Patience part 2

We have received a letter from the insurance company.....

We are not happy....

We went to their local office Friday afternoon...

Their claims manager has Friday off...................Grrrrrrrrr......

We will go visit next week.

From what we understand - (they say) because our barns are very old 'vetuste' we only get 25% towards any claim......................

So, it costs us 2000 euro for the repair to the roofs and we only get 250 euro....

Are we happy??

Noooooooo.

We are not happy.

I think we should sell the barns for whatever we can for them and let whoever buys them take the brunt of it all.

We are very disappointed with our insurance company.

We made a legitimate claim some 6 yrs ago.

We had a day of extreme weather during April... high winds from the West with hail and rain. It came in powerful gusts. It took out the centre roof of our hangar.. We called our insurance agent and he came to visit.. We made the claim with photos - what was the result? "Sorry but the winds (according to Meteo France) did not exceed 50km per hour that day in your village, it was not a tempest " (ergo no claim)!!

We take out insurance for peace of mind. Haaaaa!!

Once this claim is fully settled we will change our insurers, and check that they will give us 'peace of mind'....

What really comes to mind is: Our house is around 250 years old - if we have to make a large claim for any reason will they pay out???? I lose sleep over this!!

{In the meantime we have gone from one insurance company to another!! (AGF - Allianz)} Makes me sick - changes going on when the customer has no say!!!!


And so Autumn settles upon our part of the world.

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness!
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eaves run;
To bend with apples the mossed cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For Summer has o'erbrimmed their clammy cells.

etc..... (John Keats - Ode to Autumn)

I had to learn the above poem at school - It was a C of E School and as a Catholic I did not have Religious Instruction there, so I was given a poem to learn.... and the first line sticks in my mind - I could not get beyond it.

We have harvested some delicious plump hazelnuts and also chestnuts..... yummy - their clammy cells are well o'erbrimmed!!!!!

Not ALL is bad in La Belle France.....

Photo is of Liquidamber in our garden

(started to edit this posting - computer threw a wobbly so have had to alter text.. grrrr - I am not going to touch it again)

Patience

The canine visitor has departed....

My cats are now more relaxed......

(I show a picture of one of our cats sitting is upon an insect killer which is upon a microwave oven which is on the top of a refrigerator - she was around 7.5' off the floor.... So very safe!!)

Today I lost a lovely Denby butter dish.... (stressed cat pushed it off the work top at 6.00 this morning - it was totally shattered on the tiled floor)

Never mind, it was only something I had had for many years!!

Have done lots of things in the house and all my plans have been accepted without any problems by himself. Radiator taken off wall (haven't turned it on in 4 years so I considered it redundant!) so I had space to move furniture... It has worked!!! I now have a lounge that looks less cluttered and has more space... wow - all I need now are a couple of large rugs/small carpets...

Have taken the sewing machine out of retirement and am making more cushions, so far they look good.

Bought some lovely curtains many months ago and have to do a little alterations then get the poles re-established and the curtains hung before the winter begins... (It is beginning to get a little bit on the chilly side at the mo).

I just want to make our home look sell-able - is that so wrong??

There are ideas and plans flooding my mind - sometimes too many plans and ideas... I know it will all come together - eventually.

Children are fine... our son in law (married to no. 1 daughter) has recently lost his grand-dad. The funeral was today. Our daughter, in her infinite wisdom, asked their children if they would like to go to their great-grand-dads funeral... Of course, it is a day off school!!!!

Daughters Mum-in-law was absolutely horrified.... Children at a funeral!!! It is not the done thing!! etc. etc. This is the lady who was mortified when she heard that her grandson had seen a pheasant shot by his other grand-dad!... (didn't bother the boy at all!)

Spoke to no. 1 daughter this evening... kids were fine. The adults had red eyes but the little ones were OK. Children accept death easier than adults - why make a mystery of it all?

Am waiting, still, for builder to come visit regarding guttering and other little jobs. He was supposed to come last week.

I am a perpetual lady in waiting.... waiting for a builder, waiting for the insurance company to sort out the claim, waiting to get my little garden sorted outside the kitchen, waiting for the car to be completely mended.... and so it goes on...

