We've had a little snow!

Well here in Quebec nearly a foot (!) is hardly worth mentioning. Last Friday it started snowing around 3pm and by 6pm we decided it was probably best not to drive so decided to walk to the closest restaurant for dinner - from the looks we got when we arrived, we must have looked like snowmen. It was very heavy driving snow and we were pretty much bent double trying to keep it out of our faces. We also had the added joy of trying to avoid all the snow ploughs out clearing the parking lots and sidewalks. We were only doing this as our youngest son was staying with us and he wanted to watch the Hockey game.

By morning it had been snowing for over 12 hours and there was a lot of snow! This picture is actually a couple of days later at our next house when we had had a chance to clean off the car.The following picture is of the deck at our new house where no-one has been living for a few months, so there is about 18 inches of snow, not the entirety of the snowfall this winter, as we have had a couple of thaws in between.
Roll on spring - we have confirmed our flights to France for a week at the end of March, and keep receiving updates on the weather there, it sounds wonderful and we cannot wait.

Sweet Deal!

Well son and I did go off to the second hand furniture warehouse (an exciting week with the parents as you can see) and I managed to pick up a sweet deal. A very nice armchair and ottoman for $25!!! They are a little grubby and I will give them a good clean. I intended to get something as an upholstery project but they look pretty good as they are at the moment. There is an oil stain on one corner so if anyone has any tips on removing that, please let me know.


Most of the stuff there was absolute tat, dusty and dirty with these little gems just sitting there amongst the mess.

There was also an interesting chest of drawers I might have to go back for next week. At these prices I would be a fool not to. But I will leave that until we have moved, just less stuff to transfer. We move into another rental on Wednesday, this time for six months. Gypsies - who us?!?

Family Weekend

It was what is known as the Family Holiday weekend in most of Canada (no holiday here in Quebec unfortunately) so our daughter, son-in-law and the granddaughters drove the 5 hours from Toronto for a few days.

We had a lovely time but you really do forget how intense and exhausting a young family can be. Annika is now 2 1/2 years old and great fun, tons of energy, talks non-stop with plenty of questions. Elise is now almost 7 months old and when in a good mood, an absolute delight with big smiles and lovely noises. However she likes her routine and it was messed up big time this weekend so she was not always so happy and she makes it known, believe me.

Anyway Kate and Mike got to have a nice night in downtown Montreal while we babysat, and then Sunday was a lovely cold but bright and sunny day and Annika got her first go at ice skating downtown on an outdoor rink in Old Montreal and then we all had lunch out in a nice restaurant.

They left around midday for the drive back, and I am now sitting here enjoying the peace and quiet. I have changed the bed ready for our 19 year old son to arrive this evening to spend the half term week with us. Not sure what we will do with him, but I am hoping he sleeps a bit more than his 7 month old niece and won't talk as much as the 2 1/2 year old. I have plans to go to a second hand furniture warehouse this week, do you think that is his scene?!

Photos!

I promised photos of my handiwork, so here goes:

Before

During

And after!

I have to admit to being very proud of myself. It was a lot of work, but so rewarding. We were thrilled to find the corner stones around the windows and door. Quite a transformation.

Where in the World....?

....have I been for FIVE months? ........am I living now?

Sorry I haven't been blogging - funny because I thought once I got to France I would have lots to say but I guess I was too busy doing to write about it.

Well it was August when I last posted and just off to visit my family in Canada, to meet the new granddaughter ( who is now 6 months old). I had a lovely time, it was very relaxed, well as relaxed as it can be in a house with a two year old and new baby!

Once I returned it was back to work in the garden, bringing in my harvest and tidying up.

Then I decided to transform the front of the house by taking off all the crepi/cement/gray stuff - a big job requiring a big tool. It took me about four weeks (not non stop as it was very hot) to get it cleaned off and about three weeks to then re-point it. A very rewarding job, I did get pointing injuries but was thrilled with the result. I will post pictures but at the moment am having issues with the internet on my laptop, hubby's which I am using seems fine.

That took me through to about November, meanwhile hubby was at the new job and hating it. So decisions had to be taken. Working in France for him wasn't turning out to the be dream he expected, work for me seemed non-existent. After much soul searching we decided we needed to change something. Hence we are now back in Canada! Yep I know! But this is where a job came up, we can be together all week, we are closer to the children (they are in Ontario we are in Quebec - about 5 hours drive apart) and hopefully life for hubby will be much more fulfilling.

We intend that France will always be our base, and hope to end up there eventually but for now this seems a much better arrangement all round. So here we are, in a rental amongst the piles of snow and sub-zero temperatures whilst our little house in France sits empty for now.

We are planning to go back for a week at the end of March and hope to get back there as often as possible, still getting work done. The main house is pretty much finished, just a few kitchen cabinets to be installed and then Phase 2 can begin.

I will try to post more regularly, especially now I have so much time on my hands, as I wait for a job to materialise. I am keeping my fingers crossed on that front as even after a year in France I am not sure I have enough French for Montreal!

Another two months....

Yes amazingly another two months have flown by here in our little village. I honestly wonder what I do with myself all day but the days just whizz by. How did I ever manage to have a job as well!! What have we been up to the? Well we have have a few visitors, the in-laws were here for a few days in early July, it was very hot while they were here and luckily they didn't want to do too much but we did a few bits, took them to Oradour sur Glane, visited nearby Chateau Guillaume, and went to a vide grenier so feel they got an all round taste of life here in the country.

When they were here the garden was looking very scorched as we had hardly any rain for months. Since mid-July however we have had plenty and all the water butts are nicely topped up....this after several weeks of having to water with the washing up water and from our well as there was a ban in the area.

Also we have made some progress on the kitchen, there is still a way to go but the units using my stripped windows are now in place and we also have a cooker!! Whoohoo - its beginning to resemble a kitchen.

Then just a couple of weeks ago, my brother, sister-in-law and two of their children were here for a week, again took off on the tourist route, trip to Limoges with a lovely walk along the river, a bit of a tortuous afternoon on the Velorail, and a tiny bit of house hunting!!!

Also, big news, second baby granddaughter, Elise Ann, was born weighing in at 8lb 10ozs on July 21st. Everyone doing very well - Annika has taken it all in her stride and I am off to Canada to see everyone a week today. Hubby just started a new job today, still in Toulouse, so not able to take time off to come with me. It will probably just be a couple of weeks of shopping with daughter, and spending lots of time with my granddaughters, I cannot wait.

Watching The Flowers Grow

Well where have I been for FOUR months, I promise I haven't just been watching the flowers grow, but saying that just look how they have grown - first picture a year ago April, second picture this morning .....

Note the railings and pillars have gone, much nicer and more open now.

The concrete pillars actually ended up in the kitchen floor ....... hopefully you can spot the difference.

I love it, I have a work top - bliss. I have to say I love the tiled floor, all my own handiwork.

We are having the cabinets made by a local craftsman on a piecemeal basis, I will eventually get doors, but the next phase is a wall cupboard using the old back door windows and a larder cupboard using the original kitchen windows. I have been busy stripping those

As you can imagine this wasn't too tough a job out there on a sunny afternoon under the shady pergola.

Got to admit many an hour has been lazed away out here.

This was one of our best investments. It is so lovely out there. What with the seemingly endless hot sunny days we have had so far this year, it has been a godsend. It is a little cooler this week and we have actually had a bit of rain, believe me - no-one is complaining.

Here is another one that is growing like a weed. Thank heavens for Skype. Her little brother/sister is due in six weeks.