July 2026 - Hot Summer on The Somme – 110 Commemorations - No.56 News
Posted on 31st July 2026 by Julie and David Thomson in General News.
July - when the days are long and hot, and there is much activity in terms of managing the landscape here, welcoming our guests and of course remembrance activities.
But firstly, an update on our storm damage. Thank you all so much for your messages of concern and support. It means so much that people across the globe are thinking of us and it has rallied us when slow French administration has brought us low! But we are resilient and have bounced back. You all mean a lot to us!
Current progress is that our new Renault is going to be in for repair for several more weeks. The recent storms, not just here but a similar incident in Marseilles means there is a shortage of skilled bodyworkers so it is taking a time. We are on our 3rd loan car, not without having to exert a little pressure to secure them, but we are currently driving a manual box Renault Clio. We have wheels, that is all that matters.
The orange MG has had a new windscreen fitted and is waiting to go into the garage for bodywork repairs. The first garage it went to has closed down definitively. You couldn’t make it up.
Estimates for the house roof and verranda (dining room) roof have been accepted. We are now waiting for the works to be programmed in.
The important thing it is all slowly getting there. There is a phrase in French – Petit a petit, l’oiseau fait son nid. Little by little the bird makes it’s nest.
Our thoughts of course turn to those suffering the devastation of the terrible wildfires in South Western France and in Spain. Though we are far from that area, more than 200 fire personnel (pompiers) from this area have volunteered to go and help the effort. We applaud their devotion to duty and wish everyone to keep safe.