Maybe my name should be Patience!!

I am really getting a bit pissed off with my intermittent connection to the internet. I intend to look something up and what do I get ‘Ooops Google Chrome could not find www.Google.co.uk.’ Or even, ‘service unavailable – error 503’, (mozilla). I managed to get through on Internet Explorer but I could not copy and paste the first three lines of this text….

So I am typing this up on Microsoft Word. Would I do better using another system I ask myself. I hear that Apple have a good system, have even heard of Linux (what is it?) – shall I go with them next?

I like to communicate and at the moment communication via the internet is the best option for me. What did we do 15 or so years ago? Letters, telephone and telegrams followed by visits via car, bus or train ..

We still have to take some branches off a lovely Blue Spruce. This tree is blooming now – it is not a spring bloomer (and I am allergic to conifers) so it will have to go…. Our telephone line is caught up in some of the branches. We have taken out the branches of the Maple that the line ran through, but we are still having connection problems. These trees were planted some 30+ years ago by the previous owners of this house. We have taken out three conifers so far and a weeping willow that was seriously ill. The trees had not been well maintained at all. There was also about 25 Silver Birch competing for space and were extremely tall and spindly. At least they gave us plenty of firewood and some parking space. We have put in some specimen trees more suited to our situation.

Talking of the regular telephone line it is absolutely appalling, there is so much static that conversation is very difficult.

We had a guy come to visit – he is a tree surgeon employed by the local Electrical Company checking the lines and wanting to know who owned which trees where the lines passed through. I think that some of these trees are ours and will need to be pollarded. No great problem – I just hope that when they are cut back our telephone line will be better. I will, though, contact France Telecom afterwards and ask them to come and have a look at our telephone line which is so slack that it is almost touching the ground!

So what has been happening chez moi…

We have been dog sitting for the last week. A delightful dog called Ben – he is a collie of large proportions and rather overweight. His mistress had to go back to the UK for her sick father, and his master had to follow very quickly - Jenson and Ben are pals, mates, hounds that get on. They are both very social and enjoy each others company – they are good for each other. Just one problem though…. We have two cats – Ben chases cats, he chases them with a vengeance.. So we now have two stressed cats. At least the cats can shift under the furniture and out the door, but dear galumphing Ben has to make his way around the furniture, slipping and sliding on the floor, before he can get to the said door, and, by then, the cats have made it up to the third branch on the nearest tree where they sit and taunt the dog, mieow.

I have been making changes in the house. Something that has been needed for a long time and it is working. Moving furniture from one wall to another and what a difference it has made, there is now more light and space. My man was not sure that it would work but he is pleased with the result.

I have many wine glasses of various sizes and quality in a glass fronted cabinet. The cabinet was to be moved, after taking a redundant radiator off the wall, and I took out the 60+ glasses (I didn’t realise that there was so many!) and took them through to the kitchen for washing and polishing and was aware that himself was watching me…. hmm... I found a clean and dry tea-towel and threw it at him. He took the bait and actually dried and polished the glasses…. Result!!!!

Cabinet was cleaned and polished then moved to its new location. The shiny glasses were put back on their shelves. Another cabinet was moved into its place next to the glass cabinet and our lounge was transformed…

I think that I am motivating him a bit more (he is even cooking more often) as I am knuckling down to serious cleaning, clearing bits and bobs etc. – de-junking I suppose. We have bought the necessary to paint the walls in the kitchen – once our canine visitor has returned home then we can pull the stops out and start on the walls. I must admit that Ben is leaving a lot of hair and dust around the place – grrr – it will fill my vacuum cleaner!!)

We do have another immobilier coming to visit in the next week or so…. Got to make the place sellable!!

Religion.....

Does it really matter whether halal meat is served up to the general public in the UK? I have no problem with it. We have reared sheep and pigs and we have had a travelling butcher who has come and despatched the animals. – a swift ‘knock’ on the skull and then their throats slit and bled…. The animals did not suffer any stress and the meat was absolutely delicious. Years ago people reared their own animals and when they were ready/mature enough to eat then they were despatched the same way…. So why the problem now with something that has been happening for centuries? Is it because it is a ‘Muslim’ way of doing things? – it is also, apparently, a Jewish way, and I am sure it is the way it is happening in various parts of the world without any criticism or protest.

