farming-frenchstyle

A moving experience.

2011-10-30T06:58:00.000-07:00

OK. so my blogs are like buses - they come all at once - and yes, I apologise for using a.n.others subject, but I couldn't resist it, and it's too much for a comment.

My moving experience was when we were trying to sell to come to France, or rahter ex-OH wanted to sell.

We had a couple come round - they had loads of money, wanted to turn the barns into garages for his collection of cars, wanted isolation, loads of bedrooms for her many furs and gold jewellery (got the picture?).

All went well, with the usual "we'll do this, knock this down, do that" etc. until they asked about the neighbours.

Those of you who watched the first series of "The Lakes" will have seen George, the egg man.
George was our nearest neighbour, about a mile away as the crow flies. He, too, was a farmer, and when ex-OH broke his leg one December, was a good friend and help to me.

George would come and help me with the sheep and lambing (we had about 500 ewes then), and literally could clock me leaving the lambing tunnel in the field, walk down the yard, take my boots off and go into the house. He would then phone me to see how my day went.

Now, I knew he had his binoculars trained onto our yard for his timing to be so precise.

So when the prospective purchasers of our farm asked about the neighbours, I told them that I was getting mugs printed with TEA and COFFEE on them! Why - if we stood our on the back terrace and George had his binoculars on us he would know what we were drinking!!

She obviously also wanted to sunbathe naked (judging by the tan that too cost-a-plenty) so George and his binocs. didn't go down at all well.

Ex-OH was amused either, he thought he had a sale in the bag there!

How they grow up!

2011-10-30T06:09:00.000-07:00

The bride and groom.

Summer has been and gone, drought has gone, rain has rained and drought has returned.

Must be a poem here somewhere.

As can be expected, it rained during the main summer months of July and August. The (spring) drought returned just in time for the autumn, and here we are, 30th October, beseiged by flies!!!

The warm sun has woken them up - if they ever went to sleep - and now all the sun-facing windows and walls are covered in the things, getting into the house via any nook or cranny. Even though I'm not renowned for my cleaning up, I'm sweeping flies up daily - some doing those funny dances on their backs (can't remember the name for them).

This photo is of my three - Laura, Louise and Thomas.

We've had some visitors this year. My mum came in the summer when we all went to Louise's wedding in the south, and OH's daughter, Tara, and her boss, Liz, came over from Ireland just a couple of weeks ago. Oh, and Thomas, my son, and his girlfriend, Holly, flew into Limoges to go down to the wedding with us.

As is normal, mum had a good time when she came (and cleaned my cooker). I took her to the new Family Village shopping complex near to us as she wanted to buy a digital camera to take photos at Louise's wedding. A bit annoying as my sisters and I thought it would be a good pressy for last christmas, but mum thought otherwise. Can't remember what we, or I, actually did buy her.

After buying the camera - a neat Nikon Coolpix in red - we went on to Limoges Airport to collect Thomas and Holly. It would be nearly a year since we last saw Thomas, and the first time we had met Holly. I'm sure he, at 23 and 1.96mts, is still growing!

So, as you may have concluded, the wedding was the main item of the summer. We had a great time.

My sister had booked a gite only 5 minutes away from the reception venue. More by luck than judgement, but it worked a treat, with her 4, and my 7, really having a good laugh. Heard the one about the mummy balloon, daddy balloon and baby balloon? It's much better after a few bottles of wine! Talking of which - if you get the chance to try rose wine with a dash of grapefruit liquer do so. It's like coffee with Baileys in it - rather moorish!!

The actual wedding day was fantastic. Louise and her new husband really did everyone proud. The weather was great, though a bit hot, their local village where they got married was very pretty with flowers everywhere and the reception Chateau was super. The bride looked a million dollars, as did Jessy (her husband) and the bridesmaids, and of course all the guests.

She asked me about music for the wedding. Fight the Good Fight was suggested (but turned down) as a hymn, and Simply the Best as they left the church. She compromised with starting the evening dancing with Simply the Best (of course the bride's mother, after consuming some champers, gave it some welly!). Rumour has it that Thomas and one or two of the lads did the fully monty, but fortunately, for the guests, most of them had gone to their beds by then. My niece got plastered, sobered up and got plastered again. Not advisable when catching the plane home next day! And, Holly, Thomas's girlfriend, caught the bouquet!!

All in all, a good time was had by all, and I hope you forgive me for putting a couple of photos on here.

Come rain or shine

2011-06-22T06:17:00.000-07:00

The recent early heat-wave came to an end earlier this month and the weather is now a bit more normal, wet, thundery and showery. Sometimes cooler, then, just before a storm, stiflingly hot.

New farmers to France often ask "is this normal?". The problem is none of us know what "normal"is. Since my family and I arrived in France 15 years ago, each season has been different each year.

As we unloaded the removal van in January 1996 in heat of 25-30 degrees, out came the sledges. The Frenchman we bought our original farm from said "you wont need those here". Famous last words! Within almost a week the weather was cold and snowy, and continued to get colder and snowier. That winter we had frost at -10 to -15 below. I hated it. To me it was colder than Cumbria, and far more hostile. At least in Cumbria I had my friend and neighbour, George, keeping an eye on us from the other side of the valley (about 1 km away). Didn't go much on it then, but sure as hell missed it in France.

However, in March of the same year I was lambing the sheep - well, those that didn't abort their lambs - in temperatures of about 20-odd degrees, and managing to get in some early sun-bathing. Out of 350 sheep to lamb that year, we ended up with only 100 lambs. We are of the opinion that the journey from Cumbria, unloading overnight somewhere in Dorset, to France didn't suit them. Some that were loaded in an iminent state of lambing fared much better.

Every year there are fears over the haycrop. Is there enough rain, is it warm enough and (especially) when will this bloody cold wind stop?

April can be awful. I remember moving the kids in with (my new) OH in April 1998, it was wet and cold, the kids were miserable, the washing piled up, the tumble dryer never stopped. I thought he might send us all back to (old) OH again! But we all survived and have lived to laugh about it and look forward to Louise's wedding in August. The photo is of us all in 2001.

Winters are unpredictable too. OH says France is a cold country that gets hot. Not a bad analogy. We have certainly been able to use that sledge that was unloaded in 1996, on more than one occasion. Some winters are wet, moving the sheep from one soggy field to another chasing non-existant grass is one memory that springs to mind. At least the young sheepdog had some repetitive work to help with his education. Feeding the cows that we had to winter outside, losing my welly in the sucking (yes, I said sucking) mud is another happy memory. Probably didn't say sucking at the time though! Running, after retrieving said welly, to the safety of the fence in my sock. There's no time to mess about when there's 500 kilos of cow - with horns - after the empty bucket.

This winter hasn't been too bad. Some snow and frost early on before Christmas. Then we had just housed some of the ewes before OH fell down the stairs and had a plaster on his leg for 4 weeks (plastered in more ways than one). But I didn't get too wet whilst doing the sheep. Not that I can remember anyway. If it had been exceptionally wet it would have stuck in my mind, or certainly in my throat.

And now we're back to haymaking time. Most of the farmers round us have done the majority of their hay. Those fields that are left have been waiting for some rain in order to thicken up in the bottom. The rain has dutifully arrived and obliged. We now need some sun so we can all get on with it. We're never satisfied are we?

Spring is sprung

2011-03-14T03:38:00.000-07:00

After quite a heavy shower last evening, spring is definitely in the air today.

It doesn't seem to matter how much watering you do with tap water, rain water has an immediate effect on plants, and hopefully our grass.

Because we have been so short on hay, most of the ewes and lambs have now been put out. Only the pets and thinnies are inside, but if this warm sunshine continues they'll be out too. Not only did the shortage of hay force the sheep out, but OH and his plastered leg. He fell downstairs in January and I've had all the lambing to do. I say all the lambing - it could have been far worse had we had the 350 sheep and 30 cows that we used to have. But on the positive side - I've lost 5 kgs in weight due to all the exercise. Let's hope it stays off until eldest daughter's wedding in August. Sadly, to achieve that it will mean very strict diets and lots of dog walking to keep those extra kilos at bay. I was never meant to be sylph-like. Born for comfort not speed, me.

Happy new year!!

2011-01-04T07:06:00.000-08:00

Christmas has been and gone since I last blogged. Thank goodness. I'm not a fan of christmas, perhaps because I have always had to work - my mum had a pub when we were young, and since then farming has taken priority.

With the pub we had private christmas parties - firms dos etc -from mid-November, and then we had our own christmas eve party. The pub then had to open christmas day lunchtime, so masses of cleaning up had to be done before mid-day. Pressies were either opened very early or put on hold until the afternoon.

New year's eve was also party night, with the hangovers for new year's day when we opened again.

Of course with farming the animals don't know it's christmas, so it's easier to do them and again open the pressies later. Christmas dinner is also a problem - do we have it (rushed) before we do up at night or do we wait until afterwards when we can have a drink or two, or three, and not have to go outside again. As the kids get older it is easier. Or is it?

My eldest buys herself an advent calendar if I forget, and they moan like anything when they come and there is no christmas tree.

I now buy them an Asda or Tesco bag - one of the pretty canvas ones - and put lots of stocking fillers in (unwrapped of course). They still get pleasure from wondering what is in it, I think. Their big pressy is money. So, as you can tell, I don't make a massive effort for one or two days.

Now that new year is over the (sparse) decorations that I did do are down. The cards took no time at all - we only received 5, 4 were from OH's family!

