back to the grindstone, Brevands style...gently.

We seem to have a new routine these days, which suits me as we both get a little work done before lunch, during which we can then deside what's to be done next. In the winter months we stay tucked up in the warm until the sun is up and that, at the moment, is 8:30. During our 33 years of married life we have had a cup of tea first thing and I can honestly say that it is a rare day when that has not happened, so, tea, bit of french news on the TV and it is 9:30 before HOSS gets his walk and then it is too late to go shopping and beat the midday shut down. We are more relaxed about this phenomenon and I am much happier that the work is done in the morning so we can play in the afternoon. Today we cleaned out the grape vine in the poly tunnel. We now know that to get good grapes you need to slash and burn the vine all year round to keep the growth in control and I am looking forward with our new found "vine skills" to a good crop this year. I finished trimming the geraniums of which I suspect I have lost over 50%. Mike noted that the tunnel got as low as -7 during the cold spat. We have a thermometer that logs the highest and lowest temperatures and it has proved to be very useful even if it gives you bad news...... This afternoon we went to Cherbourg to Brico Depot for a stroll through the tool department and a saunter down the electrician's aisle, we talk about what we should have and what Mike needs and then we make mental notes of prices and availabilities and come home. We did stop at a furniture shop on the way out of town... well, more like a posh MFI store, I say that because while Mike was looking in the bargain corner I witnessed a queue of people bringing things back and talking about bits missing and it all just rang a bell in my mind. We did however find a solid teak cabinet with white round sink and chrome mixer tap at a cool 60% reduction, not flat packed as it was ex display so we thought it was a fairly safe purchase for the bedroom sink unit we have been looking for. Mikes jobs are starting to back up now, we are due a day off tomorrow with friends coming for lunch , then back to the grindstone, Brevands style .......gently.