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   Yes, it`s true, the Deux Sèvres summer we usually have has established itself. Long, hot days and the grass has stopped growing, so no more frantic mowing and strimming. True, the daily watering chore has arrived, but hey, you can`t have everything....
  Perversely however, we haven`t forgotten how cold it gets in winter, as a couple of items will prove. Ten days or so ago, we saw a very reasonably-priced woodburner on Things for Sale in Deux Sévres. We arranged to go and see it on the Saturday. Sounds simple, doesn`t it, but don`t forget what an enormously long départment DS is! The stove was near Bressuire, right in the north, while we are 200 yards from the SOUTHERN border.... A trip of two and a half hours was involved, just as well as we like exploring!  Just as well, also that the stove seems suitable and being a lot smaller than our current incumbent, could be put in the back of the poor, little Peugeot 106....

  The new stove is much smaller than the old one, but does not have an oven, a feature of the old stove that we didn`t often use as eventually it didn`t heat much. The new stove, a Supra, seems well constructed, with a cast-iron core surrounded with an enamelled convector case. It is supposed to heat 100 square metres and is more designed to heat an area than to cook!. Our old unit was becoming rather tired and nearly all its controls were jammed or missing, which made driving it a bit of an art. The firebox bars were burnt through in places, and replaced with old trenails. Still, it has given stirling service and will be missed. Ian is going to help us install the new one later and we shall see next autumn whether it lives up to its boast!  A suivre....

  Another cold-weather project is the possible replacement of the front/kitchen door. Vincent, from the local double-glazing firm called in a couple of days ago to measure up for an estimate. We had mentioned it weeks ago at a local `do` and had almost forgotten it. Still, one doesn`t rush out here in the sticks, and if the divis arrives in a couple of weeks time and is accepted, the work will PROBABLY be done before late autumn renders it urgent...

   Still, all that is scarcely urgent with the temperature around thirty, so bye for now, going to lie in the shade!