On a lighter note though. All the barns are ready for the sheep to come in for lambing, but with the scarcity of hay do I keep them out or bring them in before lambing? Nothing is easy, even when you are supposedly retired. At least the pre-christmas snow has gone though, but I wish it would warm up a bit.

Time to do up again. Happy new year to you all.

I should go away more often!

2010-11-11T06:32:00.000-08:00

Well it is really good to be back home. It's great to go to England to see my mum, sisters and their families, and of course Thomas my son, but it is exhausting trying to fit everything in.

It starts as soon as we get off the boat. Traffic, endless streams of it. Going where - who knows? Even at 11 o'clock at night the motorways are still full. Cars and lorries travelling at breakneck speed, going where? On travelling up to the Lakes we decided Windermere must be full, it was. But not with all the lorries we had been following.

Anyway, it's good to be back (just wish the weather would cheer up again).

Whilst I was away, however, OH was really busy. He'd arranged a painter and decorator to finish the painting downstairs rooms. So now the hallway up to our bedroom is done, and the mirror the girls bought us is up. The massive window wall in the dining/kitchen has been painted a beautiful fig colour - and it looks great, not at all dark like it did in the hallway when I tried it. The sitting room is now an off-white/yellowy colour with a lovely clean white ceiling.

I still have the guest side to do, I could be doing that now, but's bank holiday here today, so perhaps next week. OH's family are coming for a few days over christmas so I'll really have to get the bedrooms done.

We have even put the pictures up in the newly decorated rooms, and are fetching the curtains tomorrow. I bet they'll be up by Saturday night.

Oh, and the water-but (which I bought in July) has been installed and we're saving loads of water now all the summer plants and veggies have died! But it all goes to help water the sheep.

Happy Hols.

2010-10-24T22:02:00.000-07:00

Would put bonne vacances, or is it bon vacances? I'm sure someone will put me right.

Depart this morning for the UK, but can't sleep anymore, so instead of tossing and turning thought I'd do a quick blog. Am picking LD up at 9.00 a.m.ish and going with the satnav up to Dunkirk. It was a worry last week with the diesel situation, but I managed to fill both the van (for OH while I'm away) and the car up last week.

It's good going with Laura as she is very easy company, and she looks after the music en route. As we go through Paris, though, I don't think we'll have Tina blasting her tonsils. I need concentration music, if any at all.

I hope that when we get to the port the weather is not too bad, no wind. I'm not a good sailor, in fact I could get sick on a lake! Anyway, we'll have a meal and a small glass of something to soothe the tummy, and then set off for Leicester once we get on the other side. Mum has already got the whisky ready!

And tomorrow? We're off to the Lakes for 2 days to see Thomas.

Did I say bonne vacances? These trips back somehow don't seem like a holiday. See you all when I get back.

Brocanting we will go.

2010-10-16T05:51:00.001-07:00

When we sold our last farm and I had the task of packing up all the kids bedrooms etc. I was amazed at all the stuff (yes, ok - junk) we had collected. It seemed such a waste to chuck it all away in the dustbin or take it to the "decheterrie" (our re-cycling centres). So, two large packing boxes later, I had the start of my "vide greniers" - car booty. LD insisted she didn't have much junk, it was "memorabilia" she said, and took it off to her dad's (so he now has more junk). Note, these two large packing boxes are just from their bedrooms. The rest of the house harboured much more.

I have only done 1 other car boot sale, when we were in England, before the move to France. Pride of my car boot sale - my wedding dress! Gasps of horror? Don't forget those were the days before e-bay and all the other on-line auctions, have since divorced him who the wedding dress was worn for, and the damn thing didn't sell anyway and went to the local jumble sale!

So in early September this year I loaded up the trusty Berlingo, borrowed a pasting-table and some boards and stands, organised LD and set off for my first "vide grenier" in France. I never slept a wink the night before, worrying about what time I should get up and get there, and also about seasoned bargain hunters that accosted you as soon as the van doors were open - if not before. I shouldn't have worried. I got there about 7.30 a.m. and was placed next to and opposite other Brits (LD was not arriving until 9.00 a.m. so I was pleased to have some moral support). The seasoned bargain hunters must have clocked the van as soon as they saw it - and left me alone!

LD (Laura) arrived and organised me and the tables. I always say I would rather work with her, than for her. She then went off to get some breakfast - I'm not that domesticated that I do sandwiches or the like at 7.00 in the morning. The van had been loaded the day before so I just had to get up, have a cuppa and go.

The day went very well, only for LD telling me how much that item that I sold for 2 euros would be worth in the shops. It was hot and sunny, thank goodness I had the forsight to pick up a bottle of sun cream on my way out, and we actually did quite well, saw loads of people we knew and met other car-booters who will no doubt be there with us next year.

We also had some laughs - one (old bat) French lady was quibbling about a large-numbered telephone, went away, we sold it, she came back to find it gone - then when she went to leave the event her car wouldn't start as she'd left the lights on! I know you shouldn't laugh, but wouldn't you? The photo shows LD with some of our booty.

Auction fever

2010-10-13T11:42:00.000-07:00

We have a new "attraction" in our local village. It's an English-style auction house - or shed. They do house-clearances, and anyone with something to sell can put in through the auction. I entered an outside streetlight style thing with a matching wall light. It got to 70 euros!!! Would have been chuffed with 20! But at the time of blogging still waiting for the cheque.

You meet all sorts of bargain-hunters, English and French. It's a pity the "Essex" man who does the auction can't speak French. The lowest you can bid is 2 euros, so it's not that out of the way. At the first auction I went to I saw a lovely blue pot that would adorn my new dresser, it was lumped in with other bits of pottery.

Auction day - I duly went and got my registration number, saw other would-be bargain hunters and took my seat. A quite nice mirror went through, with another one to follow. "Where can I put a freestanding pine mirror?" thought I, and got the next lot, a freestanding pine mirror, for 3 euros! That is now in a guest bedroom on top of the pine chest of drawers, as if it were part of a set!

A silver-coloured photograph frame and clock came next. Now LD had bought us one for Christmas one year, I put a photo of OH and I on our wedding day in and it was great. "LD needs a clock" thought I. Snapped it up for 2 euros.

My blue pot came along. No-one was interested (except moi). Another massive 2 euros!!

Well chuffed with my purchases, I paid, collected my purchases and went home (after the lamps got 70 euros). On getting home I showed OH what I had bought, and justified them all. Well, girls, you know what it's like. Short of saying "couldn't afford not to buy them" he was quite happy.

I then inspected the pottery I bought for 2 euros - the blue Stilton pot that I actually wanted, a soap dish with a cracked lid, two naff teapots, wait for it ...... two Wedgewood egg cups and two Royal Worcester trinket dishes! All, but the teapots, are now proudly displayed in our house and have their own tale to tell.

The teapots have now gone into "stock" as I am also bitten by the Brocant bug. This is out of necessity as my eldest daughter is getting married next year and I have promised to buy her flowers and wedding cake. The dress is already hanging upstairs (waiting for her to slim into it). It's amazing what you can get just selling "things". I still have boxes waiting to be unpacked, so don't think I need to buy too much stock yet. Anyway, can't sit here blogging. Have to prepare the "stock" for the next brocante/vide grenier. Wish me luck!

Back by popular demand!!!

2010-10-01T07:41:00.000-07:00

Yes, someone actually reads my blogs, and asked to be reminded of my site (their old computer had lost my previous ones). Now that I have actually done a new layout, which was confusing in itself, and have a follower, I will be doing more. So watch this space.

The title of my blog now seems to be somewhat misleading though, now that we have retired. If it didn't cause too many problems I would do a new title, Farming-frenchstyle Retired, perhaps. I think I'll sidestep those problems and leave it as it is.

This week, however, I have actually done some farming. Well, I've driven the tractor and wormed 100+sheep, so surely that equates to farming. Doesn't it?

OH is busy fencing (again), so that we can put our fields into hay production next summer, and keep some control over the animals. Talking of which, we had another "bonding" session with our neighbours again. Even though the river on the limit of our land is fenced on our side, with the river actually being dry again and said neighbours having no fence (??) on their side, one of our tups and some of his women jumped our fence and went visiting the neighbouring ewe-lambs! The French neighbours are very good about it all, but short of slapping a saddle on the tup and waiting for the river to fill up, which means rain, rain, rain, am not really sure what more we can do. Our fence stops the cows (all 2 of them) and the horses, but not this Grand National tup. Encasing him in the freezer seems to be a good idea. Must ask the Chambre d'Agriculture what the rule is on fencing rivers. So, I've had a proper farming week.

Yes, we are still waiting for the rain. The ground has been as brown and as flat as our dining room table this summer. However, the memory of last winter's snow has not been erased. Let's hope we don't have snow like that again. Looking at the BBC weather forecast there seem to be swathes of rain over France, but it all goes over England, or perhaps the north of France. I'm sure when it does start it will forget to stop again.

Have booked my annual week to England for the last week in October with Laura again. I enjoy the week when she is with me as she is such easy company. Just keep feeding her and she's ok. She has already asked my mum to book the local Deli Belly for Sunday lunch while we're there, they do a buffet-style come again lunch, and we certainly take advantage. Let's hope we don't come back with Deli-belly!

Summertime blues

2010-08-16T03:14:00.000-07:00

Well summer has come and nearly gone again. Since my last blog - April (I really must try harder) we have had visits from my family, been hit by the ash cloud, had more kittens, chicks and pea chicks and both daughters have moved house.

