On Any Saturday

Winter is football time. As in the UK there is a snobbery about the various football codes: the round ball game is working class, and people of class will only reluctantly acknowledge they follow it, whereas rugby is seen as a lot more stylish.

Football at Charnizay. Yup - that's someone
rolling around on the ground (in agony, of course)

Every village has its own foot (soccer) team. At one time Preuilly sur Claise had 3 teams in different leagues, now it is reduced to one team in combination with Yzeures sur Creuse. Every village with a team has its own ground, and a lot of these are floodlit - in our immediate area both Bossay and Preuilly have floodlit pitches. They should be a focus for village pride, but alas they are sparsely frequented, and most of the action seems to take place around the bar.

TCB

If you're in the area and looking for a cheap drink on a Saturday afternoon, look for a football pitch. You will be helping the funds of a local organisation, and you might even see some football.

Simon

Jerusalem Artichokes

We inherited a small patch of Jerusalem artichokes in the potager, and have been digging a few once or twice a week since mid-October. They are delicious roasted, or in a cream sauce, but they do have an unfortunate side-effect.

In vulgar households (like ours) they are referred to as fartichokes, but I have just learnt that in some nice households they are known as sunchokes. In French they are topinambours (sometimes shortened to topinam). The name sunchoke makes good sense, as they are not related to artichokes, and don't come from the Middle East, but are related to sunflowers (in fact, they are the same genus, Helianthus). The plants look a lot like small sunflowers above ground, with similar leaves and flowers. Below ground though, once the leaves and flowers have gone brown, they set about making starchy white, slightly knobbly, mildly nutty flavoured tubers which go well with all the other earthy winter veg. I never peel them, just scrub well.

These will be combined with the leeks pulled at
the same time and made into a creamy soup.

Some people around here grow substantial quantities of fartichokes – long rows that must yield enough to feed a large family.

They seem to be very easy to grow – apparently you just leave a few tubers in the ground each winter and they grow on to provide next year's crop.

Susan

Our Well

People who were reading back in September 2007 may remember when we found our well.

It was sitting under a large, ugly concrete slab at the back of the house, but in my mind I already had plans for it - one day we would have a classic Tourangelle well. Unfortunately, its position directly in front of a window precluded anything too fancy, but as part of the garden works we had Alex build a well wall around it. He used traditional materials: the tuffeau (limestone) came from the old chimney which was demolished in 2007, and the mortar is chaux, the traditional lime mortar.

The plan is to fill this with flowerpots, and put in a submersible pump so we can water the garden even when there are water restrictions. We had water restrictions this year, which weren't widely publicised but prohibited the use of town water for watering gardens.

We are entering a really busy time of year and may not always be able to write an entry every day, but much like what happened in May, we will continue to post something new every day.

Simon

More Cars

Some more photos from the Téléthon rally:

When I first announced to Susan I though we needed to buy a Traction Avant, she took some convincing. In fact, it almost didn't happen - for ages she told everyone we spoke to about it that we were thinking of buying a Trabant, and was met with raised eyebrows and a sympathetic look.

A Trabant. 600cc of raw 2-stroke power and
doors made out of recycled cotton waste

Now we have our own classique we have met many people who own old cars and love them as they are - cars, not museum pieces. They laugh about things that fall off, indicators that indicate but only in one direction if you're lucky, wipers that wipe when they feel like it, seat pads replaced with granny's old cushion...

Accessorize to stand out in a crowd.

We are pleased that there is comparatively little lifting of bonnets and talk of grommets. (At least, I think there is little talk of grommets. Does anyone know the French for grommet?) We have been asked to lift the bonnet a couple of times because people are interested in our new alternator, but apart from that it seems to be more about enjoying driving the cars and having a laugh.

Célestine amongst her smaller cousins

There are some great, cheap old cars out there. The Trabant looks fun (and goes like a rocket when tuned properly) and some of the Peugeots are interesting cars (I particularly like the Peugeot 202 with its hidden headlights). I won't be buying another classic for a while - but I have to admit: the thought is always there! Maybe we will replace our Renault with a Peugeot 404: classic, cheap, bullet-proof, and reliable enough to use as an everyday car. Don't tell Susan I said so, though.

