Monday 21st – Off to Lagarrigue early in the hope that M Regourd is on his way to finish off the list of things we need completed if we're to move in tomorrow. He doesn't let us down and just after 8:00 Stephané and gets straight on the with job. The douche is sorted, high level cables between the barn & house removed, handbasin fitted in the WC, holes repaired in the cellars, washing machine waste fitted & lots of other small tasks completed. With Stephané working hard I take the opportunity to do a couple of admin jobs. I'd ordered broadband about 3 weeks ago & hadn't heard anything so I called the company to see when what was going on and was told they'd chase things up & get back to me. About 30 minutes later La Poste lady arrives with a parcel, the broadband modem. What great service and within an hour we're up & running and we have broadband & a UK number local rate number. The afternoon is spent hoovering & clearing up in anticipation of the big day. We're both very excited and really looking forward to seeing all our prized possessions let's just hope that they'll be enough space in the house for them.
Tuesday 22nd – And we're finally going to see all those things we've managed without for 6 months & 22 days. We had expected a phone call last night from the removal company to say what time they expected to reach Lagarrigue so it's fingers crossed we haven't got our days mixed up. We're at the house by 8:00 and at 8:30 we get a call from them to say they're just leaving Bordeaux and hope to be with us in a couple of hours, obviously they must be driving a turbo charged furniture van. They also want us to confirm the address as it's not showing up on their satnav system, there's a surprise. It's a beautiful day so I think we'll just sit and wait for them. Just after 1:00 we get a phone call to say they're just approaching La Fouillade and rather than attempt to give directions I jump in the car and get them to follow me back to the house. They're really helpful and in no time the lorry's backed up and we begin the task of unloading 4 containers. Where is all this stuff going to go and why have we brought 4 beds to what was only ever going to be a 3 bedroom house? The house quickly fills up and we end up nearly filling the ground floor of the barn with boxes and bits of furniture. It all looks a bit daunting but I suppose once we've got the new roof on and the bedrooms built we'll be in a much better position to judge where all our gear is going to go. By 4:30 the removal men are back on the road and off to Spain with the next delivery and talking to them it sounds like half the UK must be setting up camp aboard. Now the fun starts and I'm sure it's going to take a little longer to unpack the dozens of boxes than it took to unload the lorry. We work on until gone 9:00 trying to get as much sorted as possible and then attempt to chill out with a couple of beers. First night in our own bed for 7 months and I think we're going to sleep like logs.
Wednesday 23rd – Slept very well and the shower works well apart from only a couple of small leaks that require a screwdriver & a bit of silicon. It's VDR this morning for haircuts, we're heading back to the UK this weekend to attend a wedding, sort a tyre out on Barbara's car and collect a couple of pieces of granite we'd ordered last week. As normal we're on the minutes and arrive at the garage at 11:50 and are told we'll have to return after 2:00 as they haven't time to fit the tyre before they go for lunch. Two hours to idle away so we treat ourselves to lunch out and do a little window shopping. Back home via Najac to see if work has commenced on P & C's new house and M. Leduc, their builder, is hard at work. The temperature has reached 34ºC and I spend the afternoon putting shelves up in the barn & Barbara continues emptying boxes. Supper on the terrace, what could be better?
Thursday 24th – Babs heads over to P & C's to do a final tidy up & collect the balance of our bits & pieces. I do my bit by putting the hifi speakers in place, always get my priorities right, sorting some shelves out for the 'cocktail' cabinet, more priorities, and hoovering the barn! Don't ask. When we were in VDR yesterday we'd seen some electric radiant heaters in a shop that sells end of line & bankrupt stock at prices well below list and having measured up today we decided to return to the shop & bag ourselves a bargain, we even managed to negotiate a further discount for buying 3. Turns out the shop doesn't just sell new things but they also sell goods on behalf of individuals. I think we might be returning with some of the contents of all those boxes. After all we've only just paid a small fortune to store them for 7 months. Back home to unpack yet more boxes and prepare for the big trip tomorrow back to the UK. We're really looking forward to it and the curry that awaits us, oh, and seeing the kids. Can't wait, to see the kids that it is.
Friday 25th to Wednesday 30th – Back in the UK & how the place has changed since January. Well it hasn't really and it was nice to spend the weekend with the kids down in London, the complete opposite to the semi-rural life we've been experiencing for the last 5 months. It was then up to Northumberland a wedding at Langley Castle. A great venue, a really enjoyable day and the best of luck to Jane & Rob. Thanks to P & C for putting us up for the weekend and to Bill & Les for the tea on Tuesday night. It'll be good to see them out here soon.
Wednesday 30 May 2007
Sunday 20 May 2007
Mazerolles & Manchester
Monday 14th – What is it with this weather? Yesterday it's in the high 20's and today it's peeing it down and 9ºC. Paul & I had thought we'd try and get under the Merc and see if there was any way we could do yet another bodge job on the exhaust but there was no chance of that with the amount of rain that had fallen. Barbara was painting & I'd planned to do some more hacking out but with the weather as bad as it was I had to fit door handles & stops and apply a little more mastic. By lunch time we'd ran out of paint so it was a quick dash to VDR for some paint and change one of the door locks. Spent the afternoon cleaning out the barn & cave in preparation for delivery of furniture. Seven days and counting!
