Laundry went in, the vacuum cleaner got another minute go through to find out why it isn't sucking well, (and we are none the wiser), a long walk was taken in the meantime, and because we needed some firewood upstairs, we had to cut it. The shorter the cut wood (fire ready) that you order the more it costs. I'm a little dubious about this, as you then have to spend time and energy (fuel) to cut it smaller at home. Why not just cut it smaller in the first place? Surely the cost isn't that much more?
Kindling had to be cut/accumulated from the bark that was shredding from the Acacia wood, which is VERY hard. We transported it upstairs a few at a time...it is very dense and therefore heavy. The stairs are very old (original?) so one has to be careful going up and down them...some soft spots there!
We were on a roll now...There was firewood stacked outside on the tiles, inside the pool area, which really needed to be under cover in order to dry out. Waz transported that wood the short distance around the corner (about 20 trips, he estimated) while I got busy with the metal rake, raking the gravel back off the roadway. Looking around for something else to do, I got a bit 'weed happy', and before you could say 'Merde', they had all been swiped off the face of the earth:) and tipped over the fence into the mess that is already there....Sooo satisfying. We found out today that the mess is owned by our neighbor on the other side of us. We met the owner of the Aston Martin, this afternoon, and I asked if he minded if we tipped out green waste onto his property? Being the good English chap that he is, he said "Of course not"...having already done so, I showed him my contributions, to which he shrugged! He has just returned from a Grand Tour in the AM, of Spain. Nicer weather down there, he said! He indicated that he would put this house on the market this year. We aren't interested. He didn't take too kindly to my suggestion that it needed some work! lol....It has all been done, he said...well, on the inside! Hmm...says me...I think the outside could do with some work. Not worth it, he replied. Wouldn't put another euro into it! Good luck with the sale, then! That is exactly the attitude we are coming up against in our house search. It will require much work to make the outside look nice, so I would absolutely lowball him on the price! That's his house ahead. Blue shutters.
Lots of leaves under the back deck, and the Wisteria is trailing everywhere there. Not a good mix or making it easy to rake underneath. The Wisteria trails fouled the tines on the rake, but at least it kept me out of trouble...well, further trouble!
I forgot to take new photos...HOW did I forget to do that? It all looks very pristine now, and rather than cut the trailing Wisteria, Waz and I trailed it over structures so that it will create a lovely green and purple view.
Our neighbors were friendly and chatty, and invited us for Raclette for dinner on Friday evening. We had Raclette last in Bretagne 2016, with our Irish friend Eidin. We readily agreed to the invite and look forward to their company and the food. They have been coming to France for years, as visitors, and now own the lovely home next door, which they live in part time.
I have to admit to sleeping in, yesterday. Our 10am rising was followed by a basic breakfast of toast and tea. Apricot Jam for him, and that lovely new creamed local honey for me! How very English! After our day out, we were rather pooped. Touristing isn't for the faint of heart! The brain gets a little tired, taking in all that new information. We slept well, anyway.
After cutting firewood with a blunt chainsaw blade, it was decided that we would go to Villebois Lavalette to the Bricomarche there (Hardware Store) to see if we could find some appropriate files to sharpen the blade. Waz has done this before and knows how to do it, fortunately. It was recommended that we take it up to Verteillac to the Malaud store there (general store that sells almost everything!) where the owners of the saw would normally get it sharpened, but as the saw cuts on a curve, which is indicative of an incorrectly sharpened blade, Waz is seeking to rectify the situation if he can. This requires the correct equipment. We almost bought it the other day at Leroy Merlin in Angouleme, but didn't. Wish we had! You know how that goes!
Anyhoo...we didn't find anything but some files, and needed the handle which wasn't available. We are returning to Leroy Merlin soon, so we will find the necessary then.
Not far away is the SuperU, so we went there next.
Out of Croissants, we stocked up...buying 8 for 3.80euros. About $4.US. A couple of other purchases, not nearly as notable, and we were out of there at almost 5pm. Of course I chose a new way to go home...there are about 3 or 4, we have found. Some of the roads meet up, which is good, but seeing new things is always fun. The views across the countryside are stunning, so we thoroughly enjoy ALL of them. This is the small hillside town with the 10th/13th century Chateau on top!
For dinner I prepared the Chicken Aiguillettes which are pieces of young chicken breast. They cook up beautifully and quickly and make good salad left overs, which we ate today for lunch.