Simon

The Garden Works are Finished

We have finished our temporary garden fence and retaining walls.

When I was planning for them I used Google SketchUp to plot where things would go so I would have an idea of what it would look like. I am not sure if most congratulations should go to myself for my planning, or Alex for the execution.Compared to what the garden looked like when we bought the house, we are very pleased with the results, whoever is to blame! All we need now is for the lawn to grow (and the onset of summer) then it's Pimm's all round.

The Garden in May 2006

Simon

____________________________________________

You may have noticed that the Google search page has changed once again. Yet another company who has decided that we all have the attention span of a 2 year old. There is a way you can disable this, but only if you're using Firefox as your browser. First you need to install an add-on called greasemonkey. Then visit this page and click the install button. Magically, the fade in effect will go away, and your local search buttons will appear.

Paving the courtyard

Ever since we have known our house we have been missing a patch of cobbles in the front courtyard. This was patched at some time in the not too distant past with a lump of cement which was neither elegant or practical - at some stage the cement had broken, and it was turning into a gravel pit.

The front courtyard as it was

When we had the digger in the concrete was broken up and removed, and in the process we found a stack of cobbles which had been used as hard core. This cheered us up, because it could mean we might have the whole courtyard looking the same

The concrete is removed and Alex is
ready to start laying the cobbles

Alex laid the cobbles on a bed of cement. I had measured all the cobbles and written the dimensions on them. This was important as the cobbles are laid in rows of different widths, and having the cobbles marked meant Alex could choose the next cobble to fit a particular row.

Bedding the cobbles in

We didn't have enough of our own cobbles to finish the job, so we ask M.Douady the mason if he had any reclaimed cobbles he could sell us. Luckily he has recently lifted the floor of an old barn and has beaucoup cobbles which are a very close match to ours.

This is how far we got before we ran out of cobbles

It took a couple of weeks to get co-ordinated (he is a very busy man), but last week M.Douady arrived in his truck with 3 metres of cobbles which appear to be of the same stone but different sizes to what we already had. This meant that on Friday Alex could finish one of those jobs which will make our life more convenient than I suspect we at first thought. We had to get a little creative with the pattern we laid them in, but this reflects what we already had: at some stage a patch of cobbles had been relaid disregarding the original straight lines.

The job's a good 'un

Now we will be able to park the car without falling down a hole, and people approaching our doorbell will have a firm surface to walk on. We're really pleased with the aesthetics of it, as well. It looks just like what we already had on the rest of the courtyard, and given a few months it will be almost impossible to remember where the nasty gravel and cement was.

Simon

Téléthon

The last two days have been Téléthon, the annual fundraiser for research into Muscular Dystrophy. It is a big event, this year having raised over 80 million euros by the time we went to bed last night. We played our own little part yesterday.

Our neighbour Patrice called in a couple of weeks ago to ask if we would be interested in joining a randonnée pour voitures anciennes. He owns three old Peugeots and had organised a group of cars to go around the small villages surrounding Preuilly, collecting funds. Needless to say we jumped at the invitation.

We met at Yzeures sur Creuse at midday, and enjoyed a convivial lunch with the drivers of the other vehicles. We had all purchased clockwork models of 2CVs, which were being sold as fundraisers by Fiesta'Deuche Berry-Touraine (the local 2CV club), which kept us fairly busy between courses and added to the hilarity. After lunch, tactics were discussed and official paperwork handed out. The 2CVs were to head off in one direction, and the rest of us, lead by Patrice's friend Jean-Louis, were to go to Chambon, Chaumussay, Charnizay and back to Yzeures. As the purpose of the exercise was to attract attention, continual use of the horn was obligatory. I probably used the klaxons more yesterday than I have ever used car horns before in my life. Excellent fun!

At Chambon we stopped for our after lunch café at the Mairie, which was a pleasant surprise. The cars attracted a lot of attention: there was a crowd of at least 10 people, quite a number for such a small village. At Chaumussay we called into the salle de fetes (the old station) where the local children were putting on a concert. I am not sure that our parting salvo of car horns helped much.

