We always did our decorations on Christmas eve.
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So did we, but as I have gotten older it has been getting progressively later and later 
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I have three artificial trees of varying sizes as over the past few years, space became more and more limited with different furniture and other requirements, but now I have a lot of space that it has been suggested I put all three up to please the grandchildren. Absolutely no, the big one that was packed away for over 12 years came out last xmas and will do so again, we paid a lot for it in the beginning as it has pine cones and snow all over it but I am not doing anything until only a week before the big day as I think you get fed up with it all. Always make sure it comes down on 12th night or before though as want to get the new year off to a clean start.
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Great news!
Just recieved our UK Christmas pension bonus, 11.53 euros each.
Going to hit the shops big time today!!
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Donāt go crazy now 
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Oh is that what it was for. It was in my account too today and I thought perhaps it was some sort of levelling up payment whereby they had not got the correct exchange rate. What can I get for that these days, wonāt even buy a decent bra.
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Got my annual CSS completed and approved three months before expiry and told to print out new attestations and update CV. They are very efficient now.
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Iām happy to see something add to my shrinking bank balanceā¦ 
and we won 2,76ā¬ last night on Euromillions so feeling very chuffed indeed ā¦ 
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Fixed the cistern flush this morning for my motherās flat - another step along the way to help sell it.
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If they leave that dirt piled up against the wall there wonāt it bridge the damp course?
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Another great, and very pleasant and astonishing surprise again today. As Iāve mentioned before, Iām still having a big clearout care of leboncoin, and today sold some radiators to a guy about 20 mins away. To cut a long story short I had to make two visits to drop off the radiators and for the second visit he wasnāt at home so I called him, as there had clearly been a mix up. He was on the coast and not planning to come back home for a couple of hours so I asked if I could leave them anywhere secure. He said there wasnāt but directed me to a keybox, for which he gave me the code, and said I could go in and drop the radiators inside the house. I was floored! How incredibly trusting of the chap. I could not imagine myself ever having that level of trust in someone Iād just met for about 10 mins. It certainly got me thinking and really did appreciate his trust in me. I did drive away with a smile on my face.
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Thatās amazing letssmile!
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And he later texted me to thank me and invited me to drink a glass if wine sometime. Some very friendly pleasant folks out there which is always a very sobering reminder of how good mankind can be. Especially when you witness all the carnage unnecessarily going on around the world.!
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Iāve lent out my no longer owned flat on the outskirts of Paris, to people on SF and friends of real friends, never have had a problem. Thereās a lot of honest people out there.
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This made me smile.
What damp course?
This is France where buildings such as this have stood for 100s of years and rarely are damp, they are built to breathe. Damp in such buildings only occurs when people upgrade them using the wrong methods and materials.
Our house is 200+ years old with 800mm thick solid stone walls with no damp course and perfectly dry.
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Ours is the same, built depending on which extension to the original house, between the 16th & 18th century.
We do run 2 small dehumidifiers during the winter just in case and have a VMC, but it sits between 41 & 51% humidity which I donāt consider bad and this is with rubble and soil filling under the floors with between 800-1300mm walls as it was originally part of a castle.
They removed the piled up dirt a couple of days later when they installed the gateposts. However, as has been said above, there isnāt a damp course! It does mean that the house is delightfully cool in summer and that end of the house is a dependance used as a woodstore, so no problems anyway 
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Fabulous sunshine, but bitterly coldā¦ wrapped up like Christmas parcelsā¦ weāve been for a gentle stroll for the exercise and to visit an elderly neighbour who lives just that bit tooo far to walk when itās wet.
Her delight on seeing us was well worth the effort.
Happy sunnyday everyoneā¦
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Itās raining outside, so weāre indoors, wife writing Christmas cards, me doing the family news letter.
Iāve discovered a way to get delayed building work progressed - it has worked well twice in the the last month. The technique appears to be getting up significantly later than usual - on the only two occasions we have done this recently, artisans have arrived unexpectedly to carry out some work. This morning it was replacing a decrepit and non-functioning barn door with a good external door with a lock. We are happy (and slightly warmer) bunnies 
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