One lady Went to Mow

Relocating my business, my dogs and my life to the Limousin from Liverpool was no easy task. I knew I wanted a share in the lifestyle France had to offer but was not quite sure how to get it! In those days, property finders like me were few and far between. You had to get on a bus, boat or plane and in some ways hope the information you were given was the truth. Nobody told you of the complexities of living in the country or the importance of a ‘devis’ or just how to behave when confronted with a wild boar! Suffice to say, I have come a long way and hope that over the course of time you may hear my words and not make the mistakes I’ve made.

There are many stories I will share with you over the coming months; some funny, others a little more serious. We will deal with septic tanks, wood burning stoves, vegetable patches, renovations and more. Hope you enjoy and learn from these experiences. Firstly though, let me introduce you to Alice.

Boulders and Mole Hills

One of the greatest pulls of moving from a postage stamp sized garden in England to an acre of grassland in France, is the realisation that you can invariably own a sit-on lawn mower for a mere 555 Euros. I inherited the beautiful Alice as part of the sale of the house. It took three months before Alice and I became acquainted in such a way that the memories and subsequent scarring are still vivid in my mind.

I had been left a number of items in my barn, which to this day are a mystery to me. My French neighbour kindly showed me how to use Alice and of course I was too embarrassed to inform him I had no idea what he was saying. I tried the French manual but it might as well have been written in Swahili as my French lessons hadn’t quite reached the stage of the intricacies of lawnmower machines. I prudently waited until my neighbour left for work before attempting to take Alice out for a spin. Five hours later and battered from my adventures, I have these crucial pointers for all those individuals intending to purchase such a machine.

Take corners in a lower gear and definitely not on a camber, not taking this advice can result in coming off the machine, picking yourself up from the adjoining field and running after the said machine, which is now hurtling towards your newly built swimming pool. Most machines now come with a cut off switch underneath the seat so checking this is advisable. Although molehills seem rather unobtrusive, do not mow them as the soil is caught up in the collecting tube and you could spend hours travelling around your garden, thinking you are cutting grass when, in fact, you are just spreading soil.

If like me you are not fortunate enough to have had your garden ‘de-bouldered’, raked and flattened, be aware that rocks have a tendency to grow from beneath the ground, just as you are mowing over them. It’s not a surprise to find that the machine takes the brunt of the incident. Alice was out of action for two months. I replaced a belt and one pair of cutters, which in itself is a story all on its own. The grass was up to my knees and hide and seek became the past time of my two cocker spaniels.

When using your old mower for the first time after a long, cold winter, do make sure you are familiar with jump leads, as it can be embarrassing when you have to scream for help when you have reversed the polarity and subsequently need assistance putting out the ensuing fire!

Joking aside, these are delicate machines. They need careful attention and the cutting mechanisms can be fragile, even the smallest rock can affect the machine. Unless you have a lawn mower repair shop just down the road, understand that ordering parts in rural France can take a great deal of time to arrive. Poor Alice has aged half a century in the space of two years due to my ignorance. Remember, they are part of the family now and should be treated as such.

Article provided by France Property Finder

Like this? Then share with your friends and colleagues!