The Holiday Home @ Le Mas d'Ayen -The Bedrooms

Where we now live also includes a holiday rental house or gîte, as it is called in French.
We were lucky enough to have been left the charming furniture of said gîte by the previous owners, and while in keeping with a country atmosphere, we found that with a few changes it could become even better.
Take a look.

The main bedroom has been completely refurbished, except for the curtains. A new bed 160x200, mattress, bedlinen and 2 new bedside tables. All other furniture, lamps, paintings, etc we've had for a long time.

After

Before

We didn't touch the walls, nor the floors,  because they where beautifully done by the previous owners. The furniture that was here, we just moved to the second bedroom, as you will see later down below.

First, a few more of the main bedroom.

Before

After

 After

After

As I said, it looked beautiful before, but I just had to put my own stamp on it and add some personal touches.

The second bedroom looked like this, with the wardrobe on the opposite wall from the two single beds. One of these beds has been moved to the spare room of the main house.

Before

After 

The wardrobe got moved to the other wall, with a writing desk next to it. The two single beds from the main room are now in here. The rug is added for extra cosiness

 After

The bed that stayed, will serve as a 'daybed' or 3rd single bed if we have 5 people staying.

After

The two beds from the main bedroom are now adorning this one. The red and white bedlinen I already had. I still have plenty in the pipeline for this room, but it'll have to wait just a bit longer, because next week the new kitchen in the main house will be installed. 

And after that, a few tweaks to the gîte's bathroom, sitting room and kitchen. Well, who am I kidding?  The kitchen will get a back door, replacing the existing window, a terrace and steps leading out into the garden.

I'll keep you posted.

Salut

Patricia xxx...x

Perpetually Cold

Chilled to the bone. I'm irritable and in a constant state of snappiness. Because I'm cold !
I know there are many, many people in a worse state of cold than I am, but I can't think of that right now.
We've moved to the south of France and I want to feel some warmth. In all fairness, it is more bearable outside than indoors.
Our house is draughty. Uninsulated floors with cold cellars underneath, gaps under and around the doors, single-pane windows.
We have one gorgeous woodburner in the sitting room, but it can't keep up with the cold in the house, and we can't keep up with bringing the logs indoors.  The other rooms have electric heaters, which we don't use too much, because if we boil the kettle, or use the washing machine, etc. the fuse will blow.

I'm not sure if we made the right decision by replacing the woodburner in the kitchen with a range cooker. It is a stunning beast, granted, but it doesn't radiate much heat.

Now we've made up our minds to install central heating, but until that happens I'm wearing several layers, including two thick jumpers, mitts on my hands (fingers still cold) and a scarf around my neck. I've closed off most of the gaps under the doors (with rolled up throws) and hung some curtains at the most offending one. Double glazed windows have been ordered as well as new outside doors.
Next step however is insulating the floors.

I would say, roll on summer, but no, we've still too many projects to start and finish before we can open up our campsite ! Oh Jeez what have we taken on ?

Patricia xxx...x

Irma's Room

My mum is arriving today ! She seems to be in good spirit (on the phone at least) since her last ordeal. We will pick her up at Toulouse airport around noon and I can't wait to show her the guestroom in which she will holiday.

Except for the new bed, the rug and the ceiling light,  we used what we already had. Oh, and the rug isn't staying.We will find another place for it eventually and buy a more suitable one for Irma's room.

Thanks for popping in.

Patricia xxx...x

And so it is ready.

I've been spending many days  creating the website for our new venture. Only the English version has been published so far, as I am still working on the Dutch and French sites.

I have to thank the previous owners of Le Mas, Arie and Bernadette, for giving me permission to use some of their pictures for the website. It is a bit hard to try and promote a place for summer hols, if you only have the chance take  photos in the bleak midwinter.

So please take a look and browse. Report back if you see grammatical or spelling mistakes, or if you find the flow of the site a bit meh.


The link :  Le Mas d'Ayen

It was fun to draw out a plan of the campsite. Have a glimpse below.

Thanks for visiting
Salut
xxx...x

The Wanderer Returns

To this blog, if probably only for a while.
Also, we have returned to France. To live. Maybe also only for a while, who knows what the future holds, but let's settle down first and unpack some boxes.

I trust everyone has had a lovely Christmas (or whatever it is you celebrate), and let me, at this time, wish you all the best for the upcoming brand-spanking New Year !

