Sizzling Summer... in more ways than one!

I can't quite believe that as I am sitting here the Autumn  leaves are falling.  I also can't believe where the time has gone this year and what has been achieved in this space of time.  With No.1 child now safely packed off to Uni and No.2 hibernating in his room encased in computers, x box and headphones I find I now finally have some spare time to sit and update where we have got to this year!

Firstly from the new picture at the top of the page you will see what a difference a coat of paint makes, it even makes the frayed weather beaten, sun bleached shutters look much more sophisticated than they really should look!  However a lot of action went on behind the scenes before we reached this bit and hopefully if my memory is working I can fill you in on some of the details.

Once again Phil made the 880 mile trip door to door of course reaching Dover once again by the skin of his teeth with his partner in crime Jack.  This time however it was not the trusted white van but a slightly more luxurious ride in his trusted, slightly frail, 260,000 miles all ready covered, dependable Discovery!  Yes its still going.... Just.  The discovery was needed this time to be able to do various trips with friends and relatives who were popping by for a day or two on this visit which for Phil was almost 7 weeks, it's ok for these retiree's!

The first week or so when Phil arrived was spent getting the house ready for the above said visitors and a frantic race to get the new shower installed to cope with the demand of up to possibly 8 people each morning needing a shower.  It was amazing that the toilet system, still awaiting its new septic tank, coped well and it did right up until I left to go home and then I think it took a huge sigh and packed up only for Phil to have to get the pressure rods out to clear it.... probably too much information.  There is however a very nice tomato plant that has sprouted up out of the current septic tank but just can't persuade anyone to try what looks like very delicious tomatoes!!

 The Green Room

The Blue Front Bedroom

Our Room

Still requires some furniture!

The house now is really starting to feel like our home and Phil and Jack set about finishing the painting of the hall, stairs and landing which had been left from the last trip.  Jack, a typical boy, decided to paint in his brand new shorts that I had bought for the holidays already green camouflage they now have some very attractive apricot white splashes added to them.  The landing was finally finished 12hours before the first guests arrived but have to say it looks very light airy and spacious...and got the tick of approval from me when I arrived!

The Landing

We had made a pact that the two week period that I was out was going to be holiday time, Phil needed a well earned break from all the work and as we had visitors it was nice to take them around the area and show them why we fell in love with Bousseresse and La Souterraine!  Who wouldn't when you could have a cup of coffee like this one every day!

 Cappuccino at Cafe Chaud

Jacks friend Sean had also joined us for the fortnight and they enjoyed their time swimming in the lake at Lac Chambon and also their 3 man canoe trip across the lake!

Linda & Chris stayed with us until Sunday 31st July and then headed off down to the bottom of the Limousin to a gite for a week.  We had a lovely day out with them down there with the added luxury of a swimming pool!  No matter how hard we have tried we haven't as YET twisted Phil's arm into building a pool :-)

The weather was a scorcher and by early evening thick black clouds were forming and as we left for the 2 hour drive back up to Bousseresse the heavens opened and I have never quite experienced thunder and lightening like it.  The motorway was like a lake with rapids and the lightening was forking all around us, pretty scary at times!  We arrived home avoiding the small tree that had come down in the lane near us and entered the house to find water coming through the kitchen ceiling on running upstairs we discovered that we had left our bedroom window open and because of the direction of the rain it had pretty much driven into the bedroom, many towels, bucket and mop later we had it all cleaned up and then discovered the storm had actually blown the satellite dish off the side of the house!

Dad & Carole arrived for their first trip to France the next day and fortunately by the time the plane touched down at Limoges airport the sun was in full beam and we managed to get home and have a lovely dinner in the garden and later a glass of wine around the wee camp fire which was lovely.

Rosemary & Peter then arrived on the Sunday and Dad & Carole then departed on the Wednesday.  The weather was beautiful for the rest of the week and we had some great time in the garden and out an about! We managed lots of time sitting in the garden on the lovely swing seat that Jennifer and Wilson gave us as a house warming present.

On the Thursday Phil and Peter decided that they would cut down the over growing weeping willow tree to give it more shape for the next year.  Rosemary and I also pitched in and we cut off loads of branches and transported them across to the field ready for a bonfire!

   

That evening we decided to light the bonfire but Phil couldn't get it going - this was the first step towards an evening that was going to turn into a nightmare!  Not being able to light it Phil took a can of petrol to it and as he struck the match the fumes exploded and blew back onto Phil who went running down the garden.  To us all at first it appeared quite funny and we did laugh but then when Phil came back up the garden we realised it wasn't very funny at all as he stood there with ginger tinged hair.  He got in the shower and on Peter's excellent recommendation kept the cold water running over him but the pain was starting to set in and I realised then he was going to probably need to see a doctor.  I went across to our lovely neighbors whose daughter was staying and was an English teacher and with their help her dad rang what I thought was friend of his in the fire brigade who was going to come out and see him.  Little did I realise that he was actually sending the firebrigade out to him until the sirens were heard coming up the lane and I stood there thinking Phil will kill me for this! 

However they turned out to be saviours and dealt with the burns and whisked him off to hospital in Guret with Peter and I desparatley trying to keep up behind!  To cut the story short he ended up with first degree burns on one arm and second degree burns on the other and a very hard lesson was learnt with the added impact of we really must move on with improving our French!!  Thanks also go to Rosemary & Peter for staying on the extra couple of days to make sure everything was ok!

This incident put rather a sad edge on the end of what had been two glorious weeks however a few bandages didn't keep the man down and a week later he had the outside of the house painted and cut back all the bushes and lavender outside the front of the house and what a transformation, see picture at top of page!