We learned a few things in a hit and miss few days since our last update.

Firstly, I can look after chickens! All four made it through the week.  Secondly, the cats all survived too and one of them even clocked we were looking after them sufficiently to having missed her meal time plonk herself down outside our front door and shout until we noticed!  She then got fed…  Thirdly, the pool had been turned off and thus hadn’t broken during our time in charge – this was something Susan was sure of but about which I had a small nagging doubt.  I genuinely didn’t know if it had been running on the Thursday night but did recognise that it wasn’t on the Friday when it had loads of leaves and frogs in it…  All these things are good.

We also discovered that a Royal Mail Three Day Delivery is not necessarily that but eventually received details required to finish setting up the bank account. Sixtine at Banque Postal was happy so that was good too.

Otherwise we had a quiet but mostly efficient week. Tending to the cats and chickens was not an issue but they had a routine and I took preventative action in the form of raking up leaves downwind from the pool thus significantly reducing the time spent removing them from it with the poley netty thing (which I got quite good at).  Pool Boy may not be added to my CV but the tan and body could be my aim next summer…

We are trying to live within a cash budget each week – quite successfully so far – we have been able to by extras like a scratch post for Mitzy and the like from within said. There is a separate holiday fund for touristy type stuff too, which is a little bit of a cheat but it’s our trip so na-na-naa-na-naa!  We can afford to spend more each week but don’t want to get into bad habits now that could end up with us having to head back to sunny Jockoland earlier than we would wish if something went wrong.  This does mean that this Blog will be less exciting but bear with us.  J  We may have a month of excess next summer to make up for it!

We visited another Chateau at Rilhac-Lastours which was rather impressive.

As we walked towards it it was clear from the scaffolding that it was being worked on.  A chap with a splendid moustache spotted us and told us the entrance was around the side.  Sure enough he’d opened the gate by the time we got there and we were able to have a wander around.  He seemed to be working alone and has quite a lot to do – it would be worth getting him on Grand Designs just for his moustache.  But I fear Kevin McLeod would be very old when it’s finished…  As we pottered around the walls of the ruin we both said at the same time how Health and Safety would have prevented such a situation in the UK.  Perhaps the French are less litigious or the chap judged that we were sensible (or more likely that my carer looked like she could control me!)  I had a look at the church in the village which was up an odd little hill and pine cone hit me on the shoulder, this following S’s near miss last week will continue to be monitored.  As yet we don’t think the trees have it in for us…

Our use of the language continued in bits and bobs and we went again to the local market. We decided to not replace a pair of jeans that I’d brought out which I hadn’t noticed were on their last legs.  There does seem to be some change over from market to market in those attending – most notably there were no large macaroons for sale!  The bastards.  This week GAP again failed to make an appearance so replacement jeans may have to come from a different source, perhaps Celio (that’s a boy’s clothes shop).

Also this week we bumped into some ex-pats. Jan, half of our hosts, had a birthday and tho they were away various cards were hand delivered to the post box.  Susan spotted a car outside so I wandered out to see what was happening just in time to see the wife guiding the husband in their large white VW past my car.  I’d parked outside our door as we didn’t expect traffic.  When my car moved I knew telekinesis was not likely to be the cause.  They’d bumped into my car, well more of a gentle nuzzle to be honest.  They were clearly very embarrassed and he said the sensor thing had been pinging away loudly in the car as she’d continued to wave him on.  The minimal damage is barely noticeable and I am not actually bothered.  As we chatted more generally another car appeared bearing a card – they parked safely – so the five of us had a blether.  Susan had been busy inside and not realised the excitement that was afoot.

On Vendredi we went to an art event/fayre type thing in the village. There were a number of artists/artisans displaying their wares and very impressive most of them were too.  Some of the stuff was excellent and almost all of it expensive.  We were attendees 12 and 13 as it started that afternoon but this sort of annual thing seems to be reasonably common.  I’ll add some links, the contributors were from across France so it must be more than worth their while them attending.