What has happened ?
We sold our house in Ireland and moved just over a month ago into our new abode. Well, the first few weeks we spent in the holiday cottage on the property we bought.
The Département Corrèze is where we've settled and we're still finding our way around and trying to install ourselves and prepare for our upcoming big project.
The project being, running a small campsite (25 pitches), a holiday let, and bar/resto for holiday guests.
The land, the buildings and the surrounding area are all beautiful and I will tell you more about all of this in a later post.
At this time it is very difficult for me to write this post as I am already missing my dearest friends in Ireland (you know who you are), my mother hasn't been well and at the moment our dog Millie is at the vets, where she has to stay till Friday, at least.

The cats have found their groove, as you can see, even though they haven't been outside yet.

Blackie would like nothing more than to go back home,

but then Santa Ikea arrived on Christmas Eve with some sofas.

He couldn't believe his luck when the arrival of a sofa could make it into 'home'

I am about to start work on a website for our new adventure and will post a link on here, once it is ready.  From then on I think it is time to really round off this blog, as it has come full circle. It started its life in France, almost 12 years ago and there will be a blog on the new website too.

Until next time,
Salut
Patricia xxx...x

And then there was Mathias...

My very first nephew, my mother's first grandchild, my brother's first born.

He was born on the 20 th September 2007, weighing 3.820 kg and measuring all of 50cm.

I would like to congratulate my brother, Rijkaard and his partner, Joëlle.

They have a very beautiful, gorgeous, scrumptious baby boy. Needless to say that I have already fallen in love with him, and I haven't even seen him in real life yet, because of distance.

Update on the Summer kitchen

Look at this. These pictures have been sitting in the 'Draft - section' of my Blog since the 30th May. It is about time I put them out there for everyone to see the work that has been going on during the summer.

Here, Sarah and Friedel, unloading rocks to go under the concrete floor.



Ezra and Andrew mixing concrete

Andrew, smoothing out the surface

Catpaw prints, as always. Now, it wouldn't feel like home if we didn't have catpaw prints in every bit of concrete we pour.

Friedel and Andrew, leveling for the barbecue to sit.

What a life !

Here, it isn't possible to walk through the garden without a cat trying to block your way by throwing themselves in front of you. Like Gabrielle, on the photo below, throwing me off balance.

Here, it isn't possible to repot plants without a cat confiscating your pot before you had a chance to put a plant in it. Like Finian (below). Here it is also dangerous to prepare plant holes in the garden, before you know it one or other cat has used it as a toilet. It is extremely efficient in the cat's mind that you make a hole for their benefit.

When you think you've seen it all, forget it, look up and you will notice Juniper on top of the skylight, wanting to get in that way.

However annoying they might be from time to time, I can't help but loving them to bits.

Summer Scenes

Summer scenes ?

The weather has been apalling, even here, in the south of France, but we have to try and make the best of it. At least the grass hasn't turned yellow yet and we don't have to water the veggie garden too often.

I haven't been updating my blog lately, due to a lot of work in the garden, housework and taking care of holiday guests which often includes serving evening meals.

I did take a few summery(ish) pictures however and here they are.

What better to put in a birdcage but plants ? Here Nasturtium.



Accross the road a beautiful summer meadow.

The grass has been growing and growing, we couldn't even get through to the cherry trees.


That was until almost 2 weeks ago a neighbouring farmer, finally came to cut the hay - 2 to 3 weeks later than normal.


Monsieur Brousset and his son do this every year and they can have the hay to feed their cattle during the winter.

So when the weather finally cleared for a couple of days, there was a hive of activity in the area and you could hear the buzzing of tractors from dawn till dusk.

That is that for another year and I for one am happy that the hay has been harvested, so that I can stroll through the garden once again without being afraid of encountering a snake (eek!)

Strawberries, Strawberries ! Fresh Organic Strawberries !

Still not tempted ? Then scroll down and look at the amount of fresh yummyness I picked today.

We started off last year with 10 strawberry plants that my mother brought with her from Belgium. Now the whole raised bed is covered and more. I must admit that they are getting a bit crowded and in late summer I need to find another place for them in the garden that will give them more space so that the fruits can enjoy the full sun and develop even more flavour.

I think I know what we will be having for dessert tonight.

Strawberries and cream.... or , I still have some gulab jamun (Indian dessert) and we could eat them with that.... or, vanilla icecream and strawberries.....or, ..........

Blackboard

Unfortunately, I might not be able to add recipes to my blog for the next couple of months as my schedule will be rather busy, with the garden, the holiday cottage and the guests. I do not know if many of them will have evening meals, but we've had a few so far. Here's a taster.

sushi

miso soup






Sarah & Ezra plating up

I will however, keep you up to date with projects, garden progress and miscellaneous drivel, not forgetting lots of pictures.