Bloomin' tree surgeons and tractors!

July 06, 2017

It was unbearably hot working in the roof, so we met up with friends at Lac de Bariousses at Treignac for a spot of kayaking.

While we were out, the tree surgeons came to deal with the neighbours' fallen tree, which had propped itself up on another of their trees, presenting a double-tree threat to our phone and internet line. There were two men, youngish, and they were working like monkeys, suspending themselves on ropes up in the highest branches.

I expect you may be wondering why there is a ladder (ours) propped up against the telegraph pole... Yes, you've guessed it; part of the tree had fallen onto our phone and internet line and disconnected it. It was, I suppose, inevitable. Kevin went to talk English at them and see what they were going to do about it. On eof the lads got his phone out and typed something into Google Translate. Was it 'Oops' or 'Sorry'? No. It was, 'Can I borrow a long ladder?'

Luckily, we were only without internet for an hour or so, as the line had pulled out of a connecting point, so Kevin eventually climbed up and reconnected it. But there is a mathematically impossible sag on the line now.

I set out to mow the meadow this evening. The mower didn't seem keen. It eventually petered out with a dejected backfire like a gunshot. I like to mow the main four acres in ever decreasing circles, and, as you can see, I only managed three circuits before collapse.

Kevin, bless him, set to work...

We can see a bit more sky now that the fallen diagonal tree has been chopped up! The tree fellers stacked the logs up nicely on our land. When they discovered that it wasn't the neighbours' land they were appalled. We told them not to bother to move them. If the neighbours don't come and collect them, it gives us even more fire wood. Although we have enough to last us until we're a hundred. At least.