Mick and I have just finished 6 weeks here – our third assignment so far on this year-long adventure. And we thoroughly enjoyed it – the two dogs were fantastic.

This photo shows the closest neighbours’ home that we walked past every morning. It belongs to couple in their 90s who live independently with their disabled 70+ year-old son. Amazing. I love the colours of this neat-as-a-pin house, and we enjoyed watching the wisteria come into bloom during our stay here.

As per usual, the last day or so involved tidying up the place, washing our linen and preparing a meal for our hosts – this time it was a bit trickier because they don’t eat the same things. One is a vegetarian and on a special diet and the other loves sweet things. So, Mick made a chilli con carne for us for our last evening with plenty left over to feed the meat eater! Plus, I made my favourite, super-easy, never-fail lemon macaroon syrup cake, and left the fridge filled with fresh fruit and vegetables.

We had a few extra jobs here as well. Both dogs needed to be washed as did all their bedding. Two days earlier it had snowed and the temperature on Sunday did not get above 2°C. I was a bit worried it was going to be too cold and wet to complete those jobs, but thankfully the sun came out the day before our hosts returned.

We did not expect it to be this cold a few weeks off the start of summer, but we were in the middle of the Massif Central. I had been toying with the idea of jettisoning quite a few of my winter clothes on our departure, as I have been wearing the same things for months, and I am quite sick of them. But, I have decided to hang on to them for one more week, until we arrive at our next assignment up near Switzerland. Perhaps it is even colder up there.

Mick mowed the lawns, even though they were pretty damp. It certainly spruced up the appearance of the home.

The block here is very large and Mick could not mow the whole area as some of the slopes to be negotiated were way too steep. The gentleman who owns the place loves riding his mower. He used to drive racing cars back in Australia when he was younger and he obviously has more bravado. So, he will have to do the steep and wild part.

During our six week stay, we observed lots of changes in the countryside, and in the forest where I enjoyed walking the dogs.

These comparison shots of the same locations show a three-week period (I did not get the idea for this until we’d been there for some time)

We could almost hear this crop growing.

After farewelling the over-joyed owners ( who had missed their two dogs big time), Mick and I headed to Montluçon for two more nights. Ideally, we would have liked to have returned the car and been on our way, but as it turned out, the 8 May is a public holiday in France – Victory in Europe Day, and almost everything was closed.

We are making our way to Saint Dié des Vosges where we will meet our next hosts in a week. But until then……

……we are on holidays!!