Monday 23rd June to Sunday 29th June
Monday 23rd June
Author: Jack
Actually didn’t feel too good today. Although it was a really good day for working outside, not too hot that is, I really didn’t feel up to it. But I didn’t want to just sit around (so can’t have been that bad!). Had no trouble finding things to do. I popped in to Duras to the market, which I rarely do, and bought us some veg, in attempt to be healthy, and a few more flowers for the garden, which I planted when I got back. I also finally sewed up the hem on the curtains hanging in front of Beck’s wardrobe. Have spent the past few months shaking all the dust from the bottom of them as they are so long they lay all over the floor and pick up all the bits from her new rug which seems to throw out endless amounts of fluff!
After school I had an appointment with Rebecca’s teacher to discuss her progress and where she will be next year. It seems that she has been doing extremely well and the teacher was very pleased with her progress. In all subjects she has managed to keep up with the class and all is well. The only area of concern, naturally, is her French. The teacher was quite concerned that if Rebecca moved up to the next class, as would be normal, she would struggle with the language. However she had taken advice from Rebecca’s French teacher, and discussed her situation with the teacher’s centre in Marmande. They concluded that by Christmas she would be fine and, as she is more than capable in all the other subjects, they decided she should be moved up. I was a bit worried that she might recommend that Beck stayed with the younger class, which would have put her back a whole school year, but fortunately not. In order to make the move as easy as possible for her we have got to spend some time over the summer improving her French. So I am trying to find us a French teacher. Also he teacher recommend that beck go as often as possible to the Summer School in Duras. This is brilliant. It is on for the whole of the school holidays. For £5 a day you can leave your child, all day every day if you want to, to enjoy a fantastic programme of activities, which includes a chance to try out almost all sports, and various visits to swimming pools, fun parks etc. There is no obligation to go on any specific day, just as and when it suits. Beck is really looking forward to this even though she won’t know anyone. I must say out here they really do cater fantastically for children.
Tuesday 24th June
Author: Jack
Off to St Foy to meet the man from Agrifoy, who is helping us with our plans for the cuverie and who hopes to sell us all the equipment for it. We discussed his proposal for the cuverie equipment at some length going through each item. I tried where possible to make intelligent and informed comments; difficult both because of the language and also because of my limited knowledge of cuverie equipment. Mind you I am learning fast. Anyway managed to get a few things changed and overall think I might have saved us some money! Following this I was shown most of the equipment proposed. Most of it looks pretty scary – far too many buttons for me! Not sure I should be left in charge of any of this!
Back home I went straight out to work. Today was much hotter than yesterday. I now make sure that I have both cold water and iced water with me so that by the time the cold water has warmed up the iced water the iced water has just melted and is ready to drink, as well as sun tan cream and a hat (essential). Am still busy tying our new shoots and young vines to sturdy bamboo canes (eight hundred canes have been put in so far), plus continuing with the pamprage. My work rate begins to drop as the day goes on. Eventually I give up – it’s just too hot. When I get back to the house I discover it thirty six degrees!
Today is the weekly meeting of the cooperative vineyard owners. At last I have been noticed. I am actually welcomed by handshakes and enter into the customary shaking of hands with all present, including the man who runs the meeting. I have never been introduced to any one or even spoken to any one but I guess they have come to the conclusion that I am not going to go away! Dare I say I may even have been accepted to some extent! When I shook hands with the dark haired man from Terre du Sud he didn’t seem too comfortable. Think it has something to do with me being female! Rural France at least is still very much a man’s world which is probably why most of them manage to ignore me. The round of handshakes continues with each new arrival. People were still turning up towards the end of the meeting and still the handshakes continued along with polite conversation – whilst the meeting was going on! In general new arrivals did shake my hand, but generally with some caution. The last arrival, however, managed to shake my hand without even looking at me and with his back half turned! Mind you can’t blame them all for being a bit suspicious. I haven’t actually plucked up the courage to say anything yet and the guy who runs the meeting speaks so quickly I struggle to keep up with what is being said.
Beck had a great day today. Her class had a day out at our local castle in Duras. We have been there once before but with her class she got to see much more. Even though the tour was in French, naturally, she seemed to manage to pick up lots of bits of information about the castle and the way of life there. She particularly enjoyed going right to the top of the castle up some very narrow stairs and the view from the top. She also made some massepain, this being a traditional biscuit of the region being made mostly from almonds and eggs, not at all unlike marzipan.
