Normality resumes

The walls, floor and hearth, rigid chimney pipes, and woodburner have all been cleaned of nasty streaks of goudrons. The woodburner has been re-installed but cannot be tested until we have colder weather and here we are in a March heatwave!  I took advantage and re-oiled the oak flooring.  It is recommended to be done once the floor is laid (unknown before now!) and then every year, depending on traffic. It looks beautiful as well as being 'un oeuvre d'art' and so my friend is happy.  I will be happier when I know there are no more problems!!!!!!
As the content of the rooms was emptied into the courtyard filled with sunshine, I decided to polish furniture and freshen upholstery using a cleaning product called 2001!  It's magically gentle on the fabric. Everything is back in place and ready for visitors again!  I am shattered.

LANGUAGE:

goudrons = creosote/wood tar/bituminous liquid

une oeuvre d'art = work a piece of art

main d'oeuvre = manpower /labour
hors d'oeuvre = a starter
être à l'œuvre = to be at work
se mettre à l'œuvre = to do some work
mettre en œuvre = to implement a plan or a project
la mise en œuvre de quelquechose = the implementation of something
les œuvres complètes = the complete works of a writer, etc
des bonnes œuvres = good deeds

JS Bach

Until now I had never heard an uninterrupted performance of 24 Preludes and Fugues Book 2 by JS Bach.  I listened to the performer whilst following my Urtext keyboard score.  Again this was something I had never done before.   It was a good exercise and prevented me from falling asleep as it kept my mind alert. Music can be soporific.
For 20 euros, including a bowl of soup and a glass of wine served during the 30 minute interval, it was stunningly good value.  The level of pianistic concentration required was enormous and it was evident that the pianist/harpsichordist was tired when he made a few mistakes towards the end.  Yet, he managed an encore.  He had played for 3 hours!  However, I forgave him because I know how fiendishly difficult these pieces are, even though they sound so simple, delicate and beautiful.   The pianist had been to this venue two years ago and although he performed a lot last year he said that this year would be easier.  He also taught at a Conservatoire.  Oh, how I need to practise!

Mathematics

Vocabulary for Volume
One stère is equal to one cubic metre.
The derivation is from  Greek στερεός stereos which means 'solid'.
Evidently, in 1793 France began to use this terminology as a metric equivalent to the cord which is used in Canada and USA.  A cord is equivalent to 3.62 m³. I can't understand that,  so ... we'll keep with the stère (pronounced stair) which is used for measuring large quantities of firewood or other cut wood, whilst the cubic metre is used for uncut wood.


Although my woodburner is still in use, mainly for mornings and evenings, or if the weather becomes more humid, I thought I would record the quantity of logs that I have burned since the Autumn when I began with 10 stères.  Now I have about 2½ stères in store so I have burned 7½ stères.
One stère cost me about 43 euros.  
43 x 7 = 301 + 22. 
Therefore, winter fuel has cost me about 323 euros. But wait!
Divide by 6 months = 53.8 euros per month, which is about 13.50 euros per week or 1.80 euros per day.
For budgetary purposes, it makes an average for the year of 26.90 euros per month or 6.72 per week or about 1 euro per day!
Add the cost of woodburner glass cleaner products, firelighters, matches, as well as the log splitter (a 200 euros investment that does a job I would not be able to do otherwise!)  Kindling wood has been free.  I inherited a lot of old wood but most of it needs to be sawn so I will have to pay someone to do that.  I also add the cost of a monthly newspaper I subscribe to as it is used for the fire once read!
Of course, it was a relatively mild winter apart from the 3 weeks of THEBIGFREEZE so the calculations cannot be applied to any other year.  As reported earlier it was not warm outside and not warm in my house!  I do NOT have central heating!  Me THINKS...I need to budget in the cost of the electricity bill  as there were many occasions especially in THEBIGFREEZE when I just had to get some extra warmth from a free-standing radiator,  even though I was wearing a coat, hat and scarves for most of the day and night!!!!!!

These figures indicate that I could order 10 stères for next winter but it would be better if I were to order 15 stères,  as I hope to run two woodburners in my L-shaped house next winter, and IF I am brave enough to give WinterinFrance another go I could burn more and be warmer at not much greater a cost. I was cautious and careful this year.  However, it may well be the case that my new source of oak logs will be more expensive and oh if the pensionable income goes down  a re-think may have to be made.  The beauty is that logs not burnt in any winter can be stored until the following winter.
At least, for me it has has been an interesting mathematical exercise!  

