October 21st to 27th

Settling into routine now. Dave working 5 days a week with me doing 2-3 hour slots interspersed with nice cycles :-) It will all swap round in the season I keep stressing to him when his work will be much more sporadic. Job at Crystal started on Monday and it seems like a nice place to work. Big offices as it is the European head office but being given enough time to do it, so that's good. Cycle on Tuesday with Sophie who has new job in Geneva, teaching English, things do seem to slot into place here if you pursue things, for those out there thinking about it. Rainy day Wednesday cooked tart for dinner at Dawn's (not sure about the oven!!!!) then a lovely day Thursday so after picking up new DVD from Amazon had a cycle up towards Argentiere.

Realised needed different leads for DVD, bought something in Super U, wrong things and, won't go into full story, but won't be shopping in there again!!! After being my favourite shop all 3000km around France the Super U's in the Chamonix valley are staffed with the most abrupt, unfriendly crew going. I had given them the benefit of the doubt but not anymore.

Lovely dinner Thursday evening, beautiful flat right in the centre of Chamonix, realising we could do with slightly larger place, no way of returning compliment in ours:-/ Mixed too many drinks though, so bit rough for early start for both of us, cleaning at Lisa's, lovely chalet in Taconaz, felt slightly under pressure as she obviously has ultimate cleaner in Elena, but think I did OK. Then headed out again in the evening to meet ip with Sophie and Megan and friends for a couple of beers.

Really lovely cycle on Saturday over Col de Montets to Vallorcine, good news from Harry that his loan has come through at uni, don't know why they always mess some of the poor kids around. Then got text from Ian Dave's old student, back in Cham for a while with Micheala his partner, so out again!!!! Busier social life than in Lancaster. Recovered  Sunday with vows to have healthier week coming!!

14th October to 20th

Busy week, especially for Dave. Monday and Tuesday he did joinery work for Dawn and Ian (who I unpacked car for previously). I followed up domestic cleaning work and have lined up two for 4 weeks covering an Estonian lady. In doing so got Dave more work, labouring this time for the husband of Lisa, my Friday clean! So he ended up working Friday and Saturday too with the potential for a months work if he wants it. Crystal job also lined up for me to start next Monday.

The beginning of the week weather wise was a bit grey and rainy but as the week went on it improved and managed to get a few cycles in. Also checking out places for the Lancaster girls to come and stay in, in March. Cycled up to Argentiere and saw a place that though probably too small was owned by a lovely couple, the wife of whom is an artist too and want some info about cycling on the west coast so will meet up with them again I am sure.

Good old Chamsocial came up trumps and I have got some new skies for 100 euro, Dave will have my old ones. Dave has also uploaded some images for sale on Etsy (I think that's the websites name), though it is a long task and he has to stand outside the Office de Tourisme at times to do it!!!!

Sunday evening and we had a little walk and in doing do popped to Dawn and Ians to pick up a hammer Dave had left. Had a cup of tea and a chat and now have our 1st invite for dinner, on Thursday, Chamonix is feeling very much our home :-) Happy days......

This doesn't really show the beautiful orange glow on the peak, it was very pretty

Mont Blanc I think, from above Les Houches

Aguelle Midi from above Les Houches

If you look carefully there is a petitgris (squirrel) dans l'arbre

Slightly creepy white faced musicians leading a line of children  (bit pied piperesque)

this is how a night with Mal Downham ends up like!!!! 

Morecambe night out for octegenarian in punk pub!!!!

Dave said he wanted this one in especially :-)

3rd October to 13th October

Busy time back in the UK catching up with friends and family. Dave has sold some paintings back in the UK songs had to pop to the galleries in question to liaise and set up more paintings for them. Caught up eight the newest me member of Dave's family, Molly Beatrix, but stupidly didn't get any photos! Was lovely to catch up with the Preston gang, Heather Whelan being particularly brave to venture to the Black Bull and not just because anyone who ventures out with Mal Downham is putting their long term health at risk (only joking Maloir)!!

Caught up with Lancaster midwives who are planning a little trip out to the snow to celebrate a couple of significant birthdays, Kirkpatrick travels has that in hand and then nipped to Clitheroe to catch up with the Blackburn midwives as they celebrated a retirement.

Dave had lots of Guiness over the week, trying to put some weight on he said, and played a few games of pool, making up for lost time.

