Astonishingly, the freeze continues here, with temperatures regularly plunging below zero and a blanket of snow covering the Deux- Sèvres countryside.
Even though we don’t get such extreme weather often in this part of France, it can have potentially dire consequences if you own a holiday home. Problems can range from broken guttering to missing tiles, leaking pipes and occasionally we’ll find that small furry creatures have taken up residence in the comfort of an unoccupied house.
So, this week, we’ve been wrapping up well and setting off to check on the properties we manage for clients in the UK. Each one has its own quirks and it’s critical that we’ve already spend time getting to know these and knowing where the water mains and fuse box are located. Being on the spot means that we’re here to deal with any problems that the icy temperatures might have caused and, like the Pony Express, we try to get through to our homes, whatever the weather.
After a trip out on Monday when we spent the morning checking out some seriously cold houses, I’ve decided that two pairs of socks and furry boots are essential for survival and now always check that I’ve remembered to pack the flask of coffee.
Fortunately, we didn’t uncover any serious problems with either buildings or wildlife, although we did notice a cracked gutter in one cottage and took some photos to send to the owners. Back home this afternoon safe and sound, I snuggled up in front of the log fire and sent e-mails reassuring our clients that all is well.
Reminding myself that we live in the second sunniest part of France, I spend the rest of the day with my seed catalogues looking forward to the prospect of days spent gardening, for both ourselves and our clients before too long.
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