29. starry starry night

Well, I have been here a month now and what can I say? I already feel I have been here for years and am getting to know the area. I haven't watched any tv or films since I arrived and have to say that I haven't missed them. Ask me if it will be the same in winter and my answer will probably be different. We spend more time outside so there is no need to coop ourselves inside as we did in London because we didn't have any outside space, except a balcony in full view of the street. I keep thinking that someone is going to tap me on my shoulder and say 'er, excuse me, I think you're living someone else's life and they want it back, awright?'. In between looking after little Mooh I'm doing the shopping and smashing up the house ready for work to commence, and because of that I feel like I have lost some weight already, woohoo! Even though the house is a right old mess I could still live here, with it in that state, for the end of my days.

I started a little project a few weeks back taking a picture of the sunflower field opposite in the same place at around midday-ish everyday and posting it on Facebook, just to see how long it would take the army of yellow heads to rise and fall. It's such a beautiful sight to look out of the kitchen door window and see these stoic flowers standing, waiting to face and greet the sun every morning. Their heads are getting heavier now and bowing, almost kneeling with the weight, almost like the sun has offloaded some of its weight on them.

We spent an afternoon going through papers at the Mairie with one of its employees to see if we could find any more history about the school. The second floor of the builiding still has wallpaper from the fifties, peeling off and dusty. In a room piled with papers we attempted to help sort out documents while at the same time digging for documented gems for ourselves. We did find some lists of pupils and sundry papers, one of which seemed to indicate that at one time the playground had been cobbled. Fab! We then dreamt of finding these cobbles and using them to bring back the asphalt drive to life. We eventually want a garden there. There are still two old tennis court net posts in the playground and so Seb in his enthusiasm to see if there was anything underneath pushed and pulled it out of the ground, butch or what, only discover rubble underneath. Oh well, it's only a small part on the far side so we may yet discover some yet.

Poor little Mooh was spayed yesterday and was a bit sheepish when we got her home. I think she sees the Vet as Dr Death now, so that maybe a problem. When he gave her second injection she was almost climbing over me to get out. But she got her own back that night when we put her in her pen to sleep. She howled for an hour, and not just howled, cried, yelped, mewed and generally tore at our heart strings as he lay in bed wondering if we should go down. Seb went down at one point and nonchalently went to look at something on the kitchen table just to make sure she hadn't attempted to self harm and we'd find a bloodbath in the morning the noise was that disturbing. It really is like having a two year old. She was fine and eventually stopped. The Vet had even given us a morphine pill which we had administered and seemed to have made no difference whatsoever. I think next time we'll ask for a hardcore horse tranquiliser. She's sensitive but a tough bird.

Mum and dad are coming out in early September and we are really looking forward to showing the place off to them. They may be a little aghast at some of the work needed doing but we'll get there. Sebs Papa and his girlfriend Michelle should be down too so they will finally meet, which will be interesting as neither speak each others language. But my Dad can be fluent in anything after a couple of beers!

Heard Mooh whining at 4.30am so took her for a wee (see we are dedicated parents really) and looked up and saw the clearest darkest sky speckled with a sheet of stars. Amazing! I count my lucky stars we live here.