I was baptised into the Roman Catholic faith and was brought up in the Roman Catholic faith (God Bless fathers Donnelly, Moran and O’Sullivan). My mother was Irish Catholic and my Dad C of E. I took my Mothers religion (a bit like Jewish children I suppose). I was quite happy being a Roman Catholic and went to Church on Sunday for Mass before breakfast, Religious instruction in the afternoon and confession on Saturday (whether I had anything to confess or not – “bless me Father for I have sinned”). It was the norm for me.

When I reached my teenage years and Pope John XXIII was elected and started to make radical changes in the church I started to have a re-think. (I suppose now I would be likened to a ‘selective’ Catholic) Yes, I do appreciate and acknowledge the teachings of the Church and hope that I am keeping the Christian attitude to my fellow men (as well as suffering from occasional bouts of Catholic guilt). I abhor the attitude of some of the ‘luvvies’ (atheist, homosexual and some of the ex-Catholic Faith) in England who have decided to deride the Pope and our Church. Yes, there have been lots of problems with some priests and, in the past, some of the nuns in their convents, and it is absolutely abhorrent that the events that have been reported/recorded happened. But to get it into perspective you have had the same in ordinary parochial schools, children homes, etc. No, it is not only in the Catholic Church that this has happened. His Holiness has been elected to an elevated position, and I am sure it was not desired by him and now he is there he has to take the brunt of criticism from the rest of the world (non-Catholic). I applaud his stance in his apology and his also letting the United Kingdom know that their stance towards multi-culturism and the dumbing down of Christianity is wrong… I like to wear my crucifix, as many other do, and proclaim my faith without fear of being ridiculed. Catholics had bad enough press five hundred years ago, so why now? Have I made sense??

My husband and I married in a Catholic Church but my husband did not convert and, incidentally, I did not declare that I would obey, it – was - not – obligatory - then!

Our children are all baptised, but in the Church of England, an easy option I think. I did not pressure them into going to Church, R.C., C of E or otherwise. I thought it would better if it was up to them if they wanted to follow any religion.

Therefore: -

Eldest daughter: - ‘Religion? I am a scientist!’

Middle daughter: - ‘Wiccan’,

Youngest daughter: ‘???? Just live life’

But they are all happy and well adjusted. Ergo; Mum is happy as they are happy in themselves.

And I am still having problem posting on my blog…………………..

I am sure it is to do with the Spruce – IT HAS TO GO!!!!! And after it has gone I will get France Telecom to check the phone line and see it it is ok. Maybe it is a problem with their line……. We will see!! And no..... it is not a religious issue!!!!!

Above picture, taken by me, is a heavenly storm brewing one evening in the West.... perfect for this post!!!

School

I see that Mr Michael Gove, Minister for Education, has decided it was time to re-introduce Technical Schools. RAB Butler introduced the Education Act in 1944 and, I believe was instrumental in creating a three tier system of education. Secondary, Technical and Grammar Schools. I remember reading about and listening to Mr Butler on the BBC home service and then later seeing him on the Television - in black and white I hasten to add.

I was educated first in a small crowded Infant School housed in beautiful Victorian buildings. I then progressed to a Girls Primary School. This again was housed in a grand house with stunning staircases, beautiful tiled floors, highly polished wood, high windows and set in beautiful walled grounds. I remember an absolutely stunning Monkey Puzzle tree that seemed to touch the sky. There was also a sunken garden where the school put on a summer production of Alice in Wonderland... Super memories of a lovely school with lovely teachers and a very scary Headmistress. I did not pass 11+ exam. I couldn't cope with looking at an exam paper - everything I had learnt just went. This school has since been demolished and exclusive 'executive' housing has been built behind the walls... I was horrified when I saw what they had done!!!

