Today I shall be Mainly...

[Sue]

Morning

It was a wet cool day yesterday. We were quick to leave after breakfast for the newly reopened tip with a trailer and car load of stuff. We were back by 11 and by then it had started raining. Bob was doing electrical stuff all day wiring in a permanent light in the roof space on a proper switch rather than the makeshift affair which we have at the moment to deter our roof space visitor. I braved the weather and cleaned out the garden store as I would be inside mainly. I declined to do the second stable which has wheelbarrows in and a garden incinerator as by this time I was getting wet. Thats for another day or another visit.

Today should be dry till early evening so we intend taking our car load of stuff to Emaüs charity collection point in La Gacilly and then we are off out for a walk to try and do the one to ‘Merlins tomb’ that we started when Jane was with us . We did look up the info about the standing stone in Malestroit with the dates 987 and 1987 engraved on it. We did not find if the stone had always been there but it stands near the site of a ford across the river and an original camp settlement in 987. It is a 1000 year commemorative stone

Have a good day all

[Stanley]

Morning Sue! Busy as usual I see. You did right not to crash on with the other stable, there'll be time for that later, no point wearing yourself out. Did you see Roland yesterday?



First job was to finish converting the scrap into a piston and then make a piston rod for it. Knocking off time I had that done and now I'm ready to move on to another stage. But first I want my breakfast.....

[Gloria]

Sue, When we went to Vannes we went to the Carnac stones, there are loads of them and no explanation as to why they are there.

[Stanley]

As is my wont.... I shall be in the shed for an hour at 06:00 doing useful things to my engine. Tiny gland castings are in my sights this morning. Later this morning I might fry sweet potato chips. I found some that were half price in the |Co-op yesterday.... A walk could be on the cards later. I'll see what it looks like as we have the possibility of a thunderstorm forecast all day.

[Sue]

Morning

Sorry Stanley I forgot to mention Roland. He was very frail indeed but instantly recognised us and was delighted to see us. Sadly we understood little of what he said as he mumbles a lot. Apparently he eats little and I think Nicole is prepared for the worse. She even asked how she should let us know when he dies. It will be a sad day when he does.

Gloria we have been to Carnac too. What an amazing site, and sight. I believe they are 7000 years old and very little is known about them.

We went out for our walk yesterday but it was a very cloudy one. It was a beautiful 4 km loop through protected woodlands and up steep rocky slopes. We never found ‘ Merlins tomb’ so I googled it on our return, found no walk instructions but an indication that there may be another route. The whole are is streaked with walks and ‘mystic’ history making it well worth doing another walk sometime .

There was a 3 day fete in the village which was about ‘psychic energy’ all very hippie. In fact it made the village a small version of what Hebden Bridge used to be before it became more commercial. We had a Breton hotdog for lunch from a local ‘hippie looking’ cafe. The best hot dog we have ever had. It was a half baguette size but in wholemeal. The sausage was a proper English tasting Breton sausage with crispy bacon onions mustard and chutney running through it. We didn’t need our tea till nearly 8.00 pm .

Back at the house I deadheaded my hydrangeas only because we won’t be here to do it till November and then I fed every perennial plant other than those in the hedges as from now everything will have a new growing spurt. Here October is a bit like Spring . Bob did a little titivating of a hedge and a fruit tree but I insisted he sat down because he has had a bad back and I dread having to a) drive Bobs car and b) having to drive home later this week

This morning I shall retouch some paint on the stone wall just into the garage attached to the house then its lunch out at the very nice Yves Rocher restaurant in La Gacilly. We shall have a stroll round the town and top up on discount toiletries at Yves Rocher shop. It will be mid afternoon when we get back . I have no idea what the weather forecast is but I doubt it will be fine enough to sit out in the garden. The next week is rain and cool and indeed , Bob has just confirmed today is too. Looking at Rochdale's forecast even their temperatures are much better than here

Have a good day all

[Stanley]

No surprise then with Roland Sue, that was much as I expected. Best not to dwell on it too much!
You sound to have another good day set out despite the change in the weather. We are expecting 19C today in Barlick but they are talking about thunderstorms.....



This morning the focus was the piston rod gland. It was machined out of the casting fitted to the front lid and then drilled and the lid tapped for the 5BA studs. It still needs some work but you see the result after an hour's careful work. No I want my breakfast!

