First of all a VERY belated, but nonetheless sincere, HAPPY NEW YEAR to everyone.

I have had a lot of stick from various people because our Blog Diary is so far behind!! There are those who reckon that our blog is what gives them a French/Naillat 'FIX' when they are not able to be here. And to those people I can only apologise.

However, I do have a million excuses!! Far too many to list here!!

But to name just a few - we have had a couple of spells where we did not have internet connection - there was our first Christmas and New Year in France with a little time out for socialising (although I should add here that Gavin did actually go out on to the building site and work on Christmas Day!!!) - we spent a joint ten days in the UK in January, trying to make our depleted funds (the credit crunch is hitting everyone) go as far as possible - Gavin had to return again for a few days to visit with his brother in Maidenhead - we actually had to spend time doing work or there would have been nothing to tell you about!!

So I think it is about time I put this to rights.

As I mentioned earlier, Kathryn, Gavin Declan and Cameron came for a week's holiday a little earlier this month and a great time was had by all, helped by the fact that we had some really good weather, with lots of sunshine. We started collecting apples; we collected a big bucket and a half of walnuts; continues picking raspberries to put in the freezer (can you imagine picking raspberries in october, something cannot be quite right!!); the chickens did us proud and we enjoyed a number of omolettes and sponge cakes !!

Just to let you know that we are all prepared for the upcoming winter and when we come in to our tiny rented cottage and get our wood burning stove stoked up we will be as war as toast until next springtime!!

Am sure these pictures should have been much further back, but I have only just run across them!! Andy and Sholpan celebrating their wedding in Oxford in September. Sholpan's parents had travelled all the way from Kazakstan to be part of this very special day.

One sunny afternoon in September this young man arrived in our village for a few days. He received a field for his cow to craze in and food and accomodation with Rene who runs the local forge in return for a little work. It appears that he young man was just touring his homeland of France at a very leisurely pace, being helpful and enjoying hospitality along the way.

Back to the cast iron bread oven front we found in the barn when we first bought it. You will see that we have now set it into the wall of the 'kitchen' where it will be above the cooker in due course.

Just a few shots to show you that the walls of the terrace are now beginning to go up. All most exciting.