Next school was a 'Secondary Modern School for Girls'. Brand spanking new!! I settled in and plodded on along with my classmates. Had brilliant English, Geography, Science, Domestic Science and French teachers but my Maths teacher was a dragon. I scraped through with my 13+ exam and eventually went to a Technical School. I bet you wondered where all this reminiscing was going!

I had to travel by train to school, along with other children going to the same town that boasted Grammar Schools, Technical Schools and also some 'dead posh' Private Schools. We were a mixed bunch on the train with children from 11 years old up to 18 years old, boys and girls, I am sure a few romances were underway. The train would stop midway and pick up another large group of children, by then the train was almost bursting at the seams, standing room only!

I had three years at the Technical School (Girls only!) and there I learnt Pitmans shorthand, how to type, using a very large manual Imperial typewriter, and also all about 'Commerce', I suppose now it would all be classed as Business Studies. I enjoyed my time there and now a great-niece of mine attends the same school and absolutely loves it too. The school has also gained a good reputation for languages, I remember our French teacher with fondness. If I had stayed at the Secondary School I would have probably become a shop assistant or a hairdresser - not really my cup of tea at all.

Yes, academia for some children, they need it and shouldn't be held back. Practical education for other children, again lots of them need it and if Mr Gove has his way then there will be lots of lads learning lifetime skills which have been lacking in the education system for around a generation. And of course, just education for those that who will never be top of the class or have no aptitude for practical things, but go through life in the background keeping things ticking over. Let's hope that Mr Gove's proposals work..

Insurers and Sorting !!!!

We suffered roof damage to our barns and also lost a wall during the storm of the 27/28th February 2010. We had the repairs completed by our builder and submitted the 'facture' to our insurers. At last it is done and we can sit back and relax a bit. No.....no way!! We received a cheque from our insurers in final settlement of the 'facture'. "WHAT the EFFF!" was my man's response when he opened the letter from our insurer, they had decided to pay just 25% of the total cost of repairs..... Hmm...

They had already refused to pay for severe damage to a 'hangar' some 7 years ago that lost its roof during a very bizarre day of high winds, hail, rain, sunshine etc. repeating itself. Apparently that day, according to the Meteo, the wind in our village did not exceed 50km per hour. In the village no, we are on the edge of the village and on a hill!! At that time we were not savvy about damage/mayors/insurers out here. We found out later, much later, that if we had had a letter from our Mayor to send to our insurers giving details about the bizarre weather we would have been OK. As you can well imagine we were well p'd off with the insurers and took the hangar off the policy.

Since we have gained more knowledge about things out here we decided to take the bull by the horns and went into town to see our lovely lady insurance agent (who does not speak a word of English). We explained the situation. She looked at the cheque, looked at our dossier, looked at my copies of paperwork from the quantity surveyor, who had been looking at lots of damaged/destroyed properties in our neck of the woods for the 5 months prior to seeing ours, looked at the paperwork and the cheque again. OK!! She will contact the quantity surveyor and get copies of his report and then contact the insurers. "Look after the cheque you have received and I will either telephone or send you a letter" she said... We wait with baited breath - as does our builder...

I have over the last couple of weeks been doing a 'daily sort out'.. Sorting the 'stuff' that has been accumulated over the past few years. I didn't realise that there was so much 'stuff' and the awful thing is that it is 'stuff' that I have accumulated. His 'stuff' is in the Barn. When the time comes it will be up to Him to sort out his 'stuff' - I dread to think what I might find! It seems to me that the larger the space to store 'stuff' then the more 'stuff' is acquired. It seems to breed!!!!

I used to have a small cupboard, and a drawer, in the UK where the 'stuff' was stowed, so when it came to relocating to La Belle France it was easy to 'sort out'. Pas de probleme!! His 'stuff' in a 9' x 12' shed in the garden was not properly 'sorted' and for weeks/months/years afterwards He groaned and griped about what was left behind. Pas ma probleme!!

I didn't realise we had so many books; romances, thrillers, sci-fi, fantasy etc. as well as historical, cookery, DIY, reference, language and just easy reading. The books are now sorted into those that I would love to read again, those that He would love to read again, those that we definitely need to keep and those that must to go. They have then been sub-sorted into author/title and then into different bookcases in different parts of the house. It seems to be OK, at the moment.

