Week 2 with the Tiddlywinks..

Well we have just survived  :-)  ...or should I say enjoyed our 2nd week with the Tiddlywinks without their parents (one set arrives Wednesday) A very busy and fun packed 2nd week. Plenty of exercise, eating and exploring the countryside.






Last weekend we had some terrible storms, that caused quite a bit of damage around us, ourselves we lost 4 Damson trees and lots of debris, and my greenhouse ended up in the field next door, but at least no one was hurt. The poor sunflowers took a battering and many crops are totally damaged. Overhead lines were down, and the EDF have been very busy.

our Damson trees

clearing up

overhead lines

damaged sunflowers

EDF working 

On the menu this week was Moules, (Mussels) an experience for the Tiddlywinks, as they hadn't tried them before....it was like preparing them for a bush-tucker trial, excitement mixed with trepidation...  :-) but they seemed to go down well, especially for Avah she ate 11 of them, the others it was a taster and just 1 each... it's a start.

Avah

Bobbi

Eden

Morgan

Eden's turn to do the baking, he decided it would be a good idea if he baked a Chocolate Cake...mmmmm, so off we went. He was a proper little baker...taking it all in,

 doing very well under instruction...   and the outcome it tasted delicious....

Dog walking and trekking to explore, was on the agenda daily, they loved walking out with their sticks and trying to find some exotic wildlife   :-)  ..... which would make them run a mile. Many a time they saw Deer..... we didn't, Eden was convinced he saw some brown eyes looking at him from in the woodland, such imaginations that they scare themselves... they loved walking in the Sunflowers, some were taller than them..but fun was had by all..

We had a day at a vide-grenier in Aigre, a very hot day so maybe not the best idea, but the Tiddlywinks wanted to spend their money. After walking around for an hour, and still no purchases we decided to go for lunch.   After lunch we went to a play area for them to cool off a bit, as it was shady..and for the Adults to have a very refreshing Beer.  Back to the vide-grenier and at last the girls made a purchase ..some French books, that will make some interesting reading, but I suppose you have to start somewhere..

Time for a play in the garden with granddad, helping him clear some of the gardening rubbish...and a ride in the wheelbarrow..

More swimming, another daily activity for them, the temperature was getting very hot, in the 40's some days, which was getting unbearable .. thank goodness for the pool.

One evening we decided to have some Southern fried chicken  (well oven cooked) so decided to let the Tiddlywinks prepare it  :/   they seemed to enjoy cooking,  we do try to encourage cooking as much as possible.   Have to say the chicken was scrummy, they did a good job..

 They decided they would like to build a den.....until they scared themselves silly.....the cats joined them  :-)

Time for a manicure for the girlies...

After the storms had calmed down, I got a bit worried about our very large conifer outside the house, it did look as though it slanted slightly towards the house, so to be safe we made the decision to have it taken down, professionally, much to our disappointment , as the tree had clearly been there a very long time... but safety came first. Have to admit, it does look better, opens up the garden and more light in the house, so a win - win situation..

Tree in front of the house

Before

After

Opens the house up

 Lunch in the Orchard

Chicken Paella, another first for the Tiddlywinks, and they all thoroughly enjoyed it apart from one.......Morgan (the eldest)  :-)

This beautiful sky was later in the week, we were forecast another storm, and this was the sky before hand. Thunder and lightening we had , but nothing like the week previous and no damage..

Avah with Morgan collecting the bread from the Boulangerie

 Avah & Eden with Maisie

Another Vide-grenier in Ruffec, it was a very hot day so decided not to stay long as the Tiddlywinks were too hot, but the girls made a purchase (again)  I can see these 2 are going to have lots of Retail therapy when they get older....

very hot