Friday, March 23, 2012

Back into it...

Life never seems to slow down in this house much. If the pace starts to wane then we move onto the next rush of madness, set ourselves a near on impossible deadline and go for it...again...so in this vain we enter the warm Spring months with another energy zapping, slightly complex project to tackle...THE STAIRS...

Impatient to embrace our new space we moved into the 'barn' when it was 'just enough' complete for us to live in with no added extras! Good old Kiwi pioneering style we have made it through many a break through and lived the moment celebrating each small victory along the way when we finally got another step ahead. I long ago gave up being impatient and accepted that it was in my mental healths best interest to 'enjoy the process' as my husband insisted I must. Off the gas camping stove and onto the big new double oven, off the gas heaters and onto the new woodburner [after one hell freeze over style winter!!], out of the one communal room and into our 'own' adults bedroom with its very own wall and door [the kids are still waiting for their walls!], out of the huge freezing cold bathroom without any privacy and into one with not only a door but walls too!

If all goes well today we will reach another milestone in the project has become our lives...in the barn delicately wrapped in cloth is a gorgeous new set of oak stairs! Today we have the wondrous moment of finally getting rid of the ugly heavy industrial metal stairs that we inherited with the barn....I cannot tell you how much I awaiting the moment when I see them leave my kitchen...I am even happy to wait a long pause before padding my toes up the new oak staircase...it is close enough for me to be able to smell it! 

No more painful climbs up and down the old unforgiving metal stairs cringing at each and every step when you foolishly embark on the journey barefooted to make a cup of tea in the morning...no more dust, dirt and lord only knows what else to clean up under the stairs when each tread grates the bottoms of all traveling footwear causing it to fall through the holes and onto my kitchen floor below, no more slicing my hand on the rough metal edges in a careless moment....all to be something of yesterday!!!

As we have some friends coming over tonight to offer some muscle I have thrown on the fire in the menage and this is to be our first BBQ of the Spring...nothing like wining and dining your mates in return for a favour...and man it will be one great moment of celebration after four years of those diggers in my life!!!

Tonight also happens to be our wedding anniversary...nothing like a major engineering execution to test the marriage....

As it is a double celebration I have chilled a special bottle tonight from a local producer in Vertus....Champagne Doyard...the vintner is a real class act and everything is done in great style...from the labeling to the tasting...in a special room centred around a gorgeous chandelier and lined in silk curtains one gets to sample the produce while the producer, dressed in the most stylish of attire, talks you passionately through his delicate wines. Let the champagne flow!!





Monday, March 19, 2012

COOKING WITH NICK....

We had a great night last night at the house!

Venturing forth into the world of cooking lessons we organised Nick the Chef from L'Esperance in Sezanne to come into our house and cook in front of our guests a menu especially designed for London based Australian born party of 9. They are all old school buddies and had a ball...loads of learning and laughing as they leaned on the bar with a delicious glass of French wine and watched while Nick whipped up course after course of fabulous food....
The whole night was a roaring success and we are keen to put together a package for our large groups so we can offer this option for all of our guests...dining in style where the restaurant comes to you is a great option for those who have a passion for food and fine wine...
During the night there was plenty of time for Nick to chat...detailing all of his deft manoeuvrings as he flambeed prawns, stuffed veal and caramelized apples. Our inquisitive guests made the most of the opportunity to quiz and query on all matters foodie and then, salivating at the thought, got to dine on the cleverly crafted treats as they left the kitchen...Wines to match, sampled and savored...all delighting the palate...
After dinner was complete and guests replete making the most of the balmy evening we retired to the fire in the menage where Nick got to sip a hard earned cool beer and revel in the compliments after a highly successful evening in!

Dare I mention that the 'boys' then went on to have a head to head on the table tennis table and they whiled away the wee small hours pinging and ponging....a lazy Sunday breakfast was going to be the order of the morning....

SO now that we have done a test run and it worked! we are happy to offer this same fun night in with Nick the Chef to groups of guests staying with us....be involved, help plan the menu and get the unique experience of working alongside a Chef of 20+ years who is happy to share his secrets...we can also arrange a Champagne tasting at the house as part of the aperitif where you will get to meet the person who creates the wine in their small boutique Champagne house....

Just another way to spend a few days in Champagne....

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Meanwhile......

I know it has been a while BUT I have had some very small internet cretonnes breaking into my blog and also my emails...how this works I am technically mystified...why they bother...about this I am too mystified...but it has caused some angst and as a result no blogging!! Meanwhile I have been busy with my home, which is in as much of a state of chaos as my blog...thankfully due to building work NOT cretonnes...and hopefully, like all chaos, out of it will come calm and order...my ultimate Virgo goal...so while I have not been busy posting I have been manically living and storing up a whole heap of stuff to share when my technically competent son helps me to sort out the chaos left by the cretonnes...spelt in such a way as I suspect that they are French!

So watch this space and I will try and spend some time making it gorgeous with photos of the wonderful sunny days that have hit Champagne [20 deg due today!] indicating the Spring has sprung and we can all come out of doors and hit the year head on....our hibernation is over!
Here is a little of what we have been up to....Liliana has been busy!


So if you have happened upon this blog by accident my other blog with previous postings is

OYES CHAMPAGNE

Have a browse....drop me a line if you enjoy reading the posts as is always nice to hear from those out there in the unknown land of the internet!