NUMBER ONE PRIORITY JOB 2012

For those unfamiliar with our project here in France:


When we bought this place, 10 years ago, it was in danger of falling down. It looked fine from the outside but the inside had been severely damaged by water with the resultant wet and dry rot and bugs eating the wood. The house constructed about 120 years ago was built using heavy wooden beams and granite stone. We had to chop 22 ends off beams and splice in new wood using epoxy resin and, in some cases, use tie rods to back up the epoxy. Some lintels over windows had completely rotted out and one fireplace breast was about to fall into a room because it was dependent on a wooden beam to hold it up!

We could see potential and because it was cheap decided to go for it. From my point of view I could see the potential to earn money in a way preferable to sitting behind a computer designing and drawing things as I had been doing for a number of years. It would also be an outlet for our creative urges and an opportunity to keep in touch with European friends and relatives from our own lounge room.

To start with the object was to save our investment from collapsing but from then on we would pick on projects that took our fancy and close our minds to anything else otherwise the brain would go into a spin, as it has done on occasion! The bottom line has always been though - it doesn't matter, it was cheap and we haven't come all the way from Australia just to work.

This year I felt the urge to insulate and line the Cathedral ceiling above the front house as we are only separated from the elements by slate tiles at the front and tiles made from compressed material on the other side. The chestnut flooring of the attics in the first and second houses were severely damaged and had to be discarded early on. It must be freezing here in Winter as it gets hot in Summer when we are here and the wind blows through freely. Also it can be noisy as there is an active factory not far away from which trucks can sometimes leave at all hours in the night. The project has been in the planning for some time. The roof is right above the head while lying in bed so it can be under consideration day or night! Maybe, if it doesn't require too much time, it will be tolerable for people to stay here this Winter.

THE CAVALCADE DES FLEURS 27 MAY 2012

It turned out to be a fine day for the Cavalcade. They hold it every two years about this time in Guemene and we have been at three of them. We made our way up to Gails house at the top of town where we knew we would get a good vantage point. This is the first time we have been to her place since arriving - she is in Brisbane, Australia.

The back garden looked a bit scary. A big black animal moved quickly out of the grass. I think it was a cat!

A few stragglers making their way to the start of the parade. Visible in the distance.

A clown also.

Here they come. Clowns first.

Then a percussion group. That's Monahel, Gails neighbour on the right.

The percussion group, who I think were Spanish, stop under our window for about twenty minutes. They all had ear plugs - we didn't - it was deafening.

After them came the penguins.

Big ones and little ones.

All the floats were equipped with huge speakers which made the walls shake in the chasm outside the window.

Something about the magic of letters?

Hi Gail, there's a strange looking character trying to climb in your window!

Then came an Irish contingent. Though I'm not convinced they were Irish. There was such a din you couldn't make out voices.

and a little leprechaun!

Here's Patrick, Gails neighbour with Monahel and a friend of ours, busy working as he is a reporter for the Western France newspaper.

Here comes the king and his entourage.

The King.

And, presumably, The Queen.

Followed by a weird mob!

Darth Vader in Star Wars float.

Gay float.

Another huge speaker.

A rabbit.

And a lot of other strange creatures. Looks like a mascots convention!

This is a lolly float. You've got to admire the work that goes into it.

A spoof on the Breton characters.

The Breton flag.

Finally, The parade Princess. The whole procession goes around town three times. It started about 2pm and didn't finish until about 7pm.

Some shots taken in the centre of Guemene.

Here is Cathy hanging out of Gails upstairs window where we had watched the parade.

A few well-oiled (pseudo?) Irish revellers.

 Gails back lawn looking a bit under control.

Parade dissipating.