our guests were a mixture of French and English friends and it was great to get everyone here together. Jean Paul's band 'Shaker' played for us after the buffet for a couple of hours and were really fantastic.

I would like to be able to put a video up - but will have to make do with some photos - here they are....
http://picasaweb.google.com/lesleyolver/TheFamilySVisitAndAPartyJuly2011

2nd July

2011-07-02T13:01:00.000-07:00

So - July has arrived! This was always our deadline to get everything completed in time for Mum and Dad, Clive and Sue and the girls arriving tomorrow - and of course Daniel as well. We have just about made it - just the grouting around the pool stones to finish, and banisters in the attic, otherwise we are all ready!!

Lucy and Andy arrived last week and joined us for a couple of lovely evenings with visitors Ceri and Peter. We then enjoyed a few days with Andy's family before they left on Thursday to travel on to Andorra and Spain. We now have our first French visitors here for a couple of nights - they stayed for dinner last night and we had a very enjoyable evening. Lucy is doing remarkably well with her French!!

The pool has been a real treat! A bit cold still at times but it soon warms up when we have some hot weather. Lucy has been in most mornings for a pre-breakfast swim!!

21st June

2011-06-21T06:52:00.000-07:00

At last!! The pool is full! Unfortunately this was followed by 2 days of rain, but Dave has now been in and I have had a paddle! We just need to lay the coping stones now and tidy up the surroundings - but it has been well worth the wait.

Friend Helen from Maidenhead has been to stay with us this week and we very much enjoyed her company. Despite the 2 days of rain, we have had some very warm and sunny days as well, so were able to get out and about, including a lovely climb in the Pyrenees on Sunday morning.

We also had an evening out with Helen to a small local town to see Jean Paul's band 'Shaker' in concert. They were really excellent and Helen and I had a good bop!'Shaker' will be playing for us here in the garden on 8th July for ourSummer party - so we will look forward to that.

More photos of the pool and the past week can be seen here
https://picasaweb.google.com/lesleyolver/LaMaireJune2011#

12th June

2011-06-12T02:37:00.001-07:00

Well, I spoke too soon! The thunder storms turned into about 2 weeks of unpredictable, wet and cool weather. So we had to delay the pool liner fitting yet again. The latest arrangement is for this Wednesday and the forecast is looking favourable -so we are crossing our fingers yet again!

The weather turned out to be too wet at times even for gardening so we have been finishing the Suite (see above) and also fitting the small bathroom suite in the attic. We have also set up my mountcutting table so I am back in action! It feels very satisfying to know that the house is just about completed for now. No doubt here will always be a few finishing touches needed, but for now we are happy to say it is finished!!

It was great to have Linda and Ivan here to stay for a few days this week (see photo above). We also had guests from Hemel Hempstead here for 3 nights. It was lovely to have a house full and we both really enjoyed all their company. It was a shame to weather wasn't a little warmer for some al fresco meals, but we did manage one lunch outside. It always surprises me just how much nicer food tastes out of doors.

We are being well looked after by Odile at the farm this week as well. They killed a few ducks just recently so we have been given one for the freezer - and were also shown the next lot of ducks coming along. They were just a few days old when we saw them - very sweet and fluffy!
Odile also gave us a bowl full of cherries from their tree and some delicious home-made pork pate. They really do treat us - we are lucky to have such good neighbours and I must bake a cake for them soon to say thankyou!

30th May 2011

2011-05-30T12:47:00.001-07:00

After several weeks of almost perfect weather, it seems we are in for a few days of thunderstorms and heavy rain. Unfortunately this means we won't be able to have the pool liner fitted on Wednesday as planned as it needs to be warm and sunny, but we have re-arranged it for next Tuesday instead - so fingers crossed!

On Friday evening we were delighted to welcome the McCloughlin family to La Maire -our first B&B guests. It was a real pleasure to meet them and to share dinner with them as well. In fact for us they were perfect first guests. They assured us that they really enjoyed it as well - so that was a relief!!

May has been a wonderful month - lots of colour in the garden and constantly changing light. The cloud formations over the Pyrenees are also quite stunning at times.
See here for some photos
http://picasaweb.google.com/lesleyolver/May2011ImagesFromTheGarden

Jobs for this week include tiling the kitchenette in the 'suite', more pool tidying and finishing the plumbing and furnishing in our 'bolt-hole' in the loft. Other than that - just gardening....and soon (hopefully!) relaxing by the pool!

Friday 19th May

2011-05-20T02:15:00.000-07:00

The blog is a little late this week - but I wanted to include a photo of the pool, which is now ready to have its liner fitted on 1st June and then filled with water!! A local gardener with a digger came to move the mounds of earth for us, then Denis from the farm came down with his tractor to smooth it all out. This was a very satisfying day for us as the mounds of earth around the pool have been a bit of a blot on the landscape since November, and we can now see the end of the 'pool project' in sight! We now need to get some grass planted asap!

We have also made further progress with the Pyrenees Suite. The shower room is ready and the room is all furnished and ready for use. Just the kitchenette to finish off this week.

We enjoyed having Marilyn and Peter here to stay for a few days. They were lucky with the weather and were able to get out and about a bit as well as helping us in the garden. It was even warm enough for a barbeque one evening, and a breakfast on the terrace one morning.

8th May 2011

2011-05-08T12:25:00.000-07:00

Neither of us wish to see the inside of a van cab again for some time to come, but having said that, the 'Berkshire Van Hire' truck served us well over a week. We flew back to Maidenhead to sort out the garage and 'framing room' and get everything that we hoped to bring back to France packed up and ready to load. We had a day to pack the van - at first it seemed to swallow up all the boxes and equipment, but we soon ran out of space and ended up balancing our favourite Lloyd Loom chairs on top and squeezing as many plants in as possible before deciding that there was really no more room to spare. We set off early and drove through France on Friday 29th April - I was sorry to miss 'the wedding' but had regular updates from Lucy and Mum and Dad.
We arrived at La Maire before midnight - so not bad going! Because the van was loaded, we had to travel as freight with Eurotunnel, which meant leaving the van in the open and joining the truckers in the seating carriage for the crossing. Unsurprisingly, I was the only woman there!!

We had four days here to unload and cut the grass. We also managed a large Ikea shop with the van on Tuesday, before setting off to drive through the night back to Maidenhead. The night drive was better than we expected. We both managed to doze a bit and were surprised just how many lorries there were on the motorway - at least it kept us alert. I was also surprised how hungry we were through the night - breakfast of juice, coffee and a couple of fresh pastries at the tunnel terminal building was one of the best I have ever tasted! That evening we also drove the van back to Gatwick to collect Daniel and 4 bikes from his Prague/Vienna bike tour with 3 friends-so the van did serve us well!

So now we are back here at La Maire for the final push to get everything ready. We have spent the weekend assembling furniture and working on the garden outside the Pyrenees Suite. The aim is to finish it by the end of this week -so hopefully by next weeks blog...................

The weather yesterday was very blustery, but today has turned calm again, and also very warm. We didn't eat until 8.00pm but sat outside as it was warmer than inside the house. It was so lovely to just sit and enjoy the peace and quiet apart from birdsong - and a tractor in the distance.

The photos above show the van (before unpacking), then the Pyrenees Suite so far - still quite a few finishing touches to add, including putting pictures up, but actually looking like a proper room at last! The final photo is of our lovely climbing rose at the front of the house - quite a picture!

18th April 2011

2011-04-18T13:01:00.000-07:00

Another week of beautiful weather! It has been a pleasure to continue working outside in the sun, in temperatures that are not too exhausting! We can happily tick a few more jobs off our list. Dave has laid the Pyrenees Suite patio, and the plumbing is also done and dusted. After several more days of digging and preparation and the promise of a few more dry days to come, the pool was finally ready for its screed. Neil (screeder extraordinaire!) came to help us today, and Jean Paul helped with the mixing of the mortar. I was the wheelbarrow girl!

It was very satisfying indeed to be able to cover the mud base and finally see the pool taking shape.

Yesterday, we were thrilled to be able to welcome Sarah and Simon Cobb, our friends from New Zealand and Simon's parents to La Maire. (photo above!). It was lovely to see them all and a real treat for us to take a relaxing afternoon off! It was also an incredible coincidence to discover that they are staying at Claire and Tim's gite, 'Le Marin' at the village of Bellegarde near Carcassonne. This was where we spent two very happy holidays a couple of years ago before househunting in the area. We discovered that Simon and Tim's parents had been friends for years. It really does seem like a small world at times!

