Oops, forgot to add that we had a visit from Jean-Marie, Nicolas & M. Petitpas yesterday; I let David deal with that one...
[Perhaps I'm "in denial"? Whatever it is, I'm finding it less stressful than talking with them myself! As a down-side of David being in charge, no awkward questions get asked, such as "what about the insulation?" or "what about the plumbing for bedroom 2?", so I'm not sure it's a 'goer' as a long-term solution. Hmmm, I think when it all returns to ground level I'm going to have to get the gloves back on.]
More electrickery today, but as we were lumberjacking, I'm not sure what!
Will take some photos of upstairs when I've found another iron bar to replace the latest broken rung of my ladder; I can't cope with missing a step and getting off the ladder at the same time.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Day 32
Carpenters finished boarding out above the bedroom.
[Maria still debating whether to create a fuss, or just accept substandard project management in order to get those bloody people out of our lives; instinct says "get the insulation added", and "get the plumbing sorted", but I'm fighting against that as my head is saying "make them go away"!]
Sad to see them go; I've enjoyed chatting with Laurent, and they just get on with their work with no fuss, and minimal discussions, unlike the electrician...
Electrician arrived today!
He and his colleague are finishing off the first fix in the stable, and we had another long, involved discussion about the missing phone point in the kitchen, but I think it will be OK: the bare cable should be able to run in the gap that's opened between the insulation and the beam, and then behind the upright, with minimal channelling in to sit next to the power socket.
I just had a brilliant idea (if I do say so myself!), that if we are gouging out the insulation, we might as well add another socket which will cut out the adaptor plugged into the lightning-protection box (circuit breaker? I think in English we don't have these because all our plugs are fused?) for the internet router.
[Maria still debating whether to create a fuss, or just accept substandard project management in order to get those bloody people out of our lives; instinct says "get the insulation added", and "get the plumbing sorted", but I'm fighting against that as my head is saying "make them go away"!]
Sad to see them go; I've enjoyed chatting with Laurent, and they just get on with their work with no fuss, and minimal discussions, unlike the electrician...
Electrician arrived today!
He and his colleague are finishing off the first fix in the stable, and we had another long, involved discussion about the missing phone point in the kitchen, but I think it will be OK: the bare cable should be able to run in the gap that's opened between the insulation and the beam, and then behind the upright, with minimal channelling in to sit next to the power socket.
I just had a brilliant idea (if I do say so myself!), that if we are gouging out the insulation, we might as well add another socket which will cut out the adaptor plugged into the lightning-protection box (circuit breaker? I think in English we don't have these because all our plugs are fused?) for the internet router.
Day 31
We arrive home on Wednesday to the sight of wood leaning up against the stable; that wasn't there when we left, surely?
David confirmed that no, we'd had a visit from the carpenters, and they were boarding out the space above the bedroom.
Mixed feelings on that one: it's great that work has started again, but as we were told this wouldn't be happening till early October, I didn't get chance to enquire why the space wasn't totally filled with the insulation (there's at least a four inch gap; I don't think that's a good thing, especially not with a pile of insulation standing by!), or whether we had resolved the issue about the plumbing...
I'm not remotely impressed with T+B: yes, they did send us an email (at 7.15am), but this was on the day the carpenters were arriving, and as we are on holiday, we're not checking the inbox before heading out for a day we planned in advance.
And yes, they did know that this fortnight is David's holiday!
Crap communication, as ever...
David confirmed that no, we'd had a visit from the carpenters, and they were boarding out the space above the bedroom.
Mixed feelings on that one: it's great that work has started again, but as we were told this wouldn't be happening till early October, I didn't get chance to enquire why the space wasn't totally filled with the insulation (there's at least a four inch gap; I don't think that's a good thing, especially not with a pile of insulation standing by!), or whether we had resolved the issue about the plumbing...
I'm not remotely impressed with T+B: yes, they did send us an email (at 7.15am), but this was on the day the carpenters were arriving, and as we are on holiday, we're not checking the inbox before heading out for a day we planned in advance.
And yes, they did know that this fortnight is David's holiday!
Crap communication, as ever...
Quick update
After a little R & R in Putney, I'm back in France - my lovely husband is here for two weeks holiday, and we're making the most of it!
We've been all rufty-tufty the last couple of days... [OK, buying a set of blue-painted furniture wasn't so 'manly', but that's a nice cheap project for me when the builders have gone - cobalt sideboard, table & four chairs for ~£33 can't be bad, and lots of fun to be had cleaning it up; if I can't take it back to nice wood, I can paint it cream!]
We chopped down seven or eight trees to rejuvenate the hedge by the road past the house, and this has let masses more light into the meadow; the damson tree in the hedge will also benefit from not having thuggish neighbours.