Careful parking at Chaumussay

At Charnizay we parked in the village centre, before moving off to the football ground where the local team were taking on St Hippolyte. We were invited to join the supporters in the bar, where Susan was offered a cup (a CUP mind you) of Poire Williams which she managed to gracefully decline, opting for chocolat chaud instead. The football wasn't up to much, but we did see some brutal tackles - something that always brightens a cold and overcast day.

A collection of tails at Charnizay

After Charnizay we got separated from the main group. Being the third car in line, I thought we were safe from getting lost. Unfortunately the first two cars went in the wrong direction, and we followed. Happily, we knew where we were supposed to be going (Yzeures) so we had our own private randonnée, meeting the rest of the team back at base.

We really enjoyed the afternoon's drive - everyone was very welcoming. Célestine attracted a lot of attention and has been declared a belle voiture by more than one expert. I may be biased, but I reckon she was the prettiest car there too.

We stayed on for the dinner of poule au pot, where it was announced that the classic cars had collected over 450€ between them.

Simon

The Weather Forecast

I have mentioned the weather forecast a couple of times in the last week or so. I am not sure I trust it any more.

At just past 9.00 yesterday morning I was sitting inside, wonder if it was worth even opening the shutters, or if I should just go back to bed. The reason was the weather - according to our blog it was 1°c and raining.

Imagine my surprise when I looked outside and saw this:
They were right about the temperature, though. Very cold. I think summer is over.

Simon

The Potager Continues to Give

Freshly picked and washed chard (silver beet, bettes or blettes), parsley (persil), beetroot (betterave), Jerusalem artichokes (topinambours), carrots (carrottes) and leeks (poireaux), photographed on 29 November.

Even in early December the potager still gives us fresh vegetables.

We mentioned yesterday that the forecast was for teeming down rain, so we would be spending the day inside. As is usual for times when teeming down rain is forecast, we had a lovely sunny (but cold) day, with a slight sprinkle of rain at 3.00pm. We washed Wednesday's grime off Célestine and put a product called "RainX" on the windscreen. This should mean we dont need to use the windscreen wipers nearly as often, and when we do they will be more effective

Talking of Célestine, we have been using
the dalles gazon, and it works a treat.

Susan

What a Day!!

Two of Susan's friends from Australia have been in Paris the past week, and yesterday they hopped on the TGV to St Pierre des Corps where we met them with Célestine.

First stop was coffee - they were on the train that arrived at 9.00am, which meant we left home at 7.15 and were in need of picking up ourselves. We stopped at Veigné at a little bar-tabac (a combination newsagents, bar and betting shop) while Susan, Margaret and Di caught up on many years' news.

From there, we progressed (in a stately manner, naturally) to Le Louroux. I had a strange feeling, however, that all was not as stately as it could have been - a feeling reinforced upon arrival by Susan announcing "we have a flat tyre!". To be precise, the passenger's side front tyre was totally flat.

After playing around with the jack for a bit I sent the ladies off to look at the Maison du Pays and church while I did the mechanic thing. This wasn't easy, because although I had worked out where the jacking points at the back of the car are (can't miss 'em), at the front of the car - where everything goes on - things are more obscure. Still - I persevered and managed to get the wheel changed. The old tyre, however, is totally shredded. I hope the wheel isn't damaged.

From there we moved on (quite gingerly at first) to Ste Maure de Touraine, or more precisely Noyant de Touraine, where we dined at a Routier called the Milles Pattes (the Centipede) and for 12€ we were wined dined and sent on our way suitably bloated. This is an excellent restaurant, full of builders and military memorabilia near the railway line in Noyant, and well worth stopping for.

Our next stop was the basket weaving town of Villaines les Rochers. We called into the co-operative, where they have a shop full of baskets, furniture and knick-knacks, a small museum, and a workshop. The work they produce looks amazing (I'm not a huge fan of basketwork, but it really is good) and is all done from willow osiers, and the skill (and dexterity) of the artisans is really impressive.

We had intended to visit the chateau at Azay le Rideau, but when we got there a notice on the door said the it was closed for the day as they were engaged in a 'mouvement social' and they hoped they had our understanding (in other words, they were on strike).