Thunderstorm again in the evening. These are becoming pretty regular events now.
Wednesday 25th June
Author: Jack
Becks day off school today so no work in the vineyard. However plenty to do at La Vitaille. Spend the morning there again getting it ready for the season. It’s a bit unfair on Beck as she doesn’t have mush to do there, although she can watch the TV and play outside on the bikes and climbing frame. I work as fast as I can so that she isn’t stuck there too long.
Manage to finish at a reasonable time. Next stop Langon, which is about forty five minutes away. We are off to look at Pick Ups and to check out the price of cars generally! For a while now we have been discussing changing the Picasso for something more suitable to our new life, but haven’t managed to reach any firm conclusions. However the idea of a Pickup seems quite appealing as it covers most of our requirements, apart from being sporty! It can be used as a family car as it can seat five, is a four wheel drive so can be used easily around the vineyard and is a truck so an be used to transport all sorts of stuff. So we are off to look for a possible second hand one at a garage that specialise in Pick Ups, or so I thought. Turned out that the garage was just a regular Toyota garage, that they rarely have second hand Pick Ups and the only real way to get one was to buy a new one, and then didn’t have a model on display! So not very successful. Back to Marmande to look in all the car showrooms there. Not Becks idea of fun but she does her best be enthusiastic. Her favourite cars seem to be ones with sliding doors! She is most upset when I don’t agree with her. But when we finally get to the Mitsubishi garage and she sees a Pick Up in the flesh she suddenly forgets about sliding doors – we have to buy a Pickup. Well how I am ever going to drive this beast I don’t know. It’s huge! Beck thinks it’s great. She literally has to climb in to it. Whilst we were both pretty impressed with the car we were certainly not impressed with the garage. I waited around for a while looking for someone to help us but no one appeared. So eventually we gave up and decided to go to the Nissan garage to see what they had. Whilst they didn’t have a Pickup on show they were certainly very helpful. I am going to get a call with prices and availability shortly. This could be it.
Thursday 26th June
Author: Jack
At last a reasonable day for working in the vineyard. It’s overcast and when I took Rebecca to school it was a mere twenty-one degrees. May not be the ideal weather for holidaymakers but I’m happy. I hadn’t realised how much the heat of the past few weeks had slowed me down. I have worked much more quickly today and have found that sense of freedom and peace of mind again. Although the work is physically quite hard it has a very therapeutic effect. I hadn’t realised I had missed that, as, although I have been working in the vineyard whilst it has been hot, temperatures over thirty mean you are constantly stopping for drinks, shooing away flies that seem to find me attractive!, and wishing that the sun would go in or it would rain. Came in for lunch feeling like I had achieved something out there for a change. Back out after lunch weather started to warm up unfortunately and my work rate dropped accordingly. By the time I left to collect Rebecca it was twenty-nine degrees.
Once back from school I treated myself to a footbath. My poor old feet get so hot and sore out there all day in my walking boots. So sat on the veranda, feet in a soothing footbath typing up the diary and generally feeling very contented with life.
Friday 27th June
Author: Jack
Worked in the vineyard all morning and came back for an early lunch as was off to help Jonathon stat his plum harvest in the afternoon. He has about four hectares of plums as well as nine hectares of vines. There are several varieties of plums that ripen at differing times during June, July and August. The first to ripen are the golden yellow Japonais. I spend about four hours with a large bucket strapped to my chest gathering plums. Almost all are within easy reach as the trees are kept quite short. The bucket, when full, weighs about ten kilos. He is hoping to pick about a hundred and fifty kilos today. There are three of us picking. I have to leave about five to collect Rebecca, by which time we have picked about fifty kilos. They are going to be picking mot of the weekend and Monday probably. Not sure whether my poor old body would stand up to all that. It’s certainly a strain carrying the bucket around but an interesting experience nevertheless. I wonder how I’ll get on picking grapes?
Saturday 28th June
Author: Jack
Housework in the morning – say no more. Then out to do some gardening but one again the heat defeated me.
Special day today. Rebecca’s school are putting on a show, a ‘spectacle’, in a local village hall. It start’s at four and goes on for three hours and is then followed by a buffet supper. Beck has been practising several songs for weeks now, including ‘Le Maman des Poisson’. I have tried to translate it but it makes no sense whatsoever.
