Monday 19th Neither of us are big on cats but last night we had an unexpected visitor. When we were out here in October last year a small black & white kitten, the spitting image of Felix off the TV adverts, followed us home on our last evening out here. Feeling sorry for it P & C put some food out for him & he slept, curled up outside the small circular window all night. When it came time to leave in the morning he was still about & we all felt very guilty about leaving him. Caroll asked I & V to keep an eye out for him but he was never seen again, until last night that is. Sat in the same window watching us prepare the evening meal there was a healthy, well fed, grown up Felix. The suns out and we're up and about early (no change there) to brush off the wall Barbara had been pointing yesterday. I'm on with sanding the floorboards I put down yesterday and Barbara is doing the pointing around the window which she says is very cathartic, whatever that means. Hope it's not me she needs the psychotherapeutic help with! The local boulangerie doesn't open on a Monday so today our sandwiches are made from the leftovers of the pain bought on Saturday. The bread is crusty at the best of times so you can imagine what it's like 2 days after it's been baked and with only Bovril, cheese & Branston (available in our local supermarket) in the fridge, lunch was hardly the height of French cuisine. Our friends Sidney & Gilly popped in at about lunchtime (for obvious reasons we didn't ask them to stay for lunch) and we showed them what progress we'd made since mid January when they were last here. It was reassuring that they were able to see things had moved on, or perhaps they were just trying to boost our morale. Called in at the local shop in La Fouillade on the way home to pick up something for our sandwiches tomorrow. With no fresh pains available we have to take a very expensive Brioche Tranchée. At €3.10 for an 18 slice loaf the butties tomorrow better be something special. Where's that foie gras de canard?
Tuesday 20th and it's more like cake than bread! Perhaps that's what Brioche Tranchée is! No wonder Marie Antoinette said 'Let them eat cake'. Anyway the sandwiches were a little different & a whole lot better than yesterdays. It was a beautiful day so lunch was taken out on the veranda and a chance to reflect on our efforts so far. It's hard to believe that we've been here less than 2 months & although sometimes we don't seem to have made much progress things are moving in the right direction. We're both looking forward to the day when we see the furniture van from Ramsbottom coming down the lane with all our possessions in it. It'll then be on with the barn, that's if we ever decide what we're going to do with it. Today it was 2 gites and a way of generating some income and tomorrow who knows what we'll be planning to do with it. Work was much as yesterday with us continuing to rebuild the end wall and then point it. It's been a real learning curve and, although I know I shouldn't say it, we've (and it has been mainly Barbara) have done a good job at our first attempt at pointing the French way. Off for a pizza tonight with I & V to celebrate.
Wednesday 21st and by 10:30 we'd finished our only scheduled job for the day, wire brushing the pointing down. With time to spare, the first time since 2nd January, we called into the local estate agent for the promised cup of tea. Had a good chat but unfortunately there was no job offer forthcoming. He did say, however, that once I had a reasonable grasp of the French language I should be able to pick up some work. No problem there then! Off to VDR this afternoon for a leisurely wander round & popped into the local bike shop & picked a leaflet up on mountain bike routes. Also had a chat with the owner (spoke very good English) who said there were a couple of VTT (MTB) clubs locally and next time I was in he'd look up some contact details. It would be nice to think that sometime soon I'd have the time 'get out there & ride'. On the way back to Najac we called to see Thierry the local farmer we met at the Quarter party. He has the same car as me and had mentioned that he had a contact that sold parts, including exhausts, for Mercedes'. He hadn't the number to hand and said he would call round later with it. Ninety minutes later there's a knock at the door and there he is with the details. He suggests that it's perhaps a good idea if he rings on my behalf as the garage owner does not speak English. Turns out they only have a E420 part in but think it will fit the E320. Thierry says he has another contact who he will call in the morning and verify this is the case. He is such a helpful & charming chap. Lovely supper tonight at Sidney & Gilly's.
Thursday 22nd and a lie in. We're off to Rodez later today as Barbara has a plane to catch. While I'm off on the piste skiing she's off back to the UK for the next 3 weeks so this morning it's tidy up time. I get my instructions on keeping things neat & tidy and how to keep the wood burning stove alight. It's not that I'm worried about, it's all that washing & ironing I'll have to do when I get back from Andorra! We head for Rodez for lunch & take the opportunity to collect a staircase banister we'd ordered a few weeks ago. Rodez is only a small airport, not much bigger than a bus station, and parking is free. It's amazing how many British registered cars are parked up, it's the same every time we fly from there. I'm able to drop Barbara off right at the door, wipe a tear from my eye & head back to Najac... all on my own. Just kidding but I am going to miss her.
Friday 23rd and it's very quiet without Babs. Worked all morning trying to repair yet more floorboards on the top floor. Didn't go quite as well as I'd hoped but will get there. Last night I emailed Pierre Segonds, the 'artisan' who is doing some plastering for us, to confirm that he's still on for starting the work on Monday. He turned up at lunchtime to say he would be starting on Monday as planned & had a revised devis (we'd made some changes to the original spec') and requested a deposit (normal in France). 'A cheque will do' he said. This will be a challenge, writing a cheque out & getting the words to match the numbers! 'OK I'll put it in the post' I said and texted Rebecca for help. Called in at the local builders merchant after lunch for 10 metres of 80mm field drain and amazingly he understood what I was after. Hope it's my French that's improving and he's not a closet English speaker. Several texts off Barbara just checking I was hard at it & not bunking off early.
Saturday 24th off to VDR for one floorboard to finish off! Located the the local Toyota dealer & called in to see if they could repair the Yaris's windscreen. Think they said that they don't do windscreens & pointed me in the direction of Auto Windscreens. Also picked up some information on mobile phones. Getting the right deal in the UK is bad enough, doing it all in French is going to be a real challenge. Back to the house & finished the floorboards, moved the plasterboards so Pierre can get on removing the old plaster, cleared up & put the tools away for a week. Off on the piste first thing in the morning & meeting the others at Toulouse airport. That's why the blog's a day early & there's no posting for Sunday. I'll have to see if I can remember anything from the week ahead & report back.
