We're back!!!

Sorry about the long hiatus.

I went back to Oz to tie up some loose ends and was so busy before i left that i didnt have time to update the blog.Now things have returned to normal i'll try to update a bit more regularly

Things were certainly busy in oz and i needed a few days off to recharge when i returned.

It was so good to see my family and friends after 2 1/2 years; strange though coz the only things that have changed is that all the kids are growing up,everything else remains the same.

Now i'm back its back into the house and i have plenty to do.

I stripped the old render off the column next to the stairs to expose the original bricks like the other side and am very happy with the results.Now i am rendering the internal walls of the new part and its a challenge as i know nothing about rendering-but am about to learn(the hard way)

Autumn is here and weve had some beautiful weather-such a good time of the year here.Lola has a new bike and weve been taking advantage of the good weather and going riding on some of the many trails here

I've been surfing heaps;Most days i'll sneak in a quick one with nothing epic but some quite good sessions with the stronger autumn swells calling for a step up in board size more often now.The last week I've used my fish,6-3,6-5,6-8.The next week were expecting wild 6metre swells which wont be surfable for magybe over a week .Time to get lots of work done

School holiday time,so while looking after Lola i can get some small jobs like patching the old brick wall and clean up the mirror for the bathroom

I'm reminding myself of Bill Murray in Caddyshack!The taupes(moles) are driving me crazy building their sandy mounds all over our garden.Corinne is constantly finding me outside with the garden fork in my hands waiting for the little devils to appear!Hopefully my latest aquisitions will be the answer.Solar powered spikes that emit high pitched noises to scare them into my neighbours garden

Just been working on my latest project for the last three days,restoring an old barn door that will be our front entry door.Check out the before and after shots.Now I've gotta find an old lock and. some drop bolts so I'll have to get back to the vide greniers this weekend and have a look.Had a surf at lunchtime,solid punchy 6ft and a little messy ,lefts at Les Bourdaines,Igot flogged by 3 solid sets and came in with my tail between my legs.Probably why there wasnt anyone else out there!The waves have been good and promise to be good tomorrow morning with it a little smaller and offshore.Its been a good summer for waves so far,lets hope it stays that way

Stinking hot at 36°,the french are sweating and whinging.Ha ha ,I love it hot,with it expected to be hot for the rest of the week.Warm water,surfing in shorts.Last night I had the longest barrel since I arrived.I was in shock.I tried to meet up with Lakes for a late surf and he was just finishing his when i hit the beach.The tide had dropped really quick and the bank he was surfing was over,so with a perfect 4ft clean straight swell I headed out the back to a bank that had just started to fire with the dropping tide and scored some fast pitching freight train rights with only a few being makeable and only one a couple of tourists out.After gettig pitched a couple of times I scored an amazingly fast, long open and very deep 5ft barrel that is definitely one for the memory bank.By far the longest ive had since arriving here 2 years ago.It is amazing to get such quality here and sometimes so unexpectedly.Ill go back tonite but i'm sure it wont be the same.Its hot so Lola and i will go to the beach now.

Just had a great week with my sister Pauline,Paul,Daisy and Lily.Went swimming,lunched at San Sebastien in Spain,Had apperatif with Monique,Fed the goats and Donkeys and played tourist around here.We ate plenty of local dishes and drank plenty of good wines.Lolas had so much fun hanging out with her cousins and was so sad to see them leave.Lots of tears..Its amazing how much theyve grown up in 2 years