My niece called in to see us on her way back to England from a winter job in the mountains. On her way to us she was vicitim of a French rail strike, and had to go right up to Paris to come back down to Limoges, but she made it. She was very grateful to be taken to the Chinese restaurant not far from Limoges station. As she tucked in I thought "blimey, she can eat for a little 'un."

She and my girls got together during the week and had a good time, Louise saying "can't you stay over the weekend?". She was supposed to return to the UK on the Friday. Enter ashcloud. Louise got her wish and a good time was had by all, with plans to fly back on Monday. Ash cloud remains, so flight plans on hold until Thursday. By now I was thinking "what on earth can we do now with my niece?" Both girls were working, but plans had been made for the following weekend. Wednesday - cancelled flight for Thursday had been "uncancelled". All arrangements made for the Wednesday night were rapidly re-jigged (we were going out and niece was to be entertained by Laura). Anyway, Thursday morning arrived, the girls arrived back at ours at 7.45, and we left for the airport at 8.00 a.m. My niece was last seen getting on Ryanair flight after her extended holiday with us, with promises to come back again!

My mum came back in July for her second visit this year, and again loved it. The weather was great, we had some lovely meals out and an impromptu picnic at home! We had arranged to go to the races with a load of friends on 14th July, but the day was horrid, so we got everyone to come to us with their picnics. A great day was had by all.

Again, we have got kittens and chicks a-plenty. Sadly with dogs about their numbers are soon reduced. Laura chose two kittens for when she moved house, but the mother took them all hunting and some have never come back. We now have a kitten in the utility room that is bound for Laura's new home, the mother cat is doing a great job in keeping all the dogs outside.

The peahen hatched 3 peachicks, but the fox has been responsible for 1 so we are now down to 2 - a male and female I think.

We are deperately wanting some rain. Everywhere round here is brown, and we will soon have to start feeding the sheep. Hopefully they will be ok until we get back from La Rochelle next Monday. We are treating ourselves to a mini-holiday to celebrate our 10th wedding anniversay, so Laura is (again) farmsitting.

I should've kept my mouth shut!

2010-04-07T09:54:00.000-07:00

Following my last blog it has rained, and it has rained! But - we did need it. So now the grass is looking slightly better, the spring flowers are looking lovely, and the weeds are racing on!

I have also sold the last of the pea-chicks. They were both bought by a very nice French family last weekend, after being advertised on a French small ads site. I did get quite a bit of interest, but most people were wanting pea-hens, I only had peacocks. Let's hope she hatches more females next time.

Why is it when I get time to sit and do a blog my mind goes completely blank? When I'm out and about I mentally prepare a blog that, to me, sounds quite witty and entertaining, only to be gone when the computer is in front of me. If I dry up next time, I'll fall back on "name that silly tune".

Just when you think it's getting warmer..

2010-03-27T13:10:00.000-07:00

At last the snow and cold have gone. We've even had some nice warm days, and have been heard to say that we could do with some rain! So this weekend it's gone a bit colder again, but we have some much needed rain. You can almost see the grass freshening up - I am reluctant to say growing because as quick as it grows the sheep eat it. The spring flowers are now starting to appear in the hedgerows, and the birds are singing away. We have got one of those (annoying) clocks that have birdsong at each hour, so having identified all the birds on it, I can also identify some of the birds as I hear them.

However, said clock is a little confusing as since the clocks changed in the autumn and I put it back an hour, the clock has been 6 hours out with the birdsong. We now get the cuckoo at 12.00, and the owl at 6.00 o'clock, and it's a nightmare trying to work the others out in between. Let's hope when the clock is put forward tonight it right's itself.

Lambing is all but finished, though we have had two more born this week. Those born earlier have all gone out and are eating their creep-feed well. The sheep are still having to be fed concentrates as they are short of grass - nice gentle warm rain is still needed. So our work load is much better now, we even had time to go to the Sunday market at Poitiers last week.

OH is doing great with the fencing, especially along the river. Hopefully there will be no repeat of last summer's escapes across the river over to the neighbour's lush fields. I do have to say though, the neighbours were very understanding - especially as there was no fence on their side either.

My mum has been over to see our new place. It was the first time she'd been to see us for two years. Luckily during that time she hasn't lost her knack with the washing line, cooker cleaning or pet lamb feeding! She enjoyed her stay so much - I wont say holiday as she never stops when she is here - she is coming back when the weather is better. She was a bit dumbstruck when she saw the house, but in no time at all she was finding her way around, and finding where everything lived. She just has to go and see my sister in her new house now.

You can never tell with sheep

2010-02-17T03:25:00.000-08:00

This snowy cold weather plays havoc with the sheep, as it does with all of us. As we are short of barn space for them, we are bringing ewes in as they lamb. Not ideal, but the best we can do in the circumstances. We were feeding outside the other day and we spotted one that was definitely doing death kicks, so along with another that was thin, they were duly caught and taken inside. The thin one was given a dose of wormer and as I had the wormer handy gave the "death-kick" lamb some, expecting it to be dead next time we looked.

Ilater asked OH if "that lamb has died yet", to which he replied "no, it's running around like a good'un!". As I said, you can never tell with sheep (the thin one is also still alive).

Is there no peace?

2010-02-05T03:37:00.001-08:00

Just as the builders finish - there are 2 days work to do when the weather is better, visitors start arriving. Frist of all OH's cousin comes. They are trying to kid me that he is here for 6 months. Please, please let it be a joke. Then at the end of Feb my mum is coming for 2 weeks. At lease with said cousin here I've already started on the "mucking out" of the house - even though it is newly renovated, it still gets filthy. An industrial vacuum cleaning is needed, not the piddling domestic things you can only get in the supermarket, or shares in hoover bags.

OH gave in and hoovered up the other day, jammed the hoover and then decided it was time for a new one. Just a new bag was all that it needed. And his new Domestic God status stopped at hoovering, there was no putting out the washing or cooking. I suppose you just have to accept what help is given, look on the bright side and get on with strawing up the sheep.

So before mum arrives there is painting, garden tidying and a thousand and one other jobs to do, as well as the daily sheep chores. Perhaps if the weather improves I can do the sheep chores this week, and then start on the others. But if cousin is here for 6 months, he could give OH a hand with the hoovering!

A bit of peace and quiet

2010-01-31T03:57:00.000-08:00

Even thought the computer is now in the office and not in the kitchen/sitting room/dining room (they were all one), p&q is still difficult to find. However, OH has gone off on a social morning (or to collect the bread), and there are no builders here. Even though it's Sunday they did threaten to come and finish our job, which has taken so long due to the naf weather we have had here in France. It snowed again all day yesterday. Again and again I ask OH "will we ever get warm again?".

I really should be doing some cleaning, or even decorating, as we have OH's cousin arriving this week. He arrives Wednesday, but has not given us a departure date. Should I be worried, I ask myself. The frightening thing is he is wandering around the UK, visiting his kids for about 5 months, hopefully the 5 months will be nearly at an end. Anyway, as we have bright warm sun today at least the bedding is on the washing line.

Lambing is well underway, with only a few bottlefed lambs. We seem to have had a spate of old, infirm ewes lambing - those lambs are definitely bottle-fodder. One poor little thing, named Arfa (as she is only half a lamb size), has a broken leg, which Laura and I splinted up with ice-lolly sticks. She is doing well, holding her own and "sticking it out".

This year we have had to clear out the barns of workshop stuff and furniture, the weather has been too bad to leave the lambs outside. Consequently, the controlled incoming of furniture and boxes that still need unpacking did not materialise, and there are boxes and furniture everywhere. Once the builders and snow have gone I will have more enthusiasm to get on with the painting, unpacking and sorting out rooms (she says). The trouble is, the garden will need attention then. Ah well, better get on and have something to see for my morning.

What's new (again)

2009-12-12T04:06:00.000-08:00

Building work virtually finished, though it is still waiting to be painted. We've had a nice big terrace doing this week - at the expense of the lawn and some bushes. The digger driver "thought" the perimeter of the lawn was just a load of weeds! The problems come with men "thinking"! OH reversed the tractor and trailer over a willow tree. I agreed it was not a nice tree, but it did stop drivers of vehicles (and OH) hareing into the yard and hitting anything in their way - hens and chicks, peahen and chicks and dogs and cats.

We had one or two "it's obviously your house" moments, followed by "do what the h..l you want". From me to him that is.

The cat left home. Well, Whitey took to straying, went over the dried-up river after girls, and either couldn't get back or found somewhere better. The latter I think as he was gone for about 6 weeks. Ater telling a neighbour about it, her sister-in-law phoned to say they had him. It's amazing how many people you get to know through straying animals. When at our last farm, Whitely Mark 1 also left home (after girls again). The neighbour I was talking to had found him and taken him in, and was a bit worried that we wanted him back as that day she had taken the cat to the vet to be castrated! I assured her she could keep him, but privately thought that would serve him right! Not long after that he had an accident and lost a leg. Am not sure if he is still going strong.

Talking about losing legs. Not far from where we live now we have seen from the roadside a lone calf on its own in a field. Obviously a pet calf being reared on the bucket, but when Laura and I passed the field recently saw it only had three legs! (This is not a joke.) We have also seen it since, looking very well and obviously cared for, but sadly our French, or nerve, doesn't stretch to stopping at the farm and asking what has happened to it - the leg, that is.

The pea-chicks are now nearing weaning from the mother, and going on their way. The only things that are prolific here are the hens and cats. There seem to be more hens hatching eggs than laying for food - they lay there eggs in places that are impossible to locate. I am getting a hen-house before the summer to preserve the garden and eggs and cut down the number of cockerals.