Tuesday 15th – It's stopped raining so on with the hacking out. Make good progress while Barbara continues with the painting & cleaning. We're expecting the fridge & dishwasher today and at about 2:15 get a phone call from the shop asking for directions, in French! The luck must be with us today as Barbara is chatting with Iggy's mum, Madame Guilbert, and manages to ask her to give directions to the driver on the other end of the mobile phone. Ten minutes later the van pulls up and the driver asks where the fridge is to be installed. When he sees the steps he shakes his head and says 2 of us will not be able to get it up the steps & gets his mobile out and calls the shop for more help. The shop is about 20 minutes away and instead of sitting in his van waiting for help the driver gets his tool kit out and fits the filter and plumbing that is required by the fridge. Help arrives and 10 minutes later we're having a demonstration of the fridges features and lots of apologies for the confusion over the delivery. As the van pulls away another one pulls up and Iggy's dad gets out with another man who turns out to be his son. He's come to have a look at the field and says he'll be more than happy to cut it but will have to wait until early June & when the weather is a little drier. He speaks a little English and asks if we're happy with the deal. We're delighted. He explains that the cattle in the next field to ours are his and that he is off to Bordeaux tomorrow to sell the calves to Auchan, France's equivalent of Tesco. We had planned to have calves liver for supper tonight but I think on this occasion I'll go for the vegetarian option. Called at the garage to check out if there had been any developments on the Landrover lightweight. The owner is going to sell it and they'll know what price he wants next week. Watch this space.
Wednesday 16th – It's raining again! Had planned to finish off the hacking out on the back wall but electric drills and water don't mix so it's off to VDR today, instead of our planned trip tomorrow, for some bits & pieces. Turns out it was the right decision because, guess what, Thursday (Accession day) is a bank holiday and the shops will be closed. We called in to the store where we'd ordered the cooker from to see if they had an ETA on the 'new' one. They're full of apologies over the confusion last Friday and have obviously pulled out all the stops because the cooker has arrived and we arrange for it to be delivered on Friday afternoon. It's still raining after lunch and we spend the afternoon at Gilly's painting and caulking.
Thursday 17th – It's still bloody raining & I'm beginning to think it's the curse of Manchester. Spent the morning putting new light fittings up, fitting door handles, getting doors to fit & touching up paint work. Gilly dropped in with yet another friend who had arrived from the UK on Monday She's off back home tomorrow and the weather is forecast to change for the better. Not the best of timing for her. No sarni's tooday just a very civilised lunch back at Najac. Another afternoon painting at Gilly's and a bit of a surprise when we arrived at the house given that it's ascension day . Looks like Mazerolles could be putting a challenge in to Lourdes with it's latest inhabitant.
!
Friday 18th – Busy day with the cooker due for delivery and a phone call first thing to say the dishwasher has arrived and will also be delivered this PM. Called in to chase M. Regourd and explained that we move in next Tuesday and could do with him putting in a few hours before then. Promised to be there Monday! Spent the morning trying to fit the glass on the shower cabinet without success and think we'll have to make a slight modification known as a shower curtain and some silicon. Also assembled the dining chairs we'd picked up at Ikea. I wonder if in a couple of hundred years there'll still be around and people will be buying them at brocantes and antique fairs? Judging by some of the stuff you see it wouldn't surprise me. As was to be expected the cooker & dishwasher arrived at the same time and in a spirit of comeradery amongst white goods delivery men they helped each other up the steps with their respective loads. We get a quick lesson on how the cooker works and to illustrate a particular feature, I'm sure it was purely coincidental, he picks the timings for cooking roast beef! With all the major appliances and kitchen units now in place we just await Ikea's text to inform us the kitchen sink has arrived. Cleaned the floors down in preparation for varnishing and applied a second coat to the kitchen area.
Saturday 19th – Called in to see how the floor was drying and meet S & G to give them some chaux. They're going to have a go a touching up some of the lime-wash on their walls so it'll be interesting to see the results as we need to do a little patching up near the stove. Off in to VDR to the brocante that was being held outside the Hotel de Ville. Most things seem quite expensive but after a little haggling and shrugging of shoulders we manage to pick up some irons for the stove and a pottery hook for the WC. Finish off the varnishing then back early to get washed and changed as we're off to a fund raising night to raise money for the local school's trip to Réunion.
Sunday 20th – What a good time we had last night. The meal was a long way from the traditional French fare we've been having (apart from the odd McDonalds) since we arrived and was all based on recipes from Réunion which is an overseas French department in the Indian ocean. Click here for a link to the Wikipedia page on Réunion. We were entertained by some of the local school pupils dancing in costume and a number of parents dancing to a local jazz-funk band. All very different and once again we're made very welcome and come away thinking we really must make a concerted effort to learn the language. Easy day today as we wait for the varnish to dry so it's off to St. Antonin-Noble-Val market and pop in to S & G's on the way back and help to seal up a gap with some expanding foam. Only one full day to go before the furniture arrives so a full day getting organised tomorrow.
Tuesday 15th – It's stopped raining so on with the hacking out. Make good progress while Barbara continues with the painting & cleaning. We're expecting the fridge & dishwasher today and at about 2:15 get a phone call from the shop asking for directions, in French! The luck must be with us today as Barbara is chatting with Iggy's mum, Madame Guilbert, and manages to ask her to give directions to the driver on the other end of the mobile phone. Ten minutes later the van pulls up and the driver asks where the fridge is to be installed. When he sees the steps he shakes his head and says 2 of us will not be able to get it up the steps & gets his mobile out and calls the shop for more help. The shop is about 20 minutes away and instead of sitting in his van waiting for help the driver gets his tool kit out and fits the filter and plumbing that is required by the fridge. Help arrives and 10 minutes later we're having a demonstration of the fridges features and lots of apologies for the confusion over the delivery. As the van pulls away another one pulls up and Iggy's dad gets out with another man who turns out to be his son. He's come to have a look at the field and says he'll be more than happy to cut it but will have to wait until early June & when the weather is a little drier. He speaks a little English and asks if we're happy with the deal. We're delighted. He explains that the cattle in the next field to ours are his and that he is off to Bordeaux tomorrow to sell the calves to Auchan, France's equivalent of Tesco. We had planned to have calves liver for supper tonight but I think on this occasion I'll go for the vegetarian option. Called at the garage to check out if there had been any developments on the Landrover lightweight. The owner is going to sell it and they'll know what price he wants next week. Watch this space.
