Brrr...

The big freeze arrived at the end of January and it snowed on the first Sunday in February.  The snow lasted a week with the low temperatures which didn't get above freezing some days, really glad I found some thick jumpers in the box we brought back last time!  People say it was the worst winter for 50 years!  We managed to get some good pictures of Montreal in the snow - this may never happen again.

Needless to say it was a good test of our super-insulated house and our two 2kW electric fires.  Even though we haven't got all the insulation in yet, the house performed amazingly well and we didn't need the fires on all day.  It wasn't exactly roasting but we weren't cold even at night.

Having moaned about the absence of our carpenters, they were really amazing and worked through it all, even mornings at -12 degrees! One lunch time they had a bonfire of scrap wood - after that I took pity on them and brought them into the house for their lunch. We managed some work outside when the sun shone, but spent some days working out how to install the mechanical ventilation and heat recovery system.  More complicated than it seemed, with lots of insulated ducting, fans and a big heat exchanger.  Still not finished which is a shame because we didn't want to open the windows much!  It'll be finished in time for the summer and open doors and windows.  Ah well, next year it'll function.

We eventually had to stop the carpenters before they tiled the terracing roofs so that we can finish off above them, with Judy varnishing the fascia boards etc.  Chris will follow on with filling the joints - quite a task but he insists it won't take long and he's not about to let me have a go.

Meanwhile, we (Judy) managed to organise a birthday lunch for our friend Helene and others. Yummy food - will take the walking group there in September.

 Our planned weekend snow-shoeing in the Pyrenees was cancelled because the weather was too bad (-20 degrees, snow and wind).  But then we've just come back from 4 glorious days skiing in the Pyrenees.  Stopped on the way down to buy a late Christmas present - our own skis - bet it won't snow in Montreal again.  Good hotel, good skiing and wonderful sunshine, all just over 2 hours away - another reason we're here.

Another weekend of eating drinking and walking finished, now back to serious work on the house.  Has to be done!  But we are going to a concert and a Jazz club next week so not all serious stuff.

P.S.  We have arrived!  J was asked to be in the Quilles team (local skittles) because I showed some skill at lobbing a bit of wood 10 metres at a few skittles.  Felt quite flattered as a Brit (they are short of ladies and am only reserve player, but ...)  They play for the Championship of France (it's only played very locally) and it's taken quite seriously so will have to practice my lob.