Firstly, apologies for not posting my blog last week and to the, literally, ones of my readers who seemed to miss it. I’m glad there is someone who looks forward to hearing about the goings on at Kergudon 🙂
The reason I didn’t blog is not, as the more cynical of you may believe, that I hadn’t got around to doing the painting as promised(!)but because we were entertaining my family who came to visit for the first time. So there is lots to tell after 2 busy weeks.
Most importantly, we did start painting in Priory and, to date, have given a complete first undercoat to both twin bedrooms and the bathroom. We are halfway through the bathroom and need to do the same to the hall before a second undercoat and final top coat. Some progress can be seen in the pictures below
We have managed to continue a little in the garden – and have a temporary mini nursery with some new acquisitions we have made. Some hedging to fill the gaps created having cut the hedges as well as plants for outside the cottages. Dave gas planted some seeds for summer colour and created a mini-greenhouse out of one of the Ikea wardrobes in the gîtes.
My Dad and his wife arrived on Thursday for a long weekend with us which was blessed with amazing spring-like weather which allowed us to get out and about and show them the area as well as Kergudon itself. Over the 3 days we had great days out in Landerneau; walked Lac du Drennec; walked the ramparts of Concarneau
; re-visited the fabulous Sunday market at Daoulas and walked Cap de la Chèvre at the tip of the Crozon peninsular where we discovered the memorial to French military aviators. Lots of walking as you can see – which compensated for the lots of eating that we enjoyed!
This week, as well as continuing with the painting, we survived Friday 13th and ordered the bathroom fittings that will go into Granary, Hayloft and Stable and have welcomed our first, non-family, non-paying guests to Kergudon. They are a nice couple, very friendly and eat anything but can be a bit stubborn.
We have been ‘loaned’ Annis and Annand by our next door neighbour and they are helping is out with the rather overgrown brambles at the back of the garden, behind the, ever growing, pile that will one day soon become a major bonfire!
Life in St. Cadou continues to surprise with its variety and activities. Last night we attended our very first Fest-Noz (night festival) organised in the Salle-des-Fêtes. An amazing Breton experience. The event included a soup tasting – where local residents cooked a huge variety of vegetable soups for people to taste and vote for their favourite. Mine was ‘Little Rabbit’, carrot based with coconut milk. Yum.
The soup tasting was a side show for the main event – drinking and Breton dancing til the wee small hours. The Salle-des-Fêtes was packed with people who seemed to travel in from all over the area as there were cars and transit vans cum bedrooms parked on every inch of pavement and in every road around the village – some were still there this morning with their weary occupants.
There were multiple Breton singers and musicians, including the Breton pipes, playing many songs that everyone (except us) seemed to know the 
dance moves for whatever their age. Most of the dances seemed to be a variation on 
holding hands, or linking little fingers, in a line or circle, moving to the left while circling linked hands and employing some fancy footwork. Perhaps we’ll give it a go next time … We did however come away with a recommend for the best reggae Fest-Noz in France in a neighbouring village – who’d have thought in Brittany!!
On top of all of the activities at Kergudon we have also reached our first Facebook milestone of 100 page likes – thanks to all who ‘like’ us – please spread the word and share us with your friends.
Forthcoming week – more painting in Priory and preparing Hayloft for its new kitchen and bathroom. We welcome 2 friends to Kergudon next weekend to celebrate the culmination of the Six Nations championship and we are hoping for a cloudless Friday to witness the partial eclipse.
À bientôt.