Back in the UK I hated going to the gym - boring pointless on machines watching MTV. I never got to the endorphin level s people who do lots of gym work talk about.
However I have found here at the montaurand chambres d'hotes that the best excercise in the Charemte and Dordogne is collecting and piling wood.
With fuel now over 1 euro per litre with more tax rises on it next year I hear, fueling our woodburners is more important than ever.
So collecting logs, trundling them about in a wheel barrow , filling my trailer and chainsawing into 50cm lengths is both hard work and immensely satisfying. I get a real sweat up and as long as i am careful how i lift it is fabulous exercise. I love that fact that what i'm doing is going to keep us warm all winter.
We probably use about 10 cubic metres of chestnut so that about 7 trailer fulls - ive now got enough for a good 3-4 years and i can just lie there drying until i need it.
Then of course we have the log splitting to think about.
I use a 'wood grenade' and a 10 lb hammer which is easies that an axe - splits huge logs really nicely once i've chainsawed them to the correct length.
And of course when you stay at our bed and breakfast when visiting the wedding chateau in marthon or going off brocanting we can keep you nice and warm.