We went to the fantastic market in Libourne this morning and bought some very tasty nibbles - pain aux raisin, saucison, pain, fresh pasta, fresh gnocchi and baclava.
Helps us remember why we are here.
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I feel that way every time I queue at the fantastic cheese stall in our market (which is so small it just has 5 stalls - cheese, fish, veg, yoghurt/goats cheese, and honey but what more do I needā¦)
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We went to our local market yesterday just for the cheese/cream/butter stall and the veg/fruit one. We try to get as many things from there as possible as the quality is terrific!
I have a cheerful Irish ancestry OHā¦
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Thanks for that post @MaryW, planting trees is one of my favourite activities. Iāve found as long as young trees are mulched and watered through any hot, dry periods in their first couple of years, they will generally settle in and thrive. Keep at it 
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Planting holes also importantā¦seen many trees that died after a couple of years as the soil had some clay in it and when hole was dug the sides smeared and dried so like planting in a big clay pot. Good holes, with good drainage, and planting at right depth are important tooā¦ we love our trees too!
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We have heavy clay too. So I make sure to prick the sides and bottom of the hole with a fork so that the clay is broken up and not smooth. Seems to work.
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Todayās cheerful news here is that my partnerās S1s arrived after our chat with DWP at the end of last week. This dumbo here didnāt realise that I could attach my toyboy to my S1 (heād been operating as an autoentrepreneur here but that is no longer viable so heās closing it). We are so pleased thatās one additional box ticked and the new S1 is ever so smart - I had a really scruffy unreadable one when I applied for mine several years agoā¦
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Big step forwardā¦donāt forget to scan it and copy itš
Most definitely 
copies everywhere (and a separate copy in my files for when he loses hisā¦)
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Two cheerful things so far! One is the excellent news that David has posted on another thread - Harper has been found and is uninjured. That certainly brightened up a number of peopleās days
The other isnāt news exactly but made me feel much better yesterday evening. My partner said I had to go outside and listen (it was dusk) and the birds were singing their little socks off! I suppose there is an evening chorus like there is a dawn chorus? Anyway, it was magnificent and so cheering after the grey and silent winterā¦
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I have just come back from a walk with Leah, our rescue Border collie cross and thew sun has just gone in.
The birds are everywhere calling to each other.
Cheltenham starts today and I am home in time to see the preview.
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They are just delivering our trailer load of free muck for the garden.
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I appear to have repaired my ride on mower on the third attempt.
If I had spent anymore time under it, I would have qualified as a Stiga technician and if I had fitted any more parts, it would be back under warranty.
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When we redid our roof we wouldnāt let them put a sparrow board back up. As a result we have sparrows nesting all the way along in the stones under the roof, which we love as they are such entertaining birds. But they do make a hell of a racket! Spring time mating calls of more refined birds are much more tuneful!
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We do too Jane - cottage (ie gite) and pool house. I explain to our gite guests that our cottage roof is sparrow Hilton and hope they donāt mind the noise. The pool house roof, I have put a board behind the guttering that now goes along the front. They were launching themselves out from under the eaves poolwards and so the pool terrace, wall and furniture, where the babies rested were getting pretty manky. Iāve left the sides and the back of the roof away from the pool open and that seems to work. Except that they canāt quite understand that they can no longer get into the roof from the front. About a dozen of them were indignantly perched all along the gable making a racket and every so often one of them would slither down to the guttering to investigate and then hop back up to report. 
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Cheerful news for me is that I saw the dentist today and he managed to sort out my painful teeth .
Nothing sinister just food lodged between molars.
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Thatās excellent Peter! My partner keeps getting that problem - look out for the dental-water-jet-cleaning thingy they have periodically in Lidl - cheap and works a treatā¦
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OH has one of those. He needs it as he has terrible problems with his teeth.
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During the lockdowns, with worries about getting to a dentist, that thing has been a godsend! Since weāve been here, Iāve bought some brilliant things like that from Lidl! (Not exactly news, but reasonably cheerful 
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