Having said that he was going to come in all weekend and finish off the outstanding work in Denis' apartment, Chris didn't show at all and the date of his departure for the USA to shoot innocent animals draws ever closer.
After weeks of asking, Debrah finally sent Chris an emotionally charged email and, as expected by me, he responded immediately and is now finally getting to grips with the last few outstanding bits of work. It's a shame that it always has to come down to the wire and needs unnecessary coercion, but there it is - this job should and could have been finished two months ago.
Otherwise it was a normal working day for us both - Debrah was on her computer and on the skype to the London office and I spent a good three hours getting all the ironing cleared as well as the usual breakfast and shopping and business admin.
This evening Debrah experimented with endive - the notoriously difficult to cook with French/Belgian vegetable - and with some success. She put together a lovely endive, pear and roquefort salad and a baked endive and anchovy vegetable dish that we ate with some steak haché and a tomato salad - get us being all continental!
Tuesday, 23 September 2008
Monday, 22 September 2008
Next steps
Both sets of guests wanted late breakfasts, which is both a good thing and a bad thing at the same time - good because I don't need to set an alarm after a dinner and subsequent late night/early morning clearing up but bad because with a late breakfast the morning is virtually over by the time it is all done and I always feel as if half the day has been wasted by the time I get round to anything else.
It made a nice change not having to take Debrah to the airport today - instead she was beavering away on her computer all day doing work for London from here - it would be fabulous if she could arrange to do that more often.
Having said that, I'm not sure that Debrah agrees - she adores our French home but she's not thrilled about it containing clients and frequently declines to meet them, she hates any sort of noise from outside to the point where it makes her so angry that it impacts on us and she is not yet ready to give up London - we have a problem that we need to resolve and I'm not sure what the answer is.
It's all about the next steps really - the business here has gone better than we could have imagined and we have both been caught out by that in different ways - do we move it on to the next stage by capitalising on the first year's success or is it not what we expected, or indeed, wanted - the truth, probably, lies somewhere in the middle of all that and I have no doubt that we are not unique in having to face up to this sort of success issue.
We did have a very entertaining dinner last night. We both agreed that we very much enjoyed Steve's witty and entertaining company - he's a true Aussie it must be said, but a top bloke nonetheless! He was 50 years old on Saturday and we took a call from his mother-in-law trying to wish him happy birthday. There was initial confusion when Debrah answered the phone and they were asking for Debbie, Steve's wife, but eventually all became clear and the 'death adder', as she is affectionately known, left a message to be passed on.
Steve and Debbie left late morning and Daniel and Katy (who got married last Saturday - aahh!) arrived on the afternoon flight from Stansted, and, like all arrivals from England or Ireland this year, they were thrilled to see the sun and drive home from the airport with the roof down on the Audi.
Everybody loves the Audi - it's as much a part of 42rvh as I am.
It made a nice change not having to take Debrah to the airport today - instead she was beavering away on her computer all day doing work for London from here - it would be fabulous if she could arrange to do that more often.
Having said that, I'm not sure that Debrah agrees - she adores our French home but she's not thrilled about it containing clients and frequently declines to meet them, she hates any sort of noise from outside to the point where it makes her so angry that it impacts on us and she is not yet ready to give up London - we have a problem that we need to resolve and I'm not sure what the answer is.
It's all about the next steps really - the business here has gone better than we could have imagined and we have both been caught out by that in different ways - do we move it on to the next stage by capitalising on the first year's success or is it not what we expected, or indeed, wanted - the truth, probably, lies somewhere in the middle of all that and I have no doubt that we are not unique in having to face up to this sort of success issue.
We did have a very entertaining dinner last night. We both agreed that we very much enjoyed Steve's witty and entertaining company - he's a true Aussie it must be said, but a top bloke nonetheless! He was 50 years old on Saturday and we took a call from his mother-in-law trying to wish him happy birthday. There was initial confusion when Debrah answered the phone and they were asking for Debbie, Steve's wife, but eventually all became clear and the 'death adder', as she is affectionately known, left a message to be passed on.
