Not sure if I have any exciting news to report this time! We stayed a few days near the village of Le Boulou when we arrived back from Barcelona. It was a “mini house sit” for friends Herman and Riana. Their house is quite a climb up into the mountains; the road is very windy with a big storm water ditch running along one edge. Not too bad during the day but a bit scary at night. There are great views from the house. A glimpse of the sea to the east, a very large valley filled with farmland and villages to the north, and mountains encircling the edge of the valley and heading west. We could just see Mt Canigou from the patio – its peak still covered with snow – just gorgeous at sunset. It’s also where our house sit dog – Divix – now lives. Lovely to catch up with her! Then it was back to our regular house sit in Thuir – felt like we had never gone. We have Herman and Riana’s car again which makes life so much easier – we don’t have to organize lifts everywhere. And organizing things without the internet connected and only a UK sim in our phone is a pain. Hopefully (????) the modem will arrive any day and we will be online!
To keep ourselves busy – and out of mischief – we’ve been doing a bit of pruning for Jonathon and Rachel. The vines are pretty low so our backs are feeling it, mine in particular, but we are soldiering on. The vineyard is on a pretty hill with amazing views of Mt Canigou, villages and vineyards, and the Alberes – the tail end of the Pyrenees that curves towards the Mediterranean. Lovely to have a little stretch between vines and just look and sigh! So we head over to Trouillas most mornings to do 3 or 4 hours pruning. The drive takes us along a narrow road that goes around the back of Trouillas and is used as a short cut to Thuir. Quite busy. People tend to speed along, pulling into little bays to allow cars going the other way to pass – but only if deemed absolutely necessary. The side mirrors nearly kiss at times but it is part of driving in France. Again….there are great views of Mt Canigou along this track. Especially lately with the cherry trees in bloom in nearby fields and the snow on the mountain tops – stunning colours and contrasts.
We have also been busy catching up with friends – always a burden!! Lunches and evening fellowship are par for the course. We’ve had a belated birthday celebration with some “fizzy” wine and a boomerang cake. Sitting on top was 124 written in candles – our combined age. Bit of a worry really!! We have also started French lessons again – still in a class on our own! It’s difficult at times – our brains turn to mush – but overall it’s a lot of fun. We genuinely crack up with laughter at times. Even Madame Denise – our teacher – has a little smile! One interesting place we visited recently was the retail outlet and kitchens of Oliver Bajard a very famous Patissier Chocolatier in Perpignan. Our friend Anna has a trainee ship under him – a very sort after position by chefs wanting to excel in that area. Anna is English, but has moved to France to follow her dreams. Next step is hopefully Paris. We, of course, will have to visit her there!
Cheers and love
Di and Reg
PS Quite a delay in posting this blog – still no internet connection at home.
This entry was posted in Europe, France, House Sits, Thuir, Pyrenees Orientales, Thuir, Pyrenees Orientales (2)- Alberes
- Barcelona
- house sit
- Le Boulou
- Mt Canigou
- Oliver Bajard
- Patissier Chocolatier
- pruning vines
- Thuir
- Trouillas
Wishing you Happy Easter as well as Happy Birthdays. Snow just going from these parts. Bonne chance avec vos lecons en francais. Victoria and Keith
I understood that! There must be progress! Best wishes to you both xx
I am intrigued by Reg working the vines. I assume he is pruning them.
Yes. Pruning and re-tying them as needed. There is a strange sense of satisfaction in cutting back the dead wood and making things nice. I know – we need to get out more!