The weather has remained kind and though not above 25 this week the largely sunny days feel a lot more like late August than mid/late October to us. I’ve had a couple of walks to the recycling at the next village – which is much more of a pleasure than it may sound.  It’s a four or five k round trip and the views are nice and changing with the leaves coming off the trees.  The local cows however seem more fascinated by someone wandering past.

Mitzy has been a bit more of a home bird this week but does like sitting just outside the front door in the sun – as long as it’s open and nothing strange happens… There are some little lizards there too which she finds fascinating and possibly tasty.  She’s still prone to loud purring at every opportunity so seems happy.

Susan spent a considerable amount of time being outwitted today by the combination of a SIM card and a Domino/Dongle thing. Hopefully, we’ll get that sorted out soon tho and I’ll then be able to break up this with pictures and the like.

 

Last night I went to the fitba again.                                                                                                                                                                                                   Fitba bit!

After hearing that Raith are sufficiently mediocre at the moment that they can do next to nothing against Alloa – despite the part timers being down to ten men for the last 15 minutes – I was not filled with glee at the prospect of a match. Chris however can provide updates quicker than the BBC!

Anyway I set off unhindered by cows and the game began in almost dreich conditions, (it was misty but soon dissipated), obviously to make me feel at home! Saint Yrierx were hosting Sussac who going into the match sat above them in second place.  I could see early on that they were a much more useful side than last week’s lot who let in nine.  I managed to sit with the right fans this time and indeed it does appear you can watch for free and that I am owed a drink after last week.  I’ll leave it.  The crowd was about four dozen.

The first thing I noticed was that after the Ref ticking off the home coach a couple of times last week for leaving his technical area said technical area had doubled in size and now reached the side of the pitch. Genius!

With both sides moob free this week there was more football and Sussac went one up when a defender mis-controlled and their number 7 was onto it in a flash easily putting the ball past the home guardian de but. He was older and bigger than last week’s keeper which makes the youngster last week’s performance even more impressive.  Fortunately the rapid number 7 injured himself a bit scoring and the threat of his pace was diminished.

The game continued to be even and I was worried when the useful home number 9 went down hurt but was able to play on. Saint Yrierx equalised with the best goal I’ve seen all season!  The number 8 stepped onto a ball about twenty four yards out and hit a dipping first time volley over the well positioned keeper into the far top corner – I was a superb goal and better than any the Rovers scored and many they have conceded with me present this season.  Interestingly their number 4 walked off looking annoyed after the goal and was replaced – there was no obvious reason for him to do so…

The home side nearly went ahead when a free kick came back off the inside of the post and 9 popped it past the keeper but a defender somehow managed to get it away keeping it 1:1 at the half.

The second half continued to be tight with a few players needing treatment and a couple of changes. The old bloke I had a bit of a blether with last time confirmed later than players subbed can go back on later if able – the home 11 had come back out for the second half and I feared my 2^nd team had scumfemline like tendencies when it came to registration and player numbers…  SYlPFC do not however cheat.

As the game went on the next goal was clearly going to be vital and came in the last ten minutes. The home number 9 did well by the corner flag and his cross into the six yard box failed to be cleared by three defenders and in a proper stramash fell to a home man who put it away.  Sussac clearly were aggrieved and wanted a flag for offside but they had had a man on the by-line when the ball came in and it was by no means certain that the scorer had got the ball from a pass rather than a deflection off a defender.  The linesmen are supplied by each team and the home man was covering that end to the visitor’s annoyance.  However it was 2:1.

I tried, probably without success, to explain to my fellow fan what a stramash was… As the visitors continued to moan and began an inquest they lost possession cheaply from the restart and number 9 dashed forward making it 3:1 – with no doubt about this goals validity.  As time wound down the Sussac keeper got a knock and wanted to be subbed but wasn’t.  I didn’t see any cause for him to be hurt and had flashbacks to McGurn’s achilles problem last year.  A kick out from the stricken keeper went straight to the number 9 and he ran forward and cool as you like put the ball in the far bottom corner to make it 4:1.

That see’s Saint Yreirx leapfrog Sussac into second in the league which is good and hasn’t put me off toddling along to watch them.

End of fitba bit!

 

Most of the hits have been hits and the few misses have been minor since our last update. We ain’t coming home yet!