It has been a long time!

Well, were can I start seeing as I have let this blog lapse for a number of reasons.
So, without listing all what I have been up to since my last posting, and having found my way back in but being a bit rusty, I will just say,,, I am going to endeavour to continue my blog again and start afresh. Watch this space..... I am off to check on my chooks.......!

The English Riviera!

Whilst in Blighty for the festive season, we went to visit one of my brother in laws and his wife and their 3 children. They run a hotel right on the seafront of one of the sunniest places in Britain ‘ so it is reported'. Eastbourne! I love it there but put me by the sea, in the sea, on the sand or pebbles and I am a very contented Guernsey girl. It was great to catch up with them on their 2 days off between Christmas coaches ( crimbo packages start in October!) and see the refurbishments they have made since our last visit. Me and himself spent 2 months there pre opening helping them bring the hotel back to life after they bought it in 2005 and it was an interesting time indeed. I won’t go into how our car at the time‘Kevin the Peugeot 205’ got crushed by the local council and we made the local rag in a write up because of said disaster, illegally done I may add. The crushing not the article!

We went to a traditional English pub decorated to the max with festive attire to which many folks come every year just to see what works of art have been created for the customers. We stayed in Room 1 which has since be revamped and much improved since our working and rest time there. This hotel is not all pretentious and arty farty and does not come at fancy pancy prices for a designer breakfast sausage and organic toms . It is a traditional and friendly hotel in a fabulous location. The service and standards would take some beating . I love staying there and it was utter bliss having a cuppa in hotel boudoir whilst watching t.v and partaking of a proper bathroom ensuite. If only we had more time and could have stayed another night.

Anyway if you find yourself in Eastbourne, look them up. The welcome is warm and fun and views fantastic. It is a short walk into Eastbourne centre. Have some fish and chips, a 99 on the pier and relax at the MARINE PARADE HOTEL with Jerome and Carol - hosts fantastique!

I hope to be back there verrrry soon!

From little Bangers...........

BIG ONES grow.........
I was quite proud of the progress!!!

My first sausage making lesson!

Whilst in the UK during Christmas, my brother in law invited me for a sausage making experience in one of the best equipped kitchens I know. It should be as his wife is a very established cookery writer, food stylist and has produced many a wonderful book with a myriad of tantalising on the tastebuds recipes. I received a couple of her new books this trip. Chef School and from her Hamlyn range, Tapas and Cake. Give her a Google!. She could have been in the eye of the media many years ago before all these celeb chefs hit our screens but chose to remain behind the camera and the pages of her books and magazine articles.

The b. in law, knowing how I love a pure decent banger, set to with me and I created my own melange of flavours.
This is a pic of my first attempt, next update will be a photo of the progress!

Pork, sage and lemon then Lamb, mint, ginger and moroccan spices ( a splash of St Emillion red wine)were the flavours chosen for this experience.
The machine was acting up so it was a 2 person operation and it required some physical effort more on the brother in laws part!.
I am looking forward to trying them out though the tasters we cooked before going for the big squeeze into the skins seemed pretty tasty to me and I have it on good authority from someone who knows that the pork and lemon were a big hit!

I will pursuing this home made method as then at least I know exactly what is going into them!
So much for my thoughts on giving up pork or lamb.!

Pretty in White

A picturesque scene chez nous but not so pretty when the drive iced up and the car would not move!

Lots of catching up to do!

I have not been blogging for ages. I miss it. I have had my head down work work working and now got a bath installed and sleeping in a bed upstairs or should I say, up the ladder!
Troublesome boiler but underfloor heating and rads are working. Hooray!
Making apple and walnut chutney from our trees for gifts for the family at Christmas. I am very excited as sis in law who is a cookery writer has given me 2 more of her new books!
Dragging myself back out into the garden after the wet weather and attacking yet more brambles.
Painting windows and more walls!
I don't know where the days go to!
I promise to do a better update soon!

Happy New Year to everyone!

What weather!

Rain wind, rain, wind rain. That about sums up the weather at the moment here in Brittany. I got off lightly when I moved here last year. Everyone telling me the weather would be wet and the wellies hardly got much of an outing but this year is different. I am very bored of it and hibernation is the key. The animals are sensible. Or if I was a cat I could cuddle up on the sofa like these two of my 3 contented moggies! That is after they have done the morning hunt routine and brought in a mouse or shrew and munched and crunched through it. Yuk!

Happy families

I love this photo of our friends from the Languedoc taken at Larmor Plage. They came to visit early September and we certainly packed alot in very few days.
Oyster purchase and eating, little Mathilda loves them! Breton teeshirts are being sported down South, Lorient U pens visited, paddling as the photo shows and lots more besides.
Juliet is a Master of Wines and they brought a wonderful Languedoc supply for us. Ooooh.
It was far too quiet once Mathilda and ma and pa had left. She loves Abba songs and the sound of her 4 yr old little voice singing was much missed when they left. She was an utter delight. Come back soon Mathilda and sing "Dont go wasting your e- otions". Dont you just love it when children mix up the words. I do!

What have I been up to...

Goodness me, I have had NO time to do this blog and I miss it.

Where have I been,,, working working working working on the renovation! I am pooped!

A couple of weeks in Guernsey, went for my sisters birthday for 5 days and stayed nearly 2 weeks!

Had some friends make a flying visit for a weekend.

Much has progressed in that time chez nous.

A recyled boiler, ( see picture) now gives us our underfloor heating. Bliss and the mogs love it

Radiators in the boudoir, wow, first time in 6 yrs I have had heating proper

A completed dressing room.

2 new floors laid upstairs, one to go, bed removed from the downstairs camp and dining table in.

Microwave and toaster located from storage and tumble dryer ( much needed) brought inside.

Painted bedroom , hallway and bathrooom

Some insulation has been laid in the loft space

Window installed in the loft.

Ceilings painted.
Enough of that for now. I am off to brave the gusty Morbihan to get some much needed shopping and makes lots of soup to keep up the energy for the week to come!

This week we hope to have an upstairs loo, very exciting. Hubby has rescued a toilet from the barn left by the previous owners. He loves the shape, hmmmmm! Is Swiss according to a search on the net and the boiler is German. It is fun to recycle. Which reminds me I must turn the compost!

Where have I been??

I have been off the map with my blog as just been mad mad busy with renovations, yep yours truly jet washing the front of the house ( been inundated with offers of photo shoots from the glossies, ha ha!) guests to stay, taking visits to check up on my family.
A proper update will come up soon. My brain is a little tired as I type this at 01.15 a.m! A bientot!