Wednesday 16th – It's raining again! Had planned to finish off the hacking out on the back wall but electric drills and water don't mix so it's off to VDR today, instead of our planned trip tomorrow, for some bits & pieces. Turns out it was the right decision because, guess what, Thursday (Accession day) is a bank holiday and the shops will be closed. We called in to the store where we'd ordered the cooker from to see if they had an ETA on the 'new' one. They're full of apologies over the confusion last Friday and have obviously pulled out all the stops because the cooker has arrived and we arrange for it to be delivered on Friday afternoon. It's still raining after lunch and we spend the afternoon at Gilly's painting and caulking.
Thursday 17th – It's still bloody raining & I'm beginning to think it's the curse of Manchester. Spent the morning putting new light fittings up, fitting door handles, getting doors to fit & touching up paint work. Gilly dropped in with yet another friend who had arrived from the UK on Monday She's off back home tomorrow and the weather is forecast to change for the better. Not the best of timing for her. No sarni's tooday just a very civilised lunch back at Najac. Another afternoon painting at Gilly's and a bit of a surprise when we arrived at the house given that it's ascension day . Looks like Mazerolles could be putting a challenge in to Lourdes with it's latest inhabitant.
!Friday 18th – Busy day with the cooker due for delivery and a phone call first thing to say the dishwasher has arrived and will also be delivered this PM. Called in to chase M. Regourd and explained that we move in next Tuesday and could do with him putting in a few hours before then. Promised to be there Monday! Spent the morning trying to fit the glass on the shower cabinet without success and think we'll have to make a slight modification known as a shower curtain and some silicon. Also assembled the dining chairs we'd picked up at Ikea. I wonder if in a couple of hundred years there'll still be around and people will be buying them at brocantes and antique fairs? Judging by some of the stuff you see it wouldn't surprise me. As was to be expected the cooker & dishwasher arrived at the same time and in a spirit of comeradery amongst white goods delivery men they helped each other up the steps with their respective loads. We get a quick lesson on how the cooker works and to illustrate a particular feature, I'm sure it was purely coincidental, he picks the timings for cooking roast beef! With all the major appliances and kitchen units now in place we just await Ikea's text to inform us the kitchen sink has arrived. Cleaned the floors down in preparation for varnishing and applied a second coat to the kitchen area.
Saturday 19th – Called in to see how the floor was drying and meet S & G to give them some chaux. They're going to have a go a touching up some of the lime-wash on their walls so it'll be interesting to see the results as we need to do a little patching up near the stove. Off in to VDR to the brocante that was being held outside the Hotel de Ville. Most things seem quite expensive but after a little haggling and shrugging of shoulders we manage to pick up some irons for the stove and a pottery hook for the WC. Finish off the varnishing then back early to get washed and changed as we're off to a fund raising night to raise money for the local school's trip to Réunion.
Sunday 20th – What a good time we had last night. The meal was a long way from the traditional French fare we've been having (apart from the odd McDonalds) since we arrived and was all based on recipes from Réunion which is an overseas French department in the Indian ocean. Click here for a link to the Wikipedia page on Réunion. We were entertained by some of the local school pupils dancing in costume and a number of parents dancing to a local jazz-funk band. All very different and once again we're made very welcome and come away thinking we really must make a concerted effort to learn the language. Easy day today as we wait for the varnish to dry so it's off to St. Antonin-Noble-Val market and pop in to S & G's on the way back and help to seal up a gap with some expanding foam. Only one full day to go before the furniture arrives so a full day getting organised tomorrow.
Sunday 13 May 2007
Roof, gas & Albi
Monday 7th – Off to work with Paul this morning with plans to assemble the 'tardis' and fit the window. For €55.00 the window proves to be a real bargain and after only 30 minutes, removing the window sill & using a squirt or two of expanding foam it fits perfectly. The shower tardis takes a little longer to assemble but by 12:00 it's in place and ready to be plumbed in. Once again for the money it looks like a good investment and will definitely make life easier & cleaner. At 1:30 we head over to M. Regourd and arrange for him to visit on Thursday and prepare things for the installation of the stove & cooker on Friday. It's always entertaining communicating with M. Regourd and seems to be getting easier, could be all the hand signals he uses. Gilly & Sidney called in and were most impressed with the shower cubicle. Makes me think that it would have been a good idea to invest in a couple of the cubicles instead of having to tile two showers.
Tuesday 8th – Another bank holiday, VE Day. No point having a day off as the weather's awful and everywhere's closed. After removing one of the French doors & trimming the bottom Barbara applies a lick of paint & it fits perfectly. More paint applied to the ceiling, the beams coated in linseed oil, mastic applied to the skirting boards & a door made to fit under the stairs. Good going for a bank holiday and then it's back to Najac to meet Caroll's mum & husband.
Wednesday 9th - VDR this morning for those all important supplies of yet more paint & to collect the double glazing units we'd ordered last week. That hadn't arrived but were due later in the morning so we have an excuse to hang about in VDR and have a spot of lunch. We also check out the lawn mowers because despite Barbara thinking we'd be able to strim 2,000 square metres of lawn my www. research says this could take some time. As seems to be the case on so many of our visits to shops the assistant speaks very good English & is very helpful and even offers to take a machine outside and demo it. Lunch out makes a nice change and we pick the glass up and head back to Lagarrigue just in time to meet our neighbours. They're over from the UK to meet builders & plumbers etc. to discuss the work they want done on their house and Lagarrigue is the busiest I've seen it since we arrived, especially when P & C arrive along with Caroll's mum & husband. The suns out and they're able to sit on the veranda while Paul gives me a hand finishing off my first attempt at building a door (it is only a small one). We're expecting M. Hugounout, the roofer, tonight at 5:00 and when by 6:00 he's not arrived we begin to get a bit fidgety. Not to worry at 6:40 he turns up & once again we realise we'd got our timings wrong. He plans to start the work at the end of May or early June and we go over where we want the windows in the new roof. At one point we begin to panic when we think he's asking us to remove the 'sarking boards'. These are the large pieces of wood on to which he'll attach the stone tiles. What he's really saying is do you want me to dispose of them. Thank goodness for that, I couldn't see Babs & I scrambling across the roof with a claw hammer & pincers. Called in to Najac on the way home to see the British vintage car club that would be staying at the local hotel tonight. There were pre 1930 12 Sunbeam/Talbots all in immaculate condition. The wine is flowing and the Maire is entertaining everyone with his saxophone rendition of the French national anthem.