Farming-frenchstyle retired

2009-08-28T08:55:00.000-07:00

Is it really 3 months since I last did a blog? Well it must be as the date of the last one was 31st May.

The only excuse I have is that the computer - yes, it is still working on it's last legs - is in the living room, and not hidden away in an office. As soon as I get on the 'net OH appears with the words "what's that you are on?" "Who's farming-frenchstyle?" he asks - he doesn't know that I blog. So consequently until I'm back in splendid isolation the blogs could still be sporadic. He's gone off on a social jaunt at the moment. He often goes off now, on the pretence of getting the bread. I have threatened to tag him so I know where he is, but generally he returns after a hour or so.

Summer has come and soon to be nearly gone in a flurry of building work, painting, some haymaking, and lots of village fetes and markets. Though I have not been to any brocants yet, there is one left at Lathus in September which is quite good, so I will get the bread that day.

Building work came to a near halt when we sacked the builders we had. I say a near halt as the plumber, electrician and joiner all did their bit to help out and get us moving on again. We also found a very good friend to finish the tiling for us, in half the time and at half the cost. So at this point in time we are now in our new bedroom and bathroom (even decorated), the new kitchen is in and operational, and the new builder and joiner start on Monday to complete the other bedrooms and bathroom. I should be frantically painting so that we can move furniture out of the sitting room and into the new kitchen as the ceiling is being renewed.

The new kitchen is fabulous. One daughter put in a request to come back home, I'm not sure if the boyfriend was coming too, a friend saw it and called me a "jammy cow", and others just say "oh my god!". Laura, youngest daughter, saw my tap in the bathroom and declared that it is not a tap, but a water feature! I've also got one of those in the big water trough outside, water feature not tap.

We are also going back into cows. We have a heifer that went to friends to be fattened for the freezer. Unfortunately she put on calf-weight, and had a lovely daughter by caesarian in June. They are both doing well. Bertrand (remember we went for lunch and bought a bull) was the father, so we are quite pleased to have his daughter. We'll just have to get some more to go with her.

Must get back to the painting because I want to do some weeding when it cools down a bit - hope this late sun ripens the melons.

Retirement - I love it!

2009-05-31T07:16:00.000-07:00

Since we came to our new house in December 2008 we don't seem to have had any time at all. What with the builders starting on 7th Jan and sorting them out, doing their "shopping" - one day we went to Poitiers in the morning and Limoges in the afternoon getting materials - and making tea for them. Still, they are promising that we can get into our new bedroom and bathroom in the next few weeks. Laura will be able to come back then, and we will have room for visitors - if they don't mind the rest being a building site still.

Lambing - we still have 140 sheep - came and went. They had to look after themselves this year and lamb outside, but all seems to have gone quite well. It helped with the weather in March being good and dry.We are now hoping to get them clipped on Thursday, and have booked the services of Louise's boyfriend to help with the catching of the sheep. Let's hope it doesn't rain Wednesday as we have nowhere to get them in for the night.

Hannah, our sheepdog, also seems to have taken early retirement. She absolutely refused to work when we had to get the sheep in for the vaccinations for Blue Tongue - it took OH and I, and Jack (one of the other dogs) 2 hours to get the sheep in and 20 minutes for the actual treatment! We are now in the process of buying a sheepdog puppy.

My main occupation at the moment is gardening. To say it has got away from me is an understatement - it has actually escaped! Am doing this blog now as my back is burning from the sun yesterday and OH is fencing, in the shade I hope.

We have been to Paris twice recently, once to see Tina Turner with Louise and Laura, and then OH and I went to see Lionel Ritchie. OH has also got this retirement lark between his teeth.

Tina was fantastic. The girls loved it and sang every word - they may not be familiar with nursery rhymes but they know their Tina songs. Of course they both had a t-shirt (as did I). On the motorway back there was an accident on the motorway and we eventually crawled into bed at 6.45 a.m., and a materials delivery was expected at 9!

Lionel was very good also, but this trip was the first leg of a two-day trip to England to buy lights and various other bits and bobs. Good old Laura farmsat for us as she was on half-term. It's so much easier now that we don't have so many animals and hours of work to do.

Well, I'll go and see if there is any shade for doing some more weeding, and will report again in the near future.

I hate computers

2009-02-03T07:36:00.000-08:00

I am doing this post quickly on my daughter`s computer - though she is on broadband and doesn`t cost her - as my computer is on the blink. Doesn`it just annoy you when you can`t check on something? Hopefully I will be back in full production soon, and will update you all.

The builders are into their 4th week so with luck I will see some progress after my visit to England at the end of Feb. I`m taking 10 days this time so that I can pull in a trip to Windermere to see Thomas, and see some old friends up there. I only hope the snow has gone before we leave on the 24th.

Thanks for all your best wishes on our move.

A "moving" experience

2009-01-10T12:19:00.000-08:00

Well, we managed it. The last load from La Fromenterie left at 7.00 p.m. Christmas eve. We were installed in our new home that evening.

A friend had been previously to get the new cooker working, we had the telly and the washing machine going, so had to watch DVD's and video's all christmas as the "telly man" couldn't do the satelite until 29th December. So we missed the Christmas "Strictly", but not a lot else I think.

We are now here with 140 sheep - they've already had 6 lambs, the 4 horses, 4 dogs and 5 cats.
Another firend moved the horses, that went exceptionally well considering two of them had not been near a trailer or horsebox for 10 years - and they were relative babies then. Didier, the horse who was lucky to come, jumped out within the first hour - he is renowned for his jumping, but he is not broken so doesn't win prizes! We ended up putting the other three with him i another field. Thankfully he has now settled down and is getting used to the crap winter grass.

Charlie, the Beagle, has also come with us, and loves his new life. Even OH can get up to him and fuss him (we think he had been beaten by a man in his previous life).

Needless to say, we had a rather different Christmas - no tree, sent no cards, did no Christmas shopping but went to a local restaurant with my eldest, Louise, for Christmas lunch. That was very nice, and when we got back home unwrapped our only pressie - a video camera from the kids. That was truly a surprise (except the instructions are in French). Anyway, I think I've mastered it, so have been videoing the new place to show my mum when Laura and I go to England in February.

I have been unpacking some boxes to make the place a bit more homely - the builders start on Monday, and when it is all finished I'll have to move everything into the new bit. But boxes are so depressing.

The weather has been so cold since we got here. We had no water one day as it had frozen up, and had to be towed up the lane in the car after a shopping trip to Limoges and the road was iced up - but we slid down the hills (which was a bit scary). The car didn't go out for the rest of the week, we used the van instead. I did, however, get my Christmas pressy from OH - a chainsaw, so that I can go wooding! He also got his - a 102cm plasma screen TV - where did I go so wrong?

So, we watch bigger, better crap in glorious 102cm technicolour! But at least the sport loks better (even when my team lose). Two Mules for Sister Sarah is currently on (again).

Happy New Year to you all out there.

A tornado arrived

2008-12-17T13:32:00.000-08:00

The new Dutch owners are coming for Christmas. Yes, it is their house, but with their agreement, our home.

Anyway, what with one thing and another - their stock husbandry and gipping to pay bills - we are trying to move before Christmas. This seemed to be an impossibility until the "Tornado" arrived - my daughter Louise. She and her partner arrived yesterday to help us load a van that we borrowed. So much for my not taking any rubbish. Anything that stood still was packed, loaded and taken to the other house. We are not proud people. We "found" a bedside table for OH's side of the bed - an old munition box. This definitely was not going with us. It was missing last night. Possibly last seen on route for St Barbant - courtesy of Louise.

But, bless her, we got two very good loads shifted.

I have tonight attempted the "boot room", found a nest of mice and still stink of mouse pee etc! So much for the 7 cats!

Whilst wrapping and packing, I missed the old days of years old newpapers. Today it is all bubble-wrapped. In theory this should hasten the job - nothing to read. Sadly, I found the test cricket to be more interesting than wrapping and packing! Isn't life sad? Well, it wont be when we go on a winter cricket tour to the West Indies - all that sun and jerk chicken!

So, we're hell bent on being out before christmas. Oh, and we've had our first lamb! Some randy little tup lamb was obviously celebrating christmas early.

Anyway, back to the packing and defrosting. It's clothes, fridges and freezers tomorrow. But we can't move entirely until the TV, satelite and computer are moved (and the bed). Bon nuit.

It's a strange (farming) world

2008-11-24T13:28:00.000-08:00

Well, we have now signed the Acte to sell our farm, together with our cows. Some 160 in lamb ewes have also been sold, the last 110 went on the Sunday before we sold the farm, and before they started lambing - we did, in fact, have one of the ewes lamb. But joy of joys I'm not going out to the lambing shed until at least April when those that we have kept should start to lamb.

The day before we signed, the new owner had 147 Shetland ponies arrive from Holland. This has caused something of a stir in our commune as they are only used to cows and sheep. They are quite a tourist attraction. Another 40-odd arrived the week after, leaving another 100 or so still to be delivered!

Unfortunately, due to problems with a "Change of Use" certificate for the barn adjoining our new house, we didn't actually buy it until a week later. Technically, we were homeless (and hopeless) for a week. However, I may have explained before that we can stay at our old farm until Spring 2009 - time to get sorted and builders started.

