Getting on

Well the weather turned, we have had rain (lots of it) and it turned decidedly cool but we have so much to do inside it's not a problem.
Garden has been rotivated and grass sown. It is supposed to be the quick growing variety so will update you soon.

We managed to get our bedroom together enough to move in. As soon as we did the heavens opened and there were thunderbolts and lightning, very very frightening.....
Also the gulleys on the rood couldn't cope so we had waterfalls inside as well. I think it was an exception but we really have to get up on the roof soon - certainly before the next significant deluge.
The buckets and saucepans came out and a couple of hours later it was all a distant memory and we moved in and spent a lovely night in our new clean space.

So, having a haven to escape to we could start work on the rest of the house.
Phil finished 'the trench' and brought a pipe under the threshold into the house. More on that another time. 

I have been removing wallpaper, started painting just to brighten things up. we have friends arriving next week and I desperately want it to not be a total building site.

Phil has stripped out a lot of the poor electrics - not yet replaced by good ones so the number of points are decreasing and the number of adaptors are going up.

We have started turning the upstairs bedroom(where we used to sleep) and the smaller connecting room into an en suite.

Middle - where the door is - and right where it will be. The angle grinder created so much dust Phil couldn't see the lines to follow.

I can see you...

We resorted to the perforation method in the end. Lots of little drill holes and then knocked through.
I popped this video in - not because it shows our skills but because I think it is really funny!

The new doorway to the forthcoming en suite

We have already had one trip to the dechetterie (long way of saying the 'tip') and got into trouble for maybe not putting everything exactly where it should be so we are definitely trying to split wood, metal, rubble, plastics etc. for our next trip.

And just in case you think we never do anything else we have shopping trips and here is some of the local produce we have been enjoying.

Supermarket and market trips are a pleasure; even Phil enjoys them!

Last night we ventured out to our nearest town, Ruffec and had a great meal. Not as good as Le Rejallant but that will take a lot of beating. It was great to get out and have a wander around. Ruffec has a lot of hidden charms - and more to be discovered I am sure.

Our first week back solo (without Kim Jackson - super hero)

After seeing Kim off at Limoges (Interntional) airport Phil and I took a leaisurely drive home. Some of it up and down the same section of dual carriageway as we seemed to miss the signs for our return trip. Apparently not an uncommon occurrence. It meant we got to see some more of rural France which was great. We bought some geraniums and my first ever bouganvillea - memories of Greek Islands - totally impossible to grow outdoors in the UK but I am hopeful so watch this space. I have planted these up with a couple of tomato plants and hope that by the time our next guests arrive in a couple of weeks time they are coming on strong. 

 

We have missed Kim's company and the trench is still to be totally finished but we are working to weather conditions and Phil is doing a bit here and there. One day when he went through a pipe and we had a small hole that sent water spurting into the air. He has now repaired this little leak. 

Kim sent us a photo of how happy we were to be back so I want to share this now. There are others to come in future blogs where I will expand in the food at Le Rejallant that we shared with Kim and would recommend to anyone. Check it out at 

http://www.le-rejallant.com/?lang=gb

The last few days we have spent indoors and out. The weekend was amazingly warm. It reached the upper 30s on Saturday and Sunday. In fact we have had a whole week of eating outdoors. Here are some goodies we bought in the market and have had with various BBQs. Mandy, the white asparagus is wonderful!

We have been rotivating the garden and laid grass seed. All this in 34 degrees. When we came to open a bag that we had bought in early March it seemed a bit heavy for grass seed and after a quick internet translation of the writing in the bag we realised we were about to plant fertiliser that kills moss. A quick trip to Le Clerc (equivalent of Tesco or Asda) remedied the situation and we got proper grass seed

(Semmences de gazon) down before the anticipated thunderstorm and downpour. 

We have just completed a few jobs in the room that is to be our bedroom and haven. Lots of filling in, painting and the floor is finally laid. We hope to move the bed and furniture in tomorrow. That will be so exciting as if means we can start gutting the rest of the house and have somewhere to hide away. We have had a day of rain which hasn't been too depressing as it has been so hot and we really needed a day inside to get in with the bedroom. I think the next few days are a bit iffy weather wise which will water the newly planted grass and give us a chance to do some stuff indoors.

We are doing really well I think. Phil thinks we should be achieving more as always....

I had a lovely catch up with Mandy last night and her big birthday celebrations are already under way. I am so sorry I am not around to share in them but am looking forward to celebrating with her in just over 2 weeks time here in France. I know she will have a wonderful celebration on Friday at the fabulous Under the Stars in Bristol. Can't wait to see the photos.

Until the next time mes amis, Thanks so much for reading and following this blog. Please feel free to comment as it would be lovely to know you are with us in some small way.

Much love xx

The Kim Jackson days

    

I can't believe we have been back for a whole week. Time has just flown by.