Thursday 10th – In work for 7:30 just in case M. Regourd turns up and at just after 8:15 he arrive and gets straight to it. The gas is ready for the cooker but there's a problem with the hand basin in the cloakroom. I hadn't fitted the plasterboard with a piece of wood to support the sink and he'll need some special fixtures to secure the basin to the wall. I show him the shower cubicle and he 's sure he'll be able to do a temporary fix for us and by 12:00 he's off promising to return tomorrow morning and fit the douche & basin. I'd offered to help our new neighbours to cut some trees down so with chainsaw in hand we manage to fell 4 trees with only slight damage to their house. I'm glad it was his chainsaw and I was only the goffer. It's worth the effort in what's turned out to be a hot sunny day as both Barbara & I are rewarded wit a nice cold beer. Aren't some people organised? By 4:30 the double glazing sealed units are in the French windows and they look really good. With the sun & rain we've had the grass had really grown and the field was now very overgrown. I'd thought we could ask Iggy's dad if he knew anyone who would cut it and take the hay away but as we were still struggling to understand him I'd come up with this brilliant idea. Type what we wanted to say in to the Google translate website, print it out & give him a copy. It worked great & he understood what we wanted the problem came when he responded. I think we managed to work out that he wanted to know if we wanted money for the hay or were happy to give it away. We just couldn't get across that we'd be just happy if someone where to cut it for us. Ah well back to the drawing board or, better still, the French language lessons.
Friday 11th – No sign of the Regourds but it's a sunny day and the cooker & stove arrive today so it's tidy up time in preparation. 'Bonjour' and Iggy's dad is back to try and make himself understood. Still struggling I give I & V a call and Vilia says she's on her way to La Fouillade and will pop in and see if she can help and 15 minutes later she arrives and we head round to Iggy's dad's house. Within minutes all becomes clear, he doesn't have a machine capable of cutting the grass but will speak to his son and a friend to see if they would be able to help and would we like to join him and his wife for a coffee. We do and find out not only his name, M. Guilbert, but that he and his wife are delighted that we are renovating the house and bringing some young blood (what a nice man he is) back in to the hamlet. He's also pleased to hear that we intend to live in he house for more than just a few weeks a year. We also learn that they have three children; a son who's a farmer, a daughter who's a teacher & a daughter who's married to a major in the army. We come away thanking him for his hospitality and help and saying that once we move in we would like them to come round for aperitif & nibbles. We'll just have to make sure I & V are available as well. Just after 2:00 the stove & cooker arrive and what had started out as a good day turns in to a bit of a nightmare. First of all the cooker we'd ordered was the one out of the shop (literally) and we were paying full price for something dozens of people had prodded & poked so it was a 'non' & back on the van with it. Next the plasterboard I'd fitted above the stove was not fire resistant (common sense must have deserted me when I fitted it) and I was despatched to the local builders merchant to collect a piece. Obviously I have to take the Merc and just as I'm pulling on to the main road the bloody exhaust joint snaps and it's left scraping along the floor. You can imagine the noise and when I get to the builders merchants there's a few laughs from the assembled staff & customers & more bad news; they've no stock. I manage to get the car back to the house and the stove installer says he can fit some fire resistant blocks but will have to charge us for it. We give him the go ahead and 2 hours later and with black paint on our lovely lime washed wall the stoves up & running and looking great. Why can't French tradesman take their time and prepare the work area first?
Saturday 12th – We've decided that we're having a lie in and day off to day. The suns out & it's a glorious morning and by 10:00 on we're on the road and on our way t Cordes. Cordes is a medieval town located high on a hill approx. 25 minutes away in the direction of Albi and there are a couple of brocantes (antique shops) and as we're in the market for a small table to put the computer on it seemed a good place to head for. There was a market on with the usual mix of fresh produce, meat, fish, cheese and a few clothes stalls. Very busy and a lot of English people wandering around. We had a quick look in one of the brocantes and decided that although not in keeping with a renovated French farmhouse the prices may mean that when we visit Ikea for the sink top we may also be looking for a computer desk. Come to think of it I don't suppose there were many computers in traditional French farmhouses either. We walked up to the top of the village and had lunch overlooking the glorious French countryside. With it's mix of restaurants and arty crafty type shops Cordes is well worth a visit if you're ever passing this way. Albi is only another 25 minutes further on and as we intend having a full day off we decided to head in that direction and come across another brocante. Prices here are a little more in our league and there's a small late 18th century table that will do a treat. After a bit of haggling we agree on a price and the deal is done. It was just what we were looking for but the only thing I can think of is Harry Enfield's new character 'I saw you coming' in 'Ruddy Hell – It's Harry & Paul'. On to Albi and a lovely cup of tea sat in the square overlooking the catherdal and watch the local children performing circus routines to the assembled friends & parents. This is the life pity we've got to get back to work tomorrow. On the way back I spotted an old Renault 4 for sale and although it wouldn't be a direct replacement for the Merc it might be a good runabout. It's got 2 years CT (MOT) and only done 41,000 kms and they want €1,400 for it. As it must be at least 25 years old it seems like quite a lot of money, We've had a really good day and finish it off with a pizza and bottle of red.
