We had to apologise to our neighbours 2 doors away for my wife’s screams 2 weeks ago upon finding another snake.
Hope nobody thought I was being flippant when I suggested sheep.
Before we finally moved in here, we had an arrangement with a local smallholder. He set up a temporary electric fence and grazed his sheep on our plot. They did a very good job. Only problem was that they didn’t like ferns, so over the years the ferns advanced and the grazed area became smaller.
Anyway, that’s the country way of doing things. No bills, no paperwork, no money changes hands. Everybody happy except the tax man! There’s more than a fair chance that somebody nearby would appreciate a bit of extra grazing.
Sheep are nice animals and quite friendly when they get to know you. “Be company for you.” as my jokey Welsh neighbors used to say!
Flock of guinea pigs in a run that you move about?
I’ve always fancied the idea of a couple of miniature goats, but OH won’t have it in case they escape into veg garden.
Absolutely nothing like goats to make enemies of the neighhbors!
Tell me about it! Just had a screaming match with our neighbour about his goats (and rabbits and pigeons) who constantly attack our planters, garden and veg patch. He believes that animals shouldn’t be confined, which is all well and good if you live in the middle of nowhere, and just lets them do what they like and doesn’t pay them much attention in terms of being sure they have food and water. We find it appalling as the death rate of his animals is very high. This is his fourth goat in 18 months. It’s a lovely goat, but not in my potentilla!
She is terribly thin 
He is a very stupid man. Usually drunk too, and what was a nice house when we arrived here is now a hovel surrounded by junk. He really shouldn’t be allowed to keep animals as he forgets to care for them, and has had numerous verbal warnings from the mayor. I keep asking them to be a bit more forceful, but the mills grind slow round here.
Well, going back to the topic of mowing, I am pleased to say that I managed to engage a gentleman in the village who has cut the grass in my absence - I’m hoping that it is going to be a long and fruitful relationship 
However, after he recent storm it looks like I might need tree removal services as well!
Looks to be blocking about 1/3 of the road - however I’m not quite clear whether it has already been removed - just need to clarify that one 
I’m so glad you found someone but oh no at the tree. I’m guessing it will at a minimum have been moved off the road.
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My neighbour says it has been cleared and not to worry - but, yes, I’m only expecting the minimum to have been done.
The frustrating part is that we were supposed to be over in a fortnight but now can’t because of Covid quarantine requirements.
Letter from the mairie dropped on the mat today (interesting that they have my UK address, I guess they got it from the trésor publique, as they have it for TdH and TdS) saying that the municipal workers will be cutting trees back and do I give permission for mine (including the one above) to be done.
The snag is that the work is today/tomorrow, the letter took a week to arrive.
For this I’d put my fear of speaking French on the phone to one side, grasp the nettle and give them a call - but it arrived at 12pm (1pm French) and the mairie closes at 12:30 - I’ve emailed, hope that it is seen in time as it will be massively easier to take advantage of the council doing it than sorting it out myself.
I can’t phone in the morning as I will be much too busy at work.
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Do you want me to phone them for you? I’ve had something cancelled tomorrow morning so can easily fit a phone call in?
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Excellent offer @cat
(I could have offered to phone them @anon88169868 but I would have no idea what would get chopped down or planted as a result of one of my garbled phone calls!)
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I never said I could speak French or even be vaguely coherent. I just plan to shout loudly and use sign language…
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did your shouting and sign language work?Apparently