Time for an update

Good morning, I'm finally back to update my blog.  The time goes by so fast and I am in awe of the people that still blog everyday. I'm sure a daily post from me would be terribly boring.

My last post was the 31 May, where did June go?  Well actually it went in France.  Yes, we managed to get over to France on 7 June by means of a letter from our daughter and attestations which the French border control were happy to acknowledge. Which was a bit of a relief - that "do you know the border is closed" was a tense moment.  We arrived back home on Friday 3 July and now have to quarantine for 14 days but it was worth it.  So what did we do?

Spent time with the boys, which was one of the main reasons for going.  Childcare and home schooling whilst Beck and Tim started to make ready the Chateau to reopen. Though President Macron declared that all children were to go back to school for the last two weeks of term, which meant that we ended up with time to play in the garden and work on the gite.  Luckily the weather improved as our first two weeks were rainy and not really conducive with working outside.  We did however get out for some walks and a couple of bike rides.

 A brief visit to the Donjon in Ballon, which is just in the next village to the Chateau.  Luck was not with us though because as soon as we arrived the heavens opened and we spent 15 minutes hiding under the trees, in the end we just gave up and wandered around in the wet, shoes were soaked through!  Other than that we didn't venture far, a trip to the garden centre, a quick foray to the supermarket and an after school trip the the lake at Sille plage with dinner out.  

The French are taking this whole lockdown easing a lot more grown up than the UK.  No queuing to get in the supermarkets, just sensible spacing, masks where necessary, and life is going on as normal but with no kissing!! Yes, there aren't as many people about, but the French have a different concept of going out - no booze fuelled binges, just a nice meal with wine, much more civilised.  I sometimes feel ashamed to be British and truly wonder what other countries think to the pub/booze mentality - it remains to be seen which of the countries is the first to spike after easing.

The Chateau has some new residents in the shape of three kittens, see the collage below - two boys and a girl - Brian, Steve (Etienne) and Fred (Frederica) - needless to say a lot of time was wasted on these three

There were lots of raspberries to pick, in fact each day we collected, open froze and then bagged ready to make jam at a later date or to add to puddings.

We are now home for a rest and as I said to quarantine for a while, which is frustrating, but there is work to do on the garden and knitting and crochet to keep me busy.  I need to find a new hairdresser as mine has decided not to reopen, which is a real shame.  I have kind of got used to my hair being longer, Peter prefers it, though I find the flopping in my face a trial, but a few hair slides help.  I will get it trimmed and see where I go from there.  I'm guessing it will be a while before I can get an appointment at some place new. I wonder how many other businesses will feel the need of a change.  

During lockdown Rebecca has decided to start writing a book - her Instagram and Facebook followers have been on at her for sometime to write so she has decided to do just that.  To enable her to do this she has set up a Patreon page, in the hope of a little financial help.  It seems this is the way that vloggers/writers/artists go these days, so if you feel you'd like to know more or can help please take a look at her page - thank you

There you have it, June, there would be more photos but this new version of Blogger has lots of issues, one being that I can't actually see the photos only the ref number, so I have to go to my phone, check the ref then add the photo, crazy

Enjoy your extra freedoms whilst you can, wear a mask, wash your hands, stay safe.  I for one have no desire to rush out to the shops.  Until the next time xx

 

Escape from the Chateau

This past three weeks we have been busy at work over in France.  Helping out with the start of the gite renovations (Peter) and chambermaiding (me).

I have complete admiration of anyone who runs a bed and breakfast/small hotel, especially with a young family.  It is relentless.  We knew Beck and Tim worked hard long days but usually we are outside working on the grounds and don't actually appreciate what they do.

So this is an average day at Chateau de la Ruche

Starting around 6:30am, up and shower, check boys are up, dressed, had their breakfast and got all their school stuff ready.

Lay up breakfast tables and prepare breakfasts.  Depending on the requested breakfast time will determine whether Tim does a bakery run before or during the school run

Serve and then clear breakfast.

Start the washing machine and dryer - the sound track to their life

Once guests have checked out or gone out for the day - rooms.  If its a check out then strip and remake bed, clean and restock room - flowers, candles, tea/coffee/biscuits (homemade).  Change towels and clean bathrooms.  If staying then make bed and clean bathroom.  Sheets and towels changed every second day depending on length of stay.  Towels and bathrobes are laundered inhouse bedding goes to the laundry in Le Mans

Vacuum public areas and check, replace candles and flowers - by this time it lunchtime.  Admin is done whilst eating lunch or any meal, as is menu planning and shopping lists

After lunch its maybe time for restocking the homemade granola, biscuits and chocolates, or a trip to the supermarket, or a drive into Le Mans to drop off/collect laundry. Maybe guest desserts are prepared. All before check in which is 4pm.  Its great when guests give you an ETA as it means you aren't hanging around and get more done.  Boys have to be collected from school at 4:40.

Guests arrive, family dinner and homework is done.  Bedtime clashes with the start of guest dinner (drinks 7:30 dinner 8:00) so a lot of time is spent dashing up and down the stairs, whilst serving drinks and preparing starters, making sure teeth are cleaned and stories read.