Saturday 24 February 2007
Sunday 18 February 2007
w/c 12 February 2007
Monday 12th and it's raining chats & chiens and it's not that fine rain that soaks you through it's great big buckets of it. We planned to finish the rest of the wall off whilst we waited for the La Poste lady who we hoped would be delivering some documents that needed our urgent attention & would require prompt return to the UK. As we sat down for lunch at 12:30 she arrived with an armful of special offer leaflets and the recorded delivery envelope from England. By this time we'd not only finished the wall but Barbara had also finished rebuilding a window sill. She really seems (spelt it right this time) to have found her forte & is turning out to be a really proficient stone mason. So, rain still falling, it's back to I & V's to ask if they'll witness our signatures on the documents. 'No problem' and they're back in the post by 2:30. We hadn't received the devis from M. Regourd for the electrical & plumbing work, and looking for any excuse not to return to the site and the 15 cms of mud that would greet us, we popped in to see if he had the devis ready. It was and we had a taxing 30 minutes discussing it with his wife who doesn't speak a word of English (why should she). At one point she rang the local architect, who speaks very good English, and asked him to translate. The devis comes as quite a pleasant surprise so we arrange for the work to commence in mid March, the earliest he can start. Mme. Regourd suggests we visit a specific magasin in VDR where they will offer us a good deal on the bathroom fixtures & fittings we need. Still looking for any excuse not to wade in mud it's off to VDR we go. By now it's 3:30 so no need to worry about the 2 hour lunch, however, what we had forgotten is that it's Monday. Most shops don't open on Mondays and, you've guessed it, the one we want was closed. Ah well there's another excuse to bunk off if the weather doesn't improve. Never being ones to waste an opportunity we visit a store that is open and pick up a pair of Wellington boots for me and a pair of rubber slip-ons for Barbara. Wonder who's going to be doing the outside work?
Tuesday 13th and what a change for the better in the weather. Sun's out and it reached a balmy 12ºC so it was lunch on the 'veranda'! Did a little more stonework this morning with the intention of trialling the correct mix & shade of mortar. We'd picked up some blanc ciment (white cement) & chaux (lime) on the way in to work this morning and Barbara was keen to get on. After a couple of experimental mixes we decide on a 4:1:1 mix (Mac; I know you'll find that mix very interesting and it's a little spooky that you guessed the correct mix in your email last week). Just as we're admiring our pointing skills Pierre Seconds , the 'artisan' we'd asked for a devis to crĕpe the walls turned up. 'Quick don't let him come here & see this' says Barbara & sends me down to meet him. He's come to discuss the couple of changes we want to make and after 10 minutes (remember he speaks very good English) we agree that he can start work w/c 26th February. The Mercs been making a bit more noise recently so that now it's dried up, it's back under the car to apply another layer of Mastic Époxy. What fun. We also need another load of sand so it's back to the local builders supply yard for a tonne of sable. Rather than risk getting the car and trailer stuck in the mud, which is still 10 cms thick, it's several trips back & forth with the barrow to unload it. More fun. On the way back to Najac we call at the carpenter that's been recommended to do the windows & doors. It's 17:40 and he's gone home. How dare he?
Wednesday 14th and whoops, I'd forgotten it was Valentines day. Think it's OK though, Barbara forgot as well. Called to see a local carpenter on the way to the house this morning and arranged for him to visit this PM to give us a price for new French (naturally) windows and a couple of ordinary ones. He's bang on time at 14:00; it's funny how all the artisans that we've asked to visit always want to come at 14:00. Must be something to do with the 2 hour lunch and not wanting to go near their tools until the effect of the wine has worn off. He tells us we have a choice of bois (wood); local chêne & chátaigne & imported exotique (oak, chestnut and not sure what the last one is, but Barbara thought as it was 'exotic' the price would be 'exotic' as well. Turns out that was the cheapest option). As he can manufacture either the oak or chestnut in less than a week we go for those. He's very amused at our attempt at French and virtually falls about laughing at the English word 'chestnut' and repeats several times with a distinct French Mancunian accent. His devis will follow early next week, that's if he's stopped laughing. The good thing about a devis is that the price quoted is the price you pay, unless of course you make any changes, and once you accept & sign it becomes a binding contract on both parties. Barbara is back hacking out & I patch up a hole in the floorboards in what, one day, will be the master bedroom.
Thursday 15th and it's off to VDR for some more floorboards, double check the bathroom fittings & pop into the bank to change our address. We need to patch the floor at the top of the stairs we've fitted and we visit several suppliers before we find the ones we need. He only has 1 pack in stock so we order another 2 packs which will be available for collection on Friday 23rd. We then call at the bathroom fitting supplier make a couple of changes to the spec' that saves us approx. €600 which, as he doesn't speak a word of English, is a major achievement. Offer to Hyper U for the inevitable food shop and an interesting conversation with a member of staff who bids us 'have a nice day'. Turns out she spent 3 years in California. She misses the weather but not the restrictive lifestyle the US offered. She's 19 and not being able to visit bars and cafés is something any 19 year old European would struggle with. Into the bank to change the address on account to Lagarrigue and, as seems to be the norm there's an English speaking clerk waiting to help us. We'd a couple of questions about the hole in the wall cash dispenser (it doesn't offer an English version when you insert your French bank card!). 'I will come out to the machine and go through the options with you' is the response. Don't ever remember anyone at the NatWest doing that. We've had a productive morning and head back to Lagarrigue to unload the wood and discuss, for what seems like the hundredth time, what we're going to do with the stairs. As I'm unloading the car I notice the floorboards have a groove down the centre. Sod it, we've got the wrong ones so it's back to VDR tomorrow to try and locate the nearest match. Not the best of days after all. After a very quiet & reflective lunch we head to Gilly's to do a bit more work there.
Friday 16th and as we leave for work it's -2ºC & a frost on the ground but by the time we reach Lagarrigue, 7 kms away and 200 mts higher, it's 6ºC. We make a good start with Barbara hacking out the inside gable end & I'm on with the floorboards at the top of the stairs. By lunch time the sun is blazing down and the temperature has reached a very pleasant 19ºC. What's the weather like there? By 3:00 I've used all the wood so it's back to VDR with the 'grooved' floorboards. We manage to locate some similar boards and load the car up with the new floorboards and a some 27x38 (they don't do 2 x 1 in France) timber for the batons we're going to use to secure the insulation in the roof.
Saturday 17th and not much to report really. Worked at the house all day until 18:00, Barbara pointing the gable end she'd hacked out yesterday & I continued to patch up the floorboards. Pleasant morning rained heavy in the afternoon.
Sunday 18th and work continued on the gable end pointing with Barbara doing a grand job despite me. The second batch of mortar had a 'little' too much water and I was sent away to try again and told to get the mix right! I'd finished patching the floorboards by lunchtime so it was my turn to have a go at pointing. With Barbara's expert eye & advise I was able to contribute to the effort. The wall Barbara did yesterday looks really good so I didn't want to let the side down. Just along the lane from our house is a property that was renovated late last year & is now up for sale. Sunday's in France are similar to those in the UK and there was a trail of people giving the property the once over. Let's hope one of them is interested enough to offer the asking price and that would make working Sundays worth it. 18:00 finish again & it's still raining. End of a good week and looking forward to this time next week when I'm off skiing!