Steve and Debbie left late morning and Daniel and Katy (who got married last Saturday - aahh!) arrived on the afternoon flight from Stansted, and, like all arrivals from England or Ireland this year, they were thrilled to see the sun and drive home from the airport with the roof down on the Audi.
Everybody loves the Audi - it's as much a part of 42rvh as I am.
Saturday, 20 September 2008
A bit sad
Debrah arrived yesterday and the good news is that she is staying all week, having bought some work with her. She seems to be in a very melancholy mood though, which concerns me quite a lot - I think the constant travelling and the days spent apart are starting to take their toll. It's obvious that we need to find a solution but it's not obvious what the solution is - there seem to be too many reasons for maintaining both our London and French lives and that means continuing the current arrangements of me spending most of my time here looking after clients and Debrah working in London and commuting here every weekend.
So we planned to have a quiet afternoon and then take advantage of the empty studio suite and watch movies on the big screen telly.
We managed to do both those things but in-between I drove my Aussie clients to Castelnaudary. They asked me mid-afternoon if I could arrange a cab to take them - some friends of theirs had just finished a canal boat week on the Canal du Midi and they were meeting up for a bit of dinner. Cabs here need a bit more notice than one hour to undertake 35km journeys - so I volunteered to take them myself and to be honest I really enjoyed the drive - roof down, sun out, French A road motoring - fabulous.
We didn't get down to the market this morning until after 10am, which must be the latest for some months - but nonetheless we managed to bring back 4 heavy bags worth of goodies for ourselves and our clients.
Talking of clients, I collected new arrivals from the airport at lunchtime whilst Debrah put together the first 'Daube de Boeuf' of the new post summer period, which we ate this evening with some savoy cabbage - followed by a bit of Saturday evening business analysis where we worked out which dates over the year had attracted the most enquiries - very interesting findings too, all of which will help us plan for next year.
A bit of weekend business analysis proved too much for Debrah - so she has put herself to bed - actually I think I should do the same - I know I'm going to be dreaming about statistics, which doesn't fill me with joy - better get it over and done with.
So we planned to have a quiet afternoon and then take advantage of the empty studio suite and watch movies on the big screen telly.
We managed to do both those things but in-between I drove my Aussie clients to Castelnaudary. They asked me mid-afternoon if I could arrange a cab to take them - some friends of theirs had just finished a canal boat week on the Canal du Midi and they were meeting up for a bit of dinner. Cabs here need a bit more notice than one hour to undertake 35km journeys - so I volunteered to take them myself and to be honest I really enjoyed the drive - roof down, sun out, French A road motoring - fabulous.
We didn't get down to the market this morning until after 10am, which must be the latest for some months - but nonetheless we managed to bring back 4 heavy bags worth of goodies for ourselves and our clients.
Talking of clients, I collected new arrivals from the airport at lunchtime whilst Debrah put together the first 'Daube de Boeuf' of the new post summer period, which we ate this evening with some savoy cabbage - followed by a bit of Saturday evening business analysis where we worked out which dates over the year had attracted the most enquiries - very interesting findings too, all of which will help us plan for next year.
A bit of weekend business analysis proved too much for Debrah - so she has put herself to bed - actually I think I should do the same - I know I'm going to be dreaming about statistics, which doesn't fill me with joy - better get it over and done with.
Thursday, 18 September 2008
Early arrival
It was supposed to be a straightforward day - client breakfast, market shopping, finish the ironing, clean out the apartment and fit the toilet roll holder and, if I had time, clean the kitchen and move some stuff out of the office down to the basement, before a client dinner this evening.
It started well enough - breakfast as normal, then a trip to the shops for chicken and vegetables - resist a coffee in the square, get the ironing out of the way - and then the phone rang ..
My Australian guests, who were due to arrive tomorrow, had decided to head to Carcassonne a day early and wondered if I had a free room - well I did but it wasn't ready and it had a half fitted toilet roll holder - but I couldn't turn them away could I?
"Be there in two hours", he said - "No lunch for me", I thought
Welcoming guests a day early when the room is free is not a problem, but combining that with my DIY skills is always an issue and so it proved. The fixings were too close together and the plasterboard between them broke which left me with a hole and a problem that I didn't need - so there is a temporary fix and the extra time taken meant that I only just finished the room just before they arrived.