Sunday 13th – Up early and digging out the drain @ P & C's. There's been continuing problem with the septic tank and Paul had decided that today is the day it's got to be bottomed. By 12:00 and a lot of digging we've laid a new drain and the water is flowing well. Let's hope all's OK as digging out the trench again is not something I'd be looking forward to. Babs has been at the house all morning painting so I pick some bread & a slice of quiche up and surprise her with a lovely lunch of ham & cheese (nothing new there). The afternoon is spent painting, strimming & hacking out. I'd bought a SDS drill from Aldi back in the UK before we came out and at last & I've finally put it to work. A good investment at £29.99 – good old Aldi.
Tuesday 8th – Another bank holiday, VE Day. No point having a day off as the weather's awful and everywhere's closed. After removing one of the French doors & trimming the bottom Barbara applies a lick of paint & it fits perfectly. More paint applied to the ceiling, the beams coated in linseed oil, mastic applied to the skirting boards & a door made to fit under the stairs. Good going for a bank holiday and then it's back to Najac to meet Caroll's mum & husband.
Wednesday 9th - VDR this morning for those all important supplies of yet more paint & to collect the double glazing units we'd ordered last week. That hadn't arrived but were due later in the morning so we have an excuse to hang about in VDR and have a spot of lunch. We also check out the lawn mowers because despite Barbara thinking we'd be able to strim 2,000 square metres of lawn my www. research says this could take some time. As seems to be the case on so many of our visits to shops the assistant speaks very good English & is very helpful and even offers to take a machine outside and demo it. Lunch out makes a nice change and we pick the glass up and head back to Lagarrigue just in time to meet our neighbours. They're over from the UK to meet builders & plumbers etc. to discuss the work they want done on their house and Lagarrigue is the busiest I've seen it since we arrived, especially when P & C arrive along with Caroll's mum & husband. The suns out and they're able to sit on the veranda while Paul gives me a hand finishing off my first attempt at building a door (it is only a small one). We're expecting M. Hugounout, the roofer, tonight at 5:00 and when by 6:00 he's not arrived we begin to get a bit fidgety. Not to worry at 6:40 he turns up & once again we realise we'd got our timings wrong. He plans to start the work at the end of May or early June and we go over where we want the windows in the new roof. At one point we begin to panic when we think he's asking us to remove the 'sarking boards'. These are the large pieces of wood on to which he'll attach the stone tiles. What he's really saying is do you want me to dispose of them. Thank goodness for that, I couldn't see Babs & I scrambling across the roof with a claw hammer & pincers. Called in to Najac on the way home to see the British vintage car club that would be staying at the local hotel tonight. There were pre 1930 12 Sunbeam/Talbots all in immaculate condition. The wine is flowing and the Maire is entertaining everyone with his saxophone rendition of the French national anthem.
Thursday 10th – In work for 7:30 just in case M. Regourd turns up and at just after 8:15 he arrive and gets straight to it. The gas is ready for the cooker but there's a problem with the hand basin in the cloakroom. I hadn't fitted the plasterboard with a piece of wood to support the sink and he'll need some special fixtures to secure the basin to the wall. I show him the shower cubicle and he 's sure he'll be able to do a temporary fix for us and by 12:00 he's off promising to return tomorrow morning and fit the douche & basin. I'd offered to help our new neighbours to cut some trees down so with chainsaw in hand we manage to fell 4 trees with only slight damage to their house. I'm glad it was his chainsaw and I was only the goffer. It's worth the effort in what's turned out to be a hot sunny day as both Barbara & I are rewarded wit a nice cold beer. Aren't some people organised? By 4:30 the double glazing sealed units are in the French windows and they look really good. With the sun & rain we've had the grass had really grown and the field was now very overgrown. I'd thought we could ask Iggy's dad if he knew anyone who would cut it and take the hay away but as we were still struggling to understand him I'd come up with this brilliant idea. Type what we wanted to say in to the Google translate website, print it out & give him a copy. It worked great & he understood what we wanted the problem came when he responded. I think we managed to work out that he wanted to know if we wanted money for the hay or were happy to give it away. We just couldn't get across that we'd be just happy if someone where to cut it for us. Ah well back to the drawing board or, better still, the French language lessons.
Friday 11th – No sign of the Regourds but it's a sunny day and the cooker & stove arrive today so it's tidy up time in preparation. 'Bonjour' and Iggy's dad is back to try and make himself understood. Still struggling I give I & V a call and Vilia says she's on her way to La Fouillade and will pop in and see if she can help and 15 minutes later she arrives and we head round to Iggy's dad's house. Within minutes all becomes clear, he doesn't have a machine capable of cutting the grass but will speak to his son and a friend to see if they would be able to help and would we like to join him and his wife for a coffee. We do and find out not only his name, M. Guilbert, but that he and his wife are delighted that we are renovating the house and bringing some young blood (what a nice man he is) back in to the hamlet. He's also pleased to hear that we intend to live in he house for more than just a few weeks a year. We also learn that they have three children; a son who's a farmer, a daughter who's a teacher & a daughter who's married to a major in the army. We come away thanking him for his hospitality and help and saying that once we move in we would like them to come round for aperitif & nibbles. We'll just have to make sure I & V are available as well. Just after 2:00 the stove & cooker arrive and what had started out as a good day turns in to a bit of a nightmare. First of all the cooker we'd ordered was the one out of the shop (literally) and we were paying full price for something dozens of people had prodded & poked so it was a 'non' & back on the van with it. Next the plasterboard I'd fitted above the stove was not fire resistant (common sense must have deserted me when I fitted it) and I was despatched to the local builders merchant to collect a piece. Obviously I have to take the Merc and just as I'm pulling on to the main road the bloody exhaust joint snaps and it's left scraping along the floor. You can imagine the noise and when I get to the builders merchants there's a few laughs from the assembled staff & customers & more bad news; they've no stock. I manage to get the car back to the house and the stove installer says he can fit some fire resistant blocks but will have to charge us for it. We give him the go ahead and 2 hours later and with black paint on our lovely lime washed wall the stoves up & running and looking great. Why can't French tradesman take their time and prepare the work area first?