Tuesday 13th and what a change for the better in the weather. Sun's out and it reached a balmy 12ºC so it was lunch on the 'veranda'! Did a little more stonework this morning with the intention of trialling the correct mix & shade of mortar. We'd picked up some blanc ciment (white cement) & chaux (lime) on the way in to work this morning and Barbara was keen to get on. After a couple of experimental mixes we decide on a 4:1:1 mix (Mac; I know you'll find that mix very interesting and it's a little spooky that you guessed the correct mix in your email last week). Just as we're admiring our pointing skills Pierre Seconds , the 'artisan' we'd asked for a devis to crĕpe the walls turned up. 'Quick don't let him come here & see this' says Barbara & sends me down to meet him. He's come to discuss the couple of changes we want to make and after 10 minutes (remember he speaks very good English) we agree that he can start work w/c 26th February. The Mercs been making a bit more noise recently so that now it's dried up, it's back under the car to apply another layer of Mastic Époxy. What fun. We also need another load of sand so it's back to the local builders supply yard for a tonne of sable. Rather than risk getting the car and trailer stuck in the mud, which is still 10 cms thick, it's several trips back & forth with the barrow to unload it. More fun. On the way back to Najac we call at the carpenter that's been recommended to do the windows & doors. It's 17:40 and he's gone home. How dare he?
Wednesday 14th and whoops, I'd forgotten it was Valentines day. Think it's OK though, Barbara forgot as well. Called to see a local carpenter on the way to the house this morning and arranged for him to visit this PM to give us a price for new French (naturally) windows and a couple of ordinary ones. He's bang on time at 14:00; it's funny how all the artisans that we've asked to visit always want to come at 14:00. Must be something to do with the 2 hour lunch and not wanting to go near their tools until the effect of the wine has worn off. He tells us we have a choice of bois (wood); local chêne & chátaigne & imported exotique (oak, chestnut and not sure what the last one is, but Barbara thought as it was 'exotic' the price would be 'exotic' as well. Turns out that was the cheapest option). As he can manufacture either the oak or chestnut in less than a week we go for those. He's very amused at our attempt at French and virtually falls about laughing at the English word 'chestnut' and repeats several times with a distinct French Mancunian accent. His devis will follow early next week, that's if he's stopped laughing. The good thing about a devis is that the price quoted is the price you pay, unless of course you make any changes, and once you accept & sign it becomes a binding contract on both parties. Barbara is back hacking out & I patch up a hole in the floorboards in what, one day, will be the master bedroom.
Thursday 15th and it's off to VDR for some more floorboards, double check the bathroom fittings & pop into the bank to change our address. We need to patch the floor at the top of the stairs we've fitted and we visit several suppliers before we find the ones we need. He only has 1 pack in stock so we order another 2 packs which will be available for collection on Friday 23rd. We then call at the bathroom fitting supplier make a couple of changes to the spec' that saves us approx. €600 which, as he doesn't speak a word of English, is a major achievement. Offer to Hyper U for the inevitable food shop and an interesting conversation with a member of staff who bids us 'have a nice day'. Turns out she spent 3 years in California. She misses the weather but not the restrictive lifestyle the US offered. She's 19 and not being able to visit bars and cafés is something any 19 year old European would struggle with. Into the bank to change the address on account to Lagarrigue and, as seems to be the norm there's an English speaking clerk waiting to help us. We'd a couple of questions about the hole in the wall cash dispenser (it doesn't offer an English version when you insert your French bank card!). 'I will come out to the machine and go through the options with you' is the response. Don't ever remember anyone at the NatWest doing that. We've had a productive morning and head back to Lagarrigue to unload the wood and discuss, for what seems like the hundredth time, what we're going to do with the stairs. As I'm unloading the car I notice the floorboards have a groove down the centre. Sod it, we've got the wrong ones so it's back to VDR tomorrow to try and locate the nearest match. Not the best of days after all. After a very quiet & reflective lunch we head to Gilly's to do a bit more work there.
Friday 16th and as we leave for work it's -2ºC & a frost on the ground but by the time we reach Lagarrigue, 7 kms away and 200 mts higher, it's 6ºC. We make a good start with Barbara hacking out the inside gable end & I'm on with the floorboards at the top of the stairs. By lunch time the sun is blazing down and the temperature has reached a very pleasant 19ºC. What's the weather like there? By 3:00 I've used all the wood so it's back to VDR with the 'grooved' floorboards. We manage to locate some similar boards and load the car up with the new floorboards and a some 27x38 (they don't do 2 x 1 in France) timber for the batons we're going to use to secure the insulation in the roof.
Saturday 17th and not much to report really. Worked at the house all day until 18:00, Barbara pointing the gable end she'd hacked out yesterday & I continued to patch up the floorboards. Pleasant morning rained heavy in the afternoon.
Sunday 18th and work continued on the gable end pointing with Barbara doing a grand job despite me. The second batch of mortar had a 'little' too much water and I was sent away to try again and told to get the mix right! I'd finished patching the floorboards by lunchtime so it was my turn to have a go at pointing. With Barbara's expert eye & advise I was able to contribute to the effort. The wall Barbara did yesterday looks really good so I didn't want to let the side down. Just along the lane from our house is a property that was renovated late last year & is now up for sale. Sunday's in France are similar to those in the UK and there was a trail of people giving the property the once over. Let's hope one of them is interested enough to offer the asking price and that would make working Sundays worth it. 18:00 finish again & it's still raining. End of a good week and looking forward to this time next week when I'm off skiing!
Sunday 11 February 2007
w/c 5 February 2007
Monday 5th and at last we've finished the plasterboards! Despite drawing a plan of the proposed stud work we ended up having to make a 'few' changes. Thank goodness for the metalwork, it makes life so much easier for us amateurs to make 'minor' changes. Anyway Babs is delighted with the results & that's the main thing. Cleared out the other cave (cellar) this afternoon ready to spray with wood preserver tomorrow. Didn't find any vintage wine hidden away just years of cobwebs & dust. Funny how Barbara volunteered to varnish the floorboards above.
Tuesday 6th and a bit of admin to be done to day. We need to register with the French health department & I need to sort out travel insurance for my week on the piste. This could be pretty involved so we're in VDR for 9:00 and head straight for the Caisse Primaire d'Assurance Maladie or CPAM. It's only 9:05 and there's already a queue of about 6 people, it's a well know fact that the French are a nation of hypochondriacs and that their health system is groaning under the strain. Having said that from all accounts the health service out here is superb, let's hope we never have to find out first hand. Anyway there we are looking at a sign that translates as 'please insert your Carte Vitale and take a ticket'. Only problem is that it's the Carte Vitale we've come for and, obviously, we don't have a card to insert! Merde! The Carte Vitale does not entitle you to free bottled water, it is credit-card-style card that contains all your health related information, e.g. blood group, allergies, etc. and must be presented whenever you see a doctor, dentist, (not a chiropodist, well not in my case) & collect a prescription.
Never one to panic Barbara decides there's no point waiting for someone to take pity on the couple who've been waiting 6 hours and haven't bothered to take a ticket, and she's off to find help. On the first floor we find the post lady and she goes off to find out who we need to see. She returns and takes us back to the ticket machine and presses a button. Hey presto outs pops a ticket with 007 on it. Damn my covers blown. It's only 5 minutes before our number comes up and we head for salle B. We present the forms sent to us by the DSS back in the UK and after a quick glance at them the fonctionnaire has grasped what we want & starts tapping away at her computer. 'Can I see your birth & marriage certificates, passport & bank details please?' All in French of course. Yet more merde as we hadn't thought to bring these documents with us. No matter she completes the forms and suggests we call back next time we're in VDR. It's worth pointing out here that despite what is commonly said about French bureaucracy we haven't found anyone less than 100% helpful. What they think of the stupid English is, of course, another matter.
