Two weeks ’til Christmas

After three plus weeks of rain and howling winds, the sun has finally decided to return and just in time for me to do the obligatory photo for the decorating competition. I have battled against incessant gales and heavy downpours to keep the covers on Santa and the elves and despite everything the weather threw at it, the star is still on top of the fir tree. We have had a minor issue with some of the lights that I connected to the main house’s electricity which promptly sent poor Mumo into darkness – bit of an overload me thinks but all in all, the place looks amazing. My job is done and I’ve given you a sneak preview in this week’s photos.

I had a rather nice surprise this week, the winter cover for the bloody pool arrived at long last. Of course, we can’t actually put it on at the moment because the lovely Lionel has to fix the deck in and can’t because someone broke his excavator. You couldn’t make it up. I do wonder if the damn thing is ever going to be finished but as the metier has forecast better skies at least until Christmas, I’m going to try and stay optimistic even if it means badgering Lionel and Denis to get it sorted. At this rate, the extortionately expensive pool blanket will be coming off before it’s even gone on.

With less than two weeks until Noël, the race is on to get the radiators up and warm for the arrival of siblings and their add-ons. Bless Max chauffagiste, he has been working non-stop (apart from his three hour lunch break of course) with the help of his new buddy Arry who, for some reason, Max absolutely adores. Arry who also helped himself to a pot of decorating glue giving the poor bloke a panic attack – I did think for a moment I ought to call the vet but to be honest, I don’t think he actually ate much apart from the plastic lid. Living with this nutcase of a German Shepherd means being in a semi-permanent state of anxiety which, after six years together, you just get used to.

I have my last French lesson on Tuesday although I have already signed up to do the next one in the New Year. Despite my initial fears of having to sit and talk for two hours en français , I have come to really enjoy my sessions with Dominique. I feel a lot more confident now and can even hold a conversation with the likes of Denis and Max, the latter of which informs me that I say all the right things but not necessarily in the right order (to alter a famous quote). I only hope that I can keep my courage through Wednesday as I have to go and sign some documents in Montpelier and I’m pretty sure I’ll be the only English speaker there. And it’s at 10 a.m which doesn’t really give enough time to drink the required three cups of coffee to make sense in the morning. Still, after that it’ll be straight on into the festivities as the first of the Collins’ brigade arrive and I can show off the illuminations. Ho ho ho or as the French say, ho ho ho……

“I’m playing all the right notes, but not necessarily in the right order” (Eric Morecambe)