Back From The Christmas Break
Posted: 10th Jan 2013
Happy new Year to all and we hope you had a great Christmas and New Year.
We reutrned to the Uk for the first time this Christmas and it was a much needed break for both Jayne & I, but most of all for the kids to catch up with the family. We had such a cracking xmas with many laughs, beers & wine consumed, and a good catch up!!
Now we are back in France and settled in again we are starting to plan the year ahead but need that jump-start to get moving after two weeks rest, but with no hanging around I have cut through the Dam wall with a small machine to start draining the back bay out. I have to admit being a little nevous about doing this but I have to now progress with the 15 acre lake. There is around 300 young grass carp to thin out and silver fish to deal with too, I put 6 carp in there last year to breed so I will have to see how they got on? I will take a few pictures so you can get a feel for what's going on, but as we speak it's raining heavy with snow forcast for next week, so it could be a real battle dealing with the incoming water and I hope I can keep the lake level dropping!!
Apart from the major work all the tiding up of the trees and banksides was completed before Xmas, so we are all under control at the moment.
The weather has been very mild over Xmas, so the fish have remained active with the odd "Dossh in both lakes every now and again with one fish crashing out while I was letting the dog out last night and the sound travelled upto the house!!! The water is very coloured for the time of the year which is not just the fish moving but more the water flow coming into the lakes. We have had such a wet winter so far which you guys back in blighty know all about, but the postive spin on that is the underground sources and water flow for next season all benefit.
My artwork this year has started to gather pace which I will be spending a lot more time on this year. We have given the business 7 years of 24/7 since we purchased the place back in 2005 so it's time to get something back from all the hardwork and indulging in my drawings will do just that. Big things planned for the end of the year in this area so watch this space!!!
I tried to get the clothing range sorted while back over Christmas but this did not go to plan, so the aim now is to hopefully get the samples arranged over the next month, if we are happy and all looks well we aim to have the items in stock for the start of the new season ahead, which really will be the perfect time.
We received a letter today in relation to pellet prices this year and because the price of Raw feed has gone through the roof after the worldwide drought in 2012 we will have to raise our price a little. Like always we try and buffer the cost to some degree to try and be fair and competive so it will only be a difference of 20 cent per kilo (2.60 euro- 2.80 euro per kilo) for 2013.
Apart from that it's business as usual so if you need any info or a chat feel free to touch base, if I don't pick up the phone I will have a grass carp down each wader leg while bobbing around in 5oc water, I love it!!!
Over & out
Team Sanctuary