Wheres the haunted house?

Our new homw will be half way between Monflaquin and Villereal which are both Bastide towns.

Its a bit ignorant on our part but we had not been into Villereal for many years si it was decided that we would go into town this morning and enjoy the morning market too.

The atmosphere was very convivial. I suspected that even if the locals were not there to buy anything they were there to talk, drink coffee or pastis (yes even at 10 am) or watch.

We bought a whole chicken (poulet) for 7 euros which was cooked slowly on the spit to devour for our lunch at Jean Blanc later. I think it could become a regular occassion as its only 10 minutes from the house.

Things went well today. We worked the soil down to a nice crumb and added some cow manure (one of the perks of buying a farm).

Tomorrow we will sow some of the seeds and put in the early potatoes.

Bergerac Sec.

I have got to say the white wines of the region are very nice. This particular one of 2002 was very drinkable. I suppose they are more like a fruit juice with an extremely strong fruity taste.

I would have to go for a ***/**** rating on this.

Reading through the BBC website to keep up to date with the UK news it appears there is still very cold and icy weather with deep falls of snow.

Whilst we have had our snow as well the weather has started to turn springlike. Yesterday morning we had a crisp frost but so clear and blue. This morning it was similar but no apparent frost.

We are going over to Jean Blanc this afternoon to prepare the vegetable area. Yesterday Henry and I roped off an area of the field at the back (the east facing side) ready and raked out a patch of soil.

We will be sowing some of the early stuff later with the intention of growing as much of our own produce as possible.

Whilst it is frustrating for all of us regarding the house progress we still have to continue normal family life.

By chance we met another English family whilst in McDonald's in Bergerac. Fleur immediately took to playing with the children.

Anya, Georgia are the two girls are a year either side of Fleur's age and Finn, their brother is 3.

It makes for good distraction for Fleur and allows Henry & I to play golf (if the weather allows). Also Donna gets a break and a coffee with a friend.

Unfortunately we have discovered that the delay will continue till at least Friday 4th March.

Understanding that the weather is turning cold and hard again in the UK it is with irony that it has snowed fairly heavily for the third time here this winter.

The locals will tell you it hasn't snowed in the Dordogne significantly for 30 years. We must have brought it with us!

We could not have expected things to be going so well as they are.

The kids settled straight into school and have really not looked back. So it was extremely pleasing when Henners brought home his school evaluations at the end of term.

Burnley 0 Blackburn 0

Thats about all I able to report for the end of this week.

We are still not complete and how frustrating it is too. However our builder has produced a quote for some of the bigger work and we hope to collect it tomorrow.

Fleur has gone down with a heavy cold at the start of the school holidays. Henry and I have been getting stuck into the large pile of soild and compost at the top of Roger and Judi's garden and having burnt up the branches etc have started raking out the soil. Pretty mundain but it helps to while away the time. I would much rather be expending energy on our own work but it helps keep the apetite up:)