For those that don't know already, when we cam back to the UK on 11th March for a short visit Phil suffered a heart attack which resulted in a 9 week stay in England. He is fine now and has had a pacemaker and defibrillator fitted - just in case. This has meant that he has had to surrender his driving license for 6 months so I needed to drive the van back. Being a scaredy cat our friend Kim offered to drive for us. My head was saying that I had to do it at some point but the offer was too good to refuse.

Kim arrived at Evergreen around 10am on Friday morning 9th May and he drove the van to Portsmouth. I was feeling sick with anxiety about the prospect and Phil suggested that Kim did the first leg and I could drive in France the following day.

The weather was better than expected but very windy I had some concerns for the ferry trip. I know.... I get anxious about everything these days. I used the bracelet that gives out little electric pulses, like a TENS machine and I guess it worked pretty well. We spent a couple of hours watching Noah in the onboard cinema, a great way of passing the crossing.

We docked about 9.30pm French time and got to the Ibis hotel in about quarter of an hour. So much easier in daylight. Phil and I got horribly lost in January but with Kim at the wheel (and no doubt great navigators in the passenger seats) we got there very quickly. Then to the bar for an expensive pint. 6 Euros, but oh so good.

The following morning we had breakfast and left at 9am. The weather was appalling. Bouncing rain and I chickened out again van wise. I did have a go in the car park though but was hesitant to start off going down lots of side streets. Just as well as SatNav took us round and round and we decided to use a map and signs instead. I started feeling more confident about taking over the driving so when we stopped at a toll for a sandwich we swapped places. It really wasn't so bad, but the roads were straight with very little traffic. We got to the supermarket at Ruffec about 1.45 and stocked up with provisions as the following day would be Sunday and it would have been much harder to get basic stuff. I drove the rest of the way to Villefagnan but Kim popped the van into the courtyard. There is very little space either side of the van to get the van through the gate. I have to say he did superbly.

We had unpacked the entire van by just after 5 and went over to Chez David for a glass of wine having ordered pizza from the man in the square first. And then home for a pizza, more wine and the Eurovision Song Contest. I haven't watched it for years and we watched the French broadcast, so instead of Graham Norton commentating we had a French couple and the commentary was lost on us. 

Sunday being a day of rest we got up and started work. Cleared a room downstairs and Kim knocked down a fireplace.  All before lunch.

After that the trench digging commenced. Kim had not only offered to be my driver but had said he was coming over and was going to dig a much needed trench for a pipe.  This is so we can create 2 en suites to our soon to be 2 guest rooms. Until this is done there is no hope of getting on with this part of the project. The digging commenced inside that house after floorboards were taken up and then outside in the courtyard and under the door threshold. Well, it rained almost continuously and Kim had to get a flight back on Tuesday. By Monday lunchtime there were thoughts that it just wasn't going to get completed. Also, we had booked to go to a restaurant in Ruffec by the Charente river and the car and van were in the courtyard with no way of getting out because of the trench and clay piles that had built up. It was such hard work and the wetter it got the harder it got. Kim was wondering how he was going to get back to the airport Tuesday lunchtime.

So, we booked a taxi to the restaurant and had a fabulous meal. It is called the Rejullant and is in a gorgeous setting. Food was superb and service very friendly. We drank too much and ate too much but what a lovely evening!

The following morning it was up and at 'em. Kim was in the trench determined to fill in at least enough to get my car out so he could get to Limoges airport for his flight.

With only a few hours, but this time in sunshine, his face says it all when he achieved what was starting to look like the impossible.

 

 

A huge thank you Kim in so many ways. For leaving your business, your beloved, and for helping in such an amazing way. You have been such  great support and wonderful company. We are forever indebted, 

Phil and Jane - The Return

After a long (nearly 9 weeks) break our project in France is about to recommence. We are heading back to Villefagnan tomorrow (9th May) to continue renovations (and soak up some sun, food and wine).

The opening of the two B&B rooms, which we hoped would be by mid June has obviously been delayed but we are going to take it a little easier and not set any deadlines.

You can follow our progress here (albeit a little slower than initially).

The van is loaded (nearly - a few more things to squeeze on) and then we are off to Portsmouth in the morning to catch the ferry to Caen.

A wonderful friend is coming with us. I am nervous about driving the large van as Phil can't drive for a few months and knowing this Kim offered to help out. For some reason he is keen to come over and dig a trench for us. Heavy work is out of the question and this offer of help is so much appreciated. And knowing how apprehensive I am Kim has offered to drive the van down. I am going to give it a go some of the way as I know I need to be able to do this and I just need to overcome this ridiculous fear. She is a big girl though and after driving Corsas and small Peugeots this is way out of my comfort zone.

So hopefully with trench dug we can start plumbing in the guest shower rooms. It may take a while but with the big pipe in place we can take our time over the internal stuff.

I shall be updating regularly so watch this space.

Thanks to everyone for your help and support over the last 8 weeks.

We hope to see you again very soon.

xx