8th April

2011-04-10T07:54:00.000-07:00

Well it has been a mixed week! On the postive side, we very much enjoyed having Lucy and Andy here to stay for 5 days and they were lucky enough to have the most wonderful weather. Hardly a cloud in the sky all week and temperatures in the upper 20's. They enjoyed the rest, but also helped us a lot by digging over the vegetable patch and lugging a load of earth up from the pool area to create a new flower bed behind the patio. They also put together our new garden bench - see above! We also had a very French/English evening when Jean Paul and his daughter Marine joined us for dinner. The girls and Andy managed to understand each other very well - in fact both Lucy and Andy spoke more French than they have done since leaving school!! We ate roast chicken and sticky toffee pudding, then managed had an entertaining game of Pictionary with the help of a dictionary!

We had hoped to lay the screed on the base of the pool this week, but despite the hot weather, the soil in the pool is just not drying out enough. We realised we would have to put in a better drainage system, so we (actually, mostly Dave!) have been digging more trenches around and inside the pool to allow the water to escape. Thankfully this seems to be working, so now we just need a few more dry days to finally lay the screed. We almost a had a problem when the sand for the screed was delivered, but it was happily sorted out in a typically Ariege way. We asked the lorry driver to dump the sand down by the pool which he was happy enough to do despite a bit of shoulder shrugging and hand waving, but sure enough the lorry got stuck in the soft earth! However, the driver just smiled, shrugged his shoulders a bit more and suggested we get Denis from the farm with his tractor-whom he just happens to know well. Denis was more than happy to help - so after several minutes of hand shaking and discussion of 'boys toys', the lorry was hauled back up the garden and everyone got back to work.

As for the garden, the grass and everything else is still growing rapidly. Dad's rockery now looks a picture with the tulips out and the snowy Pyrenees behind (see photo above).

We don't feel we have made much progress this week with the pool saga, but in fact we are still moving on with the Pyrnees Suite and laid the concrete base ready for the patio this week, so hope to get that finished very soon - again, weather permitting!

3rd April 2011

2011-04-03T07:36:00.001-07:00

Friday felt like the first day of summer - hot and sunny and light well into the evening. It was also the day of Jean Paul's English lesson so he decided that we would find more to talk about if we went for a walk rather than sitting in front of the computer. He drove me up into the mountains just the other side of Tarascon for a 'hike'. We ended up just past the 'Barrage (dam) du Riete' - see photo above, where there are numerous walking possibilities. The lying snow is still making most of them impassable at the moment but we had a bit of a climb and appreciated the wonderful views. Jean Paul learnt several useful (?) new words, such as 'cattle grid' and I learnt (in French!) about when it is safe to drink water on the mountain, types of rocks, species of wildlife etc!!

At La Maire, we are still making progress in the 'Pyrenees Suite', finishing off the electrics, skirting board and bathroom tiles this week. Up until Friday it was a bit wet, so a good week to work indoors. This lunchtime we were invited up to the farm for the annual 'hog-roast'. All the men who take part in the hunt over the winter help Denis fell and chop the logs that he sells, so he thanks them at the end of the hunting season by roasting a small wild boar. We were delighted to be invited as well - everyone was very friendly and the food was excellent. Neither of us had eaten boar before - it was very tender and tasty, and quite different to any other kind of meat that we know. Anne cooked a dish of flagelot beans to accompany the meat, and this was preceeded by home-made pork pate, smoked bacon, salad and fresh bread. Dessert was 'creme anglaise!' (cold custard!) with cake, all accompanied by wine and champagne. The event also started with drinks and nibbles on the terrace.

Next weeks project is the pool! Also, Lucy and Andy arrive tomorrow for a few days, so we are very much looking forward to seeing them. France meteo is suggesting warm sunny weather as well, so maybe they will be lucky!

Sunday 27th March

2011-03-27T07:09:00.001-07:00

The garden did become a bit of a distraction this week - but Dave is relieved to have given all the grass two cuts already. This is all a bit of a shock for the mower after its winter rest, so it is requiring quite a lot of TLC! We have also started digging over the vegetable plots ready for planting. We decided to allocate afternoons to the garden and mornings to the Pyrenees Suite - we now have lights up in there and have almost finished the floor tiles. Another couple of mornings grouting, then my knees can have a break!! More photos next week!

The weather has been warm and sunny, if a bit windy at times. Yesterday afternoon we decided to take some time out, so drove up to the 'Prat d'Albis', which is just the other side of Foix. Another lovely open plateau with suberb views of the snow capped Pyrenees in one direction, and Foix and its castle in the other, this is an ideal area for walking. We also saw a huge group of parascenders both flying and taking off from near the summit, which were very colourful and interesting to watch.

The ground is now drying out sufficiently for us to think about finishing off the pool - another job for next week!

18th March 2011

2011-03-18T08:31:00.001-07:00

After a wet week - warm sunshine has returned to the Ariege. Daffodils and tulips are in bloom, the grass is growing - and so are the weeds! The sunshine looks set to stay for the next week, which will be wonderful.

Work in the 'Pyrenees Suite' is progressing -see above - but the garden is sure to become a distraction!

2011-03-15T13:02:00.000-07:00

We are now back at La Maire again, after 3 hectic weeks in Maidenhead. We managed to decorate the hall, stairs and landing, as well as our bedroom, and get new carpets fitted all in time for Jean Paul's arrival last Wednesday.

It was Jean Paul's first ever visit to England and London, and he appeared to enjoy every minute. It was interesting for us to see what he found interesting about England! He loved the old phone boxes, the cottages in Bray, the pubs, Guiness, sticky toffee pudding and tube stations!

He even decided that English food is much better than French - and has clearly returned home a few pound heavier! He was an excellent guest to have - very appreciate and good fun. We all spoke a mixture of French and English - in fact Dave probably spoke more French last week than he has done since we arrived in France!!

It is good to be back at La Maire, and to finally be able to start decorating and finishing off the 'Pyrenees Suite'. It is forecast to be wet and windy this week, so ideal for indoor work. However it has been mild so the grass is already growing - it will soon be time to get the mower out again!

27th February

2011-02-26T23:53:00.000-08:00

From the recent 'blog' photos, it looks as though we have been leading a life of leisure this month! In some ways we have - we have just returned from a very fun week skiing in Andorra with friends June, Jim, Carol and Roger. We were lucky with the weather - a mixture of sun, cloud and a little bit of fresh snow, which was particularly wonderful for a day. Snowfall has been somewhat lacking in Andorra this season, but the slopes are very well maintained and there are plenty of snow cannon to maintain coverage. Pistes are wide and open and the scenery is superb. Whats more - it is cheap, and the choice of apres ski entertainment is excellent. We came off the pistes most afternoon to rest our aching muscles in the nearest bar aided by mulled wine and beer - and some really excellent live music.

Work at La Maire is also progressing well. We have finished the attic floor and Dave has almost finished installing the little bathroom suite up there. Also - the the door to the 'Pyrenees Suite' has finally been fitted (see above), so we can now finish painting, putting a floor down and furnishing. We aim to have it all finished by May!!

However, we are now back in England for a couple of weeks, decorating the house here and doing some last picture framing before we take the equipment to France in April. It is good to see signs of Spring in the garden and feel some warmth in the sun

7th February

2011-02-07T08:04:00.001-08:00

We returned to La Maire today after 5 very enjoyable and restful days in the UK. It was a flying visit, but good to be able to meet up with our niece Caroline who has been over from Sydney travelling for a month - and of course to have some time with Daniel and Lucyand Mum and Dad. We all spent a lovely couple of days in Cheltenham and then took Caroline back to Maidenhead for a day, managing to fit in a blustery afternoon mingling with the tourists in Windsor before all travelling off in different directions and leaving Daniel in charge of the house again!

We had a good flight back today - no complaints with Easyjet lately! And I have to say it is nice to see the sun again - 17 degrees this afternoon!

24th January

2011-01-24T00:02:00.000-08:00

Well, the weather here can certainly change quickly from one week to the next. 15deg last weekend to -3 deg this weekend!! However we have only had one overcast day this week, otherwise it has remained clear and sunny-absolutely beautiful! See view from the bottom of the garden above

We have made progress this week. We have finished laying floor tiles in the entrance hall which looks so much better than the original concrete floor. The pool has had to be put on hold for now as the next job is to lay the concrete screed and we can't do that until we are fairly sure there will be no more frosts. Laurent and Pascale are continuing with work in the 'Pyrenees Suite' so we will soon be able to start putting the bathroom units in and laying the floor. Meanwhile, we have been working in the attic. This is a large room which is already plaster-boarded and just needs a new floor to provide another living/bedroom/bathroom area -an 'escape den' for us when we have paying guests!! So yesterday was spent on hands and knees - drill in one hand, hammer in the other. See Dave laying the first floorboards in photo above

We (Dave!) have also put a ladder up into the attic from a cupboard on the landing as the only current access is from our bedroom. I returned home from shopping to find Dave very shaken up after a cartoon -like tumble from the attic, through the hole in the floor, bouncing off the cupboard shelves on the way down. Thankfully the shelves helped to break his fall, but he is still a bit battered and bruised. He has promised to be more careful in future!!