This gave us an opportunity to visit Villandry, which is always worth a stroll - especially when admission is only 2€ because the house was closed off and they had a film crew in. This year's theme in the garden appears to be cabbages, although I noticed they also had chard, black kale (and just to get away from a cabbagey theme) celery. It is truly amazing what you can do with a paddock full of cabbages, some box hedges, and a team of professional gardeners!

Despite the rain (which was cold AND wet) and wind we had a good day out, and Margaret and Di enjoyed feeling like royalty in the back of Célestine, but they did suggest we should supply elbow length white gloves and tiaras for a more authentic royal waving experience.

Susan, Diana, Margaret and Célestine at Villandry

The drive home from St Pierre des Corps wasn't much fun: it was rush hour, the traffic was appalling and made worse by roadworks and poor signposting that was invisible in the teeming rain. Célestine doesn't like being in traffic jams with her headlights on - the battery doesn't charge when she is idling, so by the time we left the agglomeration of Tours I couldn't see the road. Happily, after 10 minutes or so on the open roads the headlights took effect and life became easier. We also had some windscreen wiper problems - the passenger side wiper travels too far and gets stuck on the windscreen frame, which means Susan has to operate the wipers manually for me.

Still - little problems - you can get a flat tyre in any car, and with some of the rain we had yesterday anone's wipers would struggle. It was good getting away from the garden works for a day, and it looks like we're not gardening again today as the weather hasn't improved any. I will be tucked up in front of a roaring fire watching DVDs.

Mine's a hot chocolate...

Simon

Buying Gravel and Soil

When we have to buy gravel or soil, the most economical way is for us to drive to the builders' yard in Yzeures. Gravel and topsoil isn't expensive, but having it delivered is. It's a simple procedure, but one for which you need a trailer.

You drive into the yard and wait until the weighbridge (bascule) is vacant. Once there you go to the office, tell the person behind the counter what you're after, and she weighs your vehicle and gives you a ticket. She then directs you to whatever part of the yard the desired materiel is stored and you wait for the man in the digger to arrive.

Weighing in. I wait in the car
while Susan does the paperwork

You have to keep an eye on proceedings at this stage; he would willingly fill your trailer up - about a tonne - which is a problem if your trailer is only rated to 375kg of load. I get out the car and stand by (but not too close to) the trailer and wave my arm when I estimate I have sufficient. Our last two loads have been 550Kg and 450Kg, which shows I am getting to be a better judge of these things.

Loading up. I am trying to estimate how many
stones have been dropped in the trailer.

You then drive back to the bascule, get weighed again and pay the lady for the difference in weight. 550Kg of gravel cost us €14, which isn't at all bad, but topsoil is even cheaper at €10 a tonne.

Simon

Events in and around Preuilly for December 2009

Friday 4 & Saturday 5 – Téléthon
Téléthon is an annual fundraiser for the Muscular Dystrophy Charities in France. A weekend of fundraising broadcast on TV Channels 2 & 3. Every town and most villages will be holding events.

Saturday 5 – Hommage aux morts pour la France pendant la guerre d'Algérie
Ceremony honouring those who died for France during the Algerian War.

Saturday 12 – Cinéma "le Petit Nicolas"

Sunday 13 – Arbre de Noël – Ecoles Publiques
Christmas Tree.

Friday 18 – Marché de Noël
Christmas Market.

Friday 18 – Spectacle Arbre de Noël – Ecole Notre Dame
Christmas Tree Show.

Mondays 21 & 28 - Marigny Marmande - Marché aux Truffes
Annual truffle fair.

Friday 25 – Noël
Christmas Day, a public holiday.

Market days in Preuilly are Thursdays and Saturdays. The market is held in Place des Halles in the morning.

On Saturday nights there is a pizza van in Place des Halles.


Wildlife to watch out for: Large flocks of Lapwing / Vanellus vanellus / Vanneau huppé feeding on open agricultural land, taking flight and wheeling if disturbed before settling again.

Wildflowers to watch out for: rosettes of newly emerged Lizard Orchid /Himantoglossum hircinum /Orchis bouc leaves in the grass.

If you are planning any events, or know of any events planned for January
in the Preuilly/ Touraine Cote Sud area, please get in touch.

