A Working Mess - In Progress

Posted by Simon

Good progress has been made on the gite this week. The plumber has finished the kitchen and bathroom plus he is coming in for a while to help out on a few other bits in the bathroom. This meant I have been putting the kitchen back together again and fixing everything into place ready for tiling- plus many other jobs as well.

We have also put in the balustrade between the upper and lower ground floors. Rosie had painstakingly painted all the rods and then it was a case of lining them all up, drilling the holes out and then fitting it all together. This took a painfully long time and Rosie and I were glad the plumber was here to lend a much needed pair of hands. Every time we got one end of the bars in the other end popped out. Eventually we got there - with clamps galore - and are really pleased with the results.

Sally, my sister, was here for a few day and was also roped into various projects, including helping experimenting with the home made paint. We all liked the result but will not be continuing with this paint in the gite as, in this situation, it is not practical - and it was very messy! Rosie has been wood staining and varnishing in between looking after the animals and garden.

So with my neighbour still helping (rendering chimney, painting and other timber work) and then today a friend volunteered a couple of days (building under stairs cupboard and shelves) it has been quite hectic and all looking like rather a working mess!

And as it was Ben's birthday weekend - which I'm sure Rosie will write more of later - we did all get out. Sally and I took Tom, Ben and, Ben's friend, Baptiste bowling, then met up with Rosie, who had been sorting out soft furnishings etc. for the gite, and had dinner out. Sunday we went to Lac de la Dathée which Sally, Tom, Ben and I cycled round and Rosie walked Poppy. Saari was suppose to be with Rosie but decided to run with us. She was brilliant, especially along the road stretch where she run beside me and did not stray - much to the astonishment of people out walking, who just watched her and said how good she was. But she was one very tired dog later!