January sunshine

2011-01-15T06:14:00.001-08:00

I couldn't resist putting this photo up! Work continues - but such lovely weather for January.

January 2011

2011-01-12T23:47:00.001-08:00

Another snowy picture - but this time we were glad to see some of the white stuff! We have just returned from the first of what we hope will be many skiing trips to the Pyrenees. Daniel and Lucy were here with us for the week, so we spent a long weekend in Soldeu, Andorra. The drive up there on Saturday morning took just 90 minutes - so it would work well as a day trip as well. We were on the slopes by 9am and soon started to find our way around the large ski area of Grandvalira, which goes right over to Pas de la Casa. The slopes were a bit icy on the first day, but welcome snow showers overnight and on the second day gave way to clear blue skies on the final day, and some fresh snow on the ground as well - perfect!

Daniel and Lucy were lucky enough to enjoy some winter sunshine while they were at La Maire with us as well, so were happy to give us a hand in the garden, clearing leaves and continuing with work on the pool.

We had a good drive back here from the UK on 29th December. We arrived late evening to a very cold house, but soon got the boiler fired up and everything warmed up. We spent a lively and fun New Years Eve with friends at Sara and Jeff's lovely house.
More photos can be seen at
http://picasaweb.google.com/lesleyolver/January2011

4th December

2010-12-04T00:35:00.000-08:00

We arrived back at Priors Way safely on Thusday evening after an interesting drive through a very cold and snowy France. The country was blanketed in snow from the Dordogne northwards, but thankfully there was not too much of it so we were able to keep going at a reasonable speed. The photo above shows the worst bit - blizzard conditions for an hour or so!

After a slight delay at the tunnel we hit Kent with trepidation, having heard about the chaos on the M20 and M25 over the past few days. However the entire population of south east England appeared to have gone into hibernation - we have never seen the M25 so empty (see night photo above), or had such an easy drive to Maidenhead from Dover. We were very thankful to get home to a warm house, cold beer and hot pizza - and Daniel!

Tuesday 30th November

2010-11-30T07:35:00.000-08:00

We have been watching the snow and cold weather in England with interest - and are wondering whether to bring the car chains with us when we drive back on Thursday! Here we have had several dry and sunny days - frosty in the morning but quite warm in the afternoon. As a result, we have made good progress with the pool and now have the structure firmly in place. We are pleased to have reached the stage where we can leave it for a month. In the meantime, Laurent has been working on the 'Pyrenees Suite' and it is starting to take shape.
Dave has enjoyed spending an afternoon pottering in the garden, which has made a welcome change from wading in the mud around the pool. I am busy writing newsletters and Christmas cards.

We can hardly believe it will be a whole year ago tomorrow that we signed contracts and became the new owners of La Maire.

We have added a few more recent photos to the album, so if you would like to see them, just click on the link below
http://picasaweb.google.com/lesleyolver/LaMaireAutumn#

Pool Progress

2010-11-21T08:37:00.001-08:00

It has been a busy week but we feel we are making good progress with both the pool and the 'Pyrenees Suite'! It has been quite tiring physically, but working in the garden in the midst of this beautiful countryside certainly beats going to the gym and it has been very satisfying to see the pool structure slowly take place. It still requires some imagination to visualise sitting on the pool steps this summer, or taking an early morning dip - but it will happen!!

The floor in the guest suite is now laid, ready for Laurent to start work this week, and we have also ordered the patio door-another job done!

The other two photos above show a beautiful sunrise from the living room yesterday morning, and a view of the first snow on the mountains from the paddock.

15th November 2010

2010-11-15T02:33:00.000-08:00

Work in Progress!

It has been a mixed week weather wise - some sunny and beautifully warm autumnal days, but also a fair bit of rain in between. We have started laying the foundation slabs for the pool. This is probably the most critical part of the installation as they all have to be absolutely level with each other. Lots of patience required, but its going well so far!

Work has also started on the 'Pyrenees Suite!'. Neil and his Dad have been helping Dave lay the screed on the floor (see photos above) in preparation for Laurent to start the plaster-boarding later in the week. It is actually starting to look like a room already rather than a garage!

On Friday morning I gave my first watercolour class in French. Laurent the plasterer is a keen artist and has been wanting to try watercolour for some time, so asked for a lesson. It was fun, and he is quite a natural with a paintbrush - but after 3 hours of teaching in French I must admit I was ready for an activity that was less mentally taxing, so spent the afternnoon digging!

Sunday 7th Nov

2010-11-07T09:20:00.000-08:00

It looks quite daunting doesn't it!
This is the pool - a professional 'man with digger' came to do the job yesterday - the rest is up to us! The digger did a really excellent job and coped well with the trauma of breaking an underground water pipe taking water to the farm below us. However all was dealt with efficiently and with good humour. The water board came out and fixed the pipe, we moved the pool a metre to the right - and met another of our neighbours - the man from the farm below!!
So now all we need to do is install the structure - easy!
Today we started to fill in the ditch which will take the water pipe and electricity cables - and got very muddy and wet in the process as the weather has turned again-but its all good fun and the pool will be worth it in the end!!

Autumn at La Maire

2010-11-07T08:06:00.000-08:00

The rain didn't last long, and we had some abolutely beautiful Autumnal days here last week - warm and sunny but with clarity and freshness in the air. The Pyrenees have a dusting of snow and look so close. Not long until the skiing season!
The trees haven't quite reached their autumnal best yet, but the countryside looks beautiful already. Some more photos can be seen here:
http://picasaweb.google.com/lesleyolver/LaMaireAutumn

Our favourite cockerel has been strutting his stuff in the garden as usual, along with his 2 favourite chickens! There are also a flock of Guinea fowl (very funny and insecure birds who absolutely must stay together, otherwise they panic!), various ducks and geese from the farm, and even two very large rabbits which have escaped and have taken to sleeping in our stables

1st November

2010-11-01T08:05:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed our 3 weeks back in the UK. It was good to catch up with friends and to have some family time as well. We drove back to La Maire on Saturday. Despite worries about fuel shortages, we had no problems filling up and had a good drive. The Autumn trees throughout France were a real picture - I wished I hadn't packed my camera away in the case!

We found La Maire exactly as we had left it - always a relief! The grass and weeds hadn't grown too long and it wasn't too cold either. The night sky when we arrived at 10.30 pm was clear and absolutely full of stars. Dave fired the boiler up, feeding it with the 'granules' that we bought in September. It soon got going, but we also soon realised that it was eating our (very expensive!) granules rather too quickly, and turning them into very acrid grey smoke! However, the very confusing instruction booklet is now making a bit of sense and after experimenting with different settings, Dave has sorted it for now...we hope!

Today is my birthday - but our plans to go for a walk or drive have come to nothing as it has been raining since yesterday lunchtime! It is also a Bank Holiday here today, so shops and restaurants are shut as well - so birthday 'celebrations' are on hold until Wednesday, when the weather looks to be much better. Instead, we have been fixing curtains (me) and light fittings (Dave) and putting some pictures up.

It is lovely to be back despite the weather and the fact that the only signs of life around here so far are the cows and chickens-everyone shelters indoors in this weather and especially so on Bank Holidays. All will be back to normal tomorrow!

6th October

2010-10-06T03:00:00.000-07:00

I held my first beginners painting day here at La Maire yesterday. Friends Lisa and Jenny, Sara and Jeff happily agreed to be my 'guinea pigs' for the day and it was very helpful to be able to run through the class here and check that it all works well. We had a bonus in that the weather was wonderful - clear blue sky and very warm, so we were able to spend the afternoon painting a view from the garden (see above) a after a relaxing alfresco lunch.

Today I am making fig jam with Odile up at the farm. Our trees are overloaded with ripe fruit at the moment, so I asked Odile to show me how it is done here! She was delighted to help and we had a good chat while collecting the fruit - another step towards good neighbourly relations! Janine also joined in and there was some discussion over whether the fruit should be cut in half or not, but Odile was in charge, so cut in half they were!! Odile also showed me more of the farm - in particular the very large pigs awaiting slaughter this winter and the flock of guinea fowl who have just started roaming around our land!

