Monday 16th June to Sunday 22nd June
Monday 16th June
Author: Jack
Back to work in the vineyard today despite constant drizzle and showers. However this is much better than thirty plus degrees of heat. However the damp meant that my work rate was not brilliant but at least I am making progress with attaching the younger vines to our new super strong bamboo canes as well as starting on the next round of pamprage. Due to the extremely good weather in June the vines are growing at a dramatic rate. They are at least a week ahead of what would be considered normal. If the weather carries on like this it could mean an earlier than usual harvest. June is not usually so warm. So it means that a second round of pamprage is necessary and if the weather continues like this on into July then there may be a third round of pamprage required. The good news though is that in the middle of July the vines stop growing! Can’t wait. From then on until harvest, the workload reduces significantly for us this year. Am looking forward to a couple of months of relative calm (well I can dream). Of course if we were making our own wine then we would have to start de-leafing. The idea is to remove leaves around the grape bunches to give them maximum exposure to the sun. I will do that with some of our vines but not at. It is not a practice generally undertaken by those who send their grapes to the cooperative.
Fortunately we planned to eat out tonight. After a long day in the vineyard I generally have no desire to cook. We went to the restaurant in Allemans again, Rebecca’s favourite because it has an amazing buffet table and she can help herself! We went with a good friend of Anthony and Janes, Annie, who is currently looking after their house and business whilst they are away in England. Annie is a lovely lady and Rebecca really enjoys her company. Over the past few days she has seen quite a lot of Annie, as we have been at Jane and Anthony’s quite a bit, and Annie is so good with her.
We didn’t stay out too late as Beck has school tomorrow for a change. This will be the first week for some time without a strike. Means that Beck has got to go to school all week, well that is except the usual Wednesday off!
Tuesday 17th June
Author: Jack
Beck at school today so worked in vineyard until lunchtime when I had to give up because it was just too hot to continue. Came back and got straight in to the swimming pool. Rest of the day is a bit of a blur now (am writing this a week later!) but presumably little else remarkable happened today, for a change!
Wednesday 18th June
Author: Jack
We have had Fleur over for the day. I noticed as the day went on that Rebecca’s French has definitely improved. Last time Fleur was here all Rebecca could say was ‘ca’ (accompanied by a lot of pointing) which she did constantly. This time she was trying to say what she meant and impressively she managed more often than not. It was also noticeable that neither of them asked me to translate as often. When they weren’t playing schools they were having a play in the pool. The weather today was once again very hot so frequent dips in the pool for them were very sensible.
After lunch we headed off to the tractor shop, Bonny, near Bergerac, to see the Lamborghini! The children weren’t too impressed by the thought of this but I persuaded them that we wouldn’t be too long and suggested they brought something to do, which they did. Given my almost total lack of knowledge about tractors it was very hard for me to say anything at all sensible about the tractor. In fact I couldn’t even say how pretty it looked, because it didn’t! Not something I can get excited about really! However the salesman managed to start it, which was quite amazing really given its age, and took it for a little spin. It works. But for how long? Am awaiting the cost of a service and one years’ guarantee before making any firm decision. It would be quite useful to have an old tractor to start with. It isn’t air conditioned, doesn’t have a cabin, but could be used to pull a mower or a trailer.
Then he took me to look over a new tractor just like the one he has lined-up for us. Very pretty! Nice bright blue, cabin, air conditioning, radio, small passenger seat, excellent all round visibility, loads buttons, gears and dials!!!!! Oh dear. By this time I decided that I should admit to a complete lack of knowledge about tractors (mind you am thinking about taking tractor driving lessons; they do them at Plumpton where I did my viticulture course). Anyway, he got me to sit in the cab and try to drive it. It’s one thing driving Joel’s old tractor round our vineyard, and quite another driving a modern, brand new tractor around the forecourt of the tractor showroom, which resembles an obstacle course. Very timidly I reversed the tractor out of its parking spot and then headed forwards toward one of the many obstacles. Don’t think the salesman was too impressed, or maybe he was just too scared. Anyway he suggested we swap places and he drove. Thank goodness. He babbled on about all the wonderful features that this mean machine possessed. Not sure I understood much but hopefully my attempts at seeming to understand were sufficient. Finally he parked it again and out we got. And then I got a tour of the place, in particular their workshop, and then on to see all the items that he had proposed in his quote. At last we returned to his office, where Rebecca and Fleur had been sitting playing at working in an office.
I left feeling more confused than ever. Should we really buy an old tractor and then a new one? should we just buy a new one? should we buy a broyeur or a tondeuse? do we really need all the equipment he proposed? why has he suggested three pieces of equipment that all look like mini ploughs? Decided to forget all about if for the rest of the day as it was just too much!
We stopped off in Eymet to do a bit of shopping for our dinner guests tomorrow night. Then home for the girls to have another swim.
After supper Beck and I once again picked cherries. There are still loads on the trees and it seems a shame to waste them.
Thursday 19th June
Author: Jack
Beck at school, Jack in the vineyard. Just another normal day for us! I spent six hours out there in one go to try and avoid working in the heat of the afternoon. Plus I have to prepare dinner as we have invited Jonathon and his Mum over.
