Last night the power went at 12.15, quarter past midnight. The winds were horrendous. I went to bed early - around 10.30 pm. I read a little of 'The Moonstone' by Wilkie Collins, I am catching up on some English classics. I need to find a copy of 'The Lady in White' as well. Anyway, after reading a couple of pages (it is getting into the Victorian way of writing I find difficult) I settled down and dropped to sleep quite quickly. The wind, however, woke me continually in the night. Our bedroom faces South West and that was where the wind was coming from. I thought that the roof was going to take off it was so fierce. I didn't realise that the power had gone until some time in the early hours. It was so quiet - no electrical sounds from the clock by the bed and of course no light as well. I didn't get up until late - and I hurt. My whole body ached, I think I must have slept very tense due to the wind outside. I so hate the wind. Most of the West of France was affected by the winds, around 140,000 homes without power.

During the day we had to remember not to bother putting lights on, they did not work. There was no radio (which I love - it cuts out the tinnitus in my ears) no automatic lighting of the gas hob - had to remember to use matches to light the gas. Didn't dare open the freezers, didn't know when we would be getting electricity back... How do people manage in countries where they do not have the luxury of such things. Makes us think more of wind turbines and generators as alternative sources of energy. We have a river which could be used for energy - why not? costs of course.....

Tyler arrived this afternoon. He our 1st Wwoofer this years. He seems like a nice, personable young man. If he is anything like the Wwoofers we had last year he will be brilliant. He comes from New York, but is originally from California. He hopes to spend 9 months in Europe and has saved for the last 2 years for this experience. He had a week in Paris before coming here and hopes to do the 'Cities' of Europe. Berlin, Helsinki, Amsterdam, Barcelona etc... We will look after him whilst he is here and wish him well with his venture.