Edited by Cathy Winsor, Sunday, 13 Nov 2011, 11:56
We started closing in the pool today, which involves cleaning it and putting on the winter cover. So many small animals are mysteriously attracted to the pool and throw themselves in. We regularly scoop out mice, hedgehogs, frogs, lizards etc, our predecessor once rescued a small deer. There was a thick layer of leaves on the bottom, they started falling early this year as it was such a dry summer. We spent a couple of hours of scooping and brushing the pool sides and throwing dead mice into the neighbouring field then rolled the cover on and fastened it down.
I tentatively prodded the cow manure on the vegetable patch, it is a huge fairly solid block, hopefully if we get a few heavy frosts it will become a bit more friable.
We treat ourselves to lunch out on Thursdays, regularly meeting up with another couple of expats, Kenyans, Cathy & David. This week we met at a restaurant in Samatan. They have a daily special, 13 euros with wine. Today it was homemade mushroom soup, then guineafowl on a bed of cabbage and lardons. Apple pie for pudding. A good time had by all, especially as it was Cathy's birthday, and she was treating us. We went back to their house to toast her birthday with champagne, though as driver I was only permitted a trickle. Back at Blanquette I have spent this afternoon trying to sort out Cathy's computer so she can watch bbc iplayer. I've just given up after several hours wasted.
27th October
We started closing in the pool today, which involves cleaning it and putting on the winter cover. So many small animals are mysteriously attracted to the pool and throw themselves in. We regularly scoop out mice, hedgehogs, frogs, lizards etc, our predecessor once rescued a small deer. There was a thick layer of leaves on the bottom, they started falling early this year as it was such a dry summer. We spent a couple of hours of scooping and brushing the pool sides and throwing dead mice into the neighbouring field then rolled the cover on and fastened it down.
I tentatively prodded the cow manure on the vegetable patch, it is a huge fairly solid block, hopefully if we get a few heavy frosts it will become a bit more friable.
We treat ourselves to lunch out on Thursdays, regularly meeting up with another couple of expats, Kenyans, Cathy & David. This week we met at a restaurant in Samatan. They have a daily special, 13 euros with wine. Today it was homemade mushroom soup, then guineafowl on a bed of cabbage and lardons. Apple pie for pudding. A good time had by all, especially as it was Cathy's birthday, and she was treating us. We went back to their house to toast her birthday with champagne, though as driver I was only permitted a trickle. Back at Blanquette I have spent this afternoon trying to sort out Cathy's computer so she can watch bbc iplayer. I've just given up after several hours wasted.