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I always mean to update this page every couple of months www.ahouseinbrittany.com...
but if I am to keep the properties on the sites turning over as they should
If the problems of life at home get you down - Don't forget... Summer 2008...We've owned the house here for 9 years now and, although it's had its highs and lows - we have loved every minute of it...and actually there have been very few lows. The latest trip was with friends, Kevin & Sandy, at the end of May/ beginning June and we're going again in early July - and then again in early August. That trip's a must because of the Son et Lumiere at Bon Repos. Unfortunately Bill, our good friend, who, with his wife Pam, has been cutting our grass (half an acre plus) on a regular basis - has had to knock it on the head because of a bit of a heart scare. Apparently the emergency services were brilliant and had him into a survival stretcher (one of those pump up jobs to prevent you from moving) and out of the window as quick as a whip and into hospital within the 'Golden Hour'. And all of you worried about healthcare over there - don't.When Bill was out of intensive care he was on two glasses of red wine with dinner each evening. If it's good enough for the French Health Service it's good enough for me...Open another bottle! On a previous visit this year we met up with next door's dog (left). A little charmer called Callimero (apparently named after a mouse cartoon character.- why not?). He has obviously taken a shine to us. Every time we are out in the garden or setting off for a walk along the Rigole... he will be there - ready to join in whatever is going on. This time the Nanny Goat from next door had given birth to a kid and Callimero (quite a bit bigger now - right) took great delight in play fighting with the whole family, narrowly avoiding the Billy Goat's horns as he made each 'matador' pass as the intrepid goat family took to the high ground of the rocks around the base of a tree. The goats had escaped from their field behind the neighbour's house and decimated their vegetable patch before moving onto our place! There is now a new mesh, electric topped fence in place!!
We have been for forays on a few beaches since the last....blog - I believe they are called...Being in central Brittany we have a great choice of North Coast - 30 mins...South Coast 1 hour or...if we don't want a half hour drive - then we just nip up the road to the beach or lakeside walks at Lac de Guerledan. If the mood takes usthen we drive on a little further to the Abbey of Bon Repos for a walk up the side of the Nantes/Brest Canal as far as the first wier before turning back for a beer at the bar near the Abbey...They 'burn it down' 6 times each August at the Son et Lumiere - brilliant!
For our last evening meal before leaving to come back to UK Sandy & Kevin brought back some Moules which turned out to be just the job...Excellent That will become a regular feature from now on. Whether we buy them from the quay, Leclerc or pick them from the beach ourselves...who knows?. St Caradec, our local commune, is an excellent and well run village. In summer it hosts a regular art exhibition in the Salle du Fetes. This year's was particularly good, with a very high standard of work. The theme for the artists to follow was 'naive' and it was very difficult to choose amongst some brilliant work. In the end we didn't buy anything! I think the organisers should watch out ...The work is very good, but it is in danger of leaving behind the local amateur talent in favour of professionals... When we're over in Brittany we spend quite a bit of time visiting agents with whom we work and that allows us to see more of the countryside and attractions. On our most recent trip we just spent one day at that and then much of the rest of the time re-taming the garden...Most of it, half an acre at the back of the barns. When you've spent full days doing that - by the time you have cooked and eaten your evening meal - had a last turn round the block (along the lanes and along the towpath) and then consumed the evening's quota of beer and wine...your head hits the pillow and - wallop, well it's the dawn chorus again! Cheers! It might not look like there's much gardeneing to do but the whole acre was under 7ft of brambles when we arrived in '99 and the wilderness is always ready to take over again if we leave it untended.
In February we visited Carnac...Now with four thousand standing stones it strikes me there was something very important going on in the lives of the people in those days; to make them get stuck into doing that...you know, without wages and for the good of the community...This is aside from popping out and slaying a Bison or Mammoth for lunch. "Oh, not Mammoth again Mum"! - "Lets's get stuck in and line up these stones starting with small ones and then building up slowly until they are twice as tall as the chief. Most people would probably prefer to give it a miss - but not those ancient Bretons!...Mmmm! More later... The next time you have reason to "tut-tut" at the TV News...click below and - Chris & Micki Slade • A House in Brittany Ltd., 2 Westbrooke, Worthing, West Sussex BN11 1RE • Tel:01903 202272 About us | Properties for Sale in Brittany | FAQ's | Essential Services | Links | Legal Aspects |
