Basic needs

Yesterday morning was focused on a visit to the dentist.  I was happy not to need any treatment other than a clean (29euros) and that only hurt just a wee tad!   I do wish he'd give me better clothing protection as water seemed to spurt everywhere from the cleaning machine and my jumper got wet!  It was also a good idea that he gave me a small mirror afterwards to show me how whitened was the little tooth that I was concerned about being stained because of old age!!!!!* Like a child who'd been licking icing sugar from a plate, I had white powder around my mouth. **  I was impressed too because I experienced a panoramic xray of my mouth (21euros) which demonstrated that the hidden parts of my teeth were in excellent health. 

* just think how long those little enamelled items have had to chomp through three square meals a day for x years, with roots still holding strong, even though gums are receding!!!!!!!

** my mother used to do the most hideous thing of pulling from her pocket a hanky (short for handkerchief) but not a nice new, clean, ironed and folded one.... OH NO!!!!  If we children had dirty mouths, I would quake in my shoes as her Peter pointy finger would be wrapped into the hanky and then my mother would lick the hanky and wipe her saliva around our mouths!!!!!!!! YUK!!! I still to this day can conjure up the smell and the taste but it is best not to do that!!!! I NEVER EVER DID THAT to my children and was horrified recently to see me daughter do it to my only granddaughter.. Quel horreur is what I said!!!!!!!

In the afternoon, it was time for a shampoo and cut. Sandrine is excellent as we share conversation in English and French.  I learn to to correct my grammar! She remembers her vocabulary! To step out and  feel like a new woman was my treat!

A new bakery

Je monte et je descend les rues, the lanes, of my village to discover the news. Birds sing their evening songs.. still light at gone past seven, and the aroma of wallflowers, winter jasmine, blossom on trees and shrubs whose names I forget, fragrant the air..... Ah, it is the Spring. I note the warmer weather. I clip-clop in my heeled boots as an experiment for my feet, which have had problems. Locals are in good humour.  I observe a building shelved up with wood pushing against it and braced against the building about 2 metres opposite to stop it falling further!!  Quel horreur !!  I've been watching that building for some while, always pleased that I didn't buy the house next to it.

We have a new boulangerie. A very nice woman who has come from the Vicq bakery which I know has been proclaimed. I was brave and went in although I had no money with me. I explained how pleased I was to see the bakery open and also explained that I often bake my own bread because I like 100% wholemeal bread. She showed me that she has complét too. Good oh because sometimes I like to buy bread if it is GOOD bread, therefore GOOD for my system! And of course fresh croissants, a greater range of bread, little cakes and tarts. It was her first day open! They are locataire, meaning that they rent the premises.

Happiness is The Arrival of Spring

Chamber Music and Fire

Only in France are we turned out into"le soleil" during a refreshment interval of a classical music concert!  Under a crystal blue sky, necessitating that our coats, hats and scarves are braced around us do we sip apple juice, sparkling or still, with mini portions of quiche, florentine, chocolatey fudge type thingy, or broyeau biscuits (a local recipe).
At château de Cremault, Bonneuil-Matours there was a performance of piano, violin and 'cello:

❦Haydn Trio Hob.XV:25 'à la hongroise' en Sol Majeur in 3 movements - 

Andante-Poco - Adagio - Presto

❦Beethoven Trio op 70 n°1 'les esprits' en Ré Majeur in 3 movements - 

Allegro vivace e con brio - Largo assai ed espressivo - Presto

❦Mendelssohn Trio op 49 n°1 en ré mineur in 4 movements -                                                   Molto Allegro agitato - Andante con molto tranquillo - Scherzo Leggiero e vivace - Allegro assai appassionato                                                                                                                    ❦Rachmaninov Trio élégiaque n°1 en sol mineur

Very nice to be out and about and lovely to see a 5 year old child present though not listening, hear an American speaking French and two ladies speaking English. Average age for the audience .... 75!!!!!! ha-ah and ho-oh!