Saturday 12th – We've decided that we're having a lie in and day off to day. The suns out & it's a glorious morning and by 10:00 on we're on the road and on our way t Cordes. Cordes is a medieval town located high on a hill approx. 25 minutes away in the direction of Albi and there are a couple of brocantes (antique shops) and as we're in the market for a small table to put the computer on it seemed a good place to head for. There was a market on with the usual mix of fresh produce, meat, fish, cheese and a few clothes stalls. Very busy and a lot of English people wandering around. We had a quick look in one of the brocantes and decided that although not in keeping with a renovated French farmhouse the prices may mean that when we visit Ikea for the sink top we may also be looking for a computer desk. Come to think of it I don't suppose there were many computers in traditional French farmhouses either. We walked up to the top of the village and had lunch overlooking the glorious French countryside. With it's mix of restaurants and arty crafty type shops Cordes is well worth a visit if you're ever passing this way. Albi is only another 25 minutes further on and as we intend having a full day off we decided to head in that direction and come across another brocante. Prices here are a little more in our league and there's a small late 18th century table that will do a treat. After a bit of haggling we agree on a price and the deal is done. It was just what we were looking for but the only thing I can think of is Harry Enfield's new character 'I saw you coming' in 'Ruddy Hell – It's Harry & Paul'. On to Albi and a lovely cup of tea sat in the square overlooking the catherdal and watch the local children performing circus routines to the assembled friends & parents. This is the life pity we've got to get back to work tomorrow. On the way back I spotted an old Renault 4 for sale and although it wouldn't be a direct replacement for the Merc it might be a good runabout. It's got 2 years CT (MOT) and only done 41,000 kms and they want €1,400 for it. As it must be at least 25 years old it seems like quite a lot of money, We've had a really good day and finish it off with a pizza and bottle of red.
Sunday 13th – Up early and digging out the drain @ P & C's. There's been continuing problem with the septic tank and Paul had decided that today is the day it's got to be bottomed. By 12:00 and a lot of digging we've laid a new drain and the water is flowing well. Let's hope all's OK as digging out the trench again is not something I'd be looking forward to. Babs has been at the house all morning painting so I pick some bread & a slice of quiche up and surprise her with a lovely lunch of ham & cheese (nothing new there). The afternoon is spent painting, strimming & hacking out. I'd bought a SDS drill from Aldi back in the UK before we came out and at last & I've finally put it to work. A good investment at £29.99 – good old Aldi.
Sunday 6 May 2007
w/c 30 April 2007
Monday 30th – Another landmark day to day with a phone call to the removal company to arrange delivery of our furniture & other possessions. They've been in store for 6 months & it makes you think that as we've managed without them for so long why are we bothering forking out £2,000.00 to have them delivered. I'm sure when they arrive on the 22nd May we'll wonder how we've managed without them for so long! We've been receiving selected TV recordings from Caroll on DVD over the last few months and haven't missed TV as much as I thought we would. Having said that I had made a phone call to a local company who install satellite TV capable of receiving Freeview stations and he wants €550.00 to supply and install a system. A bit expensive for our fix of Coronation Street. Today we received our normal deliver of special offer leaflets and one of them has a dish & receiver for €39.90. Paul had spoken to someone locally that had bought a similar system & had been able to receive all the BBC TV channels and radio. I'm a bit of a doubting Thomas but having checked things out on the internet it looks like we'll be able to get a limited English TV service for just €39.90. It's got to be worth a try. Another phone call to a broadband provider and we should have a service up and running by the day we move in. €34.90 per month for broadband & free phone calls to anywhere in France, Europe Canada & the USA. Pity we don't know anyone in Florida who we can call for free and arrange a cheap holiday. We also get a UK phone number so you can all phone us for the price of a local call.
Tuesday 1st May – It's misty, raining and cold! How's the temperature plummeted to 10ºC?Typical weather for a bank holiday even here in France. The French don't bother to move their holidays to the nearest convenient Monday they always take them on the actual day. This year May day has fallen on a Tuesday so they take the Monday off as well. Not a bad idea. Second coat of paint to the WC & utility room today and the investment in the Dulux Valentine paint was well worth it as it's only going to take two coats to cover the shocking pink favoured by the house's previous owner. Thierry had rang last night to say he would be calling in today with his friend to see if they can safety, and economical, remove the hanger. All's OK and I mention the fact that it has an asbestos roof and we will need a certificate to say it has been disposed of correctly. Thierry's friend tells us that there's a problem across France in disposing of asbestos; currently there is no 'enterprise' able to dispose of it safely. The only factory there is, in Bordeaux, is not yet ready for action and any asbestos has to be stored on pallets covered in stretch film. Thierry agrees to give the local notaire a call, he's the font of all knowledge in France, and check out the legalities of disposing of the roof. In exchange for the hanger we have agreed to accept enough wood to erect a garage & wood store. These will be made from oak as Thierry owns a substantial oak plantation! Continue with the painting this afternoon & Paul drops in on his way back from dropping Caroll, his mum & Martin off at Rodez. Thierry had mentioned he had a friend who has ramp that will enable us to get under the car so tomorrow we plan to have a go at repairing the Merc. Good old Thierry and fingers crossed once again.
Wednesday 2nd – A big day for Babs today as she's off to have her hair done at a hairdressers in VDR and she's a bit concerned that she'll come out with a red tint. We'll have to wait and see. Despite the rain Paul & I get the Merc up on the ramp and start applying the mastic. The instructions say to leave it to set for 4 hours so we head over to the house and measure up for the jobs Paul's going to help with over the next few days. After lunch we pick the Merc up and with it running like a dream and head off to VDR. Having spent what seems like a small fortune on insulation, but I'm sure when the -10ºC temperatures return we'll be happy we spent the money. Back at the house I get a phone call from Barbara and it's good news. She's happy with the hair cut & tint, it has an acceptable level of red in it, and it was way cheaper than the London Tony & Guy salon she'd used previously. We receive the devis from M. Lagarrigue and it doesn't take long for us to decide to go ahead with him. A quick phone call to Thierry and he says he will contact M. Lagarrigue and co-ordinate the removal of the hanger at the same time as he does the groundwork.
