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Thanks to Val for her recent update - must be nice in St Gengoux now that summer is here. Journal 4 I would like to tell you of all the adventures we have been on for the last 4 weeks….. but we haven’t been on any …. However, we have achieved heaps and have been able to secure tradesmen even though we are fast approaching holiday period when the building sector closes down. Plus we have also had a few more visitors and the pommy expats have arrived in town, so you don’t need to go away for fun; it comes to you. So what has been happening and have we achieved .. Bastille Day was a bit of fun. The village has a low key celebration with drinks, dancing and f ireworks at 11.00 pm. We displayed our French flag, turned on our outside French lighting and joined in the festivities in the street, but fairly low key. Next day we joined Mariella and Michael for their traditional Bastille Day Lunch. A pleasant and very relaxing afternoon on the verandah New chairs for outside. The rust seating on the old ones eventually fell apart. All metal set of six. (Another Mariella find for us). Back to work the next day…. We were very fortunate to get the plumber to commit to more work and we now have one completed bathroom (not decorated, but complete) .. and one ¾ complete 2nd bathroom. But it is not easy. As we all know, nothing is easy in an old house, but old houses in France are another level on “not easy”. Poor previous workmanship, lack of tradespeople, different processes and materials used, language difficulties all add up to “complex”. However, Patrick has persevered with his usual tenacity. And more exciting purchases have kept us buoyant and enthused. New lounge chairs which will eventually become bedroom chairs when our bed/sitting room is done…. Next year … Bargain at Euro 25 each and SO COMFORTABLE. Elegant Art Deco table for 2nd floor landing. Bargain at Euro 15. Bowl Euro 5!. New lounge chairs which will eventually become bedroom chairs when our bed/sitting room is done…. Next year … Bargain at Euro 25 each and SO COMFORTABLE. Above it, an original charcoal black and white etching of Chalon sur Soane. (Commonly known as “Gloria”, Patrick’s defacto girlfriend because he visits so often to buy building materials) Not at a bargain price, but we love it.   Enough of that .. This last week, in particular, was very festive. Firstly, we had Canterbury friends, Helen and Pat come to visit. They came last year and wanted to see how far we had progressed. Last time we had a dirt floor, a tiny archaic kitchen and a wading pool shower, so I think they were impressed. They stayed with our friend Nicole as there was no room at the inn because Patrick’s niece and nephew, Maxine and Jonathan, plus Karen and Alex, were staying with us. However, as a gang of six, we spent good times for dinners, markets and general socializing over four days. Friday night was the very busy Night Market, with over 70 stalls offering craft work, jewellery, food and karaoke in fully swing until midnight. We ate in the garden and joined the mayhem in comfort.  Also, that night we attended the Church Fundraising Concert in aid of continuing restoration of this magnificent 12century church. It was a rousing 12 person hunting horn recital with musicians all dressed in historic costume. However, there is a limited creative span for hunting horns and so it was a short affair. The church is fantastic and the acoustics incredible. Saturday was a family dinner and Sunday was the Annual Village Brocante. Again, the village was abuzz with stalls offering goodies of varying quality. Sort of TnT, but with French trash instead of Oz trash. That goes from 8.00 am – 5.00 pm. Again, with stalls set up outside our place. Dinner was in a hilltop restaurant not far away with stunning views. A fun night before the gang headed home on Monday morning, just as the tiler and plasterer arrived. In fact they had to fight their way out of their room. But it was a terrific weekend!!! They are so enthusiastic and it really reconnects us with Patrick’s UK family. We hope it will become an annual event and that some day, when the house is finished, we have Alison, Scott, Keira, Michael and Nick all together with them for a real family affair. It is becoming a real family home. So now it is back to normal for two days before Michael and Nick arrive for 4 days of painting the shutters. That will keep them busy. All thirteen sets of them were in terrible condition, but have now been repaired, paint stripped off and require three coats of paint. Their enthusiasm for the house is always invigorating when they come and we always have a good time. I head home in 5 weeks. It seems to have gone so quickly, but I am hoping the last newsletter home will feature freshly painted shutters in place. So enough for now. Thanks for joining us on this challenging but enjoyable (most of the time) venture which keeps Patrick engaged and me in the sunshine and the social atmosphere that I love.
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