FIRE
There was a terrible sight at Archigny on my return journey. I showed caution  but having made a risk assessment, whilst others parked to watch, I felt that I could continue my journey. As I got nearer, the fireman signalled to pass. There were at least 5 engines; one with a cherry picker carrying two firefighters pouring gallons of water at roof level into the house. Well, there was no roof.  I presume a chimney fire started the destruction.  Poor souls! Hopefully no one was injured or killed. It was quite upsetting.  On Thursday late morning two fire-engines were at the local garagiste! A chimney fire. My friend had a chimney fire in February and the previous February.
I wonder if the severe cold causes a thermal shock so that wood-tar ignites. I know the problems with the installation of my woodburner were not my fault but the cold wet chimney created smoke in my lounge when I tried to light it. It was brand new.  However, the woodburner is now very efficient. Even so, I don't like the way it slumbers when there is not sufficient wind or when it is very cold.  I like to get it roaring at least once a day!

 

Being a Mother

Un orage

A storm clapped immediately above us as we were in the midst of our meal. It caused consternation but they said it would herald the colder weather that has been forecast. Nearby was the grandiose Gartempe river, nearby the village church with its newly restored spire, which would have attracted lightning.
To begin, we ate: grated carrot and celeriac in lots of lemon juice, followed by red or black radish, if we wished, then rondelles of carrots layered with other veg and eggy mixture, pressed and baked as a quiche-omelette, served cold in cubes and garnished with mâche.  I'd baked a vegetable pie using shop shortcrust pastry.  I leave the paper on, and press it into a deep, oval, pyrex dish.  I spread aioli onto the base and sides of the pastry, cover with a deep layer of sautéed onions, a layer of canned spinach, squeezed so that the moisture has been removed, top with sautéed sliced mushrooms.  I added leftover ratatouille (aubergine, onion, red pepper, garlic, courgettes). Then fresh, raw, red pepper sliced into strips, with fresh soft goat's cheese in between to make red and white stripes! Bring the pastry up and wrap on top which leaves the vegetables and cheese revealed in the centre. Add a little more aioli to the pastry on top.  Bake in a HOT oven for about 40 minutes or until the pastry is golden. MMMMmmmmmmmm.
The French love to find out how food is made. They kept repeating the words "vegetable pie" with some amusement and all wanted 2nds. All was accompanied by a Bordeaux rouge and much conversation, most of which I did not follow!  We were replete but coffee was served with a cake that René had made... it was like an English fruit cake. One lady wanted to drink wine with it, so I did too. I explained that my grandmother always had a glass of sherry with fruit cake.  Trying to return my date shortcake for 4pm tea to the basket, they decided they wanted that NOW!!!!!  How can anyone lose weight like this?  I remember!  "Calories" was one of the subjects they were discussing!!!!!
After which, we started the pottery class.  Previously made objects needed to be glazed: a donkey, an incense stick holder and a butterfly. I also started and finished a flat fish made in Raku clay which has pieces of previously fired clay in it to add strength. (Ah, I wonder if that is called 'biscuit clay'?)  It has to dry before being fired, then glazed and re-fired.  Dom had several of her professional pieces to fire: a swallow, a robin, a model with separate arms and legs. Raku firing was to happen. 

