The French Renovation

Just back from seeing off Paul and Michelle, and look what happens! Kevin alerts farmer Joel, and, together, they round up the escapees!

How lovely Michelle looks wearing her cardigan that matches the parasol...  No, this is not a cardigan. Michelle chose to don two napkins to keep off the chill.  You see those young people just behind her left shoulder? They were so polite. One of them came to us to ask if we minded if they smoked. Normally we would, but because they asked, we didn't. The theatre reflects well in the River Correze. Another incident involving young people occurred that evening. I didn't take a photo, and I haven't 'Sharpie-ed' it either, but it was a notable event. A group of young people was sitting at a table next to us in a pavement cafe. A dishevelled, drunken man stumbled into their table, trying to show them something. He looked like he may have been homeless, and I was already dreading him moving on to us. Suddenly, two of the young men shot up, and I was expecting them to either forcibly eject him or move to another table. Not in France. To my surprise, the two la...

ST PARDOUX  Gimel Les Cascades This wonderfully decorated box is a 12th century reliquary. It contains the relics of the first martyr, St Stephen. It is kept heavily fortified in the crypt of the church. Nearly as well guarded is this 15th century reliquary bust of St Dumine. ST PIERRE Collonges la Rouge ST PIERRE Beaulieu-sur-Dordogne   Massive tympanum where Christ appears as the conqueror of death. ST MARCEL Lagrauliere The ancient carvings in the porch are suffering from some weathering. ST PIERRE Uzerche Built by the Benedictine monks in the 11th century, this church is an excellent example of the Limousin 'Romanesque' style.

  Ready for action again! Michelle falls through the ceiling of the piggery. I wasn't ready with my camera, so the event is reproduced here using a Sharpie for your delectation... Yes, she does have some bruises. Sorry Michelle!   Kevin finishes off the job Michelle started. Paul goes in with the squirter to dampen down the poo and grain and other itchy bits that fell through from above.  Michelle braves the loft again...   Kevin removes the chain tying the metal trough to the wall.   Paul gives Michelle a hose down. After giving himself a hose down, Paul appears over the brow of the hill in his underpants singing, 'The hills are alive...'. Again, I didn't have my camera, so I've reproduced the special moment using my Sharpie.  A little post-work reward!

She chose quite a restricted space to use her spacehopper!

  Two interesting blooms...

And here is a toilet! I presume it was designed to be positioned over an earth hole. Ingenious, really. What was it doing in the loft of the piggery? What was he then using instead? How did he live here all of his life without a toilet or bathroom? I knew something like this would happen. No sooner do we find some nice wooden trousers, than Kevin has fashioned one of the pairs into a 'coffee table'. "It'll be nice when it's polished up!" A clean selfie this time, although I am a bit sweaty- sorry. It's still hot here. 33 degrees for the next few days. We ate out at our favourite French restaurant, La Ferme du Leondou at Saint Salvadour. I took a surreptitious photo of my lady, not just because she's so deliciously charming, but because I think Angelina Jolie was sitting behind us...

 Paul and Kevin attack the cellar to banish woodworm and other nasties! Michelle and Debbie empty the lofts of the pottery and piggery, ready to knock out the floor/ceiling to make spacious atriums! Dirty selfie. We were actually much dirtier than we look!   A pair of wooden trousers each! We found lots of really good bits of wood... very heavy... probably oak. No, Monsieur Dechetterie, you may not have these!