20 degrees

It's midnight in France the first day of "The Spring forward clock trick" when we lost an hour. Sunshine and blue blue skies all day with a small breeze but chilly for me by 6pm ish so I lit the fire about 8pm and now it is 20 degrees celsius in my 40m salle de sejour WITH the kitchen door open. This seems like luxury compared to the winter temperatures when 14 degrees celsius was the max!

Water of Life - drought and death - In Memoriam

My water pump was returned so that I could extract rainwater from my cistern to flood the young hedging plants that have died or almost died as a result of frost/ice/snow burning the leaves.  There has been a drought after the snow melt.  My mimosa is a sorry sight to behold, now that I have removed the plant frost protection wrapping  Most of the leaves have fallen and near the base are just a few showing signs of green.  It was expensive and should have been in flower (it later died completely).

The lawns have been mowed with the ailing mower.... and I have had to push it all the way as the traction has gone and when it was collected this morning I was told that it cannot be repaired!!!!! OUCH, it is as I feared.   So now I have to purchase a new one. I definitely cannot push it for the large amount of grass that needs to be cut.  Last year it required cutting every 3 weeks.

It's been a  beautiful warm and sunny day - a joy to feel alive.  Sweaty and dirty having not had a shower / bath for 8 days I risked an outdoor shower using the hosepipe.  Last year, it was a wonderful outdoor experience... and really no one can see!!!!!!   Last summer the water was warm/hot for about 3 minutes. Today it was hardly warm but not yet cold. The jet, fierce and invigorating, made me laugh to get the shower finished, knowing that a friend was painting a wall and would not espy me!  My brain feels so much better now!

Yesterday brought very sad news. 

I learned that Lesley had died on March 6th from terminal lung cancer.   She had battled valiantly and so too had her courageous adult children for about a year.   I cried and cried.
I also learned that another friend from my village had a heart bypass on the same day and that her former husband died the day after.  It was a tearful yesterday.

A chance encounter

I was on my way to town when I noticed a vehicle not well parked on the country lane.  Soon afterwards, I drove past a couple walking towards the town on the wrong side of the road. I tutted and tutted again when in my mirror I saw they were carrying a baby.  Putting two and two together I reversed my car to see if they required a lift. Their car had oil problems. They said we could speak English but eventually we reverted to French. I dropped them in the centre of the town as requested and proceeded to my medical appointment.  Parking the car I noticed two bags the same colour on the back seat: oh dear! I returned but could not find the family so hoped that they would come to where they knew I had an appointment. And they did! There they were when I'd finished my appointment. Such relief! I would have hated to look in the bag for evidence of who they were and where they lived.  Their house keys were in the bag! Charmingly, they invited me to eat "pie".  I accepted graciously and interpreted this as "tea and cake" which it was!  They took me to their home; well, I drove them home, for it was quite a walk uphill, but not far. They served Romanian pumpkin pie and herbal tea.  He, a medical practitioner and she with a 7 month baby boy told me how in last year's move and pregnancy she could not take her final exam which she hopes to take this year.  Such a wonderfully happy family, attractive in appearance and manner.  The bubbly, young lady was amused by her explanation of the circumstances that had brought about this chance encounter. We shared laughter when the child heard the name of a cat and looked for it and liked to have his feet tickled! We shared stories about lost items and the honesty of people in this region. They've lived in a variety of places in France and like me they are immigrants to France.  I learned that "cité" has not always the same definition as "city", a large town, but that it really DOES also mean an agglomeration or housing estate.  Up until now I'd always thought it was a disparaging, descriptive joke about suburban social housing estates popping up around the edges of towns and villages.  After an hour it was time to leave and I decided to throw caution to the wind and share my address.

They showed me a minute, amber bracelet for the baby to wear to help protect against teething troubles! I showed off my amber ear-rings and said that my teeth were good!  I'm not sure that I believe stones can heal but a long time ago a friend of mind really believed this and had many huge valuable crystals and stones about the house!  Sadly, her obsessions brought her tragedy. Every April 1st and sometimes in between she is remembered.

More musical nostalgia + a sign of Spring!

Disregard the intro:

 1978 - The year my beautiful daughter was born!

The wonderful COWSLIP was seen at a crossroads.  Such excitement!!!!!!!!

Feelings of Contentment

as I listen to cello music

 

Oh how I would have loved my son to have continued to play the cello beyond Grade 5 and myself to have even started.  The violincello is such an exquisite instrument when played sensitively. I fell in love with this instrument as did I fall in love with Jacqueline du Pré playing Elgar's Cello Concerto.

 It makes me cry, and laugh, at the same time with such yearning for I know not what.