March madness

The VMC developed "a sound" in January and since I was going away,  I informed the electrician that he could repair it on my return. It had been installed in the attic with a hanging loop of tube which collected condensed water.  In January it was disconnected, the water removed,  but we considered there might be another loop. It's difficult to describe but the fitter had taken the tube the longest route forming a huge C shape!
The company boss, not the man who installed it, arrived and admonished me for not running it 24 hours each day.  Fair enough, I can understand his logic. When I protested that it would withdraw the heat from the room, he explained that thermic shock is created in the winter when turning off the electrical supply. The tube is exposed to cold air in the attic and steam that is travelling upwards which has not yet evacuated into the environmental air, gets condensed. In the summer, he says it is OK to turn it off after 3 to 5 hours following someone having a shower or bath.  He thought that as it only costs 30e per year to run 24 hours x 365, it should not be a problem!  Although I spoke about saving the planet and my purse, he shrugged his shoulders in the Gallic manner, and said that until recently there wasn't another option in France!!!!!! Hmph!!!! He argued the advantage that new air was being drawn into the room as it has no opening window.  Point taken I suppose! I cannot dispute with such a charming man!
He re-connected the tube to the extractor machine. Thank goodness I took him into the bathroom and switched it on because the sound was even louder.  He commented that there was another loop filled with water!  Into the attic the fragile wood flooring was removed AGAIN, new holes cut into it and into the wood flooring that was below that floor level, yet above the ceiling of the bathroom.  My friend helped by sawing various access holes, being careful not to cut any floor supporting timber, nor any beams. Then the electrician carefully smashed a hole through the terracotta brick suspended ceiling that we'd left in situ when we lowered the ceiling of the bathroom.  Now the flexible pipe could be withdrawn from its former position, taken vertically upwards with no twists, turns or hanging loops of pipe, thereby shortening the tube and distance that the steam has to travel.  He also adjusted the VMC vanes so that less warm air is extracted.  His employee had not set it with that option!  It is now working silently.

Meanwhile the chaos upstairs has been left until Monday when we can reposition the flooring whilst removing stones, bricks, pieces of fibreglass, nibbled walnuts and animal nesting material! ..... I hate to know that there is a mess hidden unseen behind walls or floors of buildings!!!!!   There is about a metre of space between the ceiling of the bathroom and the attic floor.
In addition, the leak below the bath doesn't seem to have an explanation and does not always pour forth water onto the tiles floor when the bath water is emptied ... so the bath panel is off!  Plus, I'm still trying to decide where to buy the bath screen!!!!! England it will be, as I want it higher than the normal dimension.
The bedroom was about to get the final coat of paint now that the F&B paint has successfully covered the cheap and nasty Wickes paint. However, this morning, my friend commented on the concave dips between the sheets of 'plasterboard on polystyrene' panels that were installed in about 1985.  Those three vertical hollows have been filled, require sanding when dry, then re-filling, sanding again, before paint can be added to that last and largest wall of that particular room.  Patience is required before I can return to sleep there.
The large Salon continues to have 'le rideau bleu' across it, haha, to keep the wood dust that side of the room and the woodburner dust this side!!!!!!  I am continually sweeping and vacuuming both sides!!!!! I decided to sort out HIS tools, screws and nails. It is worse than a ravelled ball of knitting!!!! However, we discovered screws etc that he didn't think he had and so a saving has been made on going to Brico shops.
Preparation is being made to start to replace the glazing of 4 exterior French doors.
The warmer weather is arriving.... OR IS IT??????  Forecast suggests lower temperatures!  Easter is coming and 'hey ho' the weeks and months pass by as I dream of another life not renovating. I am unskilled and to some extent I love updating a house.... if only I'd been younger!
The garden beckons after the grand clear up ... but I might just avoid it tomorrow and go to my pottery class.
I am in relatively good health. However, I am in shock this evening to hear how a very good friend of my son has serious spinal problems, her husband also has bone and joint problems, coupled with work difficulties or unemployment PLUS looking after a 3 year old.  Life is not fair.

Weeding good soil

I am aware that some people have mowed their lawns. I resisted. Instead, in the early evening, I chose to hoe and weed the patch I call my herbal garden. It has small box plants around it which should be pruned for cuttings to make new plants to fill the spaces.  The creeping thyme is not suitable for this patch but it prevails,  nor is the larger than I would like sage plant which is thriving. The rosemary and tarragon died.  The contained mint may or may not appear but if not it matters not as I have a variety that grows not far from the back garden within the lawn! Looks like I must find new herb plants!

