Not just another day...

Now that the blog is cleaned up, thanks to Steve, and we are back home with Blogger it is time to get into some routines. Writing, gardening, staying out of the hot sun, eating, drinking, walking, just to name a few will all need to be fitted in to our days. Also, we have the attic, (le grenier) to work on. We discovered a carpet rolled up in the street a few days past, and dragged it home. On inspection, it had one small stain which we think will come out, and a frayed corner, but otherwise it will work great up dans le grenier. It is amazing what you find piled up on the streets around here. We also found the legs to our coffee table for the living room in the street, so we finally were able to get rid of the toaster oven box. We left the stuffed heron wear it laid, as it has seen better days. 

That's me on the left in the France t shirt.

Once a month, you are able to put out your dead stuff for collection by whom ever and what ever is left is picked up by the city trucks. It is quite green here, the garden clippings are picked up every Wednesday morning, and there are several recycle centres near by for the glass, plastic and paper. 

Alexi Evans

There is lots to do here in Bellac at the moment. We are in the middle of the 63rd Festival National du Bellac, that has concerts each night at the theatre, and then free concerts later in the theatre's garden. We went to see Alexis Evans on Wednesday night, an R&B trio which put on an excellent 90 minute show. Last night we skipped the theatre so I could watch the France/Germany football match in the pub at the bottom of the hill. It is amazing to sit outside by the river in the shadow of a 12 century church watching the game on a big screen tv, cheering along with the French fans. Allez Allez

Later on Friday, there is a market down by the river and of course the 10 pm concert. We saw Bukatribe perform. They are 4 guys singing a cappella with beat box. We weren't sure whether we would enjoy the show, but it was another great evening at the festival as enjoyed by a large crowd. Sunday will be a busy day here as the festival takes over the river park with a day of family entertainment, then we have the Wimbledon final with Raonic and Murray and then finally the final of the Euro 2016 between France and Portugal. Gee I have to go back to the pub. 

Bukatribe in concert

Being without a regular car this summer, we thought we might take the train into Limoges to get a car a few times to get away. Now we have discovered that our local grocery store, Carrefours, which we knew offered rental trucks like U-Haul does, also has a car to rent.  We will try it out on Monday and Tuesday. We need to pick up a few large grocery items, and do some touring to some new near-by villages. If it works well, we will try it for a few longer outings.

We are also learning that insurance companies don't make life easy for their clients. I am trying to fill in the forms for Steve's dental treatment, but they want everything translated, and copies, and , and...... of course we don't have a printer, and they want paper copies and not digital. Also trying to claim a few incidentals from Air France to make up for ma valise being 4 days late, (well only 3, but we had to go to the Tour de France instead of wait for the delivery). Here's hoping the applications go through. 

Steve editing my blog

The time just rolls by with visits to the market, walks to neigbouring villages, the grocery and hardware stores, reading and what ever else strikes our fancy.  I can now really be a gardener as the first of my cucumbers have poked their heads out of the soil, Hopefully the lettuce will not be long behind. We are looking forward to entertaining for the first time next week as we host nos voisins for the Jour de Bastille fire works on Wednesday night. They are launched from the park just below us, so we have a great view if last year was any indication. We will be serving some escargots that we bought at the market today as an snack. Also, we stopped by the swimming pool to check on the hours for the summer, and that might be a great place to cool off very soon as the hot sunny weather continues. (not as hot as last year, but very pleasant) The metéo predicts no rain at least for the next week and highs up to 30. 

Our little oasis

We have created a nice shady backyard retreat for ourselves on these sunny afternoon. Notre terrasse has shade for most of the afternoon. It does get the sun again around dinner time, but who can complain.