Next it's off to the insurance broker we insured the house with in the hope that the English speaking owner is about. Merde again, he's out! We have a very interesting conversation with the lady behind the desk & eventually get across that I need travel insurance for a skiing trip to Andorra. 'Ah d'accord' and she starts tapping away at her computer and prints out a policy document, asks me to sign it & presents me with a claim contact card. 'If you have any problems whilst you're away contact this number' she says with more than just a slight smile on her face.
Buoyed up by our success with these two tasks I decide that it's time I got my haircut (and started to learn more French). This will be easy as my hairstyle consists of a deux on the sides and a quatre on the top. 'Monsieur that is very short'. Turns out the coiffeur thinks I mean millimetres! I don't get the foreign legion cut and leave with a respectable sept & neuf. A good mornings work complete we head back to the house and the lovely job of spraying the cellars with anti-termite solution.
As I sit writing this the phone rings & Barbara leaps to answer it in the hope that it's one of the kids and voice she can understand easily. Not to be, its Pierre Segond the mason we've asked to do a devis for the plaster work. Ah bonjour monsieur, then follows a franglais conversation second to none when Barbara is asked to give directions to Lagarrigue. 'Sur D922 apres Notaire take the next gauche turn et then the next droit. Look for the gris Toyota. Will he be there tomorrow at 15:30?
Wednesday 7th and the answer was no he wasn't there at 15:30. He was there at 13:30 which was the time he said on the phone! It was our inept translation that meant we were the ones who did not show up on time.
We'd rescheduled the no show stove man from last week for 10:00 this morning & Barbara had stayed back at Najac so she could pick Ian up to help translate. It was a very wet & very windy morning & I'd started work concreting up one of the many holes in the cellar when Barbara & Ian turned up closely followed by the stove man. It was a good meeting and he went away with a promise to have his devis to us within the next 10 days. By the time Barbara had returned from dropping Ian off the weather had deteriorated and it was blowing a force 10 gale. Think it's time to head for Gilly's and do some work in the warm & dry. We work there until 15:00 and then head over to Lagarrigue in plenty of time to meet Pierre. At about 16:00 and with the rain now bucketing down we suddenly realise that 'treizieme trente' is 13:30 and 13:30 is 1:30 & not 3:30! 'Why didn't he ring us when we weren't there?' Barbara asks as we head for home wet & frustrated that we've missed the rendezvous. 'Try 3131 (French Telecom's 1471 service) when we get in' I say. Turns out he did ring at about 13:40 so quick as a flash Babs presses '5' to return the call. 'Bonjour M. Segond we're sorry to have missed you'. He tells us that he's just arrived back at Lagarrigue & will wait for us to return (fortunately he speaks reasonable English). We're there in record time and full of apologies. He's very understanding and sets about measuring up for the 'crépe' and says he'll email his devis to us shortly. Let's hope he doesn't include something for his wasted time.
Thursday 8th and we drop the deposit into the architect and ask him to make a start on the plans for the barn. It's then back to VDR to drop the information off we'd been asked to supply by the lady at the CPAM office. We were seen within 30 seconds & told all was now in order and our Carte Vitales would be mailed to us within the next 20 days. Fantastique and time for a coffee. Thursday is market day in VDR and it comes a close second to 'The World Famous' one in Bury. Lots of fresh fruit, veg, cheese, fish & meat. There are also the local wine sellers where you can buy 5 litre plastic casks of vin rouge. Haven't taken the plunge yet and sampled one of these fine wines but will no doubt have a go sometime soon. I've no idea how much the wine costs but it's hard to imagine it will be a lot cheaper than in the supermarkets where you can pick a bottle of red Bordeaux up for €1.05. Admittedly it's not what a former wine advisor at one of the UK's premier retail outlets is accustomed too but it'll do. We splash out at the market & purchase some mushrooms & obligatory garlic & then wait patiently while an elderly lady customer expresses her disgust that the single tomato & bulb of celariac (think that's how it's spelt) she has selected have cost her 69 cents. On the way back to the car we pop in to the marchand de journaux to pick up a merci card for Saturday night. I spot 'French News' France's English language newspaper and pick up a copy. A French newspaper I'll be able to read, a bargain at just €2.40. We've had a good morning, remember you have to get everything done before 12:00 as everything closes then for a 2 hour lunch, but it's still raining. I think we'll be back up to Gilly's this afternoon & a bit more caulking. Tried to speak to someone at France Telecom this afternoon, they have an English speaking service, but they're as easy to get in touch with as BT. 'Thank you for calling...your call is important to us...' So why don't you answer the bloody phone?! - Grumpy old man syndrome?
Friday 9th and Barbara's keen to get on with sanding the old floorboards in what will, one day, be the kitchen. The plan was for me to get on with re-building the wall in the loft. Turned out to be a bigger job than I thought and we both end up working on it for most of the day. Paul had said to take the loose stones out, put them to one side & then re-build the outsides of the wall, backfilling as we go. Trouble was there were a lot of loose stones and I had this vision of us removing the wall all the way to ground level. Wish he was here now to for a little moral support. Eventually having removed approx. 1 metre of stonework we hit something firm. 'Quick get some concrete mixed and let's start re-building this wall' Barbara said. With Babs' knocking up batches of concrete & lining up the stone we made slow but steady progress & by 4:00 the wall was looking reasonably straight and, more importantly, solid. Time for afternoon tea and we're joined by a little visitor. A field mouse pops its head round the corner of our 'bait cabin' and gets as bigger shock as we do. Perhaps the next visit to VDR may involve a trip to the cats home. Still eager to work on we make a start on filling in the screw holes & joins in the plasterboards. A good day so think we may open one of those expensive bottles of wine, let's just hope the wall's still standing in the morning even if we're not.
Saturday 10th. It's so disappointing when you open the mail box full of anticipation and it's empty so today, after 2 days without any post, it's all excitement when the 'La Poste' lady bids us bonjour and hands us our weekly TV highlights DVD from Caroll. Thanks Caroll for taking the time, we look forward to our nightly hour of TV with eager anticipation. The wall's still in place so Barbara continues building the rest of it. She's obviously found an alternative to feet as she'd make a very good bricky. It was probably watching Oz at work in the 1st episode of Auf Wiedersehen Pet last night that's given her such a good eye for the bricks & mortar. Sanded down the plasterboards & applied a second coat of plaster. Early finish tonight as we're off to I & V's for tea.
Sunday 11th. Good night last night and a lovely bottle of M&S red wine. Seams strange that the bottle left France to go to sunny Bolton & ends up back there. Much brighter day so popped over to the market at St. Antonin-Noble-Val this morning. Can't believe how many English people there are wandering round the market. I now know where I can get my Heinz beans from for when Barbara's away. There's a stall selling just English food & books & it was a real struggle to resist buying some bacon & Branston pickle! Barbara spent the afternoon tidying up & I went and did a bit more caulking.
