Apéritifs with Neighbors

Several neighbors have been very kind to us since we arrived in Lectoure.  We invited them for aperitifs this evening.  Everyone came bearing house warming gifts, Lectoure kitchen towels, locally grown and dried prunes, candy, and a matted photo taken nearby by a neighbor that is a professional photographer.  We gave them a tour of the house, and then filled our glasses for a toast in the garden room.  We ate and drank wine for a couple of hours, watching a hot air balloon take off downhill of our house.  It was a beautiful evening.  We’re grateful to have wonderful neighbors!

House from the Garden

I am enjoying working in my Lectoure garden.  We have grape vines growing on the arbor above our terrace.  The two stones in the garden were on the terrace and we moved them, to use for sitting.  Both stones are carved, likely for water uses.  There are about a dozen rose bushes in the garden, most just trimmed over the weekend after their first big bloom.  I took this photo this afternoon.

Thank You Soirée

We hosted a small party this afternoon, inviting people that helped us over the past few months.  Several we invited couldn’t come because of work - from Hotel College des Doctrinaires, but they received the invitation and knew of our thankful gesture.  The main paint crew came - Mouss, Adriana, Johnny, and Adriana’s grandson - Dennis, along with her husband.  Our insurance agent, Romain, came.  He was very helpful last fall when we were in the contract phase of buying the house and needed insurance prior to closing.  Jean and Don helped us with translation and setting up meetings with the painter back in November, before we closed on the house.  

I prepared a spread of food.  We gave a tour of the house, then went to our garden room to load our plates.  We sat in the garden to eat.  It was a beautiful afternoon!  We are very grateful to everyone that has helped us over the past months, renovate our home, buy furniture, and feel more a part of the Lectoure community.

 

Our Maison is Becoming Our Home

We had a big week, with a delivery of more furniture and we bought an antique Baktiari rug from a neighbor.  Somehow the rug was a turning point for us, as we’ve had several Baktiari rugs for 35 years.  They all have the same woven border and colors, and we love them!  Our furniture delivery on Thursday included five French chairs, a library cabinet, three desks - a large one, a small one, and a secretary, plus a side table that we’re using as a nightstand.  We have a few more things to find, but we are comfortable in most rooms now.  We also bought a round table for our terrace, and had a picnic supper last evening in the garden.  All good!

    1er étage guest room

    3er étage hallway office

    Garden room - ground floor

    Secretary in master bedroom - 2ème étage 

     1er étage  bibliothèque 

 1er étage salon

  Garden

 2ème étage master bedroom

  Ground floor “green room” - reception room named after green Chesterfield sofa and chairs

     Kitchen on 1er étage 

Enjoying the Views

We’ve gone on walks around the village with Alan and David almost every evening of their visit.  They have gone on long drives each day of their visit, then come back and tell us all about them.  So interesting!    Last evening, we walked down Rue Nationale, then past the Brocante Village, to the overlook, where we took these photos.  It was a cloudy evening, and the countryside is beautiful.  We’ve enjoyed Alan and David’s visit!

Papa’s Birthday

Papa had a good birthday!  We went to the Fleurance marche, a big weekly market in the village just south of Lectoure.  We bought lots of fresh fruits and vegetables and I made vegetable stew over couscous for dinner.  We had a fun Zoom call with our girls, Aunt Mary, and grandchildren in the afternoon, and our weekly French lesson at 3.  Brian called, Lynne called, and he had several email messages.  Our friends, David and Alan went to Lourdes today, and returned in time for dinner and birthday tart at 7:30.  While we were having dinner, a beautiful rainbow appeared.  A perfect ending to the day!

Amazon Deliveries and Returns

Thank goodness for Amazon!  Over the past two months, while renovating our Lectoure house, and furnishing it, I have ordered a lot of merchandise from Amazon.  Beds and linens to light fixtures, placemats, sink strainers, chairs, and everything in between!  Many deliveries come from companies contracted by Amazon and some come La Poste.  Our La Poste postwoman always arrives with a big smile!  

I have returned several Amazon purchases as well.  I’ve dropped a few at La Poste, and I’ve taken most to the Tabac shop, owned by Frederic.  He is quite a character and it’s always fun to stop in to see him.  It’s also nice that there’s a very good boulangerie patisserie next door!

Trois Vide Greniers

On Sunday, we went to three vide greniers, in Marsolan, Mas-d’Auvignon, and Ceran.  We also visited the village of Terraube, another hilltop village with a castle.  Each village was small, without shops.  Two were hilltop villages with beautiful views of the surrounding countryside.  The items for sale at each were rather similar, with clothing, things for the kitchen and house, tools, and children’s items.  People were sitting at tables in front of their homes or around the edges of the village square.  We bought a pair of marble and wood lamps, a wooden box with handle, and a vise.  We ate lunch at the Ceran vide grenier.  We had fun!

First Visitors

David and Alan arrived yesterday afternoon.  They are long time friends from Tucson.  We met in 2013 when they were in high school.  At 26, both are college graduates.  Alan works at the University of Arizona and David will begin medical school in a few weeks.  They spent a week visiting Paris and Bordeaux and will be with us a few days.  Papa and I showed them around Lectoure, taking a couple of walks, then sitting on our 4th floor balcony as the sun set.  We’re happy to have David and Alan with us!

Trip to Condom

Condom is a village of about 6000-7000 people, about 30km from Lectoure.  It is the site of two castles started in the 13th century and has 19 sites listed as monuments historiques by the French Ministry of Culture, including the cathedral.  Condom is known for the production of Armagnac.  A statue of the Three Musketeers and d’Artagnan stands beside the cathedral, around the corner from the attached cloisters.

Papa and I first visited Condom in 2013 and have made short visits since.  On Wednesday, we went to Condom to visit the Finance Ministry to register our address for receiving our Taxe Foncière bill (property tax).  The office was closed, open only Monday, Tuesday, and Friday mornings, so we walked through the cloisters and in to the cathedral - an impressive piece of architecture.