[Sue]

We are expecting 20 degrees and rain all day but not rainy at the moment

[Stanley]

I shall be in the shed at 06:00 working on my engine and beyond that nothing is demanding my attention. I suspect we are going to have another boring overcast day. If there is any excitement it could be a clap of thunder!

[Sue]

Morning

It certainly was wet day yesterday. As planned I painted the doorway into the garage from the kitchen in the morning and as the remaining paint was gritty and could not be returned to the tin I recoated a garage wall that had been painted some other time but not by us . Bob repainted the grey step later in the day . We were rather proud of our efforts and slowly the garage is looking better. After lunch Bob was cutting skirting boards and I decided to use the wet afternoon to do my big pre departure clean through downstairs.

Its due to rain again this morning and is doing so as I write so I will clean the two bathrooms and then do zoom pilates at 11. This afternoon it may or may not be dry but I have zoom French conversation and zoom yoga at tea time. If it dries up I shall pick blackberries and apples, the latter to bring home.

Have a good day all

[Stanley]

Morning Sue. You and Bob work like a well-oiled machine! Nice to hear of more progress.



I finished the piston rod gland and made and fitted the valve rod gland. The pic is of the result at knocking off time. A productive hour and another error free move forward..... Now for breakfast!

[Stanley]

You all know where I'll be at 06:00 this morning, in the shed for my daily hour of therapy doing useful things with my hands. I'm not yet up against having to think about veggie shopping but that will come soon. I might be able to put off shopping for one more day......

[Sue]

Morning

It was another wet day yesterday and cool for here, though it dried up about 4.00 pm. My zoom pilates and yoga were failures as the connection kept dropping out but I did get a good connection for the French conversation session. When it stopped raining Bob pruned a couple of shrubs and I worked round the smaller fruit trees removing excessive branches and collecting a few cooking apples as I did so. Today I shall do another round of blackberry picking but otherwise the fruit have been very disappointing, about as bad as the tomatoes which have continued to rot even though I have brought them inside to ripen.

Today is our last full day and hopefully a dry one, though there is thick mist at the moment. Most of my cleaning is done as I kept busy during the last three days of rain but there will be oddments of washing and some ironing to do. I just have the kitchen to clean thoroughly which I always leave until the last big meal has been cooked. That was yesterday as this evening we are taking Laetitia and family out to the Chinese restaurant that they love. Leanna cannot come as she has now started her training course which is an alternate week of work and college. This week is work and she is on a late shift. Otherwise today I will get my head round packing as I try and remember what I brought, where things are, and which summer clothes I will need at home for the autumn.

Have a good day all

[Stanley]

Morning Sue.... From the look of things at the moment you don't need to worry too much about which summer clothes to bring back for Autumn! You could almost go straight into winter woollies..... It says sunny spells for today but at the moment it's heavy overcast and hardly light.



This morning the focus was the crosshead guides. The problem with these is that the stock supplied by Stuarts is too big in every dimension and so there is a lot of very precise milling that has to be done before the guides can be completed. So this morning I measured and made sure I had no stock nearer the size and milled and sanded my way to knocking off time. I shall continue tomorrow. Now I want breakfast!

[Sue]

Actually Stanley the forecast for Rochdale at the weekend is dryer and warmer than here otherwise the two are much the same for the next ten days. On principle I don’t do jumpers before mid October but make do with cardis and t shirts/ cotton tops and shirts. But jeans arrive much earlier as do socks. I usually reckon on a couple of weeks of being summery but I have to have things here for next Spring and should we decide to go away for a short warm mini break anywhere, so its a touch of forward planning

[Stanley]

We're cool again today and tomorrow but I see 22C mentioned in the outlook.......
Today I shall be in the shed for an hour and later this morning will go to Town Square for veggie shopping. Amazing how it comes round again so fast!
Hopefully my Otex drops will arrive today and I can start the campaign to open up my blocked left ear!

[Sue]

Morning

A cool dry start to the day with no mist but a damp afternoon. Cooler at St Malo which is where we are heading after lunch to stay overnight in a hotel. The ferry is tomorrow. Not much to do this morning , just put the garden furniture away, pack the car, and clean the kitchen. We are having omelette and salad for lunch, that with breakfast and a couple of cuppas should clear most of the food. “I shall strip the bed and take the bedding home with us to wash but I will wash the towels here and leave them to dry over the airer in the laundry room

The kitchen did not get done yesterday as I decided to help Bob who was busy pruning the shrubs that should have been done in the Spring and now a couple of feet taller. I busied myself clearing the cuttings. According to my watch I walked nearly 15000 paces yesterday which does not surprise me the number of wheel barrow loads I trundled down the field. We did not get the hedge done but have asked Yves to do that. We had another visit to the charity warehouse Emmaus disposing of unused rolls of wallpaper, two garden swings that can be attached to branches ( our grandchildren being too old and two big for these now) , yet more jigsaws, and a large unfinished tapestry on a frame which I started many years ago when I was incapacitated after major surgery on a perforated appendix . We found a couple of other things which we have given to Leanna for her studio bedsit which she may find useful.