On the DIY front, we are still trying to get the small bathroom up and running before we return to Maidenhead on Sunday for 3 weeks. To be continued.....

4th October

2010-10-04T09:56:00.000-07:00

Mum and Dad arrived safely last weekend after a good drive down through France despite having developed a love/hate relationship with their new Satnav! They were very lucky with the weather this time. We had plenty of sun and it soon warmed up after a chilly start to the week.

We still haven't needed to light the boiler and start up the cenral heating!

We had a few trips out, including one beautifully sunny afternoon to the village of Sabarat (see photo above)and Le Mas d'Azil. Mum and Dad also got 'stuck in' with jobs at La Maire. Mum painted all the new patio chairs (12 of them!) with teak oil, and Dad put on the wellies again and created a lovely new rockery at the entrance to La Maire.

Our 'waterair' swimming pool kit arrived on Wednesday. It arrived in an articulated lorry, so I was very relieved to hear that it had 8 kits inside and wasn't filled with just our stuff! The driver decided he wouldn't be able to turn around here if he drove right up to the property so we half expected him to give up and leave, but he left the lorry at the bottom of the lane and brought everything up here in two loads with a fork-lift! Very entertaining for the neighbours!! The 'pool' is now stored in the barn (see photo) ready to be installed in November.

On Saturday evening we hosted another dinner party. French friends Marielle and Olivier from the mohair farm came, along with Jean Paul (my English pupil/French teacher) with his girlfriend Marie, and also Lisa and Neil to boost the English contingency - and to save Dave from having to speak French all evening! We cooked roast pork followed by apple pie and plum crumble with custard. The gravy and custard were eyed with suspicion at first, but all seemed to go down well and the conversation was very entertaining!

Finally, the first photo above is of the wonderful sky at sunrise the other day - taken from the living room!

27th September 2010

2010-09-26T08:50:00.001-07:00

After a hectic couple of weeks back in Maidenhead, I was happy to get back to La Maire last Sunday, to be met by a very happy Dave. After two weeks on his own here he was in danger of starting to talk to himself! I had an excellent 7.10am flight and was back at La Maire by 11.00am - just in time for a quick coffee before persuading Dave that we should go out on our bikes - the warm, sunny weather was just too good to miss.

Dave had made good progress with the bathroom, and it was also good to see the lovely balustrade made by Neil Anslow up at one of the living room windows - see photo above.

http://www.neilanslow.com/

The excellent weather continued for the first half of the week, so we kept putting bathroom no. 2 project on hold and finding jobs to do in the garden - still a lot of weeds to be kept under control!

Lunch every day last week was corn on the cob, fresh from the garden. It has been the juiciest, freshest, most tender corn that either of us have ever eaten. Funnily enough, the French don't know how to cook it and just can't understand why we would want to eat it - they grow field after field of it, but all to be used as cattle fodder, so the idea of eating it doesn't appeal at all!

Helen (friend and watercolour 'student' from Maidenhead) and her husband Allan came to stay with us for a couple of nights last week as they are touring through France with their tent. It was good to see them and we enjoyed their company while they were here. Allan cooked a wonderful curry for us on the second night! They were also very lucky to enjoy what appears to have been the last of the very warm weather - a couple of photos are above.

After two weeks away from speaking French, I was pleased to spend an afternoon with Marielle at the mohair farm, chatting and putting brochures in envelopes to send out to their customers.

http://mohairfrance.com/index.html

I also had a French/English session with Jean Paul, our new friend from the village - always very entertaining and helpful!! I am learning a lot about English grammar as well as French!

Mum and Dad arrived safely on Saturday, after spending 3 days driving down here, which they enjoyed. Mum has taken on the job of oiling the teak chairs (10 altogether!) and Dad is in his element with wellies and spade in the garden, tidying up some very out-of-control flower beds.

More photos of Mum and Dads visit next weekend!

6th September 2010

2010-09-06T00:14:00.000-07:00

This photo is a view of Foix Castle over the rooftops - courtesy of June!

We enjoyed the rest of June and Jims stay with us very much. We enjoyed their company - and their help - and had a wonderful week of warm, sunny weather, so were able to eat most meals outside on the terrace (even breakfast!) and from Wednesday morning, had our new table and chairs to enjoy as well! (to sit at, not to eat!)

On Friday morning, we went to Foix market, and enjoyed a coffee in the old part of the town, indulging in a little people watching as well!

Thursday was the day of our 'Aperitifs and hot-dogs' evening - a small party for all the new friends we have made since living at La Maire. We fired up the barbeque, cleared and tiled the 'bar' in the dining room, made a few extra 'nibbles' as well - and were ready to go! It was lovely to see everyone - both English and French friends from the village and nearby, the Prax family, from whom we bought the house and who still run the farm behind us, and also Sue and the girls from the office. The children loved the hot-dogs, but were not so sure about 'les oignons' !! Somehow, everyone seemed to know most of the other people there, so it was a good opportunity for 'catching up' and the house now feels well and truly 'warmed up'!

I returned to Maidenhead on Saturday, staying here until the 19th - so Dave is rattling around on his own at 'La Maire' at the moment. The next project is the second bathroom, so Dave will not be short of things to do, and I will expect it all to be finished for my return!!!

1st September 2010

2010-09-01T02:04:00.000-07:00

Progress last week was halted for a day or two as Dave's back siezed up - just as he was putting the final touches to the patio wall ! An enforced rest was probably good for him however, and we had a couple of days of very hot weather, so were both happy to take it easy for a bit. So with the kitchen, main bathroom and terrace all now finished, we can tick off a few more boxes!

June and Jim arrived on Sunday, to clear blue skies - and much cooler weather. Within a couple of days, night-time temperatures dropped from 23 to 10 degrees!! We have enjoyed showing June and Jim around, and having some time off ourselves as well. On Monday we walked up to the viewpoint, discovering that the road sign indicating the distance to be 2km was more like 2 miles! However,we had a lovely walk and got back in plenty of time for lunch. Yesterday was action packed - a walk and picnic up in the mountains, then we hit the night life in Pamiers. There was a live band on in the square as part of the Pamiers fete. The square was full of local people, mostly of 'a certain age' and all dressed up in their 'finest'. As soon as the band kicked off, they all got to their feet and started dancing around the square - walzes, tangoes, cha-cha-chas - you name it, they could do it, some expertly, some barely able to stand, and some just doing their own thing, but all totally without inhibitions! This was clearly the highlight of their year, and all all were having such a great time-huge smiles all round, and great entertainment for us.

23rd August 2010

2010-08-22T12:17:00.000-07:00

Here you are Brian - a photo just to prove that Dave is doing some work as well!

We finally celebrated completion of the patio this week (photos above!) - and toasted all Daniel's hard work! We finished the pointing after several aborted attempts as we couldn't find a mortar that we were happy with! However, all looks lovely now,and will look even better when Dave has finished the little wall along the back edge - and a bit of greenery has had a chance to grow!
The weather is also now very hot and sunny, so we have enjoyed several dinners on the terrace overlooking the valley - lovely!

We have also ordered a pool this week - a kit pool, which we fit ourselves, but have a man to come and dig the hole, then the manufacturers come to fit the liner in the Spring. We have decided to locate it at the bottom of the back garden which gets all day sunshine, and overlooks the valley (just behind Dave in the photo!) - so we will look forward to that next year!

The house has seemed very quiet this week after Lucy and Andy and then Daniel left! However, it has been great to have Broadband here at last and be able to chat on Skype.

The dry and hot weather has meant that the grass is growing more slowly and gives the mower a bit of a break - but why do the weeds grow faster than ever?!! We are also discovering that courgettes and runner beans love the climate - so if any of you are hoping to visit us next year - I hope you like green beans and ratatouille as the freezer is full of both!!.....oh and plum crumble!

15th August 2010

2010-08-15T12:28:00.000-07:00

Well - it has finally happened!! - we are online at La Maire!!!!

So here is the blog update, posted on a Sunday evening 'chez nous' - not at McDonalds!!!

It has been a good week. The weather has still not been great - it has apparently been an unusually dreadful Summer so far. The usual run uf uninterrupted hot and sunny days hasn't really materialised, but it has actually been great for us, as higher temperatures would have made working a lot harder - and we have still had a reasonable amount of warm and sunny weather, so no complaints! We would just like normal conditions to resume next Summer when we have the pool in place!!

