The Ripple Effect

Posted by Simon

At this moment in time I should be driving to Ouistreham Port to get the ferry to the UK and then on to our friends Jon & Ally to collect a kitchen for the gite. But a phone call Monday changed all that.

There were Jon and Ally (with many others) enjoying an Easter break in Egypt when a volcano in Iceland decided to blow and the holiday was extended. Although able to stay in the apartment they did not have a clue when they would be coming home so decided to delay their new kitchen, which in turn means dates to collect their old kitchen have to be delayed. Which also means plumbers and electricians on both sides of the channel had to be contacted and dates changed (and on down the line) - hence the ripple effect. And as our electrician said 'Who have thought that a volcano in Iceland would delay a renovation in Normandie?' Well there you go it has. Well to be honest it hasn't really delayed things here - more re-scheduling.

Anyway I have plenty of other jobs to do and have been forging ahead with those. We have now put the doors in - after a rather embarrassing problem. One set of doors would not open - jammed solid. So a trip up to Caen and the supplier soon solved the problem - now who would think the doors just needed unlocking! Oops. With the doors in we could then finish the insulation and boarding. Now we have started the more decorating parts of the works on the upper floors and presently I'm tiling the bathroom.

Last week we had Amy (daughter of old neighbour) stay with us and help around the place. She helped both in the gite and the garden plus helped around the house, with the boys (and erecting there new trampoline), and walking the dogs, amongst many other things. Amy was a great help and between all of us we got loads done.

Amy returned the UK last Sunday and I took her to the port to catch the ferry. It was extremely busy as people were coming by various means to the ports to get home. There were coach loads of people, taxis arriving every few seconds and queues to get on the ferry out of the terminus doors. It was quite a sight seeing people either with skis and dressed in winter clothing or people with shorts on coming up from the south and not looking very warm - as it was a little chilly in Caen that morning. Most of these people were having a very extended journey home.

And I had a lovely early morning walk on the beach with the dogs before heading home to do more work on the gite.