The fastest four weeks of our lives. All the things not done will wait – thats the good part – we will be back!.

Theres a new fuse box fitted and the knackered oil fired central heating is disconnected. Trish even has an ancient “ciel de lit” waiting to be fitted.

Apart from gallons (sorry-beacoup de litres) of paint to apply, killing woodworm and general repairs the main aim of our next visit will be to sort out the bathroom and hot water.
Essentially thats build a wall and install an immersion heater – but If i`ve learnt one thing from our first visit it`s “don`t plan too much” you end up not finishing anything that way!.

The pictures show present arrangements that were installed when the house was being used as a kind of youth club – we have another toilet downstairs and will continue to use our “solar shower” while the work continues.
Google “solar shower” if you don`t know what they are – free hot water – fantastic as long as the sun shines – though you can fill from a kettle if your careful.

That`s about it untill next spring – if you know me and you want further info drop me an e-mail. I`ll go on for hours given the chance.

JB

Not pretty – but everythings working.

Ohhh – his and hers showers.

Waiting to be put out of it`s misery.

Saw this on the farm just above us – I may make an offer.

As a last resort we have a Thermes down the road.

Trish, quite rightly, decides we should leave the house looking a little refreshed on the outside before we leave.
What could be easier than a quick lick of paint on the shutters then?.
Well it`s not going to be quick when you`ve got sixteen of them and they are over six feet tall!.

We heard and read a lot of bad things about french paint before we left the UK. Expensive and poor quality were the usual comments. We did bring some british paint with us but not for the shutters so, with some trepidation, we bought some paint from our local Briconautes.

We noticed their own brand was only 24 Euro a 2.5 litre can so we took a chance.It took (Trish) two and a half cans and an RSI to paint them all and the results look very good.Of course only time will tell how it holds out during the very cold winters and hot summers.

Note the idiot in the upper middle window of picture four is for scale only.

Next week – planning next years work.
JB

On a mission.

Always paint in a well ventilated area – she can`t paint if she passes out!.

Now that looks better.

Looks like people live here now – maybe crazy ones.

Relax-unless you`ve changed you mind about the colour?.

We decide life is not all work and set up the telly.
This consists of a satellite dish on an old camera tripod and video dongle plugged into the laptop.Not exactly cinema super surround but ok for watching the news and very good for getting radio four. Radio 4? – I know that shows my age,but thanks to my age, I don`t care.

The picture showing the mugs and tea-pot is a chance for the brighter viewers of this blog to show off.
What is the pattern on the tablecloth?.
Our new neighbour, Jean-Pierre, spotted it immediately .He also pointed out many other historical facts about our house which I hearby thank him for.

The other internal picture is our kitchen/diner looking the other way.What we would call a Victorian mirror is in France a style of Henry 2 – one of our “vide grenier” purchases.

Lastly – lets mellow out with a couple of photographs taken by our new friend and neighbour Jean-Claude.He has far superior photographic skills to myself and the views he has captured gave us even more interest in living in this gloriously beautiful part of France

Next week – the shutter painting marathon.

It looks like a big screen if you sit really close.

Hands up if you know the answer.

Yes-that lamp shade has to go.

Stunning.

What a place to live!.

As promised luried tales of wild animals.
Well the dead mouse would be considered less wild now.

A word of caution though – if you find your French house too hot at night – do not leave your windows AND shutters open.
It invites bats to wake you at two in the morning as they demonstrate how to remove cobwebs from the ceiling and re-enact the raid on Pearl harbour.
Nevermind the fact that I woke thinking the sound of them skipping across the ceiling was the boogieman in the attic – they could have been vampires – and that would have scared me less!.

Also in the photos this week is a lizard setting up home in the remains of a mantelpiece that Trish found in the garden.We will, of course, charge him rent.

The VERY large fish Trish is feeding is the villages world record model fish building entrant.This is a bi-annual event where they try and gain a new world record – any world record- it may not be fish related next time!.

The last picture shows our new bed.After ten days of heaving ourselves off the floor we made a visit to the local Troc and shelled out a massive twenty nine Euros for it.

And they say the Berrimans are tight!.

Next weeks shocks will include watching the telly and showering.
JB

Ex-mouse- the posh way to say “christmas”"

Is that a bat Robin?

Nice mouldings

The English – fish and no chips

Pure comfort

First item I have to mention is a french phrase we have heard so many times since arriving,

“Besoin d`aide?” – Need help?

This was said by everyone from professionals to neighbours and was not said lightly.

We arrived with an inflatible mattress, a box of ASDA tea bags and little else.
After picking a floor to sleep on and pumping up the bed it`s off to the local Carrefour supermarket for a kettle, a microwave oven and food.

Waking the next morning I learn that Trish has hidden many tins of paint in the car when we left England – hmmm – and it`s perfect weather for doing nothing.
The kitchen seems to be the place to start.
Only a sink unit to start with, really a blank canvass,so we can go wild, or at least go yellow.Photos show zero to 50%, the cabinets will wait for another visit.

Thats all until next weeks delayed blog – which will contain wildlife – dead and alive.
JB

Zero!

What – not enough!

Hide those pipes and cables

Paint woman!

That`ll do for now