fatigued ... fatigué

well, I'm suffering from fatigue...physical fatigue which has also translated into blog fatigue.

I'm working hard on a variety of projects and each night...I find myself tired, longing for a bath and some sort of mindless behavior. Now some might think that would mean blogging (especially MY blogging of late) ... but for me ... no. I haven't seemed to be able to muster up the steam to do it.

I have 2 or 3 posts sorted in my head ... but when I sit at the computer...I just can't seem to get it together.

My projects are...continuing with the renovation of the atelier I own in order to maybe have a small snackerie! Yes, there is such a thing - basically more of a café than full on restaurant, and it would operate only during tourist season.

The atelier is as old as my house and has required major cleaning and sorting out. The past week has found me in the grenier (attic) since I am the shortest of the duo ... first lugging and dragging the piles of wood that were stored up there and chucking them over the open 'loft' edge to the first floor. After that, I sorted and carried all of said wood to various destinations (storage or dump). Last night, I shovelled load after load of used sand into the wheelbarrow from the sandblasting project and hauled it to the garden area destined for a deck. I commenced about 6:00 p.m. and continued until dark (after 9 or so). During last week, several phases of exterior cleaning occurred with the stone using bleach, hydrochloric acid and some other special product only available commercially. It hasn't turned out JUST like we want, but we'll get there.

Today I climbed back up in the grenier and cleaned it. This was somewhat of a traumatic endeavor as I detest spiders and it was basically overrun with cobwebs and dead things. JY hauled the heavy-duty vacuum up there. First I vacuumed the rafter best I could so I wouldn't have a head full of detritus. Then I swept the ceiling and floor down, put the piles in sacks and hauled them down the ladder. Then I vacuumed the entire thing.

This afternoon (after preparing lunch, eating in the sunshine in the garden, and sharing a 30 minute or so siesta) we returned to the atelier. JY taught me how to mix mortar in a wheelbarrow and I mixed loads of it and slopped it into a bucket which had a rope on it ... he hauled it up to the makeshift scaffold and repaired the stone walls.

Several nights have been spent sorting a huge load of jewelry inventory that JY has donated to another cause. I'm preparing a stand that can be used at brocantes and vide greniers (flea markets) to sell on the weekend and generate some cash for our projects. Not sure how that will fly, but my attitude is plant several seeds and see which one takes!

I've also commenced preparations for planing my potager (kitchen garden); we've marked out the space and treated it, next week the area will be tilled and then we proceed with planting.

I also broke out the hand held jackhammer thingamajig and removed old, burnt stucco from the rear wall of the fireplace.

Week-end before last I took a lovely 3 hour walk around Brantome, exploring an area of the village I drive by and 'bookmark' but never went to. I've posted some pictures on flickr (sidebar) that include an incredible dolman at the entrance to town and a beautiful, privately owned chateau that I trespassed upon since no one was home. Well, I think I know who lives there (an old English couple) and ages ago when we came across one another in a restaurant he told me to stop by any time! So if I found the right place, I guess I was invited. It was incredible to me that 2 people could benefit from such beauty and it isn't shared more.

I still want to tell you about my African motorcycle adventure. And I will. As soon as I can muster up the chops to do it justice.

For now, I just have to beg tolerance with my blogging blues.