Time for a second cup of tea.

Sitting at the computer with Lucy (puppy) on my knee, first port of call Brittany friends, a Brittany expats forum, very friendly place to visit and catch up on the gossip, snow in north Brittany and Normandy. A look on Angloinfo, an over moderated expats website, but useful for information.
Next any new postings on Paul's sites his Half Acre farm website see if there's any updates, onto his forums he has two connected to Half Acre Farm, to many pop ups on the old one, so has changed to another, he needs to get some more members before he closes the old one, and his Young people in France forum that's getting popular
Time to start the house work, start upstairs and work my way down, bedrooms, I really should keep the doors shut, I make the bed and the dogs un-make it for me. Wash up from last night, I leave the washing up after dinner, we prefer to sit and chat and have a bottle (or two) of wine. Time to go and check on the animals, six eggs today, seems that talk Paul had with the chickens about the cooking pot has sunk in and are back in lay again, the new chickens need to decide soon if they are egg or meat chooks.




A quick look in the duck "pond" make sure no chicks have fallen in, I picked one out the other day, I decided to throw it away, annoyed Paul he said that if I didn't want to eat it the dogs could have done, but as it wasn't killed for the pot I just didn't want to keep it, I put it in the bin, last time I buried one the dogs dug it up.
Another cuppa its time for a bit of "me" time, telly on, The Gilmore Girls, girlie TV, all five dogs try to sit on my lap, once were all comfortable we can enjoy the programme and share a biscuit.
Oops, time getting on, Paul home soon, light the fire and think about dinner, lamb chops I think, home produced,



Although so sad to see them go, they were so tame, Larry always came up to me if I called him and loved to follow me around, although he had many a fight with my dominant goat, day of dispatch was a sad day, I wanted to be out on that day but was here, I locked myself in the house and cried, I'm not sure if I could keep sheep again, I've no problems seeing off the chicks and ducks, and some geese go this weekend, but I got attached to the sheep, so cute and friendly. But the intention was always to eat the sheep, they were quickly and professionally dispatched and I'm not having a problem eating them, Larry and Clover were full grown and it would have been daft to let them go through the winter, with the expense of buying feed, and the meat getting older.

My blog, starting now.

The alarm clock goes off, yes, its 3am, time for Paul to get up for work, except he clicks the snooze button while I ease one foot out of bed, its cold, I put my feet down where my slippers should be, they've gone, Jake (one of our five Jack Russels) loves pinching clothes, he doesn't damage them, just likes to sleep with them. After finding my slippers, easy, they were on the bed, on with my dressing gown and the dog race begins to get down stairs, I'm not rushing, I'm just careful I don't get knocked down, did I mention its cold. Put the dogs out to do there business and then I put the kettle on, and feed the cats. Paul's just getting up and I make his coffee, as soon as he's up and the dogs are back in I can go back to bed, myself and the five dogs all cuddled up back under the duvet.
Paul gives me a kiss ( I have to cover our eldest JR, Cassie, because she snaps at Paul if he kisses me) and leaves the house at 3.40am, I stay in bed till the goats wake me up, calling for their breakfast.
I have a few jobs to do before I have a cup of tea. First, let the geese out, since the fox paid us a visit and took 3 geese and 2 ducks they are all locked up at night. The geese as usual kick up a racket, as soon as I speak to them they calm down then I let the ducks out, by now the goats have broken out of their field and demanding breakfast, I open the feed buckets and the fight begins, as soon as the lids are off the goats are trying to climb in the buckets. After winning the fight, I am now holding a large bucket of bread and a 2 buckets of feed. I also have a small bowl of goat feed to keep them occupied while I get the corn for the geese. Before I let 20 chickens out I throw some bread and feed on the floor, Then let the eldest ones out first, then release the youngsters, by now one of the cats has jumped down from the top of the chicken house and is sitting on my shoulder demanding her breakfast. Just a few jobs to do know, get the goats back into there own field, that's the easy one, I just put the bread down in there field and they soon follow. Time to break up the first fight between the geese and the ducks, then herd the geese into their field. As I walk back to the house I look out for dead rodents on the lawn so the dogs don't eat them, feed the dogs, then its time for a cup of tea and Sky news.

Photos and Video

Charlie and George














Comfortable by the fire










Cassie




















My ducks, the two we have left have become pets, getting more soon.








Norman, handsome fellow.













View from the bedroom, Half Acre Farm
















And another











Clover, miss her too.

Me and my family

Paul and myself, this year celebrating our silver wedding anniversary, as well as my hubby he's my bestest friend and soul mate. He would be perfect except he snores and farts in his sleep.









My boys Daniel and Michael. Dan lives just over the valley, I can see his place from here, he lives there with his lovely girlfriend Veronique, I will put some pictures of the two of them later. Mike lives in Messiac with our gorgeous daughter in-law Violaine. Vivi is pregnant so we are expecting our first Grandchild in May 2009. Ive added some pictures below, as soon as she has had her first scan I will post the picture.





Violaine and me at the football

























































My Mom and Dad


















Pauls parents