Tile-hunting...

By the time we'd finished with our meetings on Thursday afternoon, despite having enough time to fit in a quick visit to a tile showroom, we decided against trying to finalise our choice of tiles for the bathroom.

We were all set for an early start on Friday morning, just waiting for David to get the croissant-munching out of the way, when Mme. Bouzenard collared him with a message that M. Boyer was trying to get hold of us because a carpenter was coming to visit at 11 o'clock.

David eventually managed to speak with M. Petipas, and found out that the carpenter was coming after visiting their office (probably about 11.30, by this time), so we decided to wait for him rather than heading off to the one showroom that's not near Troyes.

We were waiting at the house (in the car, with the engine running - not warm), when Mme. Bouzenard appeared at the gate.

Another message (bad mobile coverage because of the fog? Normally at our house [rather than the gîte] the signal is pretty good); the carpenter would be about an hour late.

So we went back to the gîte and had an early lunch, and went back to the house to find the carpenter waiting (fortunately, he had only just arrived).

He didn't take too long (half an hour?) and then we were on our way to another tiring day...

How difficult could it be to choose some tiles?

Very!

We wanted something fairly neutral, in a large size, that will go with the floor tiles...

After over six months of trying to get a sample of the floor tiles we have chosen (we said that if the manufacturer wouldn't supply a free sample, we would buy a box), the sample had finally arrived at the builders' merchant...

Only it was the wrong colour! :-(

The lady was pointing out that that was the colour on the display, and we explained that we wanted the other colour - could she please check that the warmer shade was still available, and order one of those please?

I think the action of looking it up in the catalogue must have jogged her memory (we had asked those questions when originally ordering the sample in July [or was it June?]).

We then got a sincere-sounding apology, and she said the other sample should be there in a couple of weeks.

Fingers crossed!

We really could have done with the lost morning - we ran out of time to visit the showroom that was not near Troyes (but fortunately the "sister" showroom told us that they didn't open on Saturday - that really would have been a waste of time).

Had we known that the carpenter wasn't going to arrive till after 12, and the showroom in Mussy wouldn't open on Saturday, we would have headed off on a quick trip before our Friday meeting at the house, but perhaps the rest did us more good?

We still ended up going back to Troyes on Saturday, but we'd really narrowed it down by then, so it was quicker and less "painful" (OK, that's an exageration; it's not painful, but our heads hurt by this point!).

And we got a free sample of number one choice there and then! Also ordered a sample of the number 2 choice.

Having seen the (bluey) grey marbled tiles that we think will work, we are just waiting to check they don't look horrible against the more beige tones of the floor...

But there's also the (dove/elephant) grey tile that either needs ruling out or reconsidering!

Until the tiles are bought, we still have time to change our minds! ;-)