Tuesday 6th and a bit of admin to be done to day. We need to register with the French health department & I need to sort out travel insurance for my week on the piste. This could be pretty involved so we're in VDR for 9:00 and head straight for the Caisse Primaire d'Assurance Maladie or CPAM. It's only 9:05 and there's already a queue of about 6 people, it's a well know fact that the French are a nation of hypochondriacs and that their health system is groaning under the strain. Having said that from all accounts the health service out here is superb, let's hope we never have to find out first hand. Anyway there we are looking at a sign that translates as 'please insert your Carte Vitale and take a ticket'. Only problem is that it's the Carte Vitale we've come for and, obviously, we don't have a card to insert! Merde! The Carte Vitale does not entitle you to free bottled water, it is credit-card-style card that contains all your health related information, e.g. blood group, allergies, etc. and must be presented whenever you see a doctor, dentist, (not a chiropodist, well not in my case) & collect a prescription.
Never one to panic Barbara decides there's no point waiting for someone to take pity on the couple who've been waiting 6 hours and haven't bothered to take a ticket, and she's off to find help. On the first floor we find the post lady and she goes off to find out who we need to see. She returns and takes us back to the ticket machine and presses a button. Hey presto outs pops a ticket with 007 on it. Damn my covers blown. It's only 5 minutes before our number comes up and we head for salle B. We present the forms sent to us by the DSS back in the UK and after a quick glance at them the fonctionnaire has grasped what we want & starts tapping away at her computer. 'Can I see your birth & marriage certificates, passport & bank details please?' All in French of course. Yet more merde as we hadn't thought to bring these documents with us. No matter she completes the forms and suggests we call back next time we're in VDR. It's worth pointing out here that despite what is commonly said about French bureaucracy we haven't found anyone less than 100% helpful. What they think of the stupid English is, of course, another matter.
Next it's off to the insurance broker we insured the house with in the hope that the English speaking owner is about. Merde again, he's out! We have a very interesting conversation with the lady behind the desk & eventually get across that I need travel insurance for a skiing trip to Andorra. 'Ah d'accord' and she starts tapping away at her computer and prints out a policy document, asks me to sign it & presents me with a claim contact card. 'If you have any problems whilst you're away contact this number' she says with more than just a slight smile on her face.
Buoyed up by our success with these two tasks I decide that it's time I got my haircut (and started to learn more French). This will be easy as my hairstyle consists of a deux on the sides and a quatre on the top. 'Monsieur that is very short'. Turns out the coiffeur thinks I mean millimetres! I don't get the foreign legion cut and leave with a respectable sept & neuf. A good mornings work complete we head back to the house and the lovely job of spraying the cellars with anti-termite solution.
As I sit writing this the phone rings & Barbara leaps to answer it in the hope that it's one of the kids and voice she can understand easily. Not to be, its Pierre Segond the mason we've asked to do a devis for the plaster work. Ah bonjour monsieur, then follows a franglais conversation second to none when Barbara is asked to give directions to Lagarrigue. 'Sur D922 apres Notaire take the next gauche turn et then the next droit. Look for the gris Toyota. Will he be there tomorrow at 15:30?
Wednesday 7th and the answer was no he wasn't there at 15:30. He was there at 13:30 which was the time he said on the phone! It was our inept translation that meant we were the ones who did not show up on time.
We'd rescheduled the no show stove man from last week for 10:00 this morning & Barbara had stayed back at Najac so she could pick Ian up to help translate. It was a very wet & very windy morning & I'd started work concreting up one of the many holes in the cellar when Barbara & Ian turned up closely followed by the stove man. It was a good meeting and he went away with a promise to have his devis to us within the next 10 days. By the time Barbara had returned from dropping Ian off the weather had deteriorated and it was blowing a force 10 gale. Think it's time to head for Gilly's and do some work in the warm & dry. We work there until 15:00 and then head over to Lagarrigue in plenty of time to meet Pierre. At about 16:00 and with the rain now bucketing down we suddenly realise that 'treizieme trente' is 13:30 and 13:30 is 1:30 & not 3:30! 'Why didn't he ring us when we weren't there?' Barbara asks as we head for home wet & frustrated that we've missed the rendezvous. 'Try 3131 (French Telecom's 1471 service) when we get in' I say. Turns out he did ring at about 13:40 so quick as a flash Babs presses '5' to return the call. 'Bonjour M. Segond we're sorry to have missed you'. He tells us that he's just arrived back at Lagarrigue & will wait for us to return (fortunately he speaks reasonable English). We're there in record time and full of apologies. He's very understanding and sets about measuring up for the 'crépe' and says he'll email his devis to us shortly. Let's hope he doesn't include something for his wasted time.
Thursday 8th and we drop the deposit into the architect and ask him to make a start on the plans for the barn. It's then back to VDR to drop the information off we'd been asked to supply by the lady at the CPAM office. We were seen within 30 seconds & told all was now in order and our Carte Vitales would be mailed to us within the next 20 days. Fantastique and time for a coffee. Thursday is market day in VDR and it comes a close second to 'The World Famous' one in Bury. Lots of fresh fruit, veg, cheese, fish & meat. There are also the local wine sellers where you can buy 5 litre plastic casks of vin rouge. Haven't taken the plunge yet and sampled one of these fine wines but will no doubt have a go sometime soon. I've no idea how much the wine costs but it's hard to imagine it will be a lot cheaper than in the supermarkets where you can pick a bottle of red Bordeaux up for €1.05. Admittedly it's not what a former wine advisor at one of the UK's premier retail outlets is accustomed too but it'll do. We splash out at the market & purchase some mushrooms & obligatory garlic & then wait patiently while an elderly lady customer expresses her disgust that the single tomato & bulb of celariac (think that's how it's spelt) she has selected have cost her 69 cents. On the way back to the car we pop in to the marchand de journaux to pick up a merci card for Saturday night. I spot 'French News' France's English language newspaper and pick up a copy. A French newspaper I'll be able to read, a bargain at just €2.40. We've had a good morning, remember you have to get everything done before 12:00 as everything closes then for a 2 hour lunch, but it's still raining. I think we'll be back up to Gilly's this afternoon & a bit more caulking. Tried to speak to someone at France Telecom this afternoon, they have an English speaking service, but they're as easy to get in touch with as BT. 'Thank you for calling...your call is important to us...' So why don't you answer the bloody phone?! - Grumpy old man syndrome?
