That was the month that was

May has been an interesting month - we spent the first half of the month in London, the second half of the month in Preuilly, and I spent most of the time not being sure where I was...

27 minutes after scheduled departure
time and we are still cleaning

The middle of the month was the biggie, no doubt: actually moving here after 3 years of visiting (It was 3 years ago last Friday - the 29th - that we first saw the house). It was disheartening loading a truck with all our stuff and then discovering we own more than a truckload, but I found it interesting going back to London via the National (non-toll) routes in a Hire Van to pick up the balance.

A new route to the supermarché

Since we have been resident here we have discovered one or two new evening walks, met people we were introduced to through this blog, Susan drove up the main street, we had "Apéro-dînatoire" for the first time, taken 571 photos (to add to the 53 I took before we left London and the 158 I took in London when I drove back). been to a new hardware store, shifted boxes (and then shifted them back again) and - oh yeah - we bought a garden.

Typically, we jumped in at the deep end and have bought 3/4 of an acre (or 2,900 sq metres) of beautifully tended vegetable plot and orchard. 35 fruit trees, including cherries, peaches, apples, pears, various nuts, nectarine, plums and an apricot tree. Quite how we will deal with 7 trees worth of peaches and 6 of cherries we have yet to discover, but it should reduce our fruit bill at the market!

Looking towards Preuilly from our new garden, yesterday.

We haven't yet signed the deeds, but we have agreed a price and the previous owner is anxious not to be maintaining the garden for any longer, so within two weeks we hope to be planting our melons.

So far so good then. Next step is actually starting work proper on restoring the house rather than nest building, and speaking French to each other whenever we are in public.

Simon