Also started to clear the brambles from beneath the walnut that we don't harvest from, and I've lopped off the low-hanging branches to make it easier to strim under. The bit by the hedge where David cleared last year was much easier to cut down this time, so our efforts are paying dividends.
Rain stopped play, so we diverted back to making fruit liqueurs; now David's in on the "secret" life's much easier - two of us pricking fruit is so much better [for me!], than just me doing it...
The mirabelles, Reine Claude plums and pig damsons in the freezer had got frosted [which finally spurred us on to the purchase of a new fridge-freezer; one that's big enough to store most of the vegetables/salad and has three freezer drawers], so we had less than we thought, but still have made several jars.
We also made the last of the mirabelles [sadly, after we arrived to find quite a lot of ripe ones still on the tree someone came and stole them the afternoon we went out shopping, so we only managed a tiny jar!], a few more Reine Claude, some little red plums from the other ancient tree in the meadow and some of M. Lorin's huge plums [he has given us permission to go into his orchard and help ourselves] into more liqueurs.
We decanted all of last year's efforts, and now have an interesting stock that just needs ageing to be a wonderful cupboard-full of interesting after dinner treats!
Today we emptied the freezer of sloes [and put the last of Tuesday's sloes in to freeze] and made two huge and one medium size jar; it's now got to the point where I feel I want to keep changing supermarkets every time we go to buy gin! Apparently, I should have waited till October to make sloe gin (despite them tasting OK; yes, still wearing my 'tough girl' hat!), but as they were already picked, cleaned & frozen, it seemed a shame not to try...
Doesn't mean I won't keep an eye out for sloes again after the first frosts!
Our paint has arrived from Holkham Paint so now we are just awaiting a visit from M. Baty...
We've decided to go for a different colour on the inside of the windows this time: Old White in the bathroom, and Parchment in the bedroom. Hopefully, these choices will prove acceptable, otherwise Maria will be getting out the paintbrush again...
[Please keep fingers crossed for the former; Maria has seen enough paintbrushes in the last 18 months to last a long time!]
Speaking of artisans, work has (unexpectedly!) started on the house again, but I shall post about that separately: see next post.
We've been all rufty-tufty the last couple of days... [OK, buying a set of blue-painted furniture wasn't so 'manly', but that's a nice cheap project for me when the builders have gone - cobalt sideboard, table & four chairs for ~£33 can't be bad, and lots of fun to be had cleaning it up; if I can't take it back to nice wood, I can paint it cream!]
We chopped down seven or eight trees to rejuvenate the hedge by the road past the house, and this has let masses more light into the meadow; the damson tree in the hedge will also benefit from not having thuggish neighbours.
Also started to clear the brambles from beneath the walnut that we don't harvest from, and I've lopped off the low-hanging branches to make it easier to strim under. The bit by the hedge where David cleared last year was much easier to cut down this time, so our efforts are paying dividends.
Rain stopped play, so we diverted back to making fruit liqueurs; now David's in on the "secret" life's much easier - two of us pricking fruit is so much better [for me!], than just me doing it...
The mirabelles, Reine Claude plums and pig damsons in the freezer had got frosted [which finally spurred us on to the purchase of a new fridge-freezer; one that's big enough to store most of the vegetables/salad and has three freezer drawers], so we had less than we thought, but still have made several jars.
We also made the last of the mirabelles [sadly, after we arrived to find quite a lot of ripe ones still on the tree someone came and stole them the afternoon we went out shopping, so we only managed a tiny jar!], a few more Reine Claude, some little red plums from the other ancient tree in the meadow and some of M. Lorin's huge plums [he has given us permission to go into his orchard and help ourselves] into more liqueurs.
We decanted all of last year's efforts, and now have an interesting stock that just needs ageing to be a wonderful cupboard-full of interesting after dinner treats!
Today we emptied the freezer of sloes [and put the last of Tuesday's sloes in to freeze] and made two huge and one medium size jar; it's now got to the point where I feel I want to keep changing supermarkets every time we go to buy gin! Apparently, I should have waited till October to make sloe gin (despite them tasting OK; yes, still wearing my 'tough girl' hat!), but as they were already picked, cleaned & frozen, it seemed a shame not to try...
Doesn't mean I won't keep an eye out for sloes again after the first frosts!
Our paint has arrived from Holkham Paint so now we are just awaiting a visit from M. Baty...
We've decided to go for a different colour on the inside of the windows this time: Old White in the bathroom, and Parchment in the bedroom. Hopefully, these choices will prove acceptable, otherwise Maria will be getting out the paintbrush again...
[Please keep fingers crossed for the former; Maria has seen enough paintbrushes in the last 18 months to last a long time!]
Speaking of artisans, work has (unexpectedly!) started on the house again, but I shall post about that separately: see next post.