Friday 9th and Barbara's keen to get on with sanding the old floorboards in what will, one day, be the kitchen. The plan was for me to get on with re-building the wall in the loft. Turned out to be a bigger job than I thought and we both end up working on it for most of the day. Paul had said to take the loose stones out, put them to one side & then re-build the outsides of the wall, backfilling as we go. Trouble was there were a lot of loose stones and I had this vision of us removing the wall all the way to ground level. Wish he was here now to for a little moral support. Eventually having removed approx. 1 metre of stonework we hit something firm. 'Quick get some concrete mixed and let's start re-building this wall' Barbara said. With Babs' knocking up batches of concrete & lining up the stone we made slow but steady progress & by 4:00 the wall was looking reasonably straight and, more importantly, solid. Time for afternoon tea and we're joined by a little visitor. A field mouse pops its head round the corner of our 'bait cabin' and gets as bigger shock as we do. Perhaps the next visit to VDR may involve a trip to the cats home. Still eager to work on we make a start on filling in the screw holes & joins in the plasterboards. A good day so think we may open one of those expensive bottles of wine, let's just hope the wall's still standing in the morning even if we're not.
Saturday 10th. It's so disappointing when you open the mail box full of anticipation and it's empty so today, after 2 days without any post, it's all excitement when the 'La Poste' lady bids us bonjour and hands us our weekly TV highlights DVD from Caroll. Thanks Caroll for taking the time, we look forward to our nightly hour of TV with eager anticipation. The wall's still in place so Barbara continues building the rest of it. She's obviously found an alternative to feet as she'd make a very good bricky. It was probably watching Oz at work in the 1st episode of Auf Wiedersehen Pet last night that's given her such a good eye for the bricks & mortar. Sanded down the plasterboards & applied a second coat of plaster. Early finish tonight as we're off to I & V's for tea.
Sunday 11th. Good night last night and a lovely bottle of M&S red wine. Seams strange that the bottle left France to go to sunny Bolton & ends up back there. Much brighter day so popped over to the market at St. Antonin-Noble-Val this morning. Can't believe how many English people there are wandering round the market. I now know where I can get my Heinz beans from for when Barbara's away. There's a stall selling just English food & books & it was a real struggle to resist buying some bacon & Branston pickle! Barbara spent the afternoon tidying up & I went and did a bit more caulking.
Sunday 4 February 2007
w/c 29 January 2007
Monday 29th and it's my birthday but I'm not allowed a day off! A pleasant surprise in the email in-box last Saturday, a birthday greeting from one of my old customers in Darlington. Thanks for the thought Judith and if you ever get Peter to leave the country we'd be really pleased to see you both. Turns out I did get half a day off, it's still sub zero so not conducive to work in an old unheated farmhouse. Got a nice selection of cards, a lovely t-shirt off my favourite mother-in-law and a kettle off P & C! Thanks to everyone. Spent the afternoon pricing bathrooms, always something you look forward to doing on your birthday. So it's a night in and a candle lit dinner for two, let's hope it's not confit de canard... again. Would love it to be baked beans on toast, getting fed up with all this haute cuisine. It occurs to me that some of you may not have located Lagarrigue on the map. It's in the department of L'Averyon & Rodez is the nearest city of any size and is served by Ryanair (have a look on their website for a rough idea of where we are). We're west of Rodez and approx. 18 kms south of Villefranche de Rouergue just off the D922, near the small town of La Fouillade.
Tuesday 30th – Cold morning again so up to Gilly's to do a bit more caulking in the warmth. By the time our house is ready to decorate I'll be a master caulker. It's a beautifully sunny day & by lunch time, don't forget we get 2 hours for lunch in France, it's warm enough to do a bit on our own house. The plan today is to start erecting the stud partitioning. In France they use a metal framework instead of wood and as I was always good at Meccano I'm sure it will be a breeze. It didn't go to bad with only one piece of metal cut to the wrong length & Barbara & I still on speaking terms. Pity we only got one length done (just kidding Paul). A couple of weeks ago we'd received a brochure through the post telling us that the mobile hardware store would be visiting the district today. One of the numerous items he had on offer was 'Mastic Époxy' the ideal product for repairing tools, pipes, car exhausts and it was only €9.90! As I'd not yet managed to save enough money to repair the car's catalytic converter this could be the answer to my prayers. I'll let you know once it's warmed up enough for me to crawl under the car and have a go at at some DIY. It was so much easier to take it to Kwik Fit & get the company to pay the bill.
Wednesday 31st & we're both keen to get on with wall building so it's sandwiches made and off to work we go. We make good progress and by 11:00 it's time for a cuppa & a chance to try out our new kettle. Only one problem, the waters frozen, so we'll have to forgo the tea. Barbara's not that bothered as it's a long day without a toilet handy! Next to our house is a small cottage which has been up for sale for some time. The old owners started to move their possessions out at 10:00 this morning just as the new owners arrived with the estate agent to check out what they were about to purchase. It's not unusual in France for the house to be stripped of all fixtures & fittings. Not only will they remove the light fittings but the lamp holder & ceiling rose will go as well. Anyway off they all go to the Notaire to finalise the purchase & after a couple of hours they're back to finish emptying the house. We can't help being nosy, and always wanting to cement international relations, we pop out to introduce ourselves to our new neighbours. They're your typical French country house owners, English from Hertfordshire and intend to use the house as a holiday home. Could be some work there for a local couple ready to do anything for a Euro. A short while later there's a knock at the door, 'Do you have an angle grinder we can borrow? The old owners can't get a bed frame out of the house'. A bit more original than wanting to borrow a cup of sugar. We'd arranged for another stove company to visit this afternoon and give us a devis (quotation). Ian was there to help translate & after waiting 30 minutes beyond the appointment time & no sign of them we gave them a call, well Ian did. 'Oh sorry he's been delayed and will be at least another hour. We rearrange the rendezvous for next week but it doesn't exactly fill you with confidence does it?
Thursday 1st February – A productive day to day. Got all the metal stud wall partitioning up, including the doors. The doors come pre assembled and already hung in a frame with hinges & locks in place. It makes them so much easier to install, even for an amateur like me. Weather was a bit warmer today so thought it was time to have a go at the car's exhaust. Getting the car high enough to crawl under was a bit of a problem but with the ramps off the trailer on blocks of wood we managed to get sufficient space for me to work. Barbara mixed the 'Mastic Époxy' and I moulded it round the joint on the catalytic converter & left it to set. Twenty minutes later and I start the car. Fantastic it no longer sounds like an Airbus A320 taking off, let's hope it stays that way for a least a few trips to VDR. Had another chat with our new neighbours today, Barbara giving them lots of advise on where to install the shower. It's amazing what knowledge you can pick up in such a short time as a property developer. Also met their estate agent, another Englishman who has an agency in nearby Najac. Invited us to drop in for tea & biscuits any time we were passing. Wonder if he's looking for an experienced ex sales manager with wit, charm & a winning smile who could show prospective purchasers round properties in the area? Always fancied myself as an estate agent!
