Sheep update...

Well it took two days but the dead lamb has been taken away.

I should think so too!

Where did they come from?

Yesterday lunchtime I looked out the window and discovered that the bottom field was covered in sheep and their lambs.

I don't remember giving my permission and having found a dead lamb there this morning am less-than-pleased.

They are removing their temporary electric fence as we speak and it remains to be seen whether they remove their dead lamb as well.

On the plus side, what says spring more than this.....

I'm off to look for dead sheep....

What a difference two weeks makes.

Back from the UK.

I've recently been back to the UK for my Granny's funeral. It was lovely to see my family all together and it always strikes me how harsh it is that wakes would probably be loved most by the deceased, as everyone they love is together.  I'm also struck by how many plastic bags on person can accumulate...

I was very thankful that all the snow has gone here and am now back to pruning like a lunatic as it's quite warm and if I'm not careful the vines will start budding soon.

Arghhh, I'm feeling a bit up against it all. Oh well even the best laid plans can be scuppered by circumstances beyond ones control.

Warmth and colds.

Why is it that it's when you feel less-than-brilliant, things go wrong. We've given up trying to fix the heating until it warms up enough for the pipes to not be frozen and have borrowed lots of plug in heaters.

Last night we shut ourselves in the sitting room with the shutters closed and the best heater and were warm as toast, we watched the last episodes of Brideshead revisited, (thanks B it's fabulous). I crocheted and all was well with the world.

This morning when I feel particularly cotton-wool headed and full of phlegm (delightful) the hot water wasn't working, which meant P did alot of ineffectual marching about and stomping, which he always needs to do before he can approach the situation. He then fixed it by hair-drying the pipes.... we need yet more lagging.

I think it's just that this house is so old and they are simply not equipped (round these parts) to deal with -14 degrees.... c'est pas normal!

Anyway, it's pretty and I'm going back to bed.

Typical timing.

So I rammonaged the damn thing and then tried to flush the system, it started to make sensible noises and then stopped. I turned the tap off and thought about things, about 3 mins later, a noise like a gun going off and water started pissing out of the back of the thing. With close inspection it appears that a rivet has blown out and now we're confused. Is there a pipe there or not and why is there water in that area at all?

Anyway we controlled the leak and it continued to work with the radiators warming up nicely but this afternoon it made one of the noises it's been making all day and then water started pumping out the back. I stood behind it changing in buckets and waiting for the burner to empty of water and go out.

Tomorrow P' is going to try welding it shut and then we need to re-fill the system and try it again.

The upside of this is, P is pleased to hear, is that I am going off the bloody thing... oh for a nice on/off switch and no worry of explosion.

Tonight is going to be -9 and it's threatening to not get above freezing all week, with the real high point being thurs night's promised -15.

Am not amused! P is monosyllabic... and the cat is hogging the fireplace.

(L please don't fret, we are fine, it'll all be ok, just another challenge of living here with something fabricated by a french farmer who'd had too much wine and no actual idea of what he's doing!).

It's snowing... and some other photos.

Well I'm not sure this was ever mentioned on the weather forecast last night, but we have woken up to the deep and crisp and even stuff and I can't say I'm thrilled.

Last night we took the executive decision to not re-fuel the burner as it need's ramonage-ing so it's a bit parky, also I really don't need added complication to our travel plans.

Anyway it's pretty, damn cold, and hopefully not staying long! (Grump Grump).

The girls weren't too impressed either and insisted on breakfast in bed....

P has been very busy this week, fixing the roof on the shelter and pulling up the floor in the gite, which burns beautifully, if with a slight toxic whiff.

I think today though will be spent trying to stay warm, at least "La Grande Orange" is well prepared.

Right then,"time and ramonage wait for no man," and all that....all together now. "chim-chiminee, chim chiminee..chim chim chereee...".

I think the cold might be addling my already addled brain. Hope you all are warm and safe.

x