Les grues cendres - Cranes

It had been a poor weekend .. perhaps it was the backlash of returning from UK, or fighting off illness, or I was tired, but the unmistakeable symptoms of Fibromylagia (M.E.) returned to make me sleep and eat erratically, drink tons of tea and water, shuffle about on leaden legs, and generally be unable to think or do very much.  Imagine though at almost midday, when I had opened up the doors to let in the warmth of Spring sunshine, I heard cries of birds.  I dashed into the courtyard, then the street, to see V formations of cranes flying towards the north east ... excitedly and joyfully I clapped my hands in glee ...Spring has arrived.  Maybe the cold nights and mornings have not ended, but certainly Winter has been banished. I have no idea how many, being poor at estimating I would say about 300. It's the most I've ever witnessed. At 6pm it was 14C outside in the courtyard. I even managed to sit in the sunshine, wrapped in a blanket during the afternoon and fell asleep with a book in hand!  I reflected that this is what my favourite aunt used to do!

February

No posts in February as
a) I lost inspiration, motivation and the will to live after making 5 preserve pans of marmalade creating apx 55 jars, some laced with Armagnac, some with ginger, some with cinnamon,, when my blog posting disappeared, as my laptop glitched.
b) I had just under 3 weeks in England. There were:
Attractive accents to listen to;  long visits in The Apple Store to correct my computer at no cost.
Brick Lane without a market
Cinema City lunch divine
Daughterly delights
Endless experiences
Fascinating faces and friends
Grand-daughter activities of swimming and gymnastics then she was unwell
Hubbub
Interesting ideas
Jamie Oliver restaurant as a birthday treat for daughter.  Nice, but I wouldn't go again.
Keeping calm
'Les Miserables' film and a visit to London
Merlot at The Royal Exchange
Norwich Arcade
Osteopath excruciation - a temporary fix
Plane, Coach and Bus travel takes time yet it's a way from A to B without the car
Quiet frustrations when agreed intentions were not fulfilled and out of my control
Rain-drenched citywalk to look at buildings with my grand daughter's class.  I couldn't quite see the point of this school activity for rising 5 year olds!
Southwold pier with a glimpse of heaven. Son at Spitalfields market
Travelling is tiring but a treat
Udon noodles at Wagamama
Visibly happy in Cathedral Close
Walking along Aldgate and cities, coffee at Waterstones, yet I missed a long walk by the coast
Xcessive amount of food consumed
Y I had WHY questions in my head
Zzzzzzzzzz in an expensive London hotel but at a very reduced rate with thanks to laterooms.com

Norwich Arcade

Brick Lane Truman architecture

Spitalfields symbolism

Reproducing Aldgate in the eye of The Shard

According to a plaque, this structure “Palace on Pillars” was created by STUDIO WEAVE and inspired by two poems¹ from Chaucer, who lived in Aldgate 1774 to 1386. It denotes the start of High Street 2012 and the route to the Olympics at Stratford.  Interestingly to me: it’s like “Baba Yaga’s chicken hut” one of the pieces from “Pictures at an Exhibition” by Mussorgsky: The house of Fame and The parliament of Fowls

Material contrast

Relaxing in The Royal Exchange where I sipped a mellifluous Merlot.

My fault

On this last day of January,  trying to hang a rustic oval mirror in my bathroom, knowing it was dangerous, a strong expletive emanated forth as I dropped it onto the beautiful white glass sink below.
Thanking the powers that be, only the mirror had broken in two whilst the sink stayed perfectly unblemished!!!!!!!!!  It was mirr-a-culous !

Oh dear God....or any of the most Higher Spiritual Powers of the Human race and all that exists within this Heavenly orb, bless me, my house and please, please have mercy and let it be not not another 7 year unhappiness and woe!!!!!!!!!   What can I do to counteract the forces of evil!!???