I tried to grab a half hour rest before getting stuck into dinner preparation but the guests wouldn't leave me alone for five minutes and the phone kept ringing and text messages too - so I gave up and prepared the chocolate puddings instead.
Dinner turned out to be a bit of a laugh and my Sheffield guests were so happy with life here that they are going to come back for Bastille Day next year, which means that we are already sold out for the big event - fabulous.
It started well enough - breakfast as normal, then a trip to the shops for chicken and vegetables - resist a coffee in the square, get the ironing out of the way - and then the phone rang ..
My Australian guests, who were due to arrive tomorrow, had decided to head to Carcassonne a day early and wondered if I had a free room - well I did but it wasn't ready and it had a half fitted toilet roll holder - but I couldn't turn them away could I?
"Be there in two hours", he said - "No lunch for me", I thought
Welcoming guests a day early when the room is free is not a problem, but combining that with my DIY skills is always an issue and so it proved. The fixings were too close together and the plasterboard between them broke which left me with a hole and a problem that I didn't need - so there is a temporary fix and the extra time taken meant that I only just finished the room just before they arrived.
I tried to grab a half hour rest before getting stuck into dinner preparation but the guests wouldn't leave me alone for five minutes and the phone kept ringing and text messages too - so I gave up and prepared the chocolate puddings instead.
Dinner turned out to be a bit of a laugh and my Sheffield guests were so happy with life here that they are going to come back for Bastille Day next year, which means that we are already sold out for the big event - fabulous.
Wednesday, 17 September 2008
Lovely Day
It was the most glorious morning. I opened the kitchen windows and looked to the left and saw the golden sun breaking the horizon over the Place Carnot - I looked to the right and saw the full face of the ivory coloured moon against the pale blue sky to the east - the same moon that had been over the Place Carnot the evening before. I couldn't have asked for a more perfect demonstration of the movement of the planets.
And I couldn't have asked for a more uplifting start to the day. I merrily trotted down to the boulangerie for the viennoisserie and whistled and sang my way through breakfast preparation and delivery.
What might have been a bit of a chore - driving my guests out to Domaine Gayda for a wine tasting that I couldn't attend - became a pleasure with the roof down on the car and the mist in the valley and the Pyrenean peaks poking up through the haze in the distance. I knew my guests would have a great day and so it proved.
Back home was back to the mundane reality of ironing and checking out my other guests and cleaning out their room - but none of that mattered because it was just work and I was in a good mood.
If only every day would be like that, but then you wouldn't appreciate them if they were.
And I couldn't have asked for a more uplifting start to the day. I merrily trotted down to the boulangerie for the viennoisserie and whistled and sang my way through breakfast preparation and delivery.
What might have been a bit of a chore - driving my guests out to Domaine Gayda for a wine tasting that I couldn't attend - became a pleasure with the roof down on the car and the mist in the valley and the Pyrenean peaks poking up through the haze in the distance. I knew my guests would have a great day and so it proved.
Back home was back to the mundane reality of ironing and checking out my other guests and cleaning out their room - but none of that mattered because it was just work and I was in a good mood.
If only every day would be like that, but then you wouldn't appreciate them if they were.
Tuesday, 16 September 2008
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.
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.
Saturday, 13 September 2008
End of Summer
All of a sudden Autumn is upon us - the mornings suddenly seem darker longer and the evenings a lot shorter. I know these things don't just change suddenly but it does feel like that.
Maybe it's the change in the weather - from French summer to English summer apparently, i.e 18 degrees not 28 and constant showers rather than blue sky - or maybe it's because the schools are back and the daily street noise now revolves around drop-off and pick-up times at the school next door - or maybe it's because the first mushrooms and pumpkins have appeared at the market alongside the plums and pears that popped up a couple of weeks ago - or maybe its because the grape harvest (vendange) has started (apparently the harvest will be small but the quality should be high - due to the drought and sunshine since the beginning of June)
Actually I am quite looking forward to poached pears instead of roast peaches and pumpkin soup instead of melon salad and a good casserole instead of chicken breast - but I don't wish them upon us too quickly - I am hoping we might still get an Indian Summer as we have had for the past two years that I've been here.