Lucy's boyfiend, Andy, arrived on Tuesday, and was a great help with laying patio slabs, painting the kitchen - and cooking and washing up! We had planned to have a day up in the mountains, but the weather didn't oblige, so we just had an afternoon out at Carla Bayle, which they enjoyed. Otherwise, there has been plenty to do here to keep everyone occupied and we have all had a fun week.

On Thursday evening, Dave and I went to Lisa and Neil's - they had an 'aperitifs' party for friends to celebrate the opening of their B&B accommodation, which they have been working hard to prepare over the past few months. It was lovely to spend some time with all the new friends we have made since arriving here.

It was Daniel's last day today, so we went up the Plateau to Beille again - Daniel was keen to cycle up it, so Dave and I spent some time at the Sunday market at the village of 'Les Cabannes', then drove up to the top to meet Daniel. He really enjoyed the ride, despite some rather moody cloud building up, and it was also very cold (for Summer!) at the top - just 10 degrees!

We take Daniel to the airport tomorrow - we have really enjoyed having all the 'kids' here and they have been a huge help as well - we have made a lot of progress over the past few weeks. We will then be on our own for 2 weeks before good friends June and Jim join us at the end of the month

9th August 2010

2010-08-09T00:37:00.000-07:00

Good news this week – we finally have a phone line! No internet as yet, but this is the first step, and it is good to be connected to the outside world!

The weather has been fantastic this weekend, so we have made the most of it, with a BBQ on Saturday evening, and a day out on the Plateau de Beille yesterday. The plateau is about 75 mins drive from here, the last 30 minutes being the climb up to the top. The plateau is a cross-country ski area in Winter, but is a wonderful area for walking in Summer, with views of the Pyrenees in all directions. Photos are above.

We also had our first dinner party on Friday evening, with Sue and Steve and Lisa and Neil (8 of us with the four of us!!) . It was a fun evening, and I also made good friends with our new cooker!!

The patio slabs arrived on Wednesday, so that is another challenge for Daniel before he goes home in a week’s time. The first one took about 30 mins to lay and get level – but things are speeding up now. We have also started tiling the kitchen, and the future pool area and garden around it are all clear of weeds (for the time being.

Lucy’s boyfiend Andy arrives on Tuesday, so we will have a quieter week with some time out, and will hopefully finish the patio and kitchen.

2nd August 2010

2010-08-02T01:05:00.000-07:00

It has been a mixed week of weather – some glorious hot and sunny days, but also some cloud in between and finally thunderstorms and rain last night. The sunflower photo above was taken during a bike ride from a local view point.

This is the time of year when the French all go on holiday for at least two weeks – sometimes the whole of August, so shops and businesses close and everyone goes away!! This most probably means that we won’t see any progress on our phone line for at least another month. It seems it is just a matter of waiting until they have put the new lines in to the village, which is apparently more complicated than we first thought. However, it will be done. Magali at the office called them again last week while we were there and had a long conversation, stressing how important it is that we get a phone very soon as we have been waiting for so long, so she is doing her best for us and we are grateful that she is doing it for us, as I still find telephone conversations in French very difficult!!

As for progress at La Maire – Lucy has been painting all the landing walls and doors, so it all looks much brighter and fresher. The main bathroom is ready,, except for fitting a side to the bath, and Daniel has spent the week building the barbeque, which is almost finished. The patio slabs should arrive tomorrow so the sitting area in the back garden will soon be ready!
We have also connected up and used the new cooker, so the next job is to re-tile and paint the kitchen….then re-vamp the old bathroom.

On Friday evening, we took Daniel and Lucy for dinner at the Auberge in Carla Bayle. (see photo) It was a lovely evening, and delicious food as always.
On Saturday evening, Sue and Steve invited us to a BBQ at their home. This was also a lovely evening – perfect weather for sitting outside, delicious food…and it was also good to meet some more English people living locally.

Yesterday, we had planned a day out in the mountains as the weather looked promising. As we set off however, it started to cloud over and looked much less promising, so we made a quick decision to alter our route and go for a local walk instead. I had noted one not far from here that goes up to a hilltop TV mast and afforded fantastic views both over to the Pyrenees and also back to StVictor Rouzaud. The climb was certainly worth it, even in slightly murky weather. (See photo taken on the walk). We then drove home via the village of Sabarat, where we had our picnic. This is a very pretty little village on the river, and so full of character –prefect for painting, so I will be back!!

25th July 2010

2010-07-26T01:12:00.000-07:00

Country and Western festival at Pamiers

Yesterday evening, we all went into Pamiers to see a live band perform as part of the Country and Western festival that is taking place over this weekend. Dave and Daniel came along under sufferance…but actually found it very entertaining!! Before the live band (‘Rusty Legs’!!) started at 9.30, there was a dance floor and music to dance to. Lucy and I were itching to join in, but didn’t recognise any of the dances! Lucy managed a couple however, just by watching and following the steps – I wasn’t brave enough!!.

The live band were fun – and even included a bit of Elvis, Dire Straits….and Queen!!!….so the chaps were happy!! Eventually, a couple of dances came along that Lucy and I both knew, so we were able to join in! We also bought a couple of cowboy hats from one of the numerous stalls surrounding the square.
We were surprised to see so many people dancing and enjoying the music – and I managed to get some info on a Pamiers line-dancing group, which I will go along to in due course!!

Today, Sunday, we took the day off! The weather has been a bit unsettled all week, and was quite cloudy first thing, but we decided to risk it. We drove up to the ski resort of Ax les Thermes and dropped Daniel off with his bike at the bottom of the Col de Pailheres. We then drove up to the top of the Col (featured in the tour de France last week!). Dave, Lucy and I walked (hiked!!) up the mountain for an hour or so – amazing views but quite cool and windy – then wandered back down again to meet Daniel, who managed the ride to the top, but was ready for his lunch!!

There are more photos of July at La Maire at

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/lesleyolver/LaMaireJuly201002#

20th July

2010-07-22T03:11:00.000-07:00

20th July 2010

The other excitement this week involved the tour de France stage which started from Pamiers yesterday. We set off from here on our bikes at 8.00am and cycled down into Pamiers to see where the race was to start in the large square. There was a lot going on – people, noise, publicity etc…..so we wandered around for a bit, then cycled off to a quieter part of the town to watch the publicity procession, which was fun, and we picked up a few freebies – hats, fridge magnets, snacks etc!! We then cycled back over the hill to the corner near our village where the race was passing. A lot of local friends were there, so we had a chat and then found a good spot on the corner to wait for the cyclists. It was very exciting when they finally appeared - they flew along the flat straight towards us and then went by in an instant. I have to say I have never experienced a sporting occasion quite like it – hugely exciting and exhilarating while it lasted – but was over in a flash – then we all went home!!Dave and I picked Lucy up from the airport on Monday evening, so it is now very good to all have some time here together.

July 2010

2010-07-22T03:05:00.000-07:00

July at La Maire

July and August are the months in the Ariege when ‘it all happens’!!

The weather is beautiful, apart from the odd day when the cloud drifts across from the mountains and cools down the temperature a bit. Although very hot for attempting any kind of physical activity, there is always a welcome breeze, and it has been very pleasant sitting in the garden in the shade – however we don’t seem to get the opportunity to do that very often at the moment!! This is also the season for fetes and festivals. The Pamiers ‘Latino’ festival was on last weekend, along with the fete at St Victor Rouzaud, our village. This is the local annual event of the year, lasting 3 days, starting with the ‘mousse’ (foam) party on the Saturday evening. Dave, Daniel and I wandered down there to join in with the festivities. There was a complete mix of people there – families with young children, teenagers from surrounding local villages, and a few other English families. We met up with friends Lisa and Neil, and were also pleased to meet Sara and Jeff, and Jo and Chris – us girls all decided to give the foam a go - very slimy and wet – but good fun (see photo!) !! Sunday activities included the church service and some family sporting activities, then there was a meal and dancing on the Monday. However, we were busy on the Sunday and picked Lucy up from the airport on Monday evening, so were not able to join in – next year however is in the diary!!

As for work at our house – Dave and Daniel have made great progress with the patio and at the time of writing, the base is ready for the stone slabs, which will arrive next week. The garden is under control, and the new bathroom is very near completion – we fitted the shower door yesterday, so all we need to do now is paint the floor and add the finishing touches.The new cooker also arrived today!!

Sunday 11th July

2010-07-11T08:50:00.000-07:00

So its back to France on Tuesday for me! It has been a busy couple of weeks catching up with work and keeping the pots watered!! A heatwave in Maidenhead comes as quite a shock after the last couple of years! It is good to have Lucy home for the holidays as well and she will join us in France the following week.