Friday 2nd and off to VDR for some more plasterboards. Originally we'd thought it would be easier to work with 600mm wide boards but now that the framework is in place it's obvious that the 1,200mm ones will give us a better finish. You live & learn and I'm sure we'll be able to use the 600mm ones somewhere. Called in to view more wood burning stoves & with a little persuasion from Barbara they agree to call out this afternoon & prepare a devis. I also got another birthday present today, a lovely lunch in a restaurant we've been to before in VDR. I chose the 'menu rapide', country patè, steak with frites & a dessert. Very nice apart from the rare steak that was ever so slightly tough. Ah well it'll be back to the old canard next time. The French love their bargains as much as the English & 'La Poste' deliver special offer leaflets by the tonne. As it's about the only French document I can understand they always get read cover to cover. There were a few bargains this week so we call in to E.Leclerc & Hyper U for a €7.75 orbital sander (I'll be able to give Auntie Sandra hers back) & large boxes of screws for €2.25 (it's amazing what the lack of a regular income will drive you to). There's also a kettle for €5.01, £3.34!!! Don't tell P & C. Back to the house to unload the plasterboards & wait for the stove man to turn up. He does, 30 minutes early, a bit more promising than the last company we arranged a rendezvous with. PS; The car ran like a ran like Mercedes should do, even a 14 year old one with 194,000 miles on the clock. PPS; better go now & study stove brochures with Babs.
Saturday 3rd and we've been here a month. A few plasterboards and insulation in place and it's looking good. Exchanged telephone numbers with the new neighbours & a request to keep an eye on their place. They were on their way to visit a friend of a friend who had just bought a Châteaux. He's an American with a home in The Nappa Valley & an apartment in Paris. Not bad eh? Got a nice surprise today when I opened the post box, the boxed set of DVD's of Auf Wiedersehn Pet and a DVD of various UK TV programmes. Thank you Rebecca & Matthew for Auf W' & Caroll for the TV compilation. The first time Barbara opened the letterbox, which is locked with a key, she had to take a second look t see how the posty had got the parcel in the box! How do they get the parcels through the standard letter box opening? Off out tonight to the 'Quarter Party'. A regular gathering of locals who live within the local area (quarter). We all have to take either a starter or pudding, the main course and wine being supplied by the hosts. May be a very quiet night for us if no ones speaks any English. I'll report back tomorrow.
Sunday 4th and what a great night it was. We were made to feel very welcome with everyone exchanging kisses & handshakes in the traditional French way. With approximately 30 people there and enough food & drink for twice that number you can imagine how the night went. A Ricard on arrival, lots & lots & lots of red wine with the main course, Champagne between the cheese & sweet courses and to finish it all off a home-made prune liquor With a lot of help from Ian & Vilia we were able to answer the many questions the locals had for an English couple who couldn't speak French and had just moved to their village. Why? How old are you (they were pleased we were so young – nice people)? Do we intend to find work?
At about 8:45, we'd been there drinking Ricard & having nibbles since 7:30, we took our seats for the first course, French onion soup with a topping of bread & cheese. Very filling but delicious. The main course was pork loin stuffed with garlic & parsley butter and served with Aligot. Aligot is a local potato dish and we were asked if we would like to see it being prepared. Using a heated bowl the size of a large kitchen sink you boil milk & garlic and add home made butter, all the time stirring in a clockwise direction. You then add dried potato pieces, a bit like Smash, and a local hard cheese. I know it sounds nothing special but it's fantastic. At about 10:30 the pork is ready and we sit down with yet more red wine & enjoy the beautifully cooked main course. We're fortunate enough to sit next to a local farmer who speaks English, he says badly & I say I wish my French was that bad! He has a biological (organic) farm with approximately 22 cattle and tells us that there is no great demand for organic food in France and he has to sell his meat to local butchers who don't differentiate between his & non-organic meat. We also start a long discussion on the length of logs and the environmental issues surrounding the use of oak & chestnut for fires & stoves.
By now we've moved on to the cheese course and the conversation has turned to the longevity of the local 'Maire', a very important & powerful man in France. He's the longest serving Maire in France having held the post for over 40 years & rumour has it he's also the oldest. We got the impression that some guests thought it was time for a change with one saying that as there were now so many English people in the village perhaps Ian should stand for election.
The cheese course consisted of fromage frais which you sprinkle brown sugar on & Roquefort. The Champagne then flowed. There were no cries of 'The Queen Duke Of Lancaster' or, more surprisingly, viva The Revolution. Bit disappointing really. By now I think it must have been approaching 11:30 and the puddings arrived. What a selection, 2 types of fresh fruit salad, sherry trifle from Vilia, walnut cake, tart citron & brioche made with a minimum of 30 eggs! When the coffee arrived it was real struggle to get it down especially as it was accompanied by chocolates & the 50% proof home-made prune liquor which you drank by soaking a sugar cube in it & eating. Well I think that's what you were supposed to do, by that time I was on automatic pilot!. In the spirit of furthering French/English relations we both sampled the potent liquid but I don't think either of us will be looking for a another shot soon.
We staggered home at about 1:15 having enjoyed real warm French hospitality and a superb night out. For those interested our contribution to the starters was a delicious smoked mackerel pate which we were pleased to see went down very well.
This afternoon, after accepting an invitation last night, we dropped in to catch the second half of Najac FC's home game. They lost 2 - 0.
Tuesday 30th – Cold morning again so up to Gilly's to do a bit more caulking in the warmth. By the time our house is ready to decorate I'll be a master caulker. It's a beautifully sunny day & by lunch time, don't forget we get 2 hours for lunch in France, it's warm enough to do a bit on our own house. The plan today is to start erecting the stud partitioning. In France they use a metal framework instead of wood and as I was always good at Meccano I'm sure it will be a breeze. It didn't go to bad with only one piece of metal cut to the wrong length & Barbara & I still on speaking terms. Pity we only got one length done (just kidding Paul). A couple of weeks ago we'd received a brochure through the post telling us that the mobile hardware store would be visiting the district today. One of the numerous items he had on offer was 'Mastic Époxy' the ideal product for repairing tools, pipes, car exhausts and it was only €9.90! As I'd not yet managed to save enough money to repair the car's catalytic converter this could be the answer to my prayers. I'll let you know once it's warmed up enough for me to crawl under the car and have a go at at some DIY. It was so much easier to take it to Kwik Fit & get the company to pay the bill.
Wednesday 31st & we're both keen to get on with wall building so it's sandwiches made and off to work we go. We make good progress and by 11:00 it's time for a cuppa & a chance to try out our new kettle. Only one problem, the waters frozen, so we'll have to forgo the tea. Barbara's not that bothered as it's a long day without a toilet handy! Next to our house is a small cottage which has been up for sale for some time. The old owners started to move their possessions out at 10:00 this morning just as the new owners arrived with the estate agent to check out what they were about to purchase. It's not unusual in France for the house to be stripped of all fixtures & fittings. Not only will they remove the light fittings but the lamp holder & ceiling rose will go as well. Anyway off they all go to the Notaire to finalise the purchase & after a couple of hours they're back to finish emptying the house. We can't help being nosy, and always wanting to cement international relations, we pop out to introduce ourselves to our new neighbours. They're your typical French country house owners, English from Hertfordshire and intend to use the house as a holiday home. Could be some work there for a local couple ready to do anything for a Euro. A short while later there's a knock at the door, 'Do you have an angle grinder we can borrow? The old owners can't get a bed frame out of the house'. A bit more original than wanting to borrow a cup of sugar. We'd arranged for another stove company to visit this afternoon and give us a devis (quotation). Ian was there to help translate & after waiting 30 minutes beyond the appointment time & no sign of them we gave them a call, well Ian did. 'Oh sorry he's been delayed and will be at least another hour. We rearrange the rendezvous for next week but it doesn't exactly fill you with confidence does it?
