The main house has been full of holiday makers this last month or so (a good start to my new venture!) and I’ve had my old friend Jillian visiting from Perth and staying with me in the barn. Her travels have taken her first to Bulgaria and then on to Italy.
An introduction to the red Minervois wines and a little duck confit ….
And we also got out and about – a visit to the Millau Viaduct, Roquebrun and then a drive back through the beautiful Black Mountains -
In the village of Montady – a dog in the window -
A vide grenier in Moussan -
… a day out to the medieval market town of Mirepoix for the fabulous Monday market ….
It’s such an interesting market – well worth the trip. I rarely buy flowers for the house, but couldn’t resist this 4 euro bunch of assorted sunflowers.
And this is where Jillian did what she often does when visiting another country – buy some music of the region. So here in the square was this lady singing some very traditional-sounding French songs, accompanied by her organ grinder ....
...and so this is the music that we listened to on the CD when we had friends around to dinner that night!
And what an interesting night that was! We were sitting outside, and smelled something burning that definitely wasn’t dinner. It got stronger and stronger and we figured something may be on fire out in the street.
And it certainly was – 20 metres from my front door!
The pompiers were pretty quickly on the scene, but too late to do anything but hose down the remains.
And here’s the latest bit of family news – which I haven’t written about up until now - because until the air tickets were bought, I could never be sure that it was actually going to happen….
My sister Nic and her kids have moved here to France! Initially for a year, but hopefully for longer. So they arrived on Saturday into Toulouse and it’s been all-go since.
With two adults, two kids (Morgan arrived only last night), four big suitcases and hand-luggage, things were pretty tight in the car – to say the least.
Sage and Indigo were sandwiched together in the back, next to a large suitcase. But they hardly stayed awake for two minutes on the drive back!
They’re staying in the big house (but will be moving into the barn with me when the few remaining bookings are here) and perhaps buying in the area.
In the meantime, Indigo the youngest has been enrolled in the Bize primary school, Sage the middle daughter is enrolled at College Marcelin Albert at St Nazaire, about 6 kilometres from here. And Morgan the oldest is going to the International Bilingual School at Aix-en-Provence.
It’s been fairly hot here this last week, so the kids have been spending a fair bit of time swimming down at the river. Last few days before school starts.
There are a few nerves about starting in new schools but already they’ve met some kids of friends, and I’m sure they’ll be just fine.
An introduction to the red Minervois wines and a little duck confit ….
And we also got out and about – a visit to the Millau Viaduct, Roquebrun and then a drive back through the beautiful Black Mountains -
In the village of Montady – a dog in the window -
A vide grenier in Moussan -
… a day out to the medieval market town of Mirepoix for the fabulous Monday market ….
And this is where Jillian did what she often does when visiting another country – buy some music of the region. So here in the square was this lady singing some very traditional-sounding French songs, accompanied by her organ grinder ....
...and so this is the music that we listened to on the CD when we had friends around to dinner that night!
And what an interesting night that was! We were sitting outside, and smelled something burning that definitely wasn’t dinner. It got stronger and stronger and we figured something may be on fire out in the street.
And it certainly was – 20 metres from my front door!
The pompiers were pretty quickly on the scene, but too late to do anything but hose down the remains.
And here’s the latest bit of family news – which I haven’t written about up until now - because until the air tickets were bought, I could never be sure that it was actually going to happen….
My sister Nic and her kids have moved here to France! Initially for a year, but hopefully for longer. So they arrived on Saturday into Toulouse and it’s been all-go since.
With two adults, two kids (Morgan arrived only last night), four big suitcases and hand-luggage, things were pretty tight in the car – to say the least.
Sage and Indigo were sandwiched together in the back, next to a large suitcase. But they hardly stayed awake for two minutes on the drive back!
They’re staying in the big house (but will be moving into the barn with me when the few remaining bookings are here) and perhaps buying in the area.
In the meantime, Indigo the youngest has been enrolled in the Bize primary school, Sage the middle daughter is enrolled at College Marcelin Albert at St Nazaire, about 6 kilometres from here. And Morgan the oldest is going to the International Bilingual School at Aix-en-Provence.
It’s been fairly hot here this last week, so the kids have been spending a fair bit of time swimming down at the river. Last few days before school starts.
There are a few nerves about starting in new schools but already they’ve met some kids of friends, and I’m sure they’ll be just fine.
New friends in the pool - BBQ at Margaret and David's
Another up-side of them being here – hopefully they can help me with my French - all else seems to have failed!
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