It has been a race to get some fencing in place so that the sheep could be moved. They have spent 3 weeks on a friends farm, and were fortunately moved over the last weekend. We feel a bit more in control now that they are at their new home. But we still have to make the fences horse - or Didier - proof. He has the nasty habit of jumping out to where the grass is greener - and his body is proof of his ability. They should be moving in the next week or so, but come spring the neighbour will be putting his breeding mares and their foals nearby. I wait with baited breath.

The people that we bought from have left us some "welcome to your new home" gifts - some bantam hens, a pig, a duck, a goose and rather a mess. What with the weather we have had in the last two weeks since we bought the place, I've been a bit pig-sick of the place and wished we'd never seen it. The lake (due to crap drainage) in the yard does nothing to make it any better. To cap it all they took with them the wood-burning stove so we've had to buy another as it's the only form of heat in the place.

Anyway, have today started the "dechetterie dash" - or onwards to the local tip. With a bit of sun and the removal of one or two "features" it looks much better.

Bertrand - the young bull we bought last year - has got his first calf, a daughter, born by caesarian section the week after the new chap took over. At least it was his vet's bill, not ours!
Photo to follow.

Another update

2008-10-20T13:41:00.000-07:00

Well, we have had a week in England and Ireland seeing David's family. It was rather hectic, but very enjoyable. We will spend more time in Ireland with his daughter next time. Two nights with the grand-children are sufficient!

We are less than two weeks away from signing away the farm, and signing up for our new life. Both of us are looking forward to it as it does become very stressful - the signing away bit. We negotiated the prices for the cows last week, and OH was convinced they all new what was happening. Bertie has desserted his two heifers and taken on Victor (the senior bull) to see if he can "sort out" the older cows. I hope he has more luck with the young Normand cow - she has had a caesarian, a dead calf (then nicked her aunt's calf) and finally produced a bull last year - which went into the freezer today!

We're still trying to sell 100 in-lamb sheep. So we are taking either 130 or 230 sheep (je ne sais pas) I don't know! We hope to be in our new home by Christmas, with a possible wedding in the grounds next August!

Thomas has gone back to England to work, aided and abetted by his father. More later. Have a spare ticket for Tina, which Louise will probably benefit from.

The weather has been just super. Wall to wall sunshine, a bit frosty some nights, but absolutely glorious. Let's hope it's like this when we are retired and can enjoy it!

Charlie is first in the van now, comes up for a cuddle first thing and lets OH make a fuss too! So he is definitely coming with us.

Am trying to reduce the number of cockerals - but a freezer full of beef might slow that process down.

Anyway, roll on 31/10/08 - after which I may even have time to blog more, and do more photos!

2008-09-02T08:57:00.000-07:00

learning to do photos...!

these are my daughters, Laura and Louise.

Lets hope I can do this when I get home ;)

Charlie

2008-08-31T06:44:00.000-07:00

Charlie was first spotted on our farm one early morning in February, lurking at the back of the house and buildings close to the lambing shed. He was seen from our "loo with a view". He is a beagle dog of indeterminate age, but has obviously been mistreated by a man.

How do I know that? Because to this day he is very unsure of any man that comes to our place.

We think he was dumped by the Chasse people (hunters). I phoned the Gendarms, Mairies in three communes, spoke to local Chasse people, local farmers and the vet. But no-one new Charlie.

He started off by disappearing during the day, hiding somewhere and only being seen in the evening and morning. Gradually he stayed around a bit in the daytime, I even bought some biscuits as a snack to entice him near. But the circle got wider and wider until I couldn't chuck that far, so the others had the snacks. They didn't mind, of course.

I gave him the name Charlie - it's amazing how quickly these names stick, and even OH starts to refer to him as Charlie. He ran off everytime the van started up, and would run a mile if he was on the road to get away from a vehicle. So we assumed he had been chucked into a van or car boot (we have seen this done) and the lid slammed on him.

During the winter when I got bales of hay he would follow for miles, even when two or three bales were needed he would follow the tractor.

Gradually I got him to come and smell at my hand before dashing off, then he would stay long enough for a quick pat on the head. Now, after 6 months, he will actually let me stroke and pet him, if he is in the mood. OH can also stroke him on occasions.

Until he was threatened with "you wont come when we move if you don't get in the Van", he gave it a wide berth, then one day he got in the back with the others up the road. It was a hot day, and I think he was brassed off with running behind. Since then he has got in when we have been away from the yard, after moving sheep or checking the cows.

But this weekend he has jumped in the van in the yard on his own!! I think we are getting there at last.

So, Charlie will be going with us to our new place along with the other 3 dogs, various cats, chickens, sheep, oh and OH, of course.

A new Olympic sport?

2008-08-23T06:49:00.000-07:00

As the Olympics draw to a close, I wonder if it is good or bad for me. Good - because for the whole time I've done nothing (except put on weight because of doing nothing) but watch the Games. As I set off to do something we have another "Medal moment". So that's another hour or so, because you just have to watch the flag go up (have they got hot air positioned up the flag pole in the Bird's Nest?), feel the lump in the throat and say "aah, wasn't that good?".
Bad - because now I'll have no excuse to get on with some work. I really will have to start sorting out the house in preparation for the move, even though we will not be moving until early 2009. I know what will happen, nothing will be done and then panic will set in and bang goes the orderly and organised packing. I was going to make a start with a visit to the Dechetterie (local recycling place) this afternoon but OH and Thomas, my son, have cleared off in the van - so after this blog looks like it is back to the Olympics one last time.

We have, though, devised our own Olympic sport - Chucking the Coaster at the Chicken as it enters the House! At the moment I think I'm in gold medal position. My sister came recently and put a pile of coasters on the table, OH had a coffee and actually took a coaster for his mug. Sister indignantly told him they were not for use under a coffee cup. However, as they say in the films, no chicken has been hurt in the pursuit of this sport, they just know it is dangerous to enter the house now. I'm definitely in gold medal position for cleaning up most of the hen s..t as they come in looking for crumbs and dead flies.

Perhaps as the sun is shining I'll mow the lawn, and pop in now and then to catch another Medal moment.

2008-08-08T13:44:00.000-07:00

We finally finished haymaking on Wednesday. The last field at our new place. Yes, it was a bit late, and yes, it was crap hay as it was left too late, but it will be something for the sheep to eat in winter. Wednesday was, perhaps, the hottest day we have had so far. I forgot to take water with us, the stringing on the baler was crap as the hay was so dry and fine. Tempers were frayed, but we got there.

We went to the Producer's Market in our local village, but as it was the first attempt (and our village do's are not too well supported) we met some friends and went for a meal at a local restaurant. I know, not the right attitude, but a good night was had by us all.

We had a night of continual storm on Wednesday night/Thursday morning. It knocked out the phone/fax - my ears are attuned so I got up unplugged the computer at the phone and power points, let the dogs in (otherwise they ruin my plants at the windows), and returned to bed. Didn't get a wink of sleep, but had to get up at 7.00a.m. to sort out lambs that were being picked up Thursday morning. The day was wet, the cricket started, so we just lolled about and caught up with sleep. Just practicing for retirement, you know.

Until you have weeks of continual sunshine you never think you will miss the rain. You even sit out in it, pray for it even. It's good when it comes, and good when it stops.

Donna or Donna Kebab?

2008-08-02T13:52:00.000-07:00

My sister Mandy has been here for a few days. It's always lovely to see her as we both have a similar sense of humour. My ex-husband could not cope with the pair of us together - he had sense of humour failure. When we talk on the phone we generally find something (mundane) to laugh at, but when mum speaks to Mandy she often thinks she (Mandy) is down.

I did think Mandy may be bored this time as usually we are quite busy with lambing, or I take the opportunity of some help and do some much needed decorating. As we have sold, it is not worth doing anything in the house, and cannot do anything at the new place, we had some time on our hands. I did have to do some baling at the new place, but we pulled in some sightseeing.

We went farm-hunting in Brittany (not for us), and had my first experience of SatNav - they get quite aggressive when you over-ride them. We got to Brittany and the Agent sent a text saying the meeting was not possible that day. Time of the message was 1.30p.m., time of the meeting was 2.00p.m., and we'd had a 6 hour drive! Managed to view a farm though after several phone calls.

We also took her to a village fete on the Saturday evening. You know the ones - food ok, entertainment crap but fireworks not so bad. She seemed to enjoy it, at least she knows what she is in for if she moves here.

As usual a calf was born whilst she was here. Last time one of the Normands gave birth to a heifer, so she was christened Mandy. Well, she would be, wouldn't she? OH and I went to look at the cows, and sure enough the same cow had calved. Now, you have to be pretty smart on the tagging of new born calves, give them a few hours and you can't get near the damn things, especially if they are born outside, as this one was. I nipped back to the house for a tag for the calf and a bucket of food for the cow, and told Mandy to come along to see it. "What it is (sex)?" she asked. "I don't know yet" I replied. This year it is the year of the "D's" - all registered calves names begin with the letter D. I said "Perhaps we should call it Thunder". Thunder and lightening in German is Donna and Blitzen, so Mandy suggested if it was a girl call it Donna. "What if it's a boy? " I asked. "Donna Kebab" she suggested, and we both fell about laughing.
We duly arrived at cow, calf and OH, gave the cow the bucket of food and tagged the calf. Picked up it's leg and saw tits not bits and said to Mandy "Donna". So Donna came into the world during my sister's holiday.

I don't think the French sense of humour would have stretched to Donna Kebab had it been a bull calf.