Dave and Daniel have started work on the terrasse at La Maire - not the best job for the height of Summer, so they are finding alternative and less energetic jobs for the afternoons. I am looking forward to seeing the changes....and the (almost!) finished bathroom!

The Tour de France will start at Pamiers on Monday 19th July. The route takes them very close to St Victor Rouzaud, so we plan to go and cheer them on. If any of you watch it, we plan to wait on a long bend just after the village of Escosse, which is only a few km after the start.
We will wave, so if you spot us, be sure to wave back!!

Tuesday 29th June

2010-07-02T02:33:00.000-07:00

Tuesday 29th June

A final entry before Dave takes me to the airport.....
It has been a week of warm sunshine and thundery clouds building late in the day - see photos!

There has also been a bit of drama up at the farm over the last couple of days. Michel (our nearest neighbour and brother of Moise, who runs the farm at the top) called by on Monday morning to say that their elderly mother had died during the night, and that there would be quite a lot of cars going to and from the farm. Sure enough, the cars started from lunchtime onwards and all through Tuesday as well.
We felt we should offer our condolences to the family as well, so also wandered up there in the afternoon with some flowers. They were all pleased to see us - and must have been exhausted coping with such a steady stream of visitors and keeping the farm running as well. We were slightly alarmed to be invited in to see 'la mere', who was there in the house (!!!), but managed to politely decline!!
Moise was still in his work clothes and the atmosphere was actually quite jolly - and became jollier as the evening went on, probably fuelled by a fair bit of wine and Ricard! As Moise said, 'c'est la vie'!!

Daniel flies out to help Dave on Monday, then Lucy and I will join them in a couple of weeks - so we are all looking forward to having a bit of a holiday and some family time.

Monday 28th June

2010-07-02T02:13:00.001-07:00

On the way to self-sufficiency!

The past two weeks have passed very quickly and I am due to fly back to the UK tomorrow. We feel we have made good progress, with the bathroom tiling almost finished and both our bedroom and the twin room painted and 'refreshed'. The grass is all looking tidy and the 'Roundup' onslaught on the weeds has begun.

Dave is still nurturing the vegatable patch. Sadly a lot of the seeds didn't survive the cold spell in May, and we really didn't have time to prepare the soil properly this year, but we are quickly discovering what grows easily and what needs more attention. We were able to harvest (and eat!) our first peas today, and they were absolutely delicious!! The potatoes are pretty good as well - and the cherry and fig trees are well loaded with fruit. Jam making will soon be on the 'list of things to do'!
We are buying eggs now from the farm, and have the promise of chickens, rabbit and duck in the near future as well - I'm not sure what condition we will receive them in, but will deal with that when the time comes!!! The chickens roam around our land most of the time anyway, so it is almost like having our own chickens without the expense or hassle!

We also downed tools on Sunday morning to have an outing to the 'Lac de Mondeley', (see above) which is about 40 minutes of very picturesque driving away. We had read (in the Daily Mail!!) that is has one of the best beaches in Europe. Well - the lake itself was beautiful, but the reporter must have been hallucinating as the 'beach ' was just a small area of grey gravelly sand!
Well, we enjoyed the drive and the place, but won't be swimming there!!

Thursday 24th June

2010-07-02T01:49:00.001-07:00

Summer at last!

Well Summer finally arrived at the beginning of the week, along with the start of Wimbledon. We are finally enjoying late dinners in the garden - and wishing we already had a pool in place!! However, the interior of the house is remaining nice and cool, so offers a welcome respite when needed.

We have had a sociable stay here so far this time. The Anslow family joined us for the England/Algeria match, which was fun (their company, not the match!!). Lucy and David from the chateau joined us for tea one day, and we have also got to know a guy in the village who wants to improve his English - and help us with our French in return. We both visited our very likeable insurance broker and had an interesting and amusing conversation with him - in half French/ half English! Dave has spent a couple of days working on Sue's garden (also prone to becoming jungle-like) and Magali from Sue's office helped me complete my business application. Once this is set up and we are earning some money, we will be able to enter the French health system. The 'maire' has also been a huge help in filling in the (very confusing !) application forms which we need to complete for approval to build our balcony.

We have been happily amazed by the friendliness and helpfulness of all the local people (maybe with the exception of the sales assistant in the mobile phone shop!) Everyone has something to say and nothing is ever too much trouble for them. From the insurance broker, to local farmers, to supermarket sales assistants and security guards at the 'Brico Depot' (B &Q!), everyone has a smile or a wave and they all seem to take such pride and pleasure in their work.

Saturday 19th June

2010-07-02T01:21:00.000-07:00

Dealing with the early summer jungle of weeds!

We arrived back at La Maire on Sunday 13th June - a good drive apart from encountering a tremendous thunderstorm in the Dordogne. I have rarely seen such torrential rain, but we battled through it at 30 mph and finally emerged safely on the other side.

On arriving 'chez nous' late in the evening, it was great to be able to open up the shutters and find the house exactly as we left it!
The garden however, was another story!! Equal quantities of sun and rain over the previous 4 weeks had provided ideal growing conditions for both grass and weeds. The grass was about a foot high, and the 'swimming pool to be' area at the back was a jungle of waist-high nettles and other very healthy looking weeds. Luckily, my flower seeds had also grown and were near to blooming - and the vegetable patch hadn't fared too badly either.

We just about managed to get the trailer unloaded before the rain started, then it didn't stop until Tuesday lunchtime!! However we soon heard about the floods in SE France and realised we had got off lightly!

The rest of the week remained unsettled, so we made the most of the opportunity to crack on with the bathroom and decorate two of the bedrooms. Much to Dave's huge satisfaction as an amateur plumber, the bathroom is now water-tight and ready to go, and the grass all cut...we are trying to ignore the weeds at the moment!

11th June

2010-06-11T23:35:00.000-07:00

A month in the UK

We soon settled into life in Maidenhead again - after a less than perfect arrival! The journey through France to Calais was great - Eurotunnel...no problem - but then we hit the M25...standstill traffic and torrential rain on a Sunday evening! To make matters worse, we went to Gatwick to collect Reggie (our Ford Ka - left there when Lesley last flew out to France in a hurry!), only to find that he had thrown a hissy fit and had a flat battery. However, a nice man with a van and jump leads was there in minutes and we were soon on the road.

It has been a busy month - we held an 'open week' for the pictures, which resulted in a lot of framing. Along with watercolour commissions, catching up with family and friends and generally sorting things out here, the month has flown by.

Dave and Daniel also went off to Morocco for 5 days on the 'Landrover Experience' trip which Daniel was lucky enough to win in a competition. They had an amazing time and Dave's photos can be seen at
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/daveolver/LandRoverExperienceMorocco
Lots of sand and lots of cars!!

So we are now packing the car and trailer ready for our drive back to La Maire on Sunday. We are looking forward to some warm, sunny weather - but might have to wait a while for that as the forecast is for rain over the next week! Oh well, we will just have to crack on with the bathroom and the decorating!!

May 16th

2010-05-17T08:44:00.000-07:00

Mixed up weather!!

Well - the first week in May saw the return of Winter! As the weather became progressively colder and wetter, we decided to start up the boiler again - just as well we did, as heavy rain turned to snow - on the very day of Mum and Dad's arrival!! Apparently snow only falls in May about every 20 years in this part of the Ariege, so it has taken everyone by surprise and has created a topic for conversation amongst the neighbours!

So Mum and Dad were not able to see our little corner of France at its best on arrival, but appreciated the warmth and comfort provided by the effective heating system and huge radiators at 'La Maire'. We had spent the previous weekend putting the finishing touches to their room with great satisfaction - the first guest room to be completed!

The rain and cold persisted for the next couple of days, but then we were able to enjoy a few days of warmer sunshine. Mum and Dad were a huge help with painting, gardening and other jobs around the house, but we also found time to explore the area, visiting Pamiers, Foix market, and aslo did a couple of local walks. Mum and Dad also treated us to a delicious meal at 'Auberge Pierre Bayle' in the hilltop village of Carla Bayle (see phots above). We had a table by the window with superb views of the surrounding countryside, delicious food - and a charming waiter! A lovely evening.

Dave (now fully recovered) continued working in the new bathroom, slowly but surely making progress with the mass of pipework and joints required to link it in to the system!

Just after Mum and Dad returned home, Daniel and Richard returned from their (successful this time!) drive to Morocco, and stayed with us for a couple of nights before driving the final leg home.

