1 Jan - This is where we had our first Christmas and New Year away from home. 16 Jan - Apart from being there due to ill health of Jen's parents we really had a very nice trip So we arrive back home on 14 Jan. One day to get straight and had our Bonnifont alternate Christmas Day on the 16th. It was strange coming home to all the decorations still up well after we would normally have taken them down but we made an exception for this year Open our presents and had another Christmas Lunch and a lazy day. Decorations down by the 18th 29 Jan - So, the intercom project is still growing. Decided to add some general PA units in the kitchen and lounge. This is the kitchen unit. 1 Feb - Upstairs Downstairs puzzle 6 Feb - Snow again and still cold   Cottage of Light puzzle Electronics Workbench in the study is becoming cramped due to required test equipment and power supplies in addition to the things being made so added two shelves 8 Feb - Snow AGAIN and still really cold! Victorian Avenue puzzle 9 Feb - This is getting past a joke and we are really cold now - ENOUGH! 12 Feb - Victorian Avenue puzzle 13 Feb - I've been looking at digital radio recently so a few Christmas Presents seemed in order It's not really radio as such.  Radio is used between the hand held and the little box but it's all over the internet after that.  However, it does allow me to talk to the guys back in the UK very easily. This is a local server set-up by Clive near Salisbury 15 Feb - We were supposed to get ADSL Broadband over telephone lines last October. However - it is now due end of June so decided to order a telephone line just to be ready 19 Feb - Kitchen PA Unit looks good 26 Feb - Lamplight Village puzzle 28 Feb - OK, not funny anymore and it's getting worse each time much more of this and we'll be off to Cyprus 2 March - Apparently the kitchen red PA unit was not as good as I thought. Required repainting 3 March - New Solar Ammeter for the solar panels.  After eight years they are still producing 12 amps 5 March - Farmhouse Kitchen puzzle 6 March - Our friends laptop with a few problems that required a strip down before the offending broken bits could be repaired. You don't often see a laptop like this. 9 March - Snowdrop Cottage puzzle 10 March - Jen requires some instructions on how to operate the heating system so a picture with labels plus a few notes does the trick Second RT Simulator assembly starts off with some more R&D 18 March - Thermostat for the radiator heating sometimes does not work now. Traced to a broken pcb track which was quickly repaired 15 April - Tulip Cottage puzzle 18 April - Antenna improvement time. This is my 80/40 meter dipole in the bottom field. By adding another piece of wire I can squirt the signals more to the UK thereby making all the signals stronger - and it worked as well! 20 April - Geranium time. Stumbled across these in a supermarket in Confolons for like a few quid And a new washing line. Saves walking round the back of the house to the old washing line and also gets more wind here. 26 April - Cherry Pie puzzle 4 May - As the weather is starting to finally improve time to do some garden clearing up.  As the Maverick is still out of action I bolted a  ball hitch to the front of the tractor so we could clear our ile de Bonnifont area left over from last year. 13 May - Department Store puzzle 15 May -Cluedo puzzle Framed for Murder 25 May - Grease gun cock-up means I need to replace the bearings in the flail mower again. No grease - no balls.  All ground up to metallic dust 28 May - Disney Cinderella Castle 3D puzzle 31 May - All complete and looks brill 4 June - Same for the ground roller, new bearings required I also ordered some grease gun cartridges so hoping this is the last time I need to do this. 6 June - Totally technically competent!  Tennis on the TV, scores on the tablet and reading the kindle in between sets with tea on the table 10 June - Meanwhile I complete RTS#2 New front panels look really good and new PTT push buttons should last a lot longer than the old ones All packed up and ready for delivery 24 June -Mum's Kitchen Dresser puzzle Department Store puzzle on the wall 25 June - Another coolant pipe leaking so another kitchen sink tap pipe cut up and a new radiator cap - all sorted 12 July - And finally (nine months late) we have ADSL broadband @ 8Mbps.  20 July - This year we revisited a lot of the properties we viewed back in 2010 before moving to France during which we came across this wonderful sight. 26 July - Maybe a late start this year but looking good now!   27 July - Moulin de Tintin.  Fantastic converted old water mill that now houses "Antiques" and the like. as well as anything else you can think of!!! 4 August - Time for this years outside "look good" project.  Kitchen door, windows and shutters first. I've never gotten around to painting the outside of the kitchen door or the fly screen and the shutters could do with a freshen up as well "Jean Blanc built it in 1873"    We discovered this inscription early one morning when the sunshine caught it and we thought it was worth highlighting. looks much better, and now onto.... Part deux - Paint the old summer kitchen floor Always looked a bit sad with the dull concrete grey floor even though we had painted the walls So complete the job with a coat of floor paint and that completes the old summer kitchen uplift Yep - looks good. Very pleased 13 Aug - Jen's Birthday A few friends round for drinks and a BBQ 16 Aug - New modified Cisco system deployed for complete Wi-Fi house coverage [Thanks to Clive, G4KCM] 21 Aug - Ellie, Matt and Steph visit so it's back to the Tennis Court each evening. 22 - First Hot Air Balloon we've seen whilst living here. 23 Aug - Off to Cafe Portebleue for a meal which is opposite the Chateau in Verteuil 24 Aug - Confolons Day Trip on our favourite bridge and the girls use Matt as their chauffeur 3 Sept - Log time again!  Only two Cords this year, less than half the amount we usually have so quite quick and easy to stack away 11 Sept - As we now have broadband and are not limited to a monthly download amount I am trying to join the 21st Century. 14 Sept - The horses next door escape from their field 16 Sept - La Rochelle Thalasso Spa Marin Ibis Styles @ Chatelaillon-Plage Wonderful Spa Hotel Fantastic facility with excellent food and service So we stayed for a few days 18 Sept - Last day in La Rochelle which we always love to walk around and eat lunch outside a harbour cafe on the street 24 Sept - Back to work with the annual Boiler Clean and lounge wood stove grate repair (forgot to connect the earth cable!!!) 25 Sept - Halloween Preparations 7 Oct - A new idea to dry the washing in the Workshop during the winter months using heat from the boiler 23 Oct - A very close friend and family that we have not seen for far too long visits. We probably haven't seen Julie for over 10 years. We had a fantastic day and are really looking forward to our next get together. 29 Oct - Weather Station Flat Battery.  As it's been on the mast since 18 Sept 2015 I decided to give it a clean-up as well. 30 Oct - Bedroom OPS.  Time to finish off this room with a bit of plastering on the ceiling and a lick of paint. Thanks to Dave for the loan of the tower. 2 Nov - mice have eaten through the lighting cables in Jen's Audi so time for a bit of soldering. 5 Nov - unripe tomatoes from Constant's veggie patch put to good use It's been a very long time since Jen has made Chutney and we're hoping that this lot will be ready for Christmas 20 Nov - Bedroom OPS progressing Christmas Puzzle #1 - defiantly reminds me of Christmas past 22 Nov - Having been overrun with ladybirds due to the really good weather these two decide to winter in our kitchen Christmas Puzzle #2 - very festive 27 Nov - As we are now on ADSL Broadband I can connect the weather station to the internet.   28 Nov - Frost has resulted in Geraniums removal New lamp cluster for the car and it's packing !!! And here we are again!!!