When we arrive Beck is none too keen to perform or to join in with her school friends. Can’t ay I blame her though. The hall is pretty big and packed out. Pretty daunting prospect for her to be performing in front of that lot. However her turn is after the interval so at least she can sit with me for the first half. Grace is taking part in the first half and she is equally unhappy about performing.
Now this was an experience. It made the productions at Ryarsh Primary School seem like RADA productions in comparison! For the first half (which was also by far the longest half) we were ‘entertained’ by the younger members of the school, age ranges three to six mostly. Most of them hardly raised their voices above a whisper, the musical accompaniment was either minimal or non existent, the stage set was not set! And worst of all the audience spent most of the time either talking or getting up to buy another drink from the bar! They didn’t seem very interested in the children’s performance. At least the children in the second half were more vocal, being older, and there was a bit of action. But, oh surprise surprise, the older children had prepared some extra, special routines! Oh no, just when we thought we were free. Several ‘disco’ routines to English pop music. Oh dear. It’s hard to believe that France has such a fine literary and cultural heritage. Not much sign of it here. After three hours of this Sarah and I decided we really can’t face the buffet and the now evident ‘disco’ that is being set up and beat a hasty retreat back to her house for a desperately needed glass of chilled white wine.
This was my first visit to her house. She only moved in a week ago. It is in a wonderful location, totally isolated with a splendid drive down to the house. The girls were off playing happily and Sarah and I sat out enjoying the tranquillity.
I was worried about staying too long as Jenny and Derec were due to arrive later that evening. Beck was none too happy about leaving. It’s a great place for the children and Grace has two guinea pigs and two kittens that Beck adores, not to mention two newly acquired Peacocks! Lucky Beck; Sarah offers to have for the night and most of Sunday, leaving me free to go to la Vitaille tomorrow morning without annoying Beck.
Jenny and Derec arrive around eleven after a very long days journey from the UK. We sit down outside to a rather late salad supper and some wine, naturally!
Sunday 29th June
Author: Jack
Well visitors beware. If you think you are in for a holiday here then you’ll be disappointed. Of course we can offer some compensations, like the weather, the swimming pool, lots of good food and wine, but there will always be an endless list of jobs to do.
And so Jenny and Derec’s first taste of life here is me knocking
on their door at ten to tell them we need to be off to La Vitaille where
Anthony and Jane are waiting for us to arrive to get on with some jobs!
(I had primed them last night so this wasn’t too much of a shock).
The most important job was to fit the ‘well cover’. This
has turned out to be quite a saga. We have always been worried about
the fact that the well at La Vitaille didn’t have a cover. Although
there is a metal grill about five feet down it doesn’t look very
safe and, as several children a year drown in wells in France, we have
always wanted to make it safe. For some strange reason I had decided
that the only place to get a cover made was in the forge in Birling,
the next village along from Ryarsh. Would have been easier to get it
made in France I’m sure but when we decided to get it made, early
last year, it seemed like a good idea. Although it was finished and
ready by the end of May last year we then realised that transporting
it would not be that simple. It was extremely heavy. It had been made
in four pieces which made it much easier to transport but there was
no way the car could take the weight of all of it at once. So we have
had to transport it in stages. The first two pieces went when Jen and
I stayed at Les Bardots last summer. We then took the third piece with
us in March when we left and the last piece arrived on the removal lorry.
And finally today was the day to fit it. Good job there were five of
us. We were all needed to manhandle it in to position. Miraculously
I had measured it correctly and it fitted perfectly. Eighteen months
after ordering it it was finally in place!
No rest for Jenny and Derec. Jenny set to with the white paint and a brush doing some final touching up in the house whilst Derec attacked the shrubs by the pool with Anthony’s hedge trimmers. Anthony was busy cleaning the pool and Jane was clearing up all the garden rubbish. Me? Well I leant a hand where I could!!! It was amazing how much got done in the couple of hours we were there. No doubt about it, that old saying is so true, many hands do make light work, although I’m not sure Jenny and Derec thought it was light work.
When we had finished we stopped off at Allemans on our way hoe for a well deserver refreshment break.
Time for some relaxation. Sarah brought Beck back and she and Grace joined us for the rest of the afternoon and a barbeque supper. The children spent most of their time in the pool. Derec (or Eric as Grace insisted on calling him) decided to join them and had great fun playing with them and with the water pistols. The weather was just perfect.
