Friends to stay - and how hard they worked!

 

Our friends Paul and Di arrived for a couple of days. Paul said he was coming to help Phil clear the roof of sedum and moss that was stopping water draining away during heavy rain and consequently pouring in to our bedroom and also the new kitchen below.

Every time it rains heavily we have to bring in the buckets, bowls and saucepans.
Well we relaxed Monday afternoon and Di and I had a dunk in the pool. Pool temperature was 30 degrees whilst outside recently the air temperature has nose dived. I understand it is connected to Hurricane Bertha that hit the US recently and has affected Northern Europe.

We had a BBQ in the evening just before the rains came.
Tuesday we got up and Paul had his overalls on before we had finished our coffee. He was up on the roof in no time and when he got up there he realised it was worse than we had thought. Not only sackloads of sedum but many tiles had crumbled.

Phil had discovered a rotting beam holding up the roof of the covered terrace on the house side so Phil and I went to our local builders merchants to get some wood to support the roof and old beam. Phil got that in fairly easily, but whilst fixing the guttering bove it the corner of the house fell down. A great big boulder fell but Paul again to the rescue managed to get it up and cement it in. 


Boy did Paul graft. He had a break for lunch and then got back up there determined to finish. 
Di and I were surplus to requirements so we went around the village and had a trip to the windmill. There was a little tour going on that a family had pre-booked so we saw the sails turning. The heavens opened whilst we were there and we cycled back in the rain, which had also stopped work on the roof.
Anyway just in time to get changed and go out to dinner the work was all done. We have sackloads of broken tiles to take to the dechetterie but the roof looks great.

Here are some before and after photos. This sedum was EVERYWHERE! 

 

On Tuesday night we went to La Marmite restaurant in Mansle. Sadly it rained so we couldn't sit in their lovely courtyard but we had a great meal. Will definitely be going back again.

We got a look at the beautiful Charente river which runs through this small market town.

Bridge at Mansle

Huge thanks to you both and we look forward to seeing you again in. September.

Xx