January renovation round-up

At the end of the first month progress has been slow but beautifully meticulous.
It is lovely without draught, therefore warmer. A heady 18 degrees this morning even though the woodburner was out.
Last jobs are battling with F&B paint to stick to ancient gloss around two sets of French doors. YES, a bedroom with 5 doors, but it should make a lovely chambre d'hôte! Tiles in the bay window will soon be bedded and jointed.
We'd re-painted the walls which had been done nicely two years ago, but my attempt at moving the roller on a broom handle was so inadequate and BAD that when the last of the work is finished we are going to remove the bed and repaint the walls.  Anyway, I never liked the colour of Wickes Ivory. It was suppose to be a base coat but frankly I do not recommend it even though it was inexpensive. Y' pays yer money!   The problem is also the texture of the plasterboard...we may have to sand it to get rid of the bobbles.  I'm thinking of a very pale grey to go with Skimming Stone.

When the Spring weather arrives I shall paint the outside of the external doors and windows to 5 rooms.

I could never ever dream of diminishing the efforts that my friend has made in his life to support and help me and though there are changes some things never change.  I can as always commend his workmanship and so do others. It is not perfect but his perfectionism is a joy for me to enjoy and always has been ever since I met him 39 years ago when he dug a ditch  to provide foundations to a house where we discovered the extension was subsiding!  We always got on well even then and so it was a surprise when we discovered we were both single about 15 years ago.  It has been somewhat of a shock that our friendship and his dream to be with me has suffered for lack of perfection, has suffered because we could not bring it back from the brink or we did not have the attributes to save ourselves.

Try again for the Marmalade Queen

Always every year a happy birthday for my dearest and only daughter is celebrated whilst I make marmalade!

A friendly lunch

Today lunch with a botanist friend was welcome relaxation except it rained rather persistently and so our walk was curtailed.  However, I did rather enjoy a very short space in time, inspecting ferns, moss and other plants in a wet stone wall.  It was almost meditational.   Lunch was:

• Celeriac Potato Soup - I forgot the lemon zest and sage leaves...but added Herbes du Provence.
• Salmon, beetroot, onion quiche with garlic served with a green salad of mache and avocado.
• Apple Shortcake using Elstar apples. 

The beauty of the menu is it can all be made the day before! She told me that the whole of the harvest for Saumur Champigny wine is organic. Interesting and yes it tasted good with the anchovy and sundried tomato pastry aperos I twiddled together.

Marmalade Queen

Press the wrong button and the whole of my finished posting with poetry and emotion was deleted.
B*****.
I just spent over an hour creating and now I am disheartened and very p***** off!!!!!!!
MORAL: Type in Word and SAVE!!!!!!!!!!
PS. I am not usually one for invective comments but, as you see, if you read asterisks as letters, then your interpretation is as good (bad) as mine! 

Debrouiller

Je me débrouille assez bien en français - Modestly, I think I get by fairly well in French, although I MUST learn more.
A few days ago the bank manager referred to my good command of French and that house renovation which I referred to, was,  debrouiller.  I can't remember exactly what he said for I was intent on noting a new word! I could spell this new word and he affirmed it was something like ameliorer ... which it is not, not really!  But what I see he meant, was that I was coping and managing to sort out the challenges!!!   Yes, that is true, despite gloom and doom, there is celebration, as I really am coping with many layers, surviving to be a much stronger person than what I was three to seven years ago and more! Regaining my independence and attempting to banish the bad habits that I have developed over the last 8 years!
Débrouiller is such a lovely sounding word meaning to untangle and sort out! ... and if reflexive as in
Se débrouiller  it means to have a working knowledge of something, as well as to cope.
Je me débrouille. Rsearch says it could mean "smart", as in resourceful e.g. (un débrouillard).
I love words. 

Gagner son Pain - To earn a living

This is to follow a thread on postings from a fellow blogger about their own village bakery.

In my own village there are already two commercial changes this year.