Dave and I are also now back in Maidenhead for a few eeks, returning to 'La Maire' around the middle of June

30th April

2010-04-30T05:14:00.000-07:00

Not the best weekend for Dave!!

Well we have now found out where the hospital is.....but not in the best way possible!!

Dave felt very ill on the Friday after Lucy and I left, with a high temperature and splitting headache. On the Saturday morning he woke to find a large bruise on his shin. He felt rough for the rest of the day but felt a little better and hoped it would go away!!

However the bruise had got worse by the Sunday morning so Dave decided to take himself off to outpatients at the hospital,which was very brave of him!! Very little English was spoken at the hospital but Dave coped ok - however the initial diagnosis was very worrying as they thought it was blood poisoning. While I was panicing somewhat at home and changing my flight to get back to France the next day, by the evening, the doctors had decided it was actually a skin infection - still a bad one needing treatment, but thankfully not as serious as we thought!!

I arrived back in France on the Monday - was thrilled and relieved that Lisa was able to pick me up from the airport and take me straight to the hospital. Dave was feeling much better and itching to get home by now, but had to stay in another night! I picked him up on the Tuesday and took him home with 3 weeks supply of anti-biotics and strict instructions to stay off the alcohol and rest. He has obeyed the former but he wont rest unless I tie him down - however the best compromise was to rest sitting on the mower, so we now have a fully mown lawn for the first time!

The weather is still lovely - and getting warmer by the day. However some rain is expected this weekend - eagerly awaited by yht e farmers I think as they haven't had their usual amount of March/April rain in the Ariege this year.

Am writing this in McDonalds in Pamiers - still no phone or Broadband at La Maire!!

25th March - 22nd April

2010-04-24T01:26:00.000-07:00

Lucy's first visit to 'La Maire'

During my absence, the guys made good progress and coped admirably with food shopping, using the washing machine and various excursions to Brico Depot - transporting home 5m lengths of decking required some thought!! Daniel and Richard built an impressive area of decking at the back of the house, and the mower was finally repaired. Dave then spent most of the following week cutting the grass - the first cut of the season was a bit of a challenge as the grass was very long indeed!

Latest photos can be seen here
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/lesleyolver/LucyFirstVisit

Lucy and I had a good flight out - sat behind actress Tamsin Grieg on the plane - Lucy is a big fan of 'Black Books' so was rather pleased!
Lucy loved 'la Maire' and was very lucky to have some warm and sunny weather for her stay. I was suprised to see how much the garden had changed while I was away - signs of Spring everywhere and everything growing like mad!

Lucy took on the job of shutter painting during her stay (alongside a fair bit of sunbathing and talking to the neighbours' dog!) Green shutters are now all finished and back in place - they look lovely! We also did lots of cooking - mostly cakes - some of which we gave to the neighbours as a thankyou for their gifts of lovely fresh eggs.
Daniel and Richard took on the difficult task of putting insulation in the 'garage room' ceiling and finishing it off with plasterboard. This will eventually be our main guest room so it was good to make a start. Dave is making progress in the new bathroom, but also keeps finding 'little jobs' to do in the garden which is so inviting at the moment! I also wielded a paintbrush - both watercolour and emulsion - generally kept food on the table, and even planted some seeds!

Our stay was punctuated by the flight chaos caused by the dust cloud from the volcano in Iceland. Dave and Daniel were due to fly back to the UK for a 5 day Land Rover driving holiday in Morocco. This was a competition prize won by Daniel so had been eagerly awaited! Their flight was cancelled, but thankfully for them the trip has also had to be postponed. Lucy and I managed to get our scheduled flight home on Thursday - so we were lucky!

The saga of getting a phone line and broadband to La Maire continues! Our initial contract had to be cancelled, then a new phone line ordered - but it now appears more lines are needed in the village, so it seems we will be waiting a while longer! However, we have mobiles, helpful neighbours with broadband, and there is always McDonalds which provide free Wi-Fi - so we will manage for the time being!

Lucy goes back to Loughborough on Sunday, then I will return to France in time for our next visitors - Mum and Dad are coming to stay for a week in May. We are very much looking forward to their stay and showing them around the area - and hope they will also have their usual luck with the weather when on holiday!!
Meanwhile, we need to find a bed....

Next blog update near the end of May - or sooner if we get online!

7th - 24th March

2010-03-25T14:59:00.000-07:00

Two seasons in one week!!

Well, after an eventful and productive couple of weeks, Lesley is now back in Maidenhead, and back on-line, so is able to continue 'the blog'. We had hoped to be up and running with phone and broadband at La Maire, but many things never happen quickly in rural France!!

So lots to tell...we had a cold but sunny drive down to the Ariege - then our arrival at La Maire at 11.00pm coincided with the start of a 24 hour snowfall!

We got the wood-chip boiler up and running however and the house soon began to heat up - slowly! The first night was bitterly cold, but happily the house was all in good order after a cold winter.

The sun soon came out again, but temperatures stayed very low for about 4 days - then Spring suddenly arrived and it was time to unpack the the t-shirts!

Daniel and 3 friends were due to arrive the following week to help out, so our first few days consisted of buying a few essentials - fridge, freezer, washing machine, mattresses etc. However there is a lot to learn - we forgot that most shops in France close at lunchtime, so all customers are shown the door at midday, whether you have a trolley load or not!! Delivery of the white goods turned out to be impossible for another 2 weeks, but we were offered the use of the shop's own van to deliver transport our purchases back to the house - quite an interesting experience along the single track lanes!!

A couple of trips to Ikea also enabled us to begin sparsly furnishing the house, so it is starting to feel like home.

The lads all arrived - with wellies and workclothes - so Dave soon found plenty for them to do. The biggest job was demolishing the chicken houses, which they attacked with gusto!! Two days later, the chicken houses had become a petanque ground and a very neatly stacked pile of bricks! Another 2 day job was digging out the land behind the back of the house in preparation for the patio, and then the attic rooms to be cleared and painted.

The lads managed a couple of days out as well, to the coast, to Carcassonne and to the mountains - and by the middle of the week we had English TV up and running - just in time for the France/England rugby match!!

Fresh air and hard work makes for very large appetities, so we have also been keeping the local supermarkets in business!

We have both thoroughly enjoyed our first few weeks at La Maire. We still find the beautiful countryside all around quite a distraction from the jobs in hand and it is such a lovley place to wake up to in the mornings.
We have been warmly welcomed by the farming community around us - they all came out to say hello, and we were also pleased to be able to meet up with friends Sue and Steve, and Lisa and Neil from the village, all of whom are helping us to settle in so smoothly

Dave is staying there to continue working for another couple of weeks, with Daniel and Richard to help. I will go back with Lucy - her first visit- in a couple of weeks time....who knows, maybe we will be on-line by then!!

Some photos of the last couple of weeks can be seen at
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/lesleyolver/LaMaireGettingStarted

Friday 5th March 2010

2010-03-05T00:19:00.000-08:00

Well - we are home again from our really wonderful holiday to Hong Kong, Sydney and New Zealand. A few more photos from our trip can be seen here

http://picasaweb.google.com/lesleyolver/HongKongSydneyNewZealand2

So - next stop - St Victor Rouzaud!

The new trailer is sitting in the front garden ready to be packed and the car is ready for some exercise after its 6 week rest on the driveway!

We are looking forward to being back at La Maire and starting work - Daniel and some friends are joining us for a week or so so help with some of the dismantling of chicken sheds, clearing up and if it is wet - painting. It will be good to have the extra pairs of hands - and we will enjoy their company as well. Our first week there will involve quite a lot of shopping, so we all have somewhere to sit and sleep - if there is any time for that!!

Dave's first item on the shopping list is the tractor mower!

We understand March tends to be the wettest month in the Ariege....so watch this space!!

Monday 7th December

2009-12-10T14:31:00.000-08:00

Late afternoon sun from the garden

Time to go home - for now!

A quieter day today - just enjoying the weather.

It does feel as though we have been on holiday - even though we have been working hard for all (or most of ) the week. Dave however has now finished 'real' work and will be officially retired in February, so the 'holiday' continues. We are looking forward to a family Christmas, skiing after the New Year, then a 'real' holiday to Australia and New Zealand in Jan/Feb, before returning to La Maire in March to start renovations in earnest.

Saturday and Sunday 5th - 6th December

2009-12-10T14:07:00.000-08:00

We woke up to a beautiful red sunrise - so dashed up to the living room to take some photos.

The men at the farm down the road were just setting off hunting. Jeannine Prax told us on Sunday that they were hunting for wild boar, and that Dave would be very welcome to join them next time....maybe next year!!

