The Platane - one of three bars in our village.
Last Saturday we set off from St Sat at 6am drving back to the UK. It is 1000 kilometres. We drove through heavy rain arriving at 4pm for the Ferry. Thank fully the winds and rain subsided for our crossing. We arrived in Weybridge just before 8pm. Sunday was a day shopping buying all the things we cannot get here, or if we can they are extortionately priced! We enjoyed an evening with Geoff, Wendy, Sue & Tim before diving back into more shopping on Monday. The main purpose of the trip was to collect some furniture that we had bought.
We left early Tuesday morning with an alternative drive back through Paris which was interesting! If you thought the M25 is scary-try it!
Work continues, slowly on our pool,The walls are built from hollow concrete blocks which are reinforced with steel, concrete is then poured into the blocks.Before this it is necessary to shutter the entire area ready to receive the poured concrete.
It is a slow process as due to the access restrictions on our land it is necessary for the cement mixers to wait at the top of our drive, pour the cement into the bucket of the Manitou, which then takes it to the pool side for pouring.
This is Le Chene - nearly finished, no evidence of the water coming in!
We returned to get back to working on Le Chene however once again we were thwarted by the weather. There was heavy rain on Wednesday which found its way under the newly laid terrace and into the basement of the house - there was water pouring through the ceilings! In addition it found its way up the walls in the newly decorated dining room.
I think it is true to say that Karen and I are fairly positive. We have over come a lot of hurdles here to build. But today, Thursday, really was a low day. we were tired, the decorating we have done is getting ruined and water is pouring through the floors into the basement - can it get worse? At first we could not find the cause of the leak . Thijs started taking tiles off the roof but it was dry. We had that feeling again the house was built then they start undoing it. Eventually we found (we hope) the problem which we are now trying to resolve.
The basement walls of the pool house have been built and the floors are now prepared.
And so a very frustrating day pasees!.
Friday comes, it must be better than Thursday! I have a meeting scheduled with Thijs. We have 5 weeks until our first paying guests arrive and there is tons to do - we are way behind schedule.Our house still has scaffolding up, it is not rendered, there are roof tile missing, the pool needs 3 coats of render, then we have to order and fit the pool cover before filling the pool. Then there is Le Chene......... so we are feeling a little under pressure - during this meeting we had a delivery, just two deck chairs for Le Chene - the van arrived - the driver (who had been given 6 points that morning) took his eye off the road and that was it - next thing he knew he was off the road stuck on a well!!
It's a great way to meet your neighbours! they were out like bees - whats happened?, this is the third time!, we heard it all - but in fairness the locals, unlike the delivery driver were very willing to help and were on our side. And then the rain came again, absolutly torrential for abt an hour. Just what we needed - not!
And saturday - thev sun is back, the pool is taking shape - next week should see it advance further. We are sneaking off skiing for a few days, it was a week but I think we have too much on so might cut it short.
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