When I ventured down to the market at 7.30am this morning the difference was palpable - the stalls on the corner were piled with ceps and girolles for the first time this year - most of the market stalls were still in the process of setting up, when a couple of weeks ago they would all have been in place at 7.00am and I was wearing a long sleeved shirt and jeans instead of a t-shirt and shorts.
I like the changeover points between fruits and vegetables - do you stick with the outgoing which is now very cheap but just past it's best or do you plunge in for the new exciting stuff that you haven't eaten for 10 months even though it is still a bit pricey?
As we wandered the market on our second visit of the day, we came across 'the smelly tomato man', as Debrah sometimes refers to him, out of affection it must be said. He clearly lives for his vegetables and personal appearance and hygiene are definitely not as important to the welfare of his 'children' - today we watched as he caressed and then presented to a client a pumpkin, with all the care of a mother holding a new born babe. You have to admire such dedication and love.
It was an unusual Saturday because I had a client changeover and so missed my usual Saturday lunchtime gathering at Cafe Saillan and was cleaning and ironing instead. As is always the way my new clients didn't arrive until gone 4.00pm and so I would have had ample time for a quick swing by the bar and a bit of handshaking and cheek kissing.
My new guests are on honeymoon - aahh - and are also my first genuine bona fide American visitors because they have flown all the way from America to be here, rather than just channel hopping from the UK - and they are so young too to be all married.
I hope they have a long life together in peace and harmony - the last bit won't happen but if they work at it and are determined then the first bit will. You have my best wishes.
Meanwhile we have started closing the windows in the evening and have a put a heavier duvet on the bed and had cassoulet for supper - looks like the summers over.
Maybe it's the change in the weather - from French summer to English summer apparently, i.e 18 degrees not 28 and constant showers rather than blue sky - or maybe it's because the schools are back and the daily street noise now revolves around drop-off and pick-up times at the school next door - or maybe it's because the first mushrooms and pumpkins have appeared at the market alongside the plums and pears that popped up a couple of weeks ago - or maybe its because the grape harvest (vendange) has started (apparently the harvest will be small but the quality should be high - due to the drought and sunshine since the beginning of June)
Actually I am quite looking forward to poached pears instead of roast peaches and pumpkin soup instead of melon salad and a good casserole instead of chicken breast - but I don't wish them upon us too quickly - I am hoping we might still get an Indian Summer as we have had for the past two years that I've been here.
When I ventured down to the market at 7.30am this morning the difference was palpable - the stalls on the corner were piled with ceps and girolles for the first time this year - most of the market stalls were still in the process of setting up, when a couple of weeks ago they would all have been in place at 7.00am and I was wearing a long sleeved shirt and jeans instead of a t-shirt and shorts.
I like the changeover points between fruits and vegetables - do you stick with the outgoing which is now very cheap but just past it's best or do you plunge in for the new exciting stuff that you haven't eaten for 10 months even though it is still a bit pricey?
As we wandered the market on our second visit of the day, we came across 'the smelly tomato man', as Debrah sometimes refers to him, out of affection it must be said. He clearly lives for his vegetables and personal appearance and hygiene are definitely not as important to the welfare of his 'children' - today we watched as he caressed and then presented to a client a pumpkin, with all the care of a mother holding a new born babe. You have to admire such dedication and love.
It was an unusual Saturday because I had a client changeover and so missed my usual Saturday lunchtime gathering at Cafe Saillan and was cleaning and ironing instead. As is always the way my new clients didn't arrive until gone 4.00pm and so I would have had ample time for a quick swing by the bar and a bit of handshaking and cheek kissing.
My new guests are on honeymoon - aahh - and are also my first genuine bona fide American visitors because they have flown all the way from America to be here, rather than just channel hopping from the UK - and they are so young too to be all married.
I hope they have a long life together in peace and harmony - the last bit won't happen but if they work at it and are determined then the first bit will. You have my best wishes.
Meanwhile we have started closing the windows in the evening and have a put a heavier duvet on the bed and had cassoulet for supper - looks like the summers over.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
