Celebrations -Day 2

As John is the president of the Bridge Club in Gourdon, we thought we would 'celebrate' with the members (who have become our friends).  John gave a small speech explaining our new dual nationality and we were touched at the spontaneous round of applause !!
At the end of the session we provided a glass of 'bubbles'

We so appreciate the warmth of friendship which we receive from everyone we meet.

Franglais Now

Big sighs of relief!!!

We received our letters today advising us that we became French on the 7th February.  So, whatever happens with Brexit, we can stay in our home here in France.

Actually, we now have dual nationality (a problem now at Rugby matches!!)

So we are celebrating with a bottle of Champagne, bubbles tomorrow at Bridge Club and Champers again with our neighbours on Saturday.

Tea Up!

Afternoon tea break for the workers!

Everything looks much better in the Sun

We've entered a spell of bright cheerful weather which looks like it will last for at least 2 weeks!  (We're not going to mention the 'Spring' word yet).  We look set for mornings with a touch of frost but then sunshine with temperatures going up to about 18.  So time to get out and on with all of these new 'projects' that someone has dreamt up.

I've finished positioning the new edges for the 'sundial' bed in the top level of the rear courtyard … just got to find more chippings to fill in the area which was previously lawn.

I've also removed the old centres from the pair of cartwheels which we inherited when we came here.  The rims are destined for a 'feature'!

This lovely weather has encouraged a flush of early blooms.

Crocuses

Winter Jasmine

Hellebores

Snowdrops

Ughh ?

And to top it all, both Sue and I thought we heard a Cuckoo calling yesterday whilst we were at Bridge Club in Gourdon!!!!

Coming out of Hibernation

January really made us feel that we were hibernating. The days were mostly grey and wet and the nights were very very long. However we did not waste our time. John was engrossed in his many writing projects which he also enjoys illustrating. With a push from me he has self published another book and has also translated it into French. He enjoys the extra challenge. He needs a push because he thinks it is rather vain but I think future generations (if there are any) may find it interesting and if it remained on the computer it would get lost.

….....and me, I've been reading gardening books, of which there are many. I picked up about a dozen from a charity fair in the Autumn and they needed studying. I was reading one by my hero, the late Christopher Lloyd, an acerbic fellow who says it as it is (remind you of anyone?) and I must share this paragraph with you. He was writing about the owners of a magnificent garden in New Zealand, called Ayrlies. The magnificent adjective does not apply to ours but the rest certainly rang a bell.

"..... Malcolm is no gardener but he is a great backer-up. Beverley loves to work on a large canvas and she keeps on thinking of more projects. Many husbands would groan. What do you want more for, greater expense, more labour, we're not getting any younger, you'll kill yourself and so on. Instead of which, when the next brainwave is outlined he says "Why not".

Well I can't pretend that John is quite as encouraging as that but he never says "No". Consequently this year he has a lot of constructing to do. I have ideas for some garden "sculptures/features" but little expertise to make them. The beds certainly need a lot of redesigning according the gurus I have been studying and of course the bank balance will take a hammering. I don't very often acknowledge how lucky I am but both Beverley and I must have chosen the right man.