Looking back before looking forward..

I have just read back through the previous posts, and it has brought back such memories. One or two of them require an update though I think! 

The gate situation has now been rectified and not at a cost of 1500Euros. We found a company in the UK who ship wooden five barred gates to France and managed to purchase it, complete with posts, metal fittings and two different sized gates - one small to walk through and one large to drive through for less than £500 including delivery! The gates are now in place, have been for a while, and the dogs no longer escape and go walkabout! The gate post installation caused a lot of swearing, sweating, use of a mini digger and buying of a Titan Jackhammer to get through the scree level!!

The beautiful wisteria has had to be removed. I am so very sad about this, but a combination of the damage to the kitchen floor caused by it's roots, the need to get to the wall behind it to do repairs and rendering, and the fact that it was actually dangerous as it was no longer supported safely. I was very nearly injured when one end fell away from the wall but fortunately apart from a couple of bruises I got away lightly. The plan is to replant a new one over the "garage" building once it's renovated to replace it. 

Burassic park was eventually reduced to a combination of compost(the leaves) and ash( the dried stalks which were eventually burnt!). The compost heaps are amazing! I have 3 full ones and one empty. One of the three is plastic sheeted down and hopefully I'll be able to dig it into the garden a little later on in the year. The second one is ready to sheet down and the third one not long behind it. There are a lot less weeds in the potager, and I now have a fruit section, with black and red currants, gooseberries, blueberries, strawberries and raspberries in it. We didn't get much fruit last year as they were all new plants in, but this year I'm very hopeful! And we now know what kind of trees we have - apples, pears, peaches, cherries, plums and hazelnuts! I promise photos next time!

Anyway that's part 1 of the catch up. Part 2 to include birds and animals of the local area, shopping and maybe even a house update with pictures.

Til next time
KJ xx   

I love my new life!

In the last few months I have had so many new experiences, and my life has changed so much and I really love my new life! I thought I'd share some of these new experiences with you all.

So in the last few months I have...

Become self employed and opened my own business
Shared a bed with a wall lizard - long story!

Painted a bathroom ceiling
Sowed seeds in my first ever greenhouse
Used a full size tractor and log splitter
Bought money on the "markets" - well through a finance company anyway and not a huge amount of money either, but it still counts
Learnt to drive a garden tractor
Finished knitting a jumper I started about 10 years ago
Designed my first ever dress - now to make it up!
Undertaken telephone conversations in French - quite an achievement believe me!
Sanded down and painted with hammerite a small boat anchor
Written for a dressage judge at a competition
Oiled the wood for the bathroom sink unit
Watched a sparrowhawk chase, but not catch, a small bird in our garden
Seen wild boar and coypu in the wild
Used a rotavator for the first time ever
Knitted a baby cardigan for the neighbours new grandson
Drank apero's with the neighbours, more than once!
Bought a swimming pool - okay it's still in the packaging/on the pallet!
Been given a lace bobbin pillow and bobbins from a lovely lady
Donated to a dog charity
Applied for and been granted a bursary towards a degree module
Received the first instalment of my degree course in textile design
Bought water butts from a dutchman
Made no knead bread
Cooked for dinner parties
Not to mention a huge amount of sewing (see list 2 below)

I have made/finished making all of the following

Knitting

3 pairs of fingerless glove
A woolly hat for him indoors
A baby blanket
A baby cardigan
2 chunky cardijackets (cardigans without buttons cos I never fasten them!)
A jumper I started about 10 years ago

Sewing
2 waistcoats
A pair of trousers
A brocade jacket
A pair of shorts
A gold satin 40's dress
Goth collar
6 decorative cushions
4 ladies and 3 mens aprons
A knitting needle roll (replacement for one I made ages ago and never liked)

I'm sure there's more but that will do for now!
TTFN 
KJ x
I really really really love my new life!