Reconnection to the digital age

Have managed to negotiate the language and technical difficulties of organising a telephone line and wireless connection to broadband, hence the new posting. A lot has happened in the past 3 weeks; thunderstorms, temperatures in the 30's, an invasion of sheep, and the discovery of a new way of life.

The first heavy rain on our second night of all being here showed the need to renew all of the roof of the house! Very quickly our Rose-coloured glasses slipped and we realised we needed to gut the house totally to achieve the kind of 'Grand-Designs' stlye of house we wanted.

Our next door neighbours are lovely, helpful and very kind. We feel that they appreciate the fact that we are already tidying up the outside of the house and garden. We invited them to Sunday Lunch and it was touching when Nadine had a little cry when she came into the lounge. She was born in the village and her Grandmother lived where she lives now. The old lady who lived in our house had no family and so Nadine became a surrogate daughter to her. We don't think she had been in our house since the old lady died and so it was a bit emotional for her.

At the end of our first week we were confronted by a farmer setting up an electrified fence on our rear field and a flock of sheep appeared! Phone calls to Notaire, our english solicitor/advisor and to the estate agent prompted assurances that there was nothing to be worried about and that they would be gone before the date of a final signing. They were still there yesterday when they made a break for freedom and our neighbour discovered them in our courtyard eating Sue's azaleas and my few bonsai that I brought from England. JJ left a message for the farmer and then we shepherded the sheep away from our juicy meal. The farmer arrived to sort out his fence but this afternoon he and friends and 2 dogs took down the fence and drove the sheep away - we trust for good.

We have decided to sell our car back in England and buy a French car. Last Saturday we went looking, saw a Renault Megane Estate and negotiated a deal. We were asked to return on Tuesday, with passports, to provide details for the Carte Grise (registration Document) . If we left a cheque we could take the car on Wednesday and then let them know when the money was in our french bank account (from England) . This typifies the trusting, laid-back attitude to french life.

The rest of the time arround these high-lights has been spent hacking down nettles and brambles and mowing grass. The weather has been unsettled but seems always to clear by about 4ish so that we can take our apero on the veranda in some warm sunshine.

To sum it all up, we are tired and happy.