The diary of Brenda, Jim and Rufus at Moulin du Clout from March 2010 to November 2011. (We have returned for a second year and now a third year until Mid July 2012))
Friday 5th - Arrived back at the Moulin today. Although it is not strictly part of my Moulin diary I will put down some of the more interesting details of our trip home to the UK.
On Friday 29th July we took part in a dramatised reading of Hay Fever by Noel Coward in the garden of Heather and Andrew Maclehose. I took the part of Clara, the housekeeper and Jim was Richard Greatham, the diplomatist. Great fun. Organised by Peter S.L.B. Thanks to Heather and Andrew especially for the food.
Cat, self and Enid
Barbara and Jim
Lloyd and Rosalie
Saturday evening was the main event of our visit -Lincoln's 50th birthday bash at Graig Fach. Here are some photos and videos:
'The Dirty Boppers' - Johanna, Jan, David and Joni
On our return to France as we did not have Rufus with us we were able to make a visit to Claude Monet's garden at Giverny. Delightful!
After we had collected Rufus we made a detour to Bordeaux, the coast and Auch before joining Matthew and his family together with friends, Tony and Charlotte and their two sons Alfie and Ollie.
We found some changes had been made in our absence. Some shrubbery removal and fencing made:
A rope swing:
And we have acquired two ponies:
The last event before Matthew and Co depart for home is the firing of the bread oven for pizzas. This time, due to Matthew and Saskia's skill, perfect efforts.
Raining heavily again Sunday morning so the trip to Quezac and Rouzier where there was a vide grenier was called off. Sad. The forecast is more of the same for the week.
Matthew and the girls arrived safely mid afternoon. Bo has bought her guitar so we have had endless several concerts.
Her favourite is - 'I like the flowers . . . '
Monday - into Maurs to stock up on groceries later we managed to play some badminton on the boules piste.
Tuesday - Jim's Birthday. Saskia made him a 'Pooh Bear' cake with magic candles.
Bateau L'Olt
Jim's Birthday treat was a trip on the Bateau L'Olt with lunch included. Embarkation was 11.45 and the journey lasted three hours. The meal was salad, duck and Aligot, cheese and Baked Alaska. The boat went through two locks and sailed from Port d'Agres to Boisse-Penchot. A very pleasant day out. Pictures below:
A happy sailor - Tess
Not the Titanic - we hope - Bo
Harvesting potatoes
L'Olt is Occitane for the river Lot.
Thursday - usual market excursion. Followed by some nifty stilt making for Bo.
Sunday 24th
We all went to the above Fete this morning. The main attraction is the parade of old tractors - see pics below. There were about 30 altogether. I took the girls on a ride in a bullock cart. Well, that is one experience I can now tick off my list of things to do before I die.
Some large . . .
. . . and some small
And some not really tractors at all.
We have just got out . . .
There were some pigeons and the like -
Weird - eh?
There were also some woodworkers -
Machine for making a right mess
He is making wooden clogs
Later Matthew and Jim decided to remove a large alder tree which was shading the terrace. It was a Laurel and Hardy affair. Saskia and I watched in trepidation and offered advice and general comment which was ignored.
The tree eventually fell, fortunately missing the bridge and the medlar tree, causing no damage to life and limb and only slightly demolishing the forsythia hedge.
the Tree
The sawing . . . (saw on a pole!)
What you can't see is a cable stretched from the tree to the tractor (off left). The tractor is slowly reversing and pulling the tree in the desired direction of fall. The cable kept on breaking.
The fall, three hours later
Matthew has a new project - carving spoons from greenwood. He had special knives sent from Devon and has selected some walnut wood. At the moment it is a work in progress -
And no, the shavings didn't stay in the tray
Get the soup ready!
Tom and Olga van Hoek arrive today. They are driving all the way from Maastricht in one day. Whew!
We are off back to the UK tomorrow for family functions and return in about 10 days so I will not be writing this blog again until Sunday 7th August.
Keep your comments coming.
This weeks mystery object - answers on a postcard, please