Was lovely to be back but nice to get back to our little studio. Work at crystal hopefully starting this week and due to cham social I have some extra cleaning work in a week for three weeks covering someone's hols  and Dave has some joinery work for the first couple of days of the week too. Need to get those ski passes saved up for.

When we arrived back on the 12th it had snowed!!! Reminded us of what's to come :-)

DVD brought back from UK too, with purchase of appropriate scart  lead now have something to do in the evenings after our scrabble of course (sorry H had to mention it), with our new mini scrabble dictionary should be less disagreements. So, sorted!!!!!

24th September to 2nd October

Life continuing in similar manner now so blogging will just be the pertinent bits with some pictures. I have started meeting Sophie (cyclist) and Simone, a Dutch lady from Holland to speak French and try and move things along with it. We meet in the lovely square, have a coffee or two and just chat, probably not enough in French as we should. Managed a few cycles, to Le Tour and up above Les Houches on the way back towards St Gervais. Great work out that one. Dave cycled to Sallanches yesterday in search of the elusive boards, to no avail. He was exhausted!!! Think it was about 70km and a few good hills. Couple of walks up behind us too have been nice, though the tracks get a bit thin and steep leading to about turns.

I continue to pick up bits of work off Chamsocial cleaning an apartment and such. Missed out on doing some weeding one day, which would have been good as a lovely day, but got contact for next time needed. Explained my vast knowledge with being an ex allotment owner. Then yesterday I got a job at Crystal tour operators. Megan (cyclist) put in a word for me, went and had a look and there will be 20 hours a month going for the whole time till we leave. Evening work too which is when we find ourselves at a bit of a loose end, and won't clash with the cleaning work in the winter. So hopefully will start that on return. Need to sign to the French system for it, not sure how to do that but hopefully the finance team will guide me, and not quite sure how much I am to be paid but obviously quite a bit more than 17.50 euros I quoted as my 'going rate'!!!! (I was quite sheepish when I said the figure but obviously us the lower range of going rate)

Off to UK tomorrow and a packed itinerary of catch up, visiting the houses and newborn(ish) babies, replenishing stocks and then back in 9 days time. Work to look forward to, hopefully, and French classes which are promising to become a bit more sociable with drink involved I think, nice to meet kindred spirits :-)

View from local!!!!

September 21st to 23rd

Weather continues to improve. pottering around in the morning on Saturday sussing out market for potential for dave. Checked out pool and then went to library, joined and immediately got scrabble out. Librarian explained to me that scoring different on french scrabble which may be why when we last played it, it was a French version!!!! I thought I should have cruised that one and then lost. Wasn't able to use this as leverage for league though. Anyway tried to remember English scoring and played where we  played and then wrote down french words to try and use it as a lesson in French, long game!!!! I won.

Sunday I headed out for a bit of a cycle and then bumped into some young English girls (and I mean half my age), Sophie and Megan, and tagged along with them on what I thought was an average Sunday cycle. OMG ended up doing a climb of 1000metres in 11km to a beautiful spot Lac de Emesson. This has the steepest funicular railway access in the world, that's how steep it was!!!!! 60km in total. Felt amazing once back in Chamonix. Hopefully might have some work coming from contact with Megan.

Monday Dave went out to do some e-mailing etc for work and I went for a walk up above Chamonix. Stunning. Then by chance while checking Chamsocial noticed 3 hours work for the afternoon. Got it helping to unload car, cleaning windows (which they have never seen as clean, thanks H!!!) and packing stuff away. If can continue to get bits and pieces (another job on Wed) will be good.

Gallery on tow to Chamonix!

Finding a venue for my paintings in Chamonix is proving to be quite difficult. I'm painting the locality now but fast running out of boards and brushes. The locals get their supplies on-line...have to put an order in.
A portion of the gallery so far....

David-french/artcove.co.uk

David French art/society6.com

September 20th

Gorgeous day and so exciting to wake up in apartment, with lovely view of Brevant and the para gliders overhead. 1st breakfast on balcony with nothing but squirrels passing by :) Big shop, then off to bank to sort accounts. Dave then finished the painting from yesterday and we did indeed bump into The Aussie couple, twice. I went for a cycle up some hills (serious hills) but then came to an end. Will have to suss out longer tracks. Popped into library too. We so take it for granted in UK, free banking and libraries, whereas both cost out here. But, you can hire scrabble and dvd's and they have an english book section so will be worth it I feel. Internet too with printing ability and really friendly staff (just like Morecambe library :-) of course!! ) Quiet night in afterwards but in our own place - very happy.