Dinner is served, Beck cooks, Tim serves and this goes on til well past 10pm, its rare that they get to bed much before 11:30

And in all this they still have to put away the shopping, fold and iron washing, put away laundry, spend time with the children, eat, keep a social media presence, answer zillions of emails, smile and chat to the guests and more importantly try and carry on with renovations.  Then there is the garden and the veg garden.......  and then making the homemade jams and chutneys that are served at breakfast or with the cheese course.  And of course just general maintenance, it just goes on

The filming with Channel 4 - Escape to the Chateau DIY (currently rerunning on More4 at lunchtime) new series due in October...... They have one night off a week - Wednesday as this is the day the boys are off school though they go to Wednesday club - but still they will have check in, turn down service and lock up, so not really a night off.

Oh and then there is the shop which needs to be kept stocked too

I'm sure they do loads more and this list could and should be added too but I can tell you after three weeks I felt like I was on a treadmill and I had none of the responsibility of ensuring people have a good time.  The reviews tell you they do.  The round of applause for a wonderful dinner was heart warming.  The guests that constantly tell us we should be "so proud of what they have achieved" - we are.  I feel like they are ducks - calm on the top and paddling like hell underneath.  Tempers fray.  But at the end they have achieved so much in the last 2 years.  They could cut corners but they won't.  Its the attention to detail that the guests love but these all take so much time.

The gite is coming along - still so much to do and with the Chateau so busy with guests, retreats, an elopement and such, there will be little time for them to work on it now until November.  But its watertight. The beams and ties sorted. Velux and dormer windows in.  The next job is to remove the existing floor and change the levels.  The new Fosse (sceptic tank) needs to happen, electrics, the list goes on …. Peter has been in his element - I think...… he's certainly been very dirty!

We are now home for a rest but they carry on until November when they go into winter weekends only.  I think they have leant a lot this year and hopefully can make some changes to give themselves some much needed time off for them and the boys.

What I will say is this is not a job for the faint hearted or anyone without the help of family (especially if you have young children) and friends.  Living the dream??  Instagram and Facebook would make you think so but it is HARD work and at the end of the day you won't make a fortune but you will be living in an amazing property ………. one day.

Good luck to you all, love you lots, it will be worth it. xxxx

June - France

Hello again.  We are back from our recent jaunt to Chateau de la Ruche.  I'm guessing this post should be called, Pull that weed, pick up sticks, cut the grass, clear the meadow, and all things gardening. 

Before arriving in France they had a spell of rough weather and there was lots of branches and twiggy bits bought down.  Hence the pick up sticks (they use it for kindling so not wasted) as it jams the mower.  Warm and wet weather had bought the grass on no end and the wild flower meadows were starting to go over.  Their neighbour Alain will be coming to cut the big meadows with his tractor and baler, but the smaller ones Peter and I tackled with the sit-on and petrol mowers.  Good exercise for me, walking up and down with the petrol mower and very satisfying to see things getting tidy again.

right side of the entrance

front lawn

planted some new shrubs in the conifer stump area

Farmyard had a trim

banks and top of the lake cut - lake had an algae bloom hence its green appearance

some of the piles of hay and weeds from the back of Maurice's house

this will be a patio area and garden by this time next year

shame to burn it but no one wants it

back of Maurice's - can't wait to make this into a garden

We didn't spend all our time in the garden.  We popped into Le Mans for the Sunday market with Rufus and had a wander around the medieval town

It was busy with guests for the Le Mans 24 hour - so I helped where I could with changing beds and prepping food..

Rufus was 9 this week and we celebrated with a visit to his favourite Chinese Buffet and a Rocky Road birthday cake

and finally we spent a morning picking cherries (19lbs) and I then spent an afternoon pitting said cherries for the freezer and various preserves for guests.

I even ended up bringing home 4lbs which had to be pitted.  So after 7.5 hours in the car, unpacking, washing on, I set to work.  They are in the freezer and will become jam at a later date.  My nails look a real mess but I'm guessing its worth it.

So all in all a busy 12 days.  We are home for 5 weeks now, so goodness knows what the gardens will be like when we get back.  We are hoping that it turns really warm then the grass won't need too much attention.

Our garden needed some work but I'll save that and my lack of knitting for another post.

I have an evening too myself, so I am going to make myself a long drink and find something I fancy for dinner.  Until the next time - cheers xx

Home again

This past 12 days has been spent with the family in France.  We had a great time.  The weather for most part was amazing, so warm and sunny.  We achieved lots of outside work and even had a day at the beach with the boys.  We went to a brocante.  Made plans for the next renovation work, and watched ourselves on TV!  Chateau de la Ruche was featured in episodes 6-10 (I'm in 10) and you can catch up on All 4 .  They were featured in House Beautiful UK and the Daily Mail online, so lots to read about if you so desire

The boys requested a visit to Omaha Beach on their Wednesday day off - its about 2 hours away from the Chateau - are we nearly there yet was asked on numerous occasions

We visited a museum which would have been more interesting for me had I been able to read instead of chasing after Laurie who dashed from one exhibit to another - "look at this Granny"!!!!  Small children........

Now home again, our home feels so tiny in comparison, but I'm glad I don't have all those rooms to clean. Our garden is looking lovely, the daffodils are out and everything is starting to bud up or leaf out, which is great as I moved more plants around recently.

My knitting will be back on track soon.  I did work on my Outing shawl whilst away, but need to cast on my March socks.

Anyway best get on, off for a spa day with the girls today.  See you soon