Monday 25th April 2010

So our dear grandson went back to school today and I realised I only had 3 working days to get cardboard looms sent up for small children, make some arty bags myself and generally get my proverbial backside into gear for an exhibition called Fil du Insolite at Branderion on Saturday and Sunday. I am meeting my dear friend Jill on Friday at 1 so I must get on - you know how it is you just take ages getting your mind back into gear to be creative - I would take to the drink but it was too early.

Yesterday was good at Jess's command (just joking - request) we went to the Troc and Puce at Loudeac and I found - yes you guessed a material stall and I am now very happy to report that I have added to my material stash - expect lots of bags to be made - ah well needs must.

I worked on the garden over the last week. Mike made some wonderful curved metal arches for the runner beans and my greenhouse has been over run by mice so my plants are now on the veranda where the mice cannot climb. Swedes planted and salad leaves sown.

Jess has taped up the field ready for the horses and we received this morning the electric tape from our dear friend Vanessa in Huelgoat (it took nearly a week to get here I might add and its only a 1 1/2 hour drive away).

Mike has been tiling like mad - all the fiddly bits and has been as patient as any human being can possibly be bless him. So on with the melee and as soon as this weekend is finished I will be painting and continuing gardening and getting ready for the next exposition in July. Nice to be busy.

Ah on the new French licence front we turned up the week before last on a Friday to find that the office had been shut with no notice - turned up last Monday completely new staff who could not be more helpful and we now have a sheet so that Mike can have a medical so that he can tow trailers and caravans (I must make the appointment tomorrow). On the caravan new Carte Gris front - all done at the same office with no problems yipee.

Helping Killian with his English on Wednesdays and Estelle with her English on Saturdays - I just help them go over their schoolwork. I was so thrilled today as when I went to pick up Caleb in the playground Killian came over and double kissed me - so lovely.

Ah we also went to Katy's last Thursday evening with Caleb - Mike, Caleb and myself - Jess unwell. We had aperos and then we had a meal of thinly sliced steak, chicken and mushrooms - you placed them on the lava stone hot plate on the table and cooked them yourself together with sausages (pre-cooked) and endive and ratatouille. Caleb had the most wonderful time cooking his own food and spoke in French to Katy quite a lot - little devil - he likes her so he feels comfortable talking in French to her I think. We came home late - we walked past the church which was lit up like a Christmas light and Caleb had a piggy back all the way home with me whilst Mike walked in front with Caleb shining the way with a torch it was very good and very relaxed.

So I really will have to learn how to post pictures on here so that I can show you photos. Love to anyone reading this.

Sunday 11 April

We are all feeling rather jaded today - Jess is feeling decidedly unwell with a cold and I am somewhat tired. That said although its not as warm as yesterday today Caleb and Mike went fishing and caught 2 small fish and 2 medium fish.

Apparently when they had run out of worms Mike said thats it we will have to go back and when he was putting his rod away in the barn he felt the door being pushed from behind and Caleb was trying to shut him in the barn - "oh damn it grandad you spoilt my plan". Last night when I was sorting out the piles of dry washing on my bed he looked up from under the covers and away from the handmirror he was holding to say "nanna the bags under your eyes are ginormous you had better get some sleep" - bless him.

Lets hope for good weather tomorrow, civil and polite custom between myself and the sous prefecture at Pontivy and then home to more work. I must get around to taking some pictures to put on the blog. I am trying to get ready for more work in the atelier and low and behold another person arrived on my doorstep at 8.45 last night to ask me to help with their child's English language - I will now have to look at theTEFL course I really will.

Friday 9 April - Beaucracy damn it

You have met nothing until you meet a pissy, jobsworth, French sous prefecture who is determined to piss you off at every opportunity. Mike is trying to change to a French driving licence and it is proving difficult due to the fact that the pissy person(pp) is demanding an invoice dated September in his name (which she does not actually have the need for) and we do not have one as we pay by DD at the bank for our supplied services. So today I went to the Mayors office and have now got an Attestation of Domecile let the pp deny him now damn it.

When we go in on Monday it will be the third attempt - I went to the nearest bench on Tuesday after she talked to me like dog shit and blubbed - latent anger I wanted to jump up and punch her in her horrible face.

Anyway the simple fact is that I got into the workroom yesterday, put the wood burning stove on and did some sewing yeh. We are now on the road to recovery craftwise at last.

Anyway will report next week - plants growing well in the greenhouse, sun shining and so on.