and that is a statistic we can be proud of.

blog 23 August

ahh ohh  our faithful old television finally flickered into oblivion and we were left in the dark, at a loss and feeling like a dear old friend was about to be kicked out for a new, and oh so modern version. We bought our  Soni 44 inch back projection TV in 1996 on a wet Sunday afternoon after our current TV had popped it’s clogs. With three growing teenagers in the house we vowed not to replace it and we would play cards and talk in the evening instead of gorping at the box.  Realistically though, that thought probably lasted a day and Mike and I were off to Curries to buy the biggest and bestest TV we could afford, and at the time, it was the most awesome, and this week, 18 years later, we still think it is awesome to have given us such great service. Mike, in true Mike style took the back off when the lights went out and lost himself in the gubbins for a morning and then pronounced it well and truly dead……..

 

So there you have it, the faithful state of the art TV given it’s own cage because it is so big and the very nice man from the dechetery wrapping it up for recycling. I told the dechete man about our lovely old TV and he suggested that perhaps monsieur broke it on purpose just to get a new thin one, and although I can see his point I know from Mike’s sad face that he would have been happy to have pottered to keep it going for another few years yet…..

 

 

The white van played it’s part in the sad disposal process and once again it has proved it’s worth delivering our large load to the dechete. We then took the van  for it’s 2 yearly MOT and it failed spectacularly with failed back brakes and  front tyres, so although we love our white van and how it makes us feel useful and flexible in all that we do, that day we were pretty well, fed up.  We got quotes for the work and while we were there at Norauto the very nice assistant who in the past has been very helpful and always gives us choices and time to debate came back to us with the news that the brakes will cost 450 Euro the tyres 250 Euro and while we are there the front right drive shaft was clicking and although not urgent, spend 250 euro now, and you will not regret it. So there you have it the magical grand of euros popped into my adding up reckoning and my heart hit the ground.

 

We went to a couple of vide greniers last  weekend and decided to go into calvados as we rarely go in that direction. We live on the border but the regions never share information so you need to look at La  Manche list and then the Calvados list of things to see and do and as we live in la Manche we tend to stay faithful. We found ourselves in a tiny village called Ecrammeville where there was only a handful of sellers and no traders so it was homely and interesting and then through my insatiable curiosity I ventured over to look at their village lavery and was gobsmacked at it’s perfect beauty .  The water was crystal clear and the stone work and roof perfectly preserved and the whole effect was stunning. I had to take photos just to share a moment in our day.  Some years back a governmental decree went out to all the Mairies in the land to find all the old lavery sites renovate them and make them the historical land mark for each village, town and city. We have our own in Brevands where last year we had a re-enactment with period dressed shop dummy placed to create a living museum of lady washing clothes. The first official occasion we went to in Carentan was the reopening of the lavery.  So we all have them but few will look as inviting and interesting as this one in Ecrammerville. There was however an official letter nailed to the post that makes the washing of clothes forbidden…..oh well, that is France for you

 

 We parked our van by the church in Ecrammeville and I looked over the wall to find these world war one graves spruced up and made respectful. The names on the brass plaques were followed with mort pour la france, died for france.  These three graves were covered in sand and some official in the village had been over that very morning to rake  the site to make it resemble a Japanese  garden and as I wondered around taking pictures I looked behind me and hoped the orderly did an afternoon shift, If he had left the rake I would have happily obliged, but by sharing this with you, all his hard work is worthwhile.

 

 

The Other village we visited was La cambe and we were pleased to be there as we so very nearly bought a house there. The maison maitre was for sale and had me in a flutter as it reminded me of  my grandparents’ house in Belgium and I had to force my heart not to rule my head and we decided Brevands was a better option. We stood in front of the house and I asked the stall holder if he lived here and he said no, but she does, and I was delighted that this young family with kids and love for life had bought it and made it into a wonderfully beautiful family home. At that vide grenier however I bought this amazing dehydrator that actually works and I have been drying apples and tomatoes this past week, non-stop. The tomatoes are quite fantastic and gives me yet another preserving option for the bumper crop this year. I sorted the freezer this week and I have 60 x 400ml bags of tomato passata and Mike worked out that I only need to use one a week and I will use it all so I am encouraged to carry on harvesting roasting and sieving so that we have plenty to see us through the long winter

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 And finally the onions are plaited and hung in the barn   and that is one job well and truly finished, all we need to do now is  unhook  them and eat them as they will be  happy to hang here until next year. I used the last of last year’s crop two weeks ago and I have not bought an onion in 6 years, and that is a statistic we can be proud of.