The week or so before Xmas was pretty miserable - lots of rain and cold - so we didn't do too much whilst Chelsea was here. I think she just appreciated a little relax after her hectic year at college. We then all drove to London a couple of days before Xmas. Was a long drive but not too painful. It took us about 12 hours all up I think. Had a lovely five days or so in London just shopping for xmas food - cooking it - watching movies and generally just hanging out together. The weather was typically English - rainy and grey but we did manage to get out one night to see the "winter wonderland" in Hyde Park which was fun. Here is me and the girls all rugged up for it.
Paul managed to make contact with someone who had a motor bike he had been looking for, so after debating what to do about it we decided he might as well try and get it. Was easier said than done as he had to buy a bike trailer too. It was also in the south of England so the day we picked it up we went from dropping Chelsea at Heathrow at 7am - down to Salisbury or somewhere near - a couple of hours checking it - finding somewhere to give us enough cash - loading it etc - then headed for home. We hit some traffic jams on the way to Portsmouth and so it took twice as long as it should have - then the channel tunnel train was running late so it was nearly midnight by the time we got into France. We did just keep driving and eventually got home over 24 hours after leaving London - both pretty shattered! But Paul was happy as he now has a bike with more of the power he is used to - although I quite liked being on the back of his 450 as I knew he couldn't go too fast on it! He has been working on it quite a bit at night when it hasn't been too freezing as it hadn't been ridden for a few years at least. Its a 78 BMW 1000. Apparently it's a classic - so he tells me anyway. Here is Yves and him all done up ready to go for a ride yesterday.
We have finally experienced some actual decent snowfall here in the last couple of weeks - was so much fun. Unfortunately we also have had a lot of rain so it didn't hang around for long. I am not missing the freezing temperatures that come with it though. We have only had the outside pipes freeze once or twice so far this winter although last year it was February when it got really bad so we're not out of the woods yet. Gets difficult trying to keep the horses water up.
As far as the boring renovation stuff goes, Paul has been doing the ceiling plaster on the ground floor for the past few weeks. I feel sorry for him as it is so painstakingly slow and back breaking - he is always complaining of a sore neck which is understandable. Getting the plaster sheets as tight a fit as possible to very crooked beams is really fiddly. He has completed the living room and is in the little TV room now. I have been designing the kitchen and getting quotes etc - trying to get as much bang for my buck whilst avoiding the Ikea route if at all possible. We have also decided to swap the kitchen into the bigger living room. I had mentioned that we should have done this a few weeks ago to Paul, who said way too much work as been done to change it, but now after a chat to one of his mates who told him we would be crazy not to do it - what do you know - it's now on the cards. Men - I don't know haha. Mind you it's Paul that is going to now have to do all the extra work so I can't be too bitter. I also learned a lot doing the original plan so it hasn't taken me as long to do a new one. This also means we can make the most of our big Cantou fireplace - it can just have a big log burner in there now and not be filled up with ovens etc. And the kitchen will be big enough to have a dining table in it so will be a nice farmhouse style. Looking forward to getting it in and being able to entertain - it gets way too cosy here in the attic for dinner parties!
Anyway here is some pics of the work done in the house. I ended up doing the grouting just before xmas in our ensuite. And Paul has hung one of the french doors for our bedroom after spending days sanding it up. They are so nice - the photos don't really do the door or the floor justice but you get the idea.
Well - I think that is our news for now. Paul is at the museum today having a break from work - I was meant to be going to a friends place to help practice loading her horses onto her new trailer and going for a ride with her but the forecast turned out be wrong and it came in rainy so we cancelled. But it looks like the sun might have come out again now so I will get outside whilst I can. Am really looking forward to some warmer weather. We got a taste of it yesterday - it was lovely and sunny and I think it got up to 16 degrees which won't sound warm at all to you Australians but for us it was amazing!