Not so bad after all

2008-07-03T13:48:00.000-07:00

Our friend had got a catcher for the sheep, so when we arrived at 9.15 a.m. to help out it was quite a nice surprise, after driving three-quarters of an hour, to find we were not needed! All that Laura and Thomas said was"at least it got us up!"

I ended up tractor driving for the day, which made Sunday a better day, Laura and Thomas caught up with their sleep in the afternoon.

It's now official - we have sold the farm and are downsizing. I don't say retiring as the number of sheep we are taken keeps rising. From "how many sheep do you want?" it has now gone up to 120. But no heifers. And we still have to find somewhere to go. Am I stressed? No. Something will appear. The purchaser of our farm wants us to stay for a year to help him out, but we cannot put our life on hold if something comes up.

Had some lovely e-mails this week. One from my bridemaid of 22 years ago - she was 5 then, and her mum wanted to find me. One also from a relative-by marriage in New Zeland - could be a holiday on the cards (if he is interested in cricket!). One of the temptations of retirement was the promise of a winter cricket tour while we are still you enough to enjoy it - the Caribean calls!

Anyway, we are now farm hunting and it's quite exciting. We're staying in France, and in the same area (Vienne/Haute Vienne), and have tickets to see Tina Turner in Paris next March. Anyone fancy farm-sitting?

A devil for punishment

2008-06-20T07:43:00.000-07:00

Not satisfied with the shearing of our own 330 sheep, I have now volunteered Laura, Thomas and myself to help a friend with her 300 tomorrow.

She came to see us the other night after dropping her two kids off for a "do" at school. She lives about an hour away from us, but the kids are at school near to us - another complicated story.

I was asking what was happening about her hay this year and had she clipped the sheep. The hay, she explained, would be none existant as the sheep were still on the fields. The sheep, she said, were being clipped next week, and did I know of anyone who would like to catch for her! Now this is a job normally to be avoided, especially if you know the sheep are going to be fairly big and fairly wild. She has three shearers coming, 300 sheep and only herself and the two kids to do it. Now none of them are terribly big or strong, so I offered our services, with the proviso that if the weather is good I'll be tractor driving doing our hay.

I asked Laura if she was willing, and to ask Thomas if he would also help. Both decided that we really couldn't get out of it, and I daren't tell them I might not be able to go! However, David said that he would do the hay as far as he could, but that we would probably have to finish it on Sunday. Oh joy! Catching damn sheep one day and boring tractor driving the next. Roll on Monday.

In an effort to persuade Laura I said they were young and fit - the shearers, not the sheep. Thomas has to be persuaded by cash. Hopefully the sheep will be not too big, quiet and not too weighty.

At least when the lamb-man came today he marked 26 of our lambs to go Wednesday, that will be something to look forward to, until I get some more in, and some fat bulls are going on Monday. It will be like a practice run at retirement with almost nothing to feed for a few days.

They baa-red all!

2008-06-03T13:55:00.000-07:00

We had quite a heavy weekend recently - the shearing of 330 sheep.

We arranged for the French shearer to come on the Friday, and a friend "volunteered" his son to catch the sheep him. In case of rain we got 150-ish sheep in on the Thursday - this made sure that at least they would get clipped, and we would be half-way there.

The shearer arrived 8.00 a.m. Friday morning - minus the catcher. Now David on shearing days is conspicuous by his absence. He always seems to have a "very-important-job" (vij). That meant that yours truly had to get the sheep in the pen, catch them and then put the wool in the sack. With only one shearer that wasn't too bad, except the sheep seemed to get bigger and bigger with each one I caught and lifted. Not only that, these people expect lunch! So he got apologies and a cold salad/sandwich lunch.

Sadly for David he managed to get his vij done in the morning, so was somewhat encouraged to help me in the afternoon. By the time 6.00 p.m. arrived we both felt as if our arms and fingers were being pulled from our bodies. Not only that, it had started to rain at lunchtime, and somehow the shearer had managed to fit into the shed both of the flocks so that he could continue with dry sheep on the Saturday.

Having arranged for her dad to collect her from Poitiers, we picked Laura up from his and went for a well-earned meal at the local restaurant. My bones just sank into my body.

Saturday arrived, Laura wanted to go out with her mates, but I persuaded her to get some dog food for the dogs and draw some money out for the shearer. However, the heavens opened and that put off her day out (thank goodness). So she and I did the sheep, whilst David returned a topper he had borrowed from some friends.

The poor sheep went out, minus fleeces, into the cold and wet!

The topper had been borrowed from some friends who are naturists. He phoned them up to arrange to go and get it, and on arrival at their place they were all starkers! He had some quite garish tales (tails?) to tell, and I couldn't do a thing with him for the rest of the day.

One of his comments was "no wonder they have good suntans". But as he said, he didn't know where to look!

Water, water everywhere..........

2008-04-30T12:29:00.001-07:00

But not in the tap to drink, washup with, shower in, flush the loos with, use the washing machine or dishwasher with, water the cows and calves and sheep and lambs with - we had a disaster of the water-pump kind.

We have only a well water source, pumped up into the tank and electrically fed to the barns and the house. Only, the calves decided to wash the byre by dislodging the water bowls for their mums, and we didn't find it until too late. The 2 year old pump was burnt out. At 600 euros a time, plus fitting etc. it comes a bit expensive.

We have fitted a counter for the town (communal) water, but with the land being so wet (haha), the trench would be soon flooded before we put the pipe in, and it has to come up the drive which is about a kilometer long.

The plumber, bless him, decided it would be best to put the pump in the well, which meant pumping out gallons of (much needed) water. We caught as much as we could so we were able to water the animals, but it was like watching wine run away. I have to say I did think "thank god Laura is not here". When I told her about no water, she also thought the same.

Anyway, it is still raining, we have water in the byres and the house, but I'm still catching rain-water for the sheep. I think of it as one of my bits for the environment.

When we eventually sell, one of the questions is "Is there communal water?"

Water, water everywhere..........

2008-04-30T12:29:00.000-07:00

What's in your pocket?

2008-04-06T14:09:00.002-07:00

After emptying the pocket of my fleecy - it was well due for a wash - I thought "what do normal people have in their pockets?". Tissues, for themselves or for the kids, keys - car or door keys. Tickets - bus or Parking Tickets? Favourite lipsticks or essential make-up? Shopping lists.

Mine - baler twine of the sting or blue plastic variety. A necessity when lambing if it is a difficult birth. Pen knife - you never know when you might need it. You know mine because of the elastic band around the knife bit (due to lack of finger nails I couldn't get the knife bit out, so put a laggy-band around to stop it going in too far). Tissue - but you wouldn't want to use it as you don't know who has used it, or for what! Perhaps cleaning the penknife or a lambs mouth. Share and share alike. Sheep marker. Always carry a sheep marker. If you have to lamb a ewe and the lamb is dead you need to know which one the mother is, for future reference. Pen and paper - similar to the sheep marker, but if the lamb is alive you need to know date of birth, sex and mother's number - again for future reference. I even carried the tooth of one my horses around. (He lost it, I didn't take it out!)

When the kids were small I never had tissues, now I collect serviettes. McDonald's to posh Christmas ones are in my bag, you never know when you might need them.

I remember one night I got up and could hear the cows out, went to investigate in my dressing gown and wellies and couldn't find any string to tie the gate up with. After relating the story to a neighbour he said"Don't tell me you don't carry string in your dressing gown pocket." I replied "No, but I tied the gate with my dressing gown belt!"

What's in your pocket?

What's in your pocket?

2008-04-06T14:09:00.001-07:00

Where do I begin - again

2008-03-28T16:03:00.002-07:00

Thank you to all who made a comment on "Happiness is a quiet lambing shed".

The weather in February was fantastic - springlike to say the least. March came in, as usual, snow in the first week and got worse. fortunately Easter passes us by, so it was just another crap weekend. I asked Laura if she had any Easter eggs (she was with her dad for easter) and she said yes, 1, where was mine? I apologised for being a crap mum, and said there wasn't one!

Lambing is not too bad, I think. The 2nd flock are lambing outside - not ideal but a necessity. They chase the grass every year. But, we have had 30-odd lambs go, which will improve the bank balance a bit.

I think I saw a swallow last week, but with the weather turning horrible again it might have gone to warmer climates.

Why, when I'm tractor driving or feeding the sheep, can I think of great, witty stories, but then faced with the computer and a screen it comes out crap - three times I've said that word?

Will have to get back into blogging again.

Wwhere do I begin - again

2008-03-28T16:03:00.001-07:00

Wwhere do I begin - again

2008-03-28T16:03:00.000-07:00

Happiness is a quiet lambing shed!

2008-02-13T13:57:00.000-08:00

If you have never heard the sound of sheep waiting for their breakfast, or dinner, or tea, and you are invited to do so - believe me it is an offer you can refuse! They are absolutely awful. They jump up you when putting their food out, they knock the troughs over trying to get at it, they even tread on their lambs in the rush to get to the food - you would think they hadn't been fed for weeks - let alone 12 hours before.

Feeding sheep is not rocket science. Technique is the important thing - keep the bucket close to the trough and your knees together. If the bucket is up in the air, the sheep end up wearing the food. If your knees are not together they end up wearing you! It's a "life in front of the eyes" moment when a ewe gets her head between your legs to get to food - especially if it's outside and going downhill! And I'm sure it's inbred into lambs to jump across the trough just as you are pouring (expensive) sheep meal into it - it goes everywhere!

Having a good command of the English - or French - language doesn't matter. Three words are enough "you f.......g things" is a phrase frequently aimed at sheep.

