Bit of a busman's holiday in Provence but still great

On our way back from Menton we stopped in on my brother's place in the village of Monmoiron which sits just below Mony Venteaux in Provence.

The plan was to catch up with Richard and Francoise (and on this occasion Estelle) before heading back home to the Loire Valley. My visits here have in the past included a little bit of help in the DIY department and this visit wasn't to prove any different.

Richard had had a delivery of wood for the construction of an extension to the pool-house (on the right of the house above) but it was grossly over estimated in size by the supplier. The upright supports, for what was ultimately going to be a bike shed, were 25cm square, even lifting them would have been a challenge. So it was a trip to the supplier to sort out more manageable sizes - no problem to exchange but delivery unfortunately would be a couple of weeks. Now it would have been no real hardship to have stayed but we had to get back as we have three houses to prepare for the coming season. 

  

There is however always something to do so, as Pauline, Francoise and Estelle went on an interesting trip to nearby Avignon and Richard was back up at his vines I took on the job of giving their substantial gates their first coat of paint. I was able to assist in another couple of areas which included using my engineering experience to repair a fairly vital piece of agricultural equipment that Richard needed to tend his vines...was glad to be of assistance.