Week 3 in France

Thursday 16th April

Spent last weekend milling around waiting for furniture. Pool man that had been recommended came to look at the system and tell us how to get the pool working and cleaning for the summer. We have no idea! Pool man great but had a very broad Toulousiane accent and found it hard to understand what he said. In the end thought it best to give him my email address and asked him to email me with the info so I can translate it at leisure instead getting the technical info wrong. Bit worried when he started playing with the electric time clock without turning off the electricity and gave himself two electric shocks. He did laugh it off but I told him I did not want a dead French man at my house in my first month so please turn off the electricity!

Furniture arrived at long last at 10am on Monday morning, feeling full of cold and not in the mood to start unpacking. So much stuff!! I really didn't realise we had so much, even the removal men said there was a lot! They finished unloading at 5.30pm without much of a break in between and we sat in the Spring sunshine with a well deserved glass of Champagne!

Next morning we started unpacking with avengance and cracked a huge amount of boxes by the end of the day. I also managed to fit in a trip to the supermarket and to the petrol station to fill up the gerry cans for the mowers. Unfortunately, I had another blond moment and put my card into the petrol pump machine the wrong way round and got it stuck. Shop was closed, no one in the petrol station to help. I was in panic mode as I couldn't just drive off and leave it in the machine, I couldn't get hold of hubby on the phone and considered leaving the children at the petrol station to guard the card whilst I did the 20km round trip to collect my husband from home. Managed to collar some unsuspecting teenagers to help. No joy, the card was well and truly stuck, so off they kindly went to get some pliars to pull it out of the machine. Eventually we were in luck and I returned home feeling like an idiot! Yet again the French people came to our rescue, love them all they are so kind and thoughtful.

Yesterday, Wednesday 15th April my sister and family were due to arrive for a few days and we had done nothing at 9am to set up any area for them to sleep. All hands to the pump to set up the B&B room. After dashing about all day and kids helping out too we managed to set up the room to a high level just before they drove up the drive! I must say I am rather proud of our achievements in such a short space of time. The room looked fantastic and with just a few more pieces of furniture and finishing touches, it will be finished and available for rental.

Cracked open the Floc (aperitif, like Brandy in white, rose and red versions) after a number of large glasses and a pasta tea we all flopped into bed at midnight.

Still suffering with a bad head cold and feeling pretty rough, but putting a brave face on it all and today everyone mucked in and helped mow the part of the front lawn, about 1 acre! two sit on mowers going, two people on wheel barrows to get rid of the grass, one on a hand mower and Abigail, my youngest belting around the garden on her quad bike having a fab time. The weather was like a summers day and after a spot of R & R we set off for a bit of a tour of the area to show my sister and family where we live and the region. First stop pool centre to buy a cleaning bug, most expensive hoover we have ever purchased! Second stop the lake at Saint Nicolas de la Grave where you can sail, windsurf, canoe and hire mountain bikes. It is a huge lake 400ha which is fed on the eastern side by the river Tarn and the River Garonne. Kids jumped around on the pontoon and fed the ducks while we adults enjoyed the sunshine for 20 mins.

On to Moissac to look at the Church and Cloisters, walked around the pretty town centre and then spotted a bar..............well we did deserve a bit of a drink! Returned home after a nice meal in the bar and had a crash course on twitter, hence the new updates. New pool bug installation tomorrow will be a major attraction, plus the rest of the lawn to be mowed!

More updates tomorrow.