So today 7 weeks is over and its back home. A good summer with 3+ weeks of fun with friends and my sister , some local socialising and a lot of decorating, gardening and the start of clearing out . Have a good day all

[Stanley]

Morning Sue.... It doesn't seem like seven weeks but yes, you've seen the summer out. I hope you have a trouble free trip back to Rochdale!



Just two tiny cuts to establish the recess that the crosshead will run in but a challenge for me because of the bad state of my vision. Quietly away and I ended up with the guides ready for fitting, notice that they have their witness marks so that they won't get mixed up. Now for breakfast!

[Stanley]

I shall be in the shed as usual from 06:00 after putting my chicken in to roast as it's that time of week again! (Seems to come round faster and faster!)
I'll take a view later this morning but I think I shall be cooking veggies after I have dealt with the chicken.
The outlook is for a heavily overcast windy day..... Quite Autumnal really...... Deep Joy!
05:30. The chicken is in the oven and all my pans are clean and ready for the next batch of veggies so it's going to be a busy day. Not sure yet but I may give myself a day off in the shed....

[Sue]

Morning

Its raining , it promises to be a calm but showery crossing. We are up early hoping to leave the hotel by 8.00 am. Yesterday was a busy morning with lots of little jobs to do but we got away by 1.00. We called at a fabric warehouse or two at Rennes but saw nothing that took my fancy so arrived at St Malo about 3.15pm. We booked into the hotel then went across to the shopping mall and bought a couple of things including a Breton cookery book and some whiskey for Eds birthday in a couple of weeks. We will leave it with Julia tomorrow when we stop for lunch and she will wrap it for us.

So we are due in Portsmouth about 6.30 pm and will drive a few miles to a Premier Inn at Winchester. We have our books and puzzle books for the 9 hour crossing and sometimes we have a TV in the cabin depending which style cabin we have. Bob usually books the luxury one for the journey home.

Teas up as they say, have a good day all

[Stanley]

Morning Sue! I hope all goes smoothly and you have a good trip home....
As you have seen no doubt, I have bottled out of the shed, quite enough on today with cooking meat and veggies. I am just going to order tomorrow's meat delivery and then back to bed.....

[Stanley]

Four hours later The chicken is dealt with and I have four large pans of veggies on the stove, God knows how I eat all this!

[Stanley]

Three hours later, all the veggies are cooked and in their pans ready to go in the fridge. The hob is clean and all the tackle put away. Always a nice part of my cooking day!

[Stanley]

Thanks to the bull day yesterday today will be an easier day. I shall have my hour in the shed, then my second sleep and after that Robin my chiropodist comes to give my feet a treat. We are promised a sunny day so I might even get a walk in as well!

[Sue]

Morning

It was a wet start to the day, and me in just sandals having packed my shoes deep in the car and left my trainers in France where they normally remain. Lack of forward planning there. The crossing was smooth but murky. We read, had a healthy lunch and an afternoon sleep and another read. The ferry was on time and although getting off took a long time we were straight through border control . We were at the Premier Inn at Winchester by 7.30pm, in time for a meal in the restaurant. We were in bed for 10 (11 french time) and awake at 5.30 ( 6.30 french time).

After breakfast we will drive to Coventry and have lunch with Julia who works from home on a Friday with end to end zoom meetings. The girls are at school and Ed at work so we will have chat and lunch with her before the afternoon meetings start then we will be on our way. Being Friday it will be a long drive back but we should be home by 5 with a Tesco delivery with essentials at 6.

My cuppa has arrived , have a good day all

[Stanley]

You sound well organised apart from the sandals Sue! I hope the journey North is trouble free. Do Tesco deliver if you are not there?



This morning I measured and marked for the 5BA holding down bolts for the crosshead guides. Once the first two were drilled and tapped I fitted the guides and measured to make sure they are parallel and now I'm ready to drill the other 4 holes, tap them and fit the bolts. Quiet and careful progress. Now for breakfast!