Thursday 1st February – A productive day to day. Got all the metal stud wall partitioning up, including the doors. The doors come pre assembled and already hung in a frame with hinges & locks in place. It makes them so much easier to install, even for an amateur like me. Weather was a bit warmer today so thought it was time to have a go at the car's exhaust. Getting the car high enough to crawl under was a bit of a problem but with the ramps off the trailer on blocks of wood we managed to get sufficient space for me to work. Barbara mixed the 'Mastic Époxy' and I moulded it round the joint on the catalytic converter & left it to set. Twenty minutes later and I start the car. Fantastic it no longer sounds like an Airbus A320 taking off, let's hope it stays that way for a least a few trips to VDR. Had another chat with our new neighbours today, Barbara giving them lots of advise on where to install the shower. It's amazing what knowledge you can pick up in such a short time as a property developer. Also met their estate agent, another Englishman who has an agency in nearby Najac. Invited us to drop in for tea & biscuits any time we were passing. Wonder if he's looking for an experienced ex sales manager with wit, charm & a winning smile who could show prospective purchasers round properties in the area? Always fancied myself as an estate agent!
Friday 2nd and off to VDR for some more plasterboards. Originally we'd thought it would be easier to work with 600mm wide boards but now that the framework is in place it's obvious that the 1,200mm ones will give us a better finish. You live & learn and I'm sure we'll be able to use the 600mm ones somewhere. Called in to view more wood burning stoves & with a little persuasion from Barbara they agree to call out this afternoon & prepare a devis. I also got another birthday present today, a lovely lunch in a restaurant we've been to before in VDR. I chose the 'menu rapide', country patè, steak with frites & a dessert. Very nice apart from the rare steak that was ever so slightly tough. Ah well it'll be back to the old canard next time. The French love their bargains as much as the English & 'La Poste' deliver special offer leaflets by the tonne. As it's about the only French document I can understand they always get read cover to cover. There were a few bargains this week so we call in to E.Leclerc & Hyper U for a €7.75 orbital sander (I'll be able to give Auntie Sandra hers back) & large boxes of screws for €2.25 (it's amazing what the lack of a regular income will drive you to). There's also a kettle for €5.01, £3.34!!! Don't tell P & C. Back to the house to unload the plasterboards & wait for the stove man to turn up. He does, 30 minutes early, a bit more promising than the last company we arranged a rendezvous with. PS; The car ran like a ran like Mercedes should do, even a 14 year old one with 194,000 miles on the clock. PPS; better go now & study stove brochures with Babs.
Saturday 3rd and we've been here a month. A few plasterboards and insulation in place and it's looking good. Exchanged telephone numbers with the new neighbours & a request to keep an eye on their place. They were on their way to visit a friend of a friend who had just bought a Châteaux. He's an American with a home in The Nappa Valley & an apartment in Paris. Not bad eh? Got a nice surprise today when I opened the post box, the boxed set of DVD's of Auf Wiedersehn Pet and a DVD of various UK TV programmes. Thank you Rebecca & Matthew for Auf W' & Caroll for the TV compilation. The first time Barbara opened the letterbox, which is locked with a key, she had to take a second look t see how the posty had got the parcel in the box! How do they get the parcels through the standard letter box opening? Off out tonight to the 'Quarter Party'. A regular gathering of locals who live within the local area (quarter). We all have to take either a starter or pudding, the main course and wine being supplied by the hosts. May be a very quiet night for us if no ones speaks any English. I'll report back tomorrow.
Sunday 4th and what a great night it was. We were made to feel very welcome with everyone exchanging kisses & handshakes in the traditional French way. With approximately 30 people there and enough food & drink for twice that number you can imagine how the night went. A Ricard on arrival, lots & lots & lots of red wine with the main course, Champagne between the cheese & sweet courses and to finish it all off a home-made prune liquor With a lot of help from Ian & Vilia we were able to answer the many questions the locals had for an English couple who couldn't speak French and had just moved to their village. Why? How old are you (they were pleased we were so young – nice people)? Do we intend to find work?
At about 8:45, we'd been there drinking Ricard & having nibbles since 7:30, we took our seats for the first course, French onion soup with a topping of bread & cheese. Very filling but delicious. The main course was pork loin stuffed with garlic & parsley butter and served with Aligot. Aligot is a local potato dish and we were asked if we would like to see it being prepared. Using a heated bowl the size of a large kitchen sink you boil milk & garlic and add home made butter, all the time stirring in a clockwise direction. You then add dried potato pieces, a bit like Smash, and a local hard cheese. I know it sounds nothing special but it's fantastic. At about 10:30 the pork is ready and we sit down with yet more red wine & enjoy the beautifully cooked main course. We're fortunate enough to sit next to a local farmer who speaks English, he says badly & I say I wish my French was that bad! He has a biological (organic) farm with approximately 22 cattle and tells us that there is no great demand for organic food in France and he has to sell his meat to local butchers who don't differentiate between his & non-organic meat. We also start a long discussion on the length of logs and the environmental issues surrounding the use of oak & chestnut for fires & stoves.
By now we've moved on to the cheese course and the conversation has turned to the longevity of the local 'Maire', a very important & powerful man in France. He's the longest serving Maire in France having held the post for over 40 years & rumour has it he's also the oldest. We got the impression that some guests thought it was time for a change with one saying that as there were now so many English people in the village perhaps Ian should stand for election.
The cheese course consisted of fromage frais which you sprinkle brown sugar on & Roquefort. The Champagne then flowed. There were no cries of 'The Queen Duke Of Lancaster' or, more surprisingly, viva The Revolution. Bit disappointing really. By now I think it must have been approaching 11:30 and the puddings arrived. What a selection, 2 types of fresh fruit salad, sherry trifle from Vilia, walnut cake, tart citron & brioche made with a minimum of 30 eggs! When the coffee arrived it was real struggle to get it down especially as it was accompanied by chocolates & the 50% proof home-made prune liquor which you drank by soaking a sugar cube in it & eating. Well I think that's what you were supposed to do, by that time I was on automatic pilot!. In the spirit of furthering French/English relations we both sampled the potent liquid but I don't think either of us will be looking for a another shot soon.
We staggered home at about 1:15 having enjoyed real warm French hospitality and a superb night out. For those interested our contribution to the starters was a delicious smoked mackerel pate which we were pleased to see went down very well.
This afternoon, after accepting an invitation last night, we dropped in to catch the second half of Najac FC's home game. They lost 2 - 0.
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