Sausage Making

The day started well with Gregg and Andrew saying goodbye to one of the last mummy pigs. Soon after lunch the carcass was stripped bare and the fun began ...... (For those of you with facebook you can check out the full photo session!!)

Dressing up day

Thankfully we have reached the last day of the school holidays. It feels like an eternity of having the monsters here, probably emphasised by the fact that the weather has been completely pants. Today is no exception with gale force winds intermingled with torrential rain so I have opted for hibernation and a bottle of wine. The kids have decided to play dressing up today but I've had enough of the racket so I've evicted them. Seemed a good idea at the time until they managed to get a kite caught in the telephone wire. I hate kids. Tomorrow is sausage day and I'm really looking forward to trying my hand at making pucker pork sausages.Watch this space for news of how we get on.

Norman Weather

As we finally seem to be emerging from the long cold winter, the rainy season is upon us. A bit like that scene from Forest Gump, the rain is coming in at all angles today, including upwards at times. All plans to banish the children outside for the day have gone to pot. We had a very productive day of gardening yesterday, getting the first two raised beds in for this years potato crop. I have chosen Charlotte potatoes because they had the same name as one of the local farmers daughters. It seems they are salad spuds and I detest salad. DOH DOH DOH. We have one more raised bed to do for the potatoes which will be done when the weather improves for a few hours. We have been very green by recycling the 3 rusty troughs, that have been sat at the top of the drive since we moved in, as our raised beds. We dug in shed loads of manure, a commodity we have ample quantities of compliments of surprise. Apparently we should also be planting brussel sprouts around now but we don't have any and it's cheaper here to buy the finished produce than it is to buy the seeds. As for todays picture, my best attempt to brighten a grey day.

Sharpening Giant Pencils

We are having some very obscure weather at the moment with temperatures fluctuating between +10 and -10 degrees. Today we have had both blizzards and glorious sunshine. Having the kids off school has been no fun at all and I will be starting my "no more holidays" campaign imminently. I decided due to the unpredictability of the weather outside that I would spend the day making fence posts from some of the trees I have been felling in the back garden. 70 finished, all I need to do now is put them in the ground. The guest bedroom has been empty for some time, so I took the opportunity to plaster the walls and ceiling, fit the shower properly and tile around the sink and mirror. I've also been plastering in the hall way outside the guest bedroom so it's been all systems go for the last week or so. Tomorrow I'm off to collect the materials to do the ceiling in the gite kitchen, then we're on the home stretch in the gite. The neighbours horses continue to roam freely in our garden, eating all the plants, leaving their mess and crater size hoof prints as they go. Monsieur LeBaron has allegedly bought the bits to sort his fence but, a bit like my dads pills, the fence will only work if he actually puts it up. I've been busy in the kitchen again, this time cooking samosas. Some days I impress myself and this was one of those days.

Here we go again .....

I don't believe it!!! The snow has stopped play again. Well, it has stopped me going to work and the kids going to school again. Josh and Peter are already wrapped up warm and are off to play outside, the mad fools. Andrew says that the snow is about 8 inches at the front and about 12 inches out the back. Let's hope the thaw happens quicker this time and we don't have more snow tonight!!!

Kirstys New Room and More ...

Kirsty enjoyed her birthday weekend with Grandma Irene. Her room is now warm and cosy!! It is supposed to have pink walls but thankfully they have turned out white, with a hint of pink!!! Mme Le Barons painting has been framed and Kirsty is very happy with her new abode. Andrew is progressing nicely with the new hedges in the back garden. We are going to look so posh!! We might even have to start to use the back garden instead of the front at this rate. At least we could hide back there!! Josh and Peter have been scalped this afternoon after a few visitors were found. They have now been successfully treated but my head is itching!!!!! Dont you just love kids ...... This year seems to be going really quickly. I must be getting old, we are already into the second week of February!! The regular party goers are already booking their spaces for the end of May. Make sure you book early to avoid disappointment!!!

Bon Anniversaire Kirsty

The birthday season has started here for another year as Kirsty reaches the grand old age of 8 today. I presume this means she is now too old for strops and tantrums, no more answering back and no arguaments about brushing her hair. If only.

Chrusty all round for the whole school today, at Kirstys request. Sunday afternoon saw her and I slaving away over the hot fryer manufacturing in excess of 200. She's also taking a huge bag of Haribo to school compliments of grandma Irene.

Grandma and I will be spending the day cake making and preparing dinner of KFC and fries, and generally getting the party atmosphere set for the evening.