The weather continued to improve over the course of the weekend - very calm and warm with plenty of sunshine. Sue and Steve visited us on Saturday morning (our first visitors!), and we also met them in Foix in the evening for a delicious meal at 'Gaia', run by an English/Australian couple. Had the most incredibly tender steak - and tarte tatin exactly as it should be made!

I also went cycling for an hour - Dave was busy chopping a wooden support into shape for a beam in one of the outhouses. Cycling was all either very much downhill or very much uphill - but good fun and amazing views. The weather had cleared enough to be able to see the whole range of the Pyrenees - with more snow on top after yesterdays rain - beautiful!!

On Sunday, we went up to the mohair farm to see Olivier and Marielle - and to have a look in their shop. See http://www.mohairfrance.com/index.html for more information. Olivier also took us up to see the goats, which are very pretty and very sweet - I never thought I would say that about a goat!!. The goats are shorn at the farm, the wool is sent away to be treated and made into the lovely products which they then sell back at the farm. It really is beautiful wool, and in such a huge range of colours.

Friday 4th December

2009-12-10T13:49:00.000-08:00

Wet weather - and a very pleasant evening!

Wind and rain all day today - but the countryside still looks lovely!

We started painting the hall - and were pleased to be making some progress, however small. There will be a lot to do next year, both inside and outside the house. Every room will benefit from some decoration - we will need to fit 2 bathrooms and convert the garage into a guest ensuite - along with building a balcony, patios, tidying up the land and putting in a pool. Dave keeps adding 'new jobs' to his list. However we are very relieved that the house is very comfortable for us as it is, and it will be a pleasure spending time here while we do the work. The majority of the work will be outside - lots of dismantling and clearing of old farm buildings, before we can even think about landscaping a beautiful garden - but we will get there!!

We are enjoying our wonderful and very efficient wood-chip boiler - see photo.

However, we are also discovering that the boiler will keep us fit. It requires about 8 - 10 bucketfuls every day at this time of year - and the pile of woodchips are down the lane in the barn!! With no wheelbarrow at present, this means several trips a day each to keep it running....will have to look into that!!

In the evening, we recieved a kind invitation for drinks by Lucy and David Brooke at 'Le Chateau'. They had also very thoughtfully invited some other neighbours, Olivier and Marielle from the mohair farm next door, and Neil and Lisa Anslow, who also live in the village, along with 'le maire' and his wife. It was wonderful to be made to feel so welcome and also to discover that we have such lovely friendly neighbours.

Thursday 3rd December

2009-12-10T13:26:00.000-08:00

Weather not so great today - so less of a distraction! Went to the bank in Foix, then to Brico-depot (Dave's favourite shop!) to change the postbox that we had bought, as the keys didn't work. Did some filling in the hall to prepare for the first layer of paint - Dave planted some trees - and we ate, and walked the grounds - again!!

Wednesday 2nd December

2009-12-10T13:05:00.000-08:00

Settling in

Wednesday dawned cloudy, but by lunchtime, it was beautifully warm and sunny, so we were able to admire the surrounding countryside in all its glory! Spent a few hours measuring up and exploring (again!) but also found time for a coffee in the garden, accompanied by our neighbours' friendly dog!!
We met Moise Prax, the farmer who runs the farm behind us, and his son. We also went for a walk up above the farm and met a man out hunting - who somehow seemed to know exactly who we were!! Feeling very welcome already!

We are loving the peace and quiet of this lovely area. It is so very tranquil - the nights are very dark and very silent - and by day, all we can hear are the birds, cockrels, dogs from the farm, and occasionally the tractors. It is lovely to be out in the country but not to feel at all isolated - with the farms around, there is always something going on, people to say ''bonjour' to and activities to watch

More photos of our stay can be seen here
http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/lesleyolver/LaMaireDecember200902#

After a few glasses of wine in the evening, Dave started ripping the hall apart - renovation has started in earnest!

Tuesday 1st December

2009-12-10T12:47:00.000-08:00

Signing the Acte Authentique

We all met at the notaire's office in Varihles. Before going any further, we went through the proceedure to change our marriage contract under French law - so that we own everything jointly instead of half each - seems to make sense!!

We went through all the legal documents, with Sue ensuring that we understood everything that we were signing. The land searches had brought up nothing of concern - except perhaps that light aircraft from Pujols airfield might need to land in St Victor Rouzaud if they were unable to land at Pujols for any reason. Apparently this has never happened, but we were happy to be made aware of it!

Before leaving, David Prax presented us with a wonderful tray of goodies prepared by his aunt - see above!
We then set off with the keys in hand for 'La Maire' - 'our house'!! After exploring the house and grounds for the first of many times during the coming week, we unloaded the car and set up our little cosy-corner for the next few days - a table and chairs, table lamp, and a few essentials for the kitchen...and lilo and duvet in one of the bedrooms! Bubbly and pizzas for dinner...and very pleased to be in such a warm and cosy house which feels so friendly and welcoming in spite of the current lack of furniture!!

Monday 30th November 2009

2009-12-10T12:42:00.000-08:00

With the Freelander piled high with 'essentials' - paint, decorating equipment, tools, bikes and even a large mirror, we arrived in the Ariege on Monday 30th Nov. We met David and Cecile Prax ( in torrential rain!) at ‘La Maire’ to have a final look around before signing the legal documents to become its new owners the following day. They helpfully explained how the wood-chip boiler works, (we think we understood!!) and we were pleasantly surprised to find that the house was beautifully warm and cosy. We then spent a very pleasant evening with Sue and Steve at their cosy chambres d'hotes http://www.laroseraiebeauregard.com/ and looked forward excitedly to the following day.

September 2009

2009-10-08T01:34:00.001-07:00

Signing the Compromis de vente

We returned home at the end of July, and after several weeks of anxious waiting and negotiation, we finally agreed on a price for 'La Maire' and excitedly arranged another brief trip back to the Ariege to sign the Compromis de vente, pay the deposit and open a bank account. These things could have been done in our absence, but we wanted to be there for the experience - and were very glad we did! It was good to meet David Prax the owner, and also his parents who still farm the land near the house, and will be our nearest neighbours.

It was great to have the chance to spend a few more days in the Ariege - as the Pyrenees gradually got closer on the drive from Toulouse airport to Pamiers in our hire car, it really did feel as though we were 'coming home'!

So things were moving..and very smoothly so far!

We were also able to visit the house for the third time - it was great to be back there and have some time to wander around and start making plans...coming away with a list of things to do in order to get the house and grounds ready to receive chambres d'hotes guests and running watercolour painting holidays. The list is a very long one...grounds to clear, swimming pool to put in, landscaping of the garden, balconies, pati0s, veggie plot - and that is just the outside!!
Next year will be a busy one!!

Now all we need to do is wait for the 1st December when (all being well!) we will return to sign the Acte Authentique, which will finally make us the new owners of 'La Maire'.

July 2009

2009-10-08T00:41:00.000-07:00

House hunting

It was about 5 years ago when we first decided to make the move to France after Dave retired from the police. Like so many others before us, we watched one of those 'relocation' programmes - and it seemed like a good idea! We felt we would be ready for a new challenge and lifestyle, and have always loved the French way of life.

After much research and discussion, and a few more holidays spent in France, we decided that the ideal area for us would be somewhere south of Toulouse!! We love the climate that far south, the secenery is beautiful, and the Pyrenees just a short drive away.

19th July 2009.

Our first house-hunting trip! We decided to start our seach based in the Ariege, so set up camp at a very friendly campsite just outside Pamiers. We had already been in touch with several agents and had a folder full of properties that we were very much looking forward to seeing. Seduced by glorious sunny weather, fields full of sunflowers and spectacular views of the Pyrenees, we set off for our first day of house-hunting in the Gers, about 2 hours to the west of where we were staying. Lovely houses...beautiful scenery....a promising start!!

However, on the second day we met up with Sue and Kay from http://www.midi-pyrenees-properties.com/ to view a number of properties in the Ariege.

Having had lengthy email correspondance with Sue before arriving in France, she knew exactly what we were looking for, and sure enough, we knew that the first property she showed us was 'the one'!! An old farmhouse - mostly beautifully renovated, but 'to be finished'...in such a lovely spot with beautiful views of the surrounding countryside and glimpses of the Pyrenees - so we would be able to see when the snow arrived! We spent the rest of that day and the next hurtling around the Ariege countryside viewing a number of other properties - all so interesting and different - but we had already made our decision! We knew that the Ariege was where we wanted to live, and that 'La Maire ' was the house that we would like to buy!