"I should have been a librarian!" she shouts!!!

I have always liked to keep my hands occupied, it could be knitting, crochet, embroidery, tapestry, drawing, painting etc.. so I have a stack of 'crafty' things lurking about the place. Many of the 'crafts' that I had started were stowed away when daughter and granddaughter arrived (2006). I know from past experience what small girls can get up to when you are not looking and I did not want things unpicked, unraveled etc.

I have now found what I had started. At the moment I am finishing/completing a crochet tablecloth. It is a glorious design that I found out here in a publication in 1990. I only have to do one other motif and it will be finished. When that is done I will try to finish the cross-stitch picture that I started 4 years ago for our eldest daughter and then maybe try to finish the embroidery that my mother gave me to finish and I also have a tapestry cushion cover and a Mabel Lucy Atwell cross-stitch, the list goes on.... I also want to start knitting again - I see such awful garments out here and would rather make my own. I can sew so that will also be on the agenda - maybe next year.. After all, I do have plenty of time now.

At our local Social Centre they have 'Ateliers Adultes' - I will go to the Vendredi - cafe, tricot, broderie, crochet... and improve my French as well as complete some of my projects. I am really looking forward to it!! Will also (if He can stand it) go to the Franglais session on a Weds evening.

It is just us two now. We do not have to worry about family here or clients... We can do what we want, when we want!!

Friends, Curry and Darts, Hindi

There I was typing away, on the 'big' computer and my text was coming up in Hindi.... What on earth????

I seem to have acquired an extra button in the blog toolbar on the 'big' computer, but not on this one, my laptop. A language icon has appeared to the right of 'remove formatting from selection' button and it only gave Asian languages and as I was typing it picked up Hindi.... Lord knows how this icon appeared but it did. I must admit it first gave me a 'turn' then a laugh..

Now - my blog must be done only on the laptop.... remember...

Last night we had a curry night. Curry and Darts night. A glorious night.

We have some friends that arrived in La Belle France the same year as we did. They bought a delightful holiday home and have been spending the last 9 years updating and improving, twice a year, spring and autumn. We met them in 2001 in Mr Brico. We were newbies out here as well. I heard this ladies voice from down the sanitary aisle asking 'how do you say plumber in French?' and a male voice reply 'I don't know!'. My man and I looked at each other and decided it was time to intervene (although, I must stress, we don't always do that!). I made my way to the lady in distress and said to her 'plombier!' Well, we got on like house on fire, chatting away in the aisle about English DIY in France. Meanwhile her husband and mine had got together. Her man said to mine 'Blimey, I didn't realise my wife's French was that good!' after seeing her and me chatting away. My man's response? 'That's my wife she's talking to.'

And there began a good and lasting friendship starting in Mr Brico.

They came and saw our pile before any works had been started and we saw theirs in the same sort of state.

It is strange how friendships develop. We have a good relationship with them, we are not in each others pockets but are close. We have shared stories about our daughters (they have two) and grandchildren, as well as mutual ups and downs over the past few years. It is an absolute delight to see them - there is a good and healthy continuity in our relationship.

And so for two days I was preparing for a curry night. One guest vegetarian, one coeliac (Gluten Free) and one 'mild curries only please'. It was an absolute doddle. Sag Aloo, Rajma Dahl, Uble Chaval, Korma Murgh, Rasedar Sabzi. (Spinach & Potatoes, Red Kidney Bean with Ginger & Chilli, Plain Basmati Rice, Chicken Korma, and Mixed Vegetable Curry). Followed by my special Fruit salad (laced with alcohol!)

The evening went like a dream, our guests had a lot in common - all of them being involved in the scouting movement, and four of them from the same area in the UK! The darts matches ended up a draw... Everyone Happy!! The meal went down a treat and not a scrap was left.... Result!!

I don't do this sort of entertaining that often but sometimes I feel the need - I am sure that most women know what I mean.....

Next special meal - I will be trying oriental, courtesy of a couple of lovely Chinese/Australian girls I know.... Just watch this space...