Thursday 3rd - The stone supplier had rang last night to say the hearth was ready so it was over to collect it first thing. Only slight problem was that he'd cut it to the wrong size which was very disappointing as we'd waited 3 weeks for it. 'Not to worry I'll get one of the lads to cut a new piece if you don't mind waiting 15 minutes'. It's sorted quickly and we're back at Lagarrigue fitting the new hearth by 11:00. Paul then gives a valuable hand fitting a flap at the top of the stairs to keep the dust out, slats around the loft area for the insulation & tidying up the area at the top of the stairs. Barbara continues to wheel the paint brush like a professional and finishes the kitchen. It's a really productive day and the pizza for supper is well deserved by all.
Friday 4th – And we're off to Ikea for the kitchen. It's a 2 hour journey to the nearest store in Toulouse so we're on the road for 8:45, trailer in tow. After a slight detour and a phone call to Caroll to get the right directions we arrive ready for the trauma of ordering & collecting 6 items of self assembly kitchen furniture. It's bad enough visiting Ikea back in the UK, what's it going to be like in France? I know I mentioned it last time we were here but it really is amazing how many English people there are in the store. All collecting furniture, bedding & kitchen equipment for their second homes & gites. After standing in the wrong queue for 10 minutes we mange to work out that if we're wanting to order more than 5 items we need to get an assistant to do it for us. The cue we're in is for kitchen design. There's an assistant just become free and we ask if he can help. 'Of course & I speak English if that helps' he responds (all the staff have the flags on their name tags indicating which languages they speak). The kitchen's ordered, with the exception of the sink top which they will text us when it's available, and we head off for lunch before collecting our items. It's very civilised with a great choice, including meat balls, a selection of wine and freshly ground coffee. Just the thing to calm the nerves. I'd noticed that there were posters across the store offering 20% discount if you joined the 'Ikea Family' so when we got to the tills and we're offered membership it was a definite yes and a €240.01 saving. Half an hour later we're loaded up and back on the motorway heading for Montauban and Brico Depot, the French B & Q but substantially cheaper. With our furniture on it's way the only thing that would hold us up moving in on the 22nd was the lack of a shower. Paul had made a few suggestions on how we could install a temporary solution & Brico Depot had the answer, a Tardis like all in one shower cubicle for €135.00. They don't have the one in stock we've come for but for €75.00 more we get one with side jets and a seat! Just the job after a hard day slaving away hacking out & painting. By 8:00 we're back at Lagarrigue, with the Merc beginning to sound like a jet fighter again, and manage to unload our purchases just before the heavens open.
Saturday 5th – Barbara heads to Gilly's to finish off painting her new windows & I make a start on putting the kitchen units together. All goes well until I push one of the dowels a little too far and make a 'small' hole in the laminate. Merde, merde, merde!!!!!!!!!! Looks like when we go back to collect the sink unit we'll also be picking up a side panel. Barbara turns up about 12:30 with lunch and we work on until 4:00 painting & assembling kitchens without any further mishaps. Originally we hoped to get a dishwasher from Ikea but they had deleted it from the range so we headed off to VDR to track one down. After a bit of negotiation we get a good deal from the shop where we've bought the fridge and arrange for them both to be delivered on the 15th. The work M. Lagarrigue is doing for us will give us a lawn area of approx. 3,000 sq. metres, not something I'll be able to cut with my hover mower, so we call in to one of the dealers selling small ride on lawn mowers. They're a bit more expensive than I'd thought and second hand machines don't seem like a good idea as apparently older ones can be pretty unreliable. I feel a bit of www. research coming on before we splash out on one. We've finished supper and Barbara disappears upstairs and returns minutes later with the roofers devis and without a moments hesitation picks the phone up and gives him a call. As I don't suppose many customers call at 9:10 on a Saturday he answers the phone and there follows a very brief but productive conversation in French. He says he will commence work at the end of May but that isn't good enough for Barbara who goes on to make a rendezvous with him on Wednesday at 5:00 PM. Well done Babs & you deserve that glass of rosé.
Sunday 6th – Finished the kitchen units (with no further mishaps) and then on to fitting the new light fittings we'd picked up at Ikea. Despite French electrics being completely different with negative & positive not being labelled on plugs & sockets thanks to multi language instructions they're a doddle to fit without even a screwdriver being required. By lunch time Barbara's finished the first coat of emulsion on the living room ceiling and is ready to do a little more undercoating. Paul turns up at about 3:00 and gives a hand taking a couple of millimetres of the French doors and giving a bit of advise on fitting skirting boards. The suns out and a cold beer beckons at the Bar La Plage.
Tuesday 1st May – It's misty, raining and cold! How's the temperature plummeted to 10ºC?Typical weather for a bank holiday even here in France. The French don't bother to move their holidays to the nearest convenient Monday they always take them on the actual day. This year May day has fallen on a Tuesday so they take the Monday off as well. Not a bad idea. Second coat of paint to the WC & utility room today and the investment in the Dulux Valentine paint was well worth it as it's only going to take two coats to cover the shocking pink favoured by the house's previous owner. Thierry had rang last night to say he would be calling in today with his friend to see if they can safety, and economical, remove the hanger. All's OK and I mention the fact that it has an asbestos roof and we will need a certificate to say it has been disposed of correctly. Thierry's friend tells us that there's a problem across France in disposing of asbestos; currently there is no 'enterprise' able to dispose of it safely. The only factory there is, in Bordeaux, is not yet ready for action and any asbestos has to be stored on pallets covered in stretch film. Thierry agrees to give the local notaire a call, he's the font of all knowledge in France, and check out the legalities of disposing of the roof. In exchange for the hanger we have agreed to accept enough wood to erect a garage & wood store. These will be made from oak as Thierry owns a substantial oak plantation! Continue with the painting this afternoon & Paul drops in on his way back from dropping Caroll, his mum & Martin off at Rodez. Thierry had mentioned he had a friend who has ramp that will enable us to get under the car so tomorrow we plan to have a go at repairing the Merc. Good old Thierry and fingers crossed once again.