Portes-Ouvertes at Domaine de la Rablais

A tempting display of cheeses and ham

In November many of the specialist food producers have open days, inviting their regular customers and the general public to come to the farm. It's a way of promoting the newly available produce from this year's harvest. The event will generally consist of a produce market, with a variety of other producers from the region taking a stall; there is usually le possibilité de repas (a sit down lunch available) and sometimes a display of old farm vehicles or farm animals (unusual breeds of chickens and rabbits are a favourite). We have previously been one on a walnut oil producing farm, and we also went to one on the weekend at Domaine de la Rablais, a vineyard run by the Simoneau family, who we have visited a couple of times before.

Boxes of sparkling wine for sale.

The market at the Simoneau's open day was small, but the quality of the displays and produce was particularly good. We bought some extremely good boudin blanc (chicken sausage) from Aux Charcuteries Gourmandes; a très sec (very dry ie. aged) log of goats' cheese; half a kilo of châtaignes (chestnuts), which we will cook in the ash tray of our wood stove; 3kg of very fresh oysters from somewhere on the Poitou-Charentes coast to the west for 10€; a couple of crêpes to snack on; and of course, a case of wine (35€ for a mixed case of 6 bottles of sparkling wine).

Sampling the wine before buying.

A nifty tool for getting that perfect thin lacy crêpe.

We were fairly restrained with the wine. Most people were buying multiple cases and staggering out to the carpark with them on sack trucks and trolleys. Some people were buying en vrac (in bulk), the wine being squirted directly from the stainless steel vats into their plastic jerrycans like filling an emergency petrol can. The cheapest was 1,35€ / litre for Rosé de Loire.

Susan

Water Levels

This year the water levels in the river have been all over the place - with no discernable reason.

On 15 October the river was the lowest we have ever seen it

Four weeks later (11 November), and after no real rain, the river was back

to it's normal level. We assume someone opened a weir somewhere

Simon

We Have Gates

After laying the dalles gazon, our next task was to hang the gates.

When we were putting the gateposts into the ground we spent a lot of time measuring, to make sure the gateposts were the right distance apart, and that the gates would be level once installed. Once we had decided on where the posts should go I measured again, and just for good measure (as it were) I measured again once the posts were in but before the cement had set.

I had to design and manufacture my own method of hanging the gates as the hinges supplied with the gate were the sort that are meant to be hammered into stone, not the sort that screw or bolt into cement. In the end we decided on the bottom hinge being a solid cast metal shutter pin screwed into the posts taking all the weight, and as all the top hinge has to do is hold the gate in place I would bolt a bent metal strip to the post and use the original gate fitting to locate a bolt into the gate.

A shutter (volet) pin put to different use

By the time we were ready to start, the weather had turned nasty and we were getting rained on. Even though this made precise work even more difficult, we managed to get all the parts level and even. This involved drilling a couple of new holes in the posts, but even this went surprisingly well (I don't really like using electrical power tools outside in the rain, but no way was I stopping work halfway through).

Boys and their toys: using the
electric destroyer in the rain

The custom gate fixing method went onto the posts easily enough, and even 2 days later appears to be really solid. The gates swing freely, but are so level that they don't swing open (or closed) under their own steam. This is a victory, and we were feeling well chuffed.

Attaching the top fitting to the post.

It was then we realised we had a problem. I had measured so precisely that the gates fitted perfectly - with only about 2mm between them. This was annoying as the handles and lock supplied require a 5mm gap. As there is nothing we can do to ease the gates apart we will have to work out our own method of locking the gates.

The gates in place. By this time
none of us were enjoying the rain.

The garden is slowly coming together. All(!!) we have to do now is move lumps of soil all over the place, spread a couple of trailerloads of topsoil, plant daffodils and grass seed in the lawn section, put the fence up and move the old concrete laundry tub back. That is next week's job.

Simon

Dalle Gazon

I know - it sounds like a French take on Indian cuisine, but you couldn't be more wrong!

