Monday, another bright and lovely day, but oh so cold.... The air temperature is so very low and we all need to wrap up well outside. Even in the afternoon it is so cold. The nights are clear so there is always a frost in the morning. Roll on better weather, just another couple of weeks (I hope).

Tyler left early this morning to travel south to Toulouse. He has found another Wwoof host. He is wanting to travel the cities of Europe and I feel that he will be moving his way to Spain then working his way back up here then through to Germany (possibly). He has many ideas of where to go and what to do. I wish him well, he is quite a nice young guy but needs a bit of encouragement. We have a Dutch couple coming in May, they are leaving Holland and exploring the rest of Europe with a view to settling elsewhere and we will be on their itinerary. Quite looking forward to seeing them. Maybe we will get other Wwoofers arriving before them, we could certainly do with the help.

We have been trimming back more trees and shrubs, there is so much tidying to do before the spring. I have found 'pockets' of bulbs growing that I didn't realise I had. Won't be long before they are showing their lovely faces. The veg garden needs a lot of work. The weather has been so wet up until now that the ground is still too spongy to work. We have moved all the soft fruit now and need to set up a cage to protect it all. It will need a lot of posts and loads of netting. We will have to check out with some local pheasant breeders where to get the necessary stuff.

Nothing has happened indoors yet. I have clients booking for the odd weekend which is good, it all helps with the finances. Jeff is still unsure about our plans but Kathy and I are confident that it will all work.

Ian and Kathy start free French lessons this week, Kathy has also signed on with an agency and told the employment bods in Bressuire that she intends to look for work. ASSEDIC and ANPE are amalgamating to make it easier for the unemployed. The French have been very helpful for both of them and we cannot see why so many English have problems. Ian is getting 'dole' money at the moment and is looking for work. He really needs the time (and ££'s) to get his house finished.

Been reading about Jacqui Smith and Alastair Darling and their allowances for 2nd homes. Oh my what a government the UK has. Are all these people taking the 'pi**' . I sometimes cannot believe what I read, is it all fiction and as for that 13 year old boy impregnating a 15 year old girl.. Oh what is going on. Don't the parents accept responsibility for their children. The young parents and their child should be taken into care and fostered out to people who really care for children and their moral welfare. It makes me wonder how and why this happens. Morality is non-existent in some families in the UK.

And poor Jade Goody, she now knows that she will be dead within a matter of months. It is very sad but an idictment of the state of the UK. She has not been the most moral of girls and her lifestyle is giving her an early death. It is something you would not want to wish on your worst enemy....