1. La Presse avec L'Epicerie has moved to a new site .

The building of the new shop is owned by the commune and the owners of the business rent the interior space. For me it is sad that the grocery selling newspapers, magazines, being a bar plus post office have moved from the old premises with its crotchety bell-ringing door and from the marvellous ambient exterior terrace tucked at the rear of the building and where my friend and I, like other people were mesmerised by the unique French experience.  It is also where I played the accordion last summer so it holds special memories.   It was a place where hours could be whiled away drinking hot choc in front of a winter fire, listening to the old boys with their 1e glass of house red or whiled away drinking in the shade of the outdoor rear terrace listening to music with a glass of beer in hand.

2. Le boulanger et la boulangere se retirent (partent en retraite) cette semaine, donc, la boulangerie sera fermée. Je n'achetais pas souvent leurs baguettes parce que je préfère manger le pain complet et faire ainsi mon propre avec des grains différents. Le pain sera fourni par l'Épicerie nouvellement placée.  I used to like to go and treat myself to a French patisserie on a hot afternoon and carry it home in reverence to divide in small portions and savour over a day or two. I shall miss the special chestnut bread and the chocolate mendiants.

3. It is also known that the proprietor of La Place bar/restuarant wishes to retire and sell but no buyer has yet come forward. 

Changements. Rien ne s'arrête. Rien n'est pour toujours, Il y a toujours le changement.

'Twas a birthday treat

I can return to the renovated room, with its new oak floor instead of concrete and carpet. The doors and bay window tiling are to be completed ... but hey ... what a happy day! A special day! We celebrated with expensive morning coffee, Agen prunes and Turkish delight.  Then a birthday lunch -

♠
Roasted Red Pepper and Garlic Soup

♣
Chicken Breasts stuffed with Sundried Tomatoes,
Goats Cheese, Garlic and Thyme
on a bed of buttered oat grains
and lemony leeks with Bourgueil wine

 ♥

Goats Cheese and Épautre bread 

(a smidgeon of each) 

♦
Triple layered Chocolate Orange Clementina Cake
with Teddy who had been mowing the lawn,
the garden well,
and 8 candles as 60 had been eaten
by two Capricornian  goats!!!!!!
I raided the farm set!

At the end of the day we divided the salon with a blue screen. On the woodburner side, much warmer as the room has been divided into ⅔ and ⅓, is the piano, dining table and settee.  In the smaller section will be his wood machine. Wood dust will be contained as it is far too cold to work outdoors.  His gifts were opened and appreciated.  My gifts were to be told it was a memorable meal and to regain sleeping quarters rather than spend the nights amidst a melange of chaos that many a French man or woman seem so heartily to accept, if you glance through windows whilst on an evening walk! Although it was quite cosy and comfortable to witness the woodburner alight in the witching hours.

Restless in the Mind

Yesterday, I allowed my mind to roam with each thought carefully observed. If one does not focus on anything in particular and let thoughts come and go ... they are like a steam train arriving and departing at the station.  Pulling in, with a cacophany of noise, doors open and close, amidst hubbub and bustle from hoi polloi and aristocracy, who tumble from carriages, meet loved ones and friends, whilst others climb aboard to blow a farewell kiss, wave hands and arms to the one(s) they leave stationary* as they lean out of the door window, call farewell as loud as they can so as to be heard above the sounds of the engine, steam and track.  "I love you" they cry.  Sadly and wistfully they push up the window.  The whistle blows, the guard shouts and waves his flag. The driver gathers speed towards the next destination.
Thoughts arrive, get re-structured. Some have journeyed on, some have vanished into thin air like the vapour from the coals. Some remain to cause wonderment concerning a number of subjects.  One can achieve an almost euphoric bliss by observing thoughts without too much analysis.... it is the analysis that creates the questioning, doubt, anxiety, hurt, pain, suffering, confusion, dilemma, memory, joy, happiness.  Better to face "Reality" than to be concerned with how any of the past, present and future is going to be mapped out. Let it be.  Be Restful in the Mind. 

Beauty, Mystery, History

Angelic Sculpture for 13th January 2013

I am keen to discover a story 

about this exquisitely interesting carving 

that attracts me fully each time I pass it by.