Wednesday 2nd – A big day for Babs today as she's off to have her hair done at a hairdressers in VDR and she's a bit concerned that she'll come out with a red tint. We'll have to wait and see. Despite the rain Paul & I get the Merc up on the ramp and start applying the mastic. The instructions say to leave it to set for 4 hours so we head over to the house and measure up for the jobs Paul's going to help with over the next few days. After lunch we pick the Merc up and with it running like a dream and head off to VDR. Having spent what seems like a small fortune on insulation, but I'm sure when the -10ºC temperatures return we'll be happy we spent the money. Back at the house I get a phone call from Barbara and it's good news. She's happy with the hair cut & tint, it has an acceptable level of red in it, and it was way cheaper than the London Tony & Guy salon she'd used previously. We receive the devis from M. Lagarrigue and it doesn't take long for us to decide to go ahead with him. A quick phone call to Thierry and he says he will contact M. Lagarrigue and co-ordinate the removal of the hanger at the same time as he does the groundwork.
Thursday 3rd - The stone supplier had rang last night to say the hearth was ready so it was over to collect it first thing. Only slight problem was that he'd cut it to the wrong size which was very disappointing as we'd waited 3 weeks for it. 'Not to worry I'll get one of the lads to cut a new piece if you don't mind waiting 15 minutes'. It's sorted quickly and we're back at Lagarrigue fitting the new hearth by 11:00. Paul then gives a valuable hand fitting a flap at the top of the stairs to keep the dust out, slats around the loft area for the insulation & tidying up the area at the top of the stairs. Barbara continues to wheel the paint brush like a professional and finishes the kitchen. It's a really productive day and the pizza for supper is well deserved by all.
Friday 4th – And we're off to Ikea for the kitchen. It's a 2 hour journey to the nearest store in Toulouse so we're on the road for 8:45, trailer in tow. After a slight detour and a phone call to Caroll to get the right directions we arrive ready for the trauma of ordering & collecting 6 items of self assembly kitchen furniture. It's bad enough visiting Ikea back in the UK, what's it going to be like in France? I know I mentioned it last time we were here but it really is amazing how many English people there are in the store. All collecting furniture, bedding & kitchen equipment for their second homes & gites. After standing in the wrong queue for 10 minutes we mange to work out that if we're wanting to order more than 5 items we need to get an assistant to do it for us. The cue we're in is for kitchen design. There's an assistant just become free and we ask if he can help. 'Of course & I speak English if that helps' he responds (all the staff have the flags on their name tags indicating which languages they speak). The kitchen's ordered, with the exception of the sink top which they will text us when it's available, and we head off for lunch before collecting our items. It's very civilised with a great choice, including meat balls, a selection of wine and freshly ground coffee. Just the thing to calm the nerves. I'd noticed that there were posters across the store offering 20% discount if you joined the 'Ikea Family' so when we got to the tills and we're offered membership it was a definite yes and a €240.01 saving. Half an hour later we're loaded up and back on the motorway heading for Montauban and Brico Depot, the French B & Q but substantially cheaper. With our furniture on it's way the only thing that would hold us up moving in on the 22nd was the lack of a shower. Paul had made a few suggestions on how we could install a temporary solution & Brico Depot had the answer, a Tardis like all in one shower cubicle for €135.00. They don't have the one in stock we've come for but for €75.00 more we get one with side jets and a seat! Just the job after a hard day slaving away hacking out & painting. By 8:00 we're back at Lagarrigue, with the Merc beginning to sound like a jet fighter again, and manage to unload our purchases just before the heavens open.
Saturday 5th – Barbara heads to Gilly's to finish off painting her new windows & I make a start on putting the kitchen units together. All goes well until I push one of the dowels a little too far and make a 'small' hole in the laminate. Merde, merde, merde!!!!!!!!!! Looks like when we go back to collect the sink unit we'll also be picking up a side panel. Barbara turns up about 12:30 with lunch and we work on until 4:00 painting & assembling kitchens without any further mishaps. Originally we hoped to get a dishwasher from Ikea but they had deleted it from the range so we headed off to VDR to track one down. After a bit of negotiation we get a good deal from the shop where we've bought the fridge and arrange for them both to be delivered on the 15th. The work M. Lagarrigue is doing for us will give us a lawn area of approx. 3,000 sq. metres, not something I'll be able to cut with my hover mower, so we call in to one of the dealers selling small ride on lawn mowers. They're a bit more expensive than I'd thought and second hand machines don't seem like a good idea as apparently older ones can be pretty unreliable. I feel a bit of www. research coming on before we splash out on one. We've finished supper and Barbara disappears upstairs and returns minutes later with the roofers devis and without a moments hesitation picks the phone up and gives him a call. As I don't suppose many customers call at 9:10 on a Saturday he answers the phone and there follows a very brief but productive conversation in French. He says he will commence work at the end of May but that isn't good enough for Barbara who goes on to make a rendezvous with him on Wednesday at 5:00 PM. Well done Babs & you deserve that glass of rosé.
Sunday 6th – Finished the kitchen units (with no further mishaps) and then on to fitting the new light fittings we'd picked up at Ikea. Despite French electrics being completely different with negative & positive not being labelled on plugs & sockets thanks to multi language instructions they're a doddle to fit without even a screwdriver being required. By lunch time Barbara's finished the first coat of emulsion on the living room ceiling and is ready to do a little more undercoating. Paul turns up at about 3:00 and gives a hand taking a couple of millimetres of the French doors and giving a bit of advise on fitting skirting boards. The suns out and a cold beer beckons at the Bar La Plage.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
