Well it is good to be at the end of February. We now have snow drops and primula in flower, bulbs beginning to get quite tall and some of the trees are just showing the first sign of greening. We also get reduced moaning from the Old Chap about all the oil we are using for the central heating and all the wood we are burning on the fires. As it is warming up a little he will not light the downstairs fire so much. Not so good for me though, as I am rather fond of lying in front of it!!!!
The winter has not been too bad. January started quite cold down as low as -12 one night and for 3 days it did not get above -5 all day. This was just the time for Sam Henderson and his girlfriend Olivia to visit. The frost and snow left the countryside looking quite beautiful. During this period both the river and canal froze over. The first time the Folks had seen this in the thirteen years they have had the house
We have not had a week when the temperature has not gone below zero at night. Apart from the first week of the year -6 has been our lowest night temperature. Fortunately most days we have seen it reach at least 5 and through February the temperature has steadily climbed during the day, finally getting up to 19 last Friday. The sun tries very hard to get up over the tress by 10 am and stays with us until 4 pm so the days feel good.
We had one good fall of snow at the beginning of January, then a very light dusting in the second week of February. Fortunately it did not stay around too long.
For this time of year there has been very little rain.
Early in February we had one night when we there where the most awful gales. Extremely strong winds, thunder and lightening that lit up the whole sky followed by torrential rain. It started about midnight and was really heavy through the night and just a little gusty the next morning then went away. We lost a small piece of lead from the ridge of the house but that was all. A number of trees where blown over locally, 2 along the canal path where I take my daily walk.
The rain caused a little flood in the basement. At first the Old Chap thought he had a problem with the central heating boiler as the water was coming from underneath it. He stripped the casing off but could not find any leaks. Gerard our neighbour came and investigated with the Old Chap and they found a big water tank which was used to store rain water for watering the vegetables in the summer. This had over flowed. Big relief for the Old Chap, but!!!!
When the Old Chap investigated he found that the manhole which the rain water went into and allowed some water to flow into the tank and once the tank was full would allow the water to flow to a soak away was blocked with leaves from the silver birch tree next to the house. It had obviously been a problem for a while which we had not found before.
The Old Chap pushed his drain rods into the drainpipe and that was blocked solid with leaves so there was nothing for it but to dig a new drain and soak away. The Old Chap started to dig his new system when he got a visit from Gerard and Dominic from next door. They showed him a manhole that took water away from their roof and said the Old Chap could tap into this. It meant a much longer and deeper trench which pleased the Old Chap no end. Gerard popped over most days just to make sure the Old Chap was doing the job properly.
It was at this time he was all for getting out his chain saw and removing the tree to make sure the pipe never got blocked again. Over my dead body said Mummy. The Old Chap is not about to cut off the hand that feeds him!!!!
Amazingly the Folks managed to get all this done despite the fact that they went down with a gastric bug that kept them in bed for a couple of days, restricting my walks of course, and helping them to lose weight!!!!! 2 weeks later they are still not fully recovered, but that did not stop them going to our friend Paul,s home for a delicious lunch. Paul and his wife live in Clugnat and he is a waiter in the best bar in Boussac where the Folks have coffee every market day and chat to him. Paul kindly made some space outside his house for the Folks to have a stall at last summers Clugnat Brocante.
It appears a good time was had by all. The Old Chap was quite red upon his return with his stomach full of wonderful crepes laced with various fruits, sauces, jams and hot chocolate all washed down with white wine or cider and for me, dog food and water!!!!!