Because our back garden is so small we decided that we didn't want to divide it up any more than was necessary. This meant that we either had to have a totally gravel garden (very 80's, but bleugh), or fully grassed. The latter option was voted on as better, but it left us with a problem as far as getting Célestine into the garage. It was then I remembered the concrete stuff with a grid in it for lawn that they use in public carparks, and the plastic stuff that lawn grows through that lets you drive on a lawn without crushing it and making wheel ruts.

It was then I encountered a snag: searching for "you know - that plastic stuff you can drive on that lets the lawn grow" on Google didn't help much, and until I knew the English word for it there was no way I could work out the French! Fate (or something) stepped in and by a process now forgotten but which probably involved typing "pelouse" (lawn) into Google picture search and spending an evening clicking on stuff I discovered the magic word: Dalle (or Dalles) Gazon: lawn tiles. A couple of days later we were in Chatellerault and would you believe it - a stack of plastic things with holes in the for the grass to grow through that I could point at and say " dalles gazon!!!!", thus impressing every French person in the store.

A single dalle. They are 60cm x 40cm (roughly 2' x 18")
and clip together to make a path

Once we were ready to start work on the back garden we returned and bought a stack of dalles gazon and 6 metres of 4mm steel rod to cut into pins so we could anchor it down.

You can't just put these things on the ground and fill them up with dirt: they need to be on a firm base and anchored so that they don't shift around or sink as you drive on them. This involved driving to Yzeures with the trailer and buying a 1/2 tonne of gravier (little rounded river bed stones) as a bed to take the weight which Susan and I spread this on Tuesday afternoon.

On Wednesday morning Alex arrived so we could start laying the dalles. This went really well except for the anchoring - even after sharpening a point onto the pins they required seriously intense bashing to get them into the ground - our garden substrate really is that hard. It took a couple of hours to lay the two lines of dalles from the gateway to the garage, but we are feeling encouraged by the way it feels underfoot.

Of course, like most hard work things, when we are finished you won't be able to see how much work went into it, but neither should you see wheel ruts, potholes and mudholes.

Simon

Shine a light

The headlights on a six volt Citroën Traction Avant are notorious (amongst Traction owners, anyway) for being a bit rubbish. One person on the Traction Avant Owners Forum even claims "last time I drove at night I swear they actually sucked in moonlight".

Now we have our new alternator fitted the headlights on Célestine have improved out of sight. Or would have done, if I hadn't lost low beam the other day. On Monday I took out the old lamp (which means dismantling the headlight, which isn't difficult, just fiddly) to begin my search for a new one. I needed the old bulb because (of course) there are 3 different sorts of fitting that were put into the Traction over the years by different factories - and on a restored car you never know what piece may have been retro fitted.

The old bulb turns out to be 36 watt low beam, 45 watt high beam with a 3 pin bayonet fitting, so that is what I am looking for. They aren't cheap - which is why I am in turmoil. If I buy one from a Traction Avant specialist it could cost me €17, which is a bit pricey when you consider I should be carrying a spare: so I have to buy 2.

I do have the consolation that once
I do buy a lamp, it could last a long time!

It would be a lot cheaper if I went for a white bulb instead: I can buy white bulbs from a motorbike specialist for €3.50, but I would like to keep the headlights yellow - It's more authentically French. Which brings us to an interesting little bit of history:

In 1936 the French government were becoming increasingly concerned about Germany - in March 1936 German forces reoccupied the Rhineland in contravention of the Treaty of Versailles in which it was agreed that the Rhineland would remain a de-militarised zone. This meant that Germany and France shared a border, which made the French government nervous - they were suffering a severe financial crisis and couldn't afford a war. In response they could only really afford to do one thing: make a shedload of new laws (aren't we lucky that governments these days don't react the same way). One of the laws introduced was concerning car headlights - in future they were to be yellow so that even if they couldn't do anything about German incursions into France, at least they could tell (by headlight colour) when they were happening. This law lasted until 1992, when an amendment allowed headlights to be either yellow or white.

The other option - should I decide to go for white lights - is to replace the old incandescent bulbs with halogen lamps - these are twice as efficient ( that is, they use the same amount of electricity but make twice as much light) and will light the way like never before. They are even more expensive: €30 apiece. At the moment though, the search continues for affordable yellow 36/45w or 40/45w, 40mm x 60mm bulbs with a BA21D fitting

Simon

*After I wrote this I had a period of quiet reflection and realised I had seen a headlight box somewhere. That somewhere happened to be Célestine's glovebox, and there was a new bulb in there.

