cooker at last

julian is too knackered to write and i tried last night but it all got cancelled so here we are again. julian says he misses driving down the A21 in the rain in my saab listening to bob harris after a concert..but actually we are doing fab, in the house at last, and the cooker (our only real luxury which mr plumber/electrician/ plasterer/bricklayer cum artist chef deserves more than anyone I know) arrived today. A real stainless steel range cooker with 5 burners, and before you dare gasp in shock, take a minute to think of all the fabulous meals we will all have as a result! (tonight's debut being chicken breasts with ceps and spinach...mmmm.). it's 30 degrees in the shade here at midday with crispy bright rays creeping in over the mountain in the morning. the cats are happy even if they have painted noses, filled nostrils and have already encountered ralph the local scary tom, a passing (along with jogger parents) alsation and a wild boar skimming accross the field. it is magnificent and we are terribly happy. there is still tons of work to do, but i am trying to persuade julian that we should relax into my last week here before i leave for 3 months in to die for september light - sit backand enjoy the work we have already done...hope that's ok with all of you???? it may be less perfect than we hoped for you h and m but poor jullian really needs a break and will be fresher for it! you will love it here i am sure. you just have to go out and sip coffee from the gaggia handpump chrome machine in the morning and watch oscar and manon backlit purple against the blue mountain and you'll get the magic creeping into your bones! our friends in the auvergne are collecting ceps by the 50 kilo sack and all we have to offer is shedloads of mink shit from a beastie which lived in the roof many moons ago, i hear it fetches a premium in the more organic scieties and that it makes nice alternative coats....? pete and jan i have put in your glyndenourne request. i'll keep you posted. julian meanwhile sends tired but happy love along with the fig (shaped remarkably like mikshit) he just placed on my keyboard.rxxxxxxxxxxx