They arrived on time at seven but I of course was behind. Energy levels are pretty low after a day outside so I was a bit slow getting everything ready. Beck lent a hand and when they arrived I was in the middle of cooking the main course. So I poured them out a drink and they sat in the kitchen and watched me cook. Hope they weren’t paying too much attention, as I don’t think my culinary skills are quite up to Jamie Olivers!
I finally reached the point where everything was prepared and we were then able to go and sit outside. Dinner progressed at a fairly leisurely pace as the conversation, needless to say, centred around the subject of vineyards. We didn’t get to dessert until well past ten and I can’t remember what time Beck went to bed, but it was far too late. Not that she was complaining!
I constantly forget to mention the ‘ce n’est pas grave’ (pronounced ‘snay pas grarve’) syndrome when writing the diaries. It appears that Jonathon finds this syndrome just as irritating and ridiculous as we do. Common to all French people it would seem it doesn’t matter what problems befall them or what problems others may have they always say ‘snay pas grarve’ – roughly translated: “it’s not the end of the world”! Joel has said this on many occasions such as when he broke the rear window of his tractor and filled the air-conditioning system with fertiliser! I think I might have found some rather stronger language to use! Or when his broyeur (mower for the tractor) broke, or when he had to stop working with the tractor because his pamprage machine packed up. What neither of us could understand was what would actually have to happen before the situation WAS grarve! Mind you Joel has never once said ‘snay pas grarve’ about the swimming pool! In fact he hasn’t even mentioned the pool to me since I managed to get water behind the liner and seems to have decided to avoid me whenever possible! Probably wise.
Friday 20th June
Author: Jack
Am feeling a bit the worse for wear after yesterday. Our guests left well after midnight and I didn’t get to bed ‘til nearly one once I had cleared up. Still a day in the vineyard should sort me out!
Only managed to keep going until just after midday as once again the
temperatures soared and it was all I could do to walk back home, where
I jumped straight in to the pool once again. What a relief!
Although it was nearing thirty-nine degrees I decided I couldn’t
just sit still so decided to mow the grass. Although by my standards
it wasn’t very long I thought it would be nice to mow it when
it wasn’t too long. Generally I mow it when it would be better
to be making hay from it as it has grown so long! Hot work but at least
I was sitting down.
Joel appeared in the middle of the afternoon to give the vineyard another spray. I had lost track of time but it was two weeks since the last spraying and we need to spray every fourteen days. I had a chat to him (but didn’t mention the pool!). He has bought himself a new tractor and sold his oldest one. His other one he now shares with a friend. I asked his advice about the Lamborghini, about broyeurs etc. Not sure any firm conclusions were reached. Everyone seems to have a different opinion anyway, which doesn’t help!
A bit later Anthony and Jane turned up. They had just called by to check that I was OK and had brought with them an automatic pool hoover, which they were going to leave in the pool overnight for me. I am just so lucky.
Brian and Marjory have kindly invited us to dinner this evening so I decided that we would stay at La Vitaille for the night. This would mean that not only could I have a drink without worrying but also tomorrow I could get up and get on with the days work; that is to clean the house ready for the first visitors.
We left home with the car packed to the gunnels as usual. I am gradually taking back all the things we borrowed from La Vitaille when we first moved in here. I was of course running late. We arrived at Brian and Marjorie’s about an hour late! Fortunately they are very understanding. The weather this evening was amazing. At seven pm it was still thirty seven degrees. Way too hot. Rebecca changed into her costume and spent most of the evening in their pool. Lucky girl.
Saturday 21st June 2003
Author: Jack
‘Peace at last’. As I sat down in the lounge at 11.30pm I was suddenly reminded of a story we used to read to Rebecca called ‘Peace at last’ in which when the children were all in bed Mum and Dad could sit down and relax in the peace and quiet that finally surrounded them. Or in my case I could! Iain on the other hand had just finished fishing and was off to one of those very odd English establishments that sell beer to all and sundry. It was one of those moments, which, despite the trials and tribulations of the day, makes you feel so good.
And today was definitely a day of trials if not tribulations……..
The temperature this week has risen dramatically. On Monday it was dull, drizzly and a mere nineteen degrees all day. By Friday the temperature had soared. At 8.30 when I took Rebecca to school it was 25 degrees and by mid afternoon it was 38 degrees. Today has been the same. So hot it is almost impossible to do anything. Fortunately though La Vitaille stays very cool in the summer, so although it was hot inside I was still able to work! Or maybe not so fortunate! I spent from about nine hours giving the house a good spring clean. Beck was none too impressed with me. But she did manage to occupy herself most of the day. Luckily Marjory help to break the boredom for Rebecca. She took her off to see a new puppy for a while. Whilst at La Vitaille I discovered that the water was not heating up. Once again luck was on my side. Brian called round so I asked him to take a look for me and he pretty quickly sorted the problem for me. I was getting a bit worried that I might not be able to have a shower as I would have been pretty smelly after a day’s hard work in the heat!
We left around five and headed off to Geant for some desperately needed supplies. We got home around seven thirty and at last were both able to relax a bit by…
Jumping straight in to the swimming pool – one of the great things about life here..it makes up for all the hard work and heat of the day.
A little later Anthony and Jane called round for a drink and we spent a pleasant couple of hours chatting. Rebecca even managed to persuade Jane to play with her in the pool! I’m boring apparently because I never play with her.
Sunday 22nd June
Author: Jack
A day of jobs around the house and garden, homework and playing in
the pool and a chance for a bit of a rest. Wonderful.