You also get hard when it comes to bottle feeding lambs. If it's a do or die situation you have no choice. Better to feed than let them die. But you can be too soft, with dire consequences. They look at you as their mother, and every time they hear your voice they start!! At the moment Mary is the worst one (Mary? she was born on Christmas day). She has the most painfull piercing bleat you can imagine. As they get older they jump up and mug you knocking the bucket over in the process. Oh yes, believe me they are no angels.

On my lambing notepad Laura has written "don't you just love lambing?" to which I have written "no!".

Anyway, good news is the time has come to wean some of them, no one sleeps at weaning time. This is to make room in the shed for the next 180 to lamb!

Kir and Chocolates

2008-02-04T07:47:00.000-08:00

A reply from Tina to my last blog made me think that I should come clean.

Kir (a drop of creme de cassis in a glass of white wine, or champagne) is like pop. It goes down extremely well after a hard day at whatever. However, new "users" beware - it is so alcoholic! So what you might ask. Well, drinking it like pop (it is so moreish) you end up p....d as a rat very quickly, especially on an empty stomach.

I won a year's subscription to an English magazine last year when a reader asked for ideas on how to use up a bottle of Creme de Cassis, but they didn't publish my warnings. Sorry to everyone who tried it, and paid the price.

Laura and I have a chocolate cupboard. We hide it away. We're not mean or anything, but if it's out David will eat the lot. So we hide it and have some when we feel the need. It's far less alcoholic than Kir, but with probably the same calories.

I had need to attack the chocolate cupboard last week, though I can't remember why now. I did confess to Laura though. When she goes back to England next week she will bring back slabs of Dairy Milk and replenish the stocks!

A belated Happy New Year

2008-01-28T13:34:00.000-08:00

Yes, I know it is nearly February. But with one thing and another - lambing, collecting Mother for Xmas, Xmas and New Year, illness etc., A Happy New Year to one and all.

We started December with Laura and I going to Paris Christmas shopping with a trip from our commune. It was advertised at "leaving a 6.00 a.m.", when you booked they told you it was actually 5.00 a.m. - at least I got away without all the feeding etc!!! We had a great day - found W.H. Smiths in Paris, sadly they didn't stock Farmer's Weekly so I couldn't take one home gloating "got it in Paris". Took some great photo's on my all singing and dancing new mobile phone. The funniest was at Galleries Lafayette - fantastic shops. They had young boys dressed in white - even down to the winkle pickers - and white wings. Laura said "they've had too much Red Bull!" Apparently it gives you wings! When I say young boys I mean teenage 19/20 young boys! She couldn't resist taking a photo.

Before going to Paris I warned the sheep not to start lambing before 2nd Dec. After that they could do what they wanted, within reason. For once they obliged, and started the week after our trip to Paris. The weekend of the 8/9th was awful - raining cats and dogs (Louise, my eldest, was 21 on the 7th). The sheep HAD to come in regardless of whether we were ready or not. We sorted them out on the Sunday (9th) into iminents and another couple of weeks. The iminents stayed in (and have since finished lambing), the another couple of weeks are still out - with 6 newborn additions!

Mother came into Limoges on the 17th Dec. in time to stress me out and get me organised for Christmas. Because of the burnt out tractor we are late with getting in our cereals (they are still not in), David was going on about me following him with the seed drill to do the fields - this was with a party (HE decided we should have one) and Christmas looming, no windows in my tractor and a gale force wind blowing. Well, it was like a red rag to a bull for my mother! Fortunately, or not, it rained in time so saved me hours on a draughty tractor, and grief from Ma. The day of the party arrived, 22nd Dec., at 4.00 p.m. no Christmas tree up, no table for the food (we had caterers to the food) and no David! But we knew where he was. So a quick phone call later and everyone knew I was stressed! As the first guests arrived (EARLY) I was just coming in from feeding pet lambs. It improved as it went on - especially when most of the guests wanted to watch the finals of Strictly - they only came on condition it was on.

Christmas came and went - I'm not a great lover of Christmas as we have always had to work, even when we were young and in a pub - hopefully next year we will be retired and be able to do Christmas properly, or at least without rushing about. As usual the turkey lost his legs prematurely, as he wouldn't fit into the cooker with them. The work was all done for the day before we had our dinner, present opening was done around lunchtime after the morning feeding up session, lunch consisted of Kir and chocolates!

Louise, the eldest, got engaged and proudly showed off her ring on Boxing Day. Hopefully, they will wait a bit before getting married - she has been told to look after her father so he is around to pay for it! Yes, I am a bitch, but that is for another post.

Thomas introduced us to his girlfriend, a very nice French girl whose parents keep the bar/restaurant in the next village.

So that really brings us to the New Year - Mum went back 7th Jan, kids are back at work/school,
we're back to getting up to a great feeding operation. At least the last weekend has been lovely weather. I even ditched the hat, coat and waterproofs on Sunday. If I hadn't my lower legs - were they are double wrapped with waterproofs and wellies - would have been like matchsticks!

So, it's now time to bid farewell and go and feed Matt and Alicia and Mary and their (bottlefed) friends. To the next post.

Stuck in a time warp!

2007-11-26T12:41:00.000-08:00

After finishing work the other night, and before "my" programme (Strictly c.d. - it takes two), David was flicking through the channels and came to an old Dr. Who. Bear in mind we never watch Dr. Who.

"Who's that girl?" he asks
"Billy Piper" I said
"But she must be in her 60's" he says
"That's Billie Whitelaw" I reply!

Sorry, Babe (OH) it was just too good not to share!

Again, Strictly c.d. (it takes two) - Henry Winkler was on tonight (Fonze from Happy Days). He's grey and ageing.

"It makes you feel human" says OH! who was an avid fan of Happy Days.

World Cup Fever/Shop till we drop - 2nd attempt

2007-11-20T02:17:00.000-08:00

I know that by now it is over and done with - the Rugby World Cup, but our trip to Paris for the Final is worth noting.

David, Laura and I went up to Paris for the match - to watch it on the big screen at the Eiffel Tower. What a great night it was, even though we lost. The day England played France in the semi-final we were doing our maize silage, and it was a gritty day to say the least. We all worked hard, and I said to Laura that if England we would go to Paris next week! I've said so many times "wish we'd been there" and so many times through work have let the kids down, that this time I thought "sod it, we'll go". And go we did.

David said "we''ll take a picnic and some wine and champagne, and something to sit on". Bags duly packed off we went. It's a 4 hour drive from where we live, and we arrived about 5 p.m., parked at the Parc de Princes and set off towards the Eiffel Tower with our bags! By the time we arrived there I was like Quasi Modo - Laura got fed up carrying her bag, so I applied the 2-bucket theory - you're balanced with 2 bags/buckets. Nevermind, they should be lighter on the way back - food eaten, wine and champagne consumed!

It was a cold afternoon, but thinking ahead (as you might say) I picked up Thomas's (my son) Leicester Tigers jester's hat (the one with bells on!). I was glad I did, not only because it was warm but we met some fellow Tiger's supporters from Liecestershire, and watched from their park bench. Sadly the match is history - but watching England tackle Chabal on the big screen was something else. We all decided not to let the champagne go to waste - the others had some too, and we produced our plastic champage flutes from one of the bags - never let it be said we were unprepared! So there we all were drinking our champagne from plastic flutes and sharing the picnic until the early hours.

As the crowds dispersed - there was absolutely no trouble from the thousands and thousands of fans - all you could see was a carpet of rubbish - beer bottles and tins etc., but the Parisian authorities soon had their roadsweepers on the job and I'll be by morning most of it would be cleared up.

The following weekend - half term week for us - Laura and I went to England. Me for my yearly shopping trip and Laura to take her driving test. She had passed the theory in the summer. I picked her up from school at lunchtime and at 11.30 that night we were at my mum's in Leicestershire. Not bad going with only LD (Laura Dora) as my satnav.

The week was spent eating, drinking, shopping and driving - not necessarily in that order. I'm not sure what it is about going back to shop - we can buy clothes and pressies in France - but you always find more in England. As usual the car was loaded up nearly to the roof - and we were pulled into Customs at Dover. I just asked the Customs man to be ready to catch when I opened the boot, nothing did fall out but he could see it was tightly packed - no room for any illegals in there! - and so let us through.

Unfortunately Laura failed her driving test, but will take it again in February, and the chaps we met in Paris the week before were also away on holiday - or so they said they would be.

Anyway, memories recorded (will have to master the photo lark on my blogs) and christmas pressies stashed away for Pere Noel (isn't my husband a lucky man - more knickers and socks and CD's that have been bought on his card?). I will have to feign surprise at my pressies too, though by then I'll have forgotten what I actually did buy.

World Cup Fever/Shop till we drop

2007-11-11T13:09:00.000-08:00

An expensive lunch!

2007-10-05T10:53:00.000-07:00

We went to the bull sale last week. It was organized by our "groupement" - the co-operative that we sell our lambs and calves through. As usual we were the only English there, which is no bad thing really as there is then no-one to congregate with. However, by not going the other English farmers do miss out on a bit of rural France.

The animal sales here are not like those in England. Even in our neck of the woods in England - Cumbria - when we went to sales we had to listen to get the gist of the accents, we were near to Lancashire and Yorkshire and the rural Cumbrians took some understanding. Here it is a different thing altogether. All the animals have a base price which is decided by the Groupement beforehand, and this is written up on the animal's details above him or her. We were listening to the "auctioneer" who said something and then there was a ripple of applause. Ah, thought I, that one has been sold. Oh no, just then hands went up and pieces of paper were passed around. Presumably the person who got the round of applause was just opening the bidding!