Plenty of veges, including that sweet cauliflower, some more carrots, left over potato cooked up crisply, and the leftover béchamel (white) sauce with mushrooms and lardons in it. Pretty yummy, actually. No photos. Problem with the photos is that I leave the camera upstairs and the kitchen is way downstairs.
After dinner we spent some serious time identifying houses to view. We needed to make appointments in the same area so that we aren't constantly going hither and yon. Petrol is expensive here....we filled up at 1.49euros per litre, yesterday. Our second fill-up in the ten days we have been here, making our total around 70 euros, so far. This is more than we would normally spend, but travelling long distances soon guzzles it up. We have travelled almost 800 kms, so I guess that isn't too bad.
Long into the night we worked to find appropriately priced properties that floated our boat...ha! We found a couple in similar price brackets so that we have properties to compare. Nothing is ever as easy as Apples for Apples, but we think we have found homes that compare favorably with each other. This is important, otherwise we have no price point to start from when negotiating.
Lots of messages to Realtors went out towards midnight, in the hope that we would get replies today. We did! woohoo! AND we got appointments to view! yay!
Tuesday: We actually rose early this morning...8.45am. Yep, that's early! The alarm, however, went off at 7am, and we are now in the bad habit of turning it off without remembering that we have done so, lol.
Our morning was spent following up on and arranging meetings with Realtors to view properties. Currently we have three to view tomorrow, which will necessitate our leaving home early...well, comparatively...say 9.30?
We will return to the property we saw from the outside on Sunday, this time during the week when life goes back to normal, because nothing was happening there on Sunday.
We have two other properties closer to the Atlantic coast, to view, but still an hour inland. The closer to the coast you are, the more you will pay, of course. We dont mind driving an hour to visit the shore, frankly, if we can enjoy the gorgeous views on the way, and in our daily lives.
We also have a call out to another realtor who is a bit slow in replying, so hopefully we will see that property at the same time...or the next day.
We have made the decision to stay the night in Saintes, Charente Maritime, Department, because it is close by our prospects, and also because the Gallo Roman ruins there are fantastic. These include a Roman Amphitheatre.
Having secured viewings, we decided to go into Riberac to the Intermarche, because on the bottom of my last purchase docket there, it said I was eligible for 25% off my next total, before the end of the month. We are somewhat familiar with these loyalty cards, and I needed to visit the Service desk and ask them if this applied to THIS store.
We thought that we could stock up on meat in particular, being the more expensive items on any shopping list, and to get them 25% off, would be fantastic.
Alas, it wasn't to be. Here's how it works: If you sign up for your loyalty card in the town of Timbuktu, for example, you have to remain loyal to THAT store. This means that the potential 25% can ONLY be taken at THAT store, and no other. Sheesh! It pays to sign up for a new card when you are settled, obviously!
So, in my best French, I asked the woman at the Welcome counter, what my options were. NONE! Quelle surprise! Oh well, when we are settled, we will get a loyalty card for our nearest Intermarche. This applies to every store and every card.
We did buy some meat regardless, and a lovely tail of Norwegian Salmon...I made a mistake though, thinking that the Salmon was on sale for 12.90 eur per Kg, but that special was for a WHOLE SIDE! WOW! Instead we had to settle for the 19.90eur per Kg. 8 eur for our dinner wasn't too bad.
Following that, we headed to Lidl for our Pain Cereal, and more Chicken Aiguellettes, which were on sale. We froze both.
Our neighbor in the parking lot was a classic!
On the way home we stopped in Verteillac for a Grand Crème at the newly re-opened bar (English owned and operated) there. This was the FIRST really HOT crème we have had for a loooong time. Well done!
It was lunch time, so the place was beginning to fill up with both English and French. The elderly Englishman sitting at a table behind us didn't speak any French..... I asked him if his Tagliatelli Carbonara was excellent (in French)....he just looked confused. Hardly surprising, really! lol.
Perhaps I should have ordered this Rose!
Fortified, we headed home for a salad lunch...remember those chicken bits? Our afternoon was spent walking, cleaning some more....I am determined to get all the calcifications off the bath tub!! ....and mopping tile floors. Activity is good!
Dinner was the salmon tail with the last of the Hollandaise sauce, some carrots, brussels and the last of the left over potatoes, which got nicely crisped up in the pan with the salmon.
An early night tonight, and early morning (its all relative!) as we head north to the Charente Maritime and Deux Sevres to view houses.
You will be the first to know what we find! Bon Chance!
Night night!
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