The Moon

We got our sunshine back yesterday, but with a bit of a chilly breeze accompaniment - but today we had the sunshine and no wind and all was well with the Languedoc once more and people were smiling and children were laughing and dogs were running about chasing balls - amazing the power of the sun.

Or is that the power of the moon - I noticed last night that we had a very large full moon - so maybe it's the changing of the moon that has brought back the good weather.

Yesterday morning I advised my guests that it would feel a bit chilly in the breeze on the exposed ramparts of the Cité - did they listen? - No, they went off in t-shirts and said last night that it was a bit cold in the wind, as if I didn't know that. Today they went out with jackets and cardigans and I said that they might be a bit overdressed as it was going to be much warmer today and there was no wind - did they listen? - No, they came back early complaining that it was a bit warm for them and that they had caught the sun a bit. There is just no helping some people.

The American newly-weds on their honeymoon ('lune de miel') departed this morning, still looking at each other with doe-eyes - bless. At the same time my new guests arrived - and I mean literally at the same time because as they opened the front door to leave, the new guests came in through it. Er sorry, your room isn't ready yet - give me a chance.

My new guests, from Sheffield, had wanted to come for 4 days but I couldn't do Monday - so they came anyway and stayed one night at a hotel up near the Cité and then came to me today, which is why they arrived so early. I was a bit worried that they might be especially demanding because I have had more email correspondence from them in the run up to their stay than I have from any other client - but they seem alright and are genuinely happy to be here.

In between the ins and outs and breakfasts and cleaning and washing, I managed to get a bit of ironing done and dash to Tridome for the MDF needed to make the cupboard doors in Denis' apartment and to replace the broken wall light fitting in the apartment suite.

I have been getting increasingly concerned by the lack of action on the list of outstanding items still to finish in Denis' apartment. He has paid us in full and Chris has been paid, but for four of the last five weekends he hasn't done anything up there and it should by rights have been finished long before now. He assured me yesterday that he would be on site this coming weekend and asked if I had managed to get the MDF yet, as if that was stopping him doing all the other jobs that still need finishing - well, I've got it now and have told him so there can be no more excuses. We will see.

On Sunday, the wall lights in the apartment suite suddenly stopped working - all three of them at the same time. I had no time to look at it between the Sunday guests departure (which is when I found out) and the new guest arrival that same day - but went in to investigate on Monday whilst they were out. It had to be a loose connection somewhere or a blown fuse because all three wouldn't have stopped working at the same time otherwise.

I checked the fuse and the bulbs and the fitting on the wall lights and all seemed OK - except that one of the wall lights (plaster uplighters) came apart in my hands, with the lower bit crashing to the floor in an almighty mess, as I was putting it back in place. Great! - I made the problem worse not better.

The only thing I hadn't checked was the switch on the wall, and sure enough I found the loose connection - now, at least the lights were working again - and then the moon really moved into my star sign in a positive way because I found the box in the basement with the two spare wall light fittings and found the unfinished tin of invisible green paint (it's green but not so you'd know it was) and have today painted and fitted the uplighter and all is well again.

Funny about the moon changing things, isn't it. A lot of old hippy types down here swear by the sowing and harvesting of plants in time with the moons phases and it has caught on in a big way with a lot of vignerons too - 'bio-dynamique' - organic and hippy and cutting-edge all at the same time. Will it make better wine? - we will find out in due course I guess.

May the lunar force be with you.