Two animals went through that had been born in November 2006 - "they're doing it it order of birth" we whispered to each other - then one went through that had been born in August, which totally blew our theory.

One little chap went by, rather reluctantly being pulled and pushed by his handlers. He's nice, I said. Again the above proceedure, so we thought he had been sold. I must add at this point that we had only gone for a day out and the lunch, not to buy a bull. That would be next year.

At the end of the sale we went to have a look at the little one that caught our eye - he was the smallest as he weas only 9 months old, but perfectly formed. "Do you like him?" asked our Technician, who does speak English. "Yes, he's quite nice. Was he sold?" "No" replied Pascal - mistake. I said to my husband "we don't need another bull until next year, and can't really afford one now", "but he will be grown by next year, and we'll have to pay more for an older one" said David. "But where will we put him, he can't be inside from now until next year." "He's used to electric fencing" said Pascal.

Again we turned away. No, we couldn't really afford him just now, don't know where to put him and don't need him for another year. "If we put some electric fencing at the back and brought the old girl up to calve with him", said I. At which point we turned back and said yes!

He even has a name - Bertrand. Our present stock bull is called Victor, because he came to us during May a few years ago around Victory in Europe week - well, it's obvious isn't it?

So Bertrand arrived at our farm. Still reluctant we pushed and pulled him off the lorry. Thank goodness we had a good driver deliver him and not the horrible one, but once again that's another post.

Bon chance Bertrand!

Life since 4/9/07

2007-09-26T11:16:00.000-07:00

What has been going on since the last blog? Where does one begin?

Laura is better at lycee, though we have had one headache experience when, once again, she ended up in hospital for two hours. Better than the week she had there in May with suspected meningitus. She has had her eyes tested so now has to wear glasses. I hope this does the trick as the next thing is a brain scan. I bet her father gipped at the 445 euros for the glasses for her. We daren't tell him he owes me 66 euros for the doctors and opticians appointments. He gets it back through his Social Security.

At least she like her course this year, so apart from the boarding we are halfway there.

No news from her sister or her brother, so I don't know how the apprenticeship is going.
Will probably see Thomas at the weekend when I go and beg for my 66 euros!

My husband was just finishing ploughing on the Wednesday 6th, when the tractor caught fire!
It's now a burnt out shell on the field, and we're waiting to see what the insurance will give us. As it was 27 years old I am not holding my breath for the cost of a new John Deere! It was quite an emotional experience as the tractor was part of my divorce settlement! He is a really nice man, my ex! Even Laura was a bit upset as shee remembers sleeping in the footwell whilst I was baling or wrapping bales in Cumbria. As I said, like my marriage, the tractor went up in flames!

The weather has been good, no rain for 4 weeks so in theory we should be well up in the ploughing and field prep. stakes. However, with no tractor we are, as usual, late with everything.

David went on a Chambre d'Agriculture day yesterday. It was lovely, once I had moved the neighbours sheep off our field, to have a bit of p&q on my own. He caused a stir by telling everyone I was left cutting wood for the winter though. We'll need it now it has suddenly gone a bit cold.

Today I was given 2 hours to clean the house before some people came to look round. I really need at least a day (or two), but it was presentable, and after being told off for not helping David kept them outside until I went to greet them! If nothing else happens, at least the house will be clean for a bit.

On Friday we are going to a bull sale and staying there for lunch. I wonder which poor French farmers will draw the short straw and sit next to us?

La rentree (back to school)

2007-09-04T09:58:00.000-07:00

My youngest daughter, Laura, went back to Lycee today. What a weekend we have had. Ups and downs of emotions. To start with she hates school, but hates having to board during the week even more. It was decided that she would ask her sister, who lives in the same town as Laura's Lycee, to let her stay in the flat she shares with her boyfriend. He is in the army and so is not there during the week, so there would only be the two sisters. In theory, not something too difficult. However, Louise, the sister, has a friend staying while she flat-hunts. So that would mean three of them - during the week - in a one-bedroomed flat. Suffice to say Louise gipped at having her sister share as well.

Laura then said, tearfully, she would not go to Poitiers to Lycee but would go to another one only 20 minutes from home and get the bus each day. This would mean doing another course that she would be doing grudgingly, as there is not a course linked to Child nursing locally.

Fortunately, or so I thought, she has decided she will board at Poitiers but we are going flat-hunting for her. She also has to find a flatmate as her dad has said no to being on her own (but what happens if the flatmate leaves?). So we have to negotiate the French system to see how much financial help the Social will cough up. Is anything easy?

At least she has only been on the phone once today so far. I daren't tell I sat in the car crying when I left her. It was far easier to leave them at school at 5 knowing you would see them in a few hours. But to leave a tearful 18 year old and say "Chin up, see you next week" is emotionally draining.

I hope the friend gets a nice flat - NOT.

Wedding anniversary blues - or greens!

2007-08-21T11:48:00.001-07:00

August 21st 2000 - the day we got married. Today we celebrate our 7th wedding anniversary - tea or champagne in bed, a day of lovey dovey? Not a bit of it. HE forgot! We had arranged lunch with some friends who have a cottage near us, they came to our wedding. I told them "don't say anything to David - see if he remembers." Usually when I remind of something like an anniversary or birthday he says "I did remember, but didn't say anything because I thought you had forgotten!" HE wasn't quick enough this time. Though I have to say, our life is such that it is difficult to remember what day it is let alone what the date is. there, I'm standing up for HIM. Anyway, we had a lovely lunch - all of 12 euros each (less than a tenner!) and our friends paid. So here I am with a glass of Kir Royale (creme de cassis and a sparkling white) doing my blog.

The greens? I'm trying to decorate the rooms we had renovated last year, this time it's the dining room. I have inherited loads of Magnolia (part of the divorce settlement) so decided to do most of it in that. I wanted it red but with us being for sale thought something more neutral might be better. To add some (interest) colour David has chosen Vert Provence behind the stairs. We have to have it mixed at the local DIY shop (Mr Bricolage or Britolage as it is called) and when the assistant showed me the colour it was definitely green! I tried to explain in my (crap) french that as my husband had chosen it, it doesn't matter if it is awful!

Kir Royale has finished, HE is watching the cricket, time for something on toast!?

Wedding anniversary blues - or greens!

2007-08-21T11:48:00.000-07:00

Domestic goddess time

2007-08-10T05:54:00.000-07:00

I'm suppossed to be cleaning up this afternoon - my sister is coming tomorrow. I have though decorated two bathrooms in the last fortnight. The trouble is I'm getting hooked on this blog-lark. I only came on the computer to order a new tag for 0422 who has lost one of hers, looked at WFTN, and others, then felt it was time to create another one for me.

I have a rendezvous with my son and ex-husband at 5.00 in an attempt to get Thomas (son) on an apprenticship with a local agricultural mechanic. Thomas doesn't want to do it, ex-husband doesn't want to pay for more education and I don't want Thomas to go back to England. Hopefully this way it will buy Thomas time, give him some money and a qualification after it.

Plus - he might be able to keep our ageing tractors going a bit longer with the knowledge he gains - well, he will need some practical experience! I think he could do quite well at the Ag. Mech. as he will be able to help with all the english farmers that have come over. Who knows - he may end up in a translation job.

Found it!

2007-08-02T14:14:00.001-07:00

Well I managed to find my blog again - after quite a few attempts - and I received a comment. Thank you Pig-in-the-kitchen. I then thought it was time to do another one. More problems, but we got there.

How is it that when I'm sitting on the tractor mindlessly baling or moving the wretched bales that I can think on masses to say and communicate to others, and yet when faced with the computer and keyboard my mind goes blank?

You think about all sorts of things when driving the tractor - what we are going to do when we retire, what would I do if my husband popped his clogs before we retire - he's not likely to I hasten to say as he is in good health and a young 65 year old - but these things spring to mind as we are 2nd time around marrieds. He has two grown up kids and I have my three, so whoever goes first things will be a bit difficult for the surviving partner. I also ponder on other peoples problems, and what I would do in their shoes. But then I think "what would I really do?" As they have/are doing or what I think they should do. I also have imaginary conversations - in english and french. My french is perfect in these conversations, but when faced with the situation it goes to pot. I would really love to communicate properly in french and not blather on as I normally do with the only words I know. I have imaginary arguments with my husband - these usually involve his or my kids. It's not easy being a step-parent. I have awarded myself the title of Queen of the step-daughters from hell! That's for another time as we done't have broadband in this neck of France and I'm clocking up the hours typing this. Thanks for listening tractor!

Found it!

2007-08-02T14:14:00.000-07:00

What a terryfying experience

2007-07-23T02:24:00.000-07:00

Well I hope I have just created a blog! People say it is so easy - I don't think so! You need a title - do you make one up or do you give your real name? You need an address - the same applies. You have to open an "account" - how much does this cost? The main thing is will I ever find it again to carry on or look at the comments - if anyone else can find it.

I came upon the title "Flockette" as that is what we call our female lambs that will go into the flock - one of them walked past the window as I was wondering what to put. At the moment I have four "Flockettes" - all black and white, piebald I suppose you might say. If anyone remembers Sue in Sooty and Weep one of the flockettes looks just like her with big black eyes. Another one is called Ashley after the footballer Ashley Cole - that's another story.

Anyway, will sign off now and hope to find my blog again with far more interesting thoughts when I know it works.