Saturday, August 13, 2011

Oh dear! Deer

Sunday 7th - Matthew and family are leaving today. Their three weeks had very mixed weather with quite a bit of rain. They are planning to come down again at half-term and October can often be very pleasant.

Their friends, Tony, Charlotte, their daughter Chloe and two young boys will be staying another week in the gite although we have agreed that we will share the cooking and the living accommodation. 

The family have a problem with their Landrover - it is making a funny noise and Tony wants it fixed before they attempt the long trip home. On Monday morning he calls the RAC who promptly send out someone to tow it to a garage. We learn later that it is sent further away to a specialist garage as it seems they cannot find out the cause of the problem. 
Charlotte, Chloe, the boys and myself went to the Vallee des Daims. This is a deer park where you can wander about feeding the deer with a bag of grain. 
Fallow Deer Dama dama
Chloe and Charlotte with deer
Look at their budding horns
Jim and Tony have spent a good deal of the week working on the roof of the mill replacing and adjusting the tiles so that it will no longer leak. To this end they constructed two bamboo ladders lashed together at the apex of the roof which could be slid along to reach all parts. Clever, eh! They also managed to find a source of 2nd-hand replacement tiles.
Bamboo ladder
Tony in situ
Jim acted as roofer's labourer.



The sunflowers are now out and we have some pumpkins of varying size.







Ollie and Alfie having a quiet co-operative momemt


Saturday 13th - Chloe's birthday. She is 17! We are going into Figeac to look at the market and to have lunch.


Spice stall
At the spice stall we bought something for the boys that we both remembered from our own childhoods - liquorice roots. They didn't like them. Alflie said as I have him the root, "A stick!" in a tone of voice that suggested I was unhinged. 
Liquorice sticks are dried roots and they strengthen the immune system, stimulate the adrenal gland, and are a diuretic and a laxative. The roots contain glycyrrhizin, which is 50 times sweeter than sugar. I don't like them either.
Glycyrrhiza glabra (European licorice)



Alfie and Ollie have made her birthday cards and Charlotte has made a chocolate cake.

Tony cooked us a barbecue for our evening meal - steak, sausages, chips and salad.
Getting the barbecue going
Lighting the candles
In anticipation
Blowing the candles out

Tucking in!
The Party's over

We have now learned that Tony's Landrover won't be fixed for another week. He has the use of a hire car so will be able to take Chloe to Limoges airport Monday morning. We have had to make an adjustment to the sleeping arrangements for Daniel and Amelia who arrive on Sunday. A houseful! Splendid!


4 comments:

  1. You certainly have good parties down at the Mill. Chloe's birthday looks fun. But do you ever tire of vide greniers? Or should that be vides grenier. (attic emptyings) How many Marten's have you got now?

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  2. By the way, the deer look expensive!

    What do they call a dear with no eyes?

    No idea?

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  3. What do they call a deer with no eyes and broken legs?

    Still no idea!

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  4. Hello from New York!

    I have flown over here via Fennie's post. It is lovely to see what life can be in a beautiful part of France.

    Guess what, the pleasant cafe/restaurant where we had lunch has now closed, fallen prey to the fierce economics of New York real estate. My friends and I are now trying out some new spots for our coffee and cake.

    Best wishes. xo

    ReplyDelete

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