Gites South Brittany

The weather deteriorated again this week - heavy showers, wind and some thunder and lightning! I'm having a break from physio treatment for a week following more tests on my shoulder. My doctor sent me for more x-rays and even an ultra-sound scan on my shoulder (aparently a new thing) - all I could see was a grey mass, but the guy seemed to be able to learn from it! I won't be able to start work again now until September, which is a bit of a blow. However, it would appear that all the schools are keen to have me back again next (school) year, so that is a relief.

We are waiting with baited breath for our permission to put up a garden shed. This involved submitting scale drawings of the location of the property, the existing buildings and the shed itself - in quadruplicate - attached to a lengthy form. We have heard so many horror stories of 3-4 month battles with the planning office (who will even haggle over a 10cm over-hang of the roof of the shed!), that we decided to go straight to see the organ-grinder herself. She has in the past been very helpful to us (recently granting a change in the original plans for our houses and the coverted "Certificat de Conformité") and this visit was no exception. I can't help thinking that the fact that my French is fluent helps - they must get fed up to the back teeth with Brits going in and expecting them to understand English interspersed with very poor pigeon French! Anyway, the said permission will be granted very quickly - we have her word for it!