This means that buying a bulb isn't as immediate a concern as I thought it was, but I am glad I had this little panic. I have learnt an awful lot, but I can now do some more research and order some new bulbs at leisure.

Célestine all lit up with new headlight bulbs

Why do we Blog - and a Landmark

At some time today we will have our 100,000th visitor to the blog*. This is quite exciting, and has led us to do a bit of thinking about the blog and why we do it.

Us, looking excited. Jocelyn, who is a regular
reader of the blog, took the photo in September

We started the blog in August 2008 2006 as an easy way to let our families (mainly) know what we are doing without having to email them all individually at a time when we were very busy. Gradually (very gradually at first) this spread to include our friends, then people who had been searching the internet and stumbled across us. At first, that was people who had actually searched for "Preuilly sur Claise", usually people with a house in town. From there the readership has spread, mainly through links on other people's blogs, but also through people who search for information on poisonous snakes in France, feather steak, Kouign Amann or a million and one other things we have written about.

The flow of information isn't all one way, either. We have received useful advice in comments people have made: usually on building matters, but also on recipes, how to say things in French, where to buy stuff, and interesting places to visit. Keep those comments coming, they are all appreciated, especially when they fill in blanks in my knowledge. Of course, compliments are always welcome too :¬)

We started customising the blog in January 2007.
This was our first photo header.

We enjoy writing the blog, although sometimes it does feel like a chore; what do you write about on days where our life, although we are living in France in an old house and own an old car, is no less mundane than anyone else's? At first we blogged only when something momentous was happening: the first post we ever wrote was the day after we paid the deposit on the house. Since March 2008 we have posted every day: as a record for us of what we have done, and as a reminder of how far we have come when we are feeling like we aren't achieving. On the days where we haven't been achieving we post the cooking/touring/local colour type things - but you can't take for granted that a post about flowers means we haven't been working. If we have worked too hard, spending a couple of hours at the computer the same evening (or before 9.00am the next day) may be beyond us.

Through the blog we have met a lot of interesting people. The first people we met because of the blog were Alan and Jane, who very kindly invited us for dinner on Christmas Eve 2006. Since then we have shared many meals with people from all over the world, both in our own home, their homes, or restaurants. Susan was a bit dubious about meeting all those people, but we are reassured that we haven't met any nutters (except in the nicest sense of the word) yet. The only continent we haven't met people from is Africa, which doesn't really surprise me: the spread of visitors to the blog looks like this:
Last time we wrote about this the headline numbers were:

• 28.39% from the USA
• 23.70% from the UK
• 21.35% from France
• 11.46% from Australia

The blog also give us an opportunity to share our photos. Since we bought our first digital camera in 2002 we have taken over 21,000 photos, of which 15,400 have been taken since we started looking for a house in France in January 2006. As an act of mercy we have only put 1900 of those photos on the blog. I like to have 3 photos on a blog entry (no idea why, I just decided that it made a post look balanced), so sometimes we have to make some difficult decisions about which photo we chose to show. As you can imagine, some photos have been taken many times: no matter how many times you visit Chenonceau, for instance, you can't help but try take the "classic" photo. Likewise, when I see a Bee Orchid in good condition I feel obliged to take at least two shots from every possible angle. At least with digital cameras I don't have to get the photos developed and there is no financial penalty with taking so many photos beyond buying a hard drive to store them all on.

There has been a suggestion that I only blog so I know where I was and what I did on any particular day. This will be strongly denied, but I will admit there are one or two entries where I squirm a little when I read them. Such innocence...

Simon


*we passed the 50,000 mark in April this year. That means we have had as many visitors in the last 7 months as visited in the previous 2½ years

Creative Transport Thinking

This vehicle was spotted in the carpark of the sous-préfecture in Loches. The sidecar contains two child booster seats, for children of different ages, so presumably the whole family can go about together. Why didn't they just buy a small car though?

And it's nothing compared to this vehicle, posted recently on Frogsmoke, who found it on the maker's site.

Susan