Sunday, August 08, 2010
Monday, August 02, 2010
Fruit liqueurs
The mirabelles were just starting to ripen as we were due to leave on Sunday; and I mean just - I'd checked first thing and found no ripe ones, but by 1 pm there were a couple that were soft and turning yellowy.Same for the pig damsons. The seedling next to the tree even had a couple of ripe fruit that tasted like damsons-you-would-eat, rather than damsons-you-would-feed-to-pigs, so I think next year I'll keep an eye on the fruit [when we can be around for them ripening properly], and then maybe we'll chop down the ruined old tree as planned.
Sadly, we're not going to be around to pick ripe fruit, so we took the decision to pick & freeze unripe ones, and then make damson/mirabelle/Reine Claude gin when we go back on holiday.It'll either work, or it won't!
But it's certainly worth a try; I'm reasonably sure that commercial growers don't wait till fruit is perfectly ripe.
Either way, I'll be posting about it [if I live!] later on this year...
Day 30/Friday meeting
I got 'overtaken by events' on Friday: we had our meeting, and then made a hasty getaway to go and eat in Chatillon. By the time we got home I didn't feel like firing up the computer, and then Saturday as it was another glorious day we went to Chaumont, again not wanting to sit & write a blog when we got home.
Yesterday, it was packing up to come back to London which took priority (and then coming back to London, obviously)!
So, Friday meeting: I think Jean-Marie abandoned the idea of the "pre-reception" meeting pretty quickly - he listed the trades, and started with the plasterboarding; trying to get that as a 100% finished.
Erm, no, the gaine technique is not done, and there is a third coat of plaster to be put on the walls/ceiling everywhere!
OK, and the plasterboarding is the most complete.
M. Mekki was naughty [David & I are wondering if the lateness/randomness of T+B is getting to him and M. Luparello?]; I'd sent a mail thanking them for getting the sill done before the August break [as I said, we're quick enough to contact them if there's a problem, and with the sill I know it put them under additional pressure and we do appreciate that M. Baty can now come late August to take his measurements rather than waiting until the first full week in September is over]. I'd received a mail from both M. Mekki and M. Luparello saying 'thank you for your thank you'.
End of subject, except someone was stirring it on Friday, I think!
M. Mekki mentioned the mail, and how they really appreciate it, blah blah blah. I just looked him in the eye, and said "I think you're causing trouble" [in English]. He blushed, so I don't think I was wrong, but carried on anyway. I said "I'm watching you", and then he let it drop. I don't think J-M picked up that he was on the receiving end of a dig, but M. Mekki knows that we know. And moreover I know his English is a lot better than he lets on!
Anyway, back to the meeting: it degenerated pretty quickly into listing what needs to be done to finish, and putting dates to various jobs/trades.
J-M asked if we'd been talking with M. Waeber; no, that's your job, you are the project manager. If we were in charge I would have walked to the other end of the village & chatted with him [well, listened!], but as we didn't know until Friday morning when he could come [w/c 20 Sept, apparently] there seemed no point in seeing him to say "no, we don't know when you can start the tiling".
So with all that's left to do we're now looking at the carpenters finishing some time the first week in October! Hopefully, by then M. Baty will have been and gone...
J-M did like my changes to the upstairs plan, and promised he and Nicolas will draw up accurate drawings and make that alteration; I will be watching them like a hawk, so have every faith it will happen!
I was "de-mob happy", and couldn't wait to escape on my "holiday", so we said goodbye to M. Jamel & left him to it.
In his defence, he left everywhere nice and tidy. I hope he has a good time back in Morocco, and that his friends/family back there can chat with him in the same way that seems impossible in France.
Yesterday, it was packing up to come back to London which took priority (and then coming back to London, obviously)!
So, Friday meeting: I think Jean-Marie abandoned the idea of the "pre-reception" meeting pretty quickly - he listed the trades, and started with the plasterboarding; trying to get that as a 100% finished.
Erm, no, the gaine technique is not done, and there is a third coat of plaster to be put on the walls/ceiling everywhere!
OK, and the plasterboarding is the most complete.
M. Mekki was naughty [David & I are wondering if the lateness/randomness of T+B is getting to him and M. Luparello?]; I'd sent a mail thanking them for getting the sill done before the August break [as I said, we're quick enough to contact them if there's a problem, and with the sill I know it put them under additional pressure and we do appreciate that M. Baty can now come late August to take his measurements rather than waiting until the first full week in September is over]. I'd received a mail from both M. Mekki and M. Luparello saying 'thank you for your thank you'.
End of subject, except someone was stirring it on Friday, I think!
M. Mekki mentioned the mail, and how they really appreciate it, blah blah blah. I just looked him in the eye, and said "I think you're causing trouble" [in English]. He blushed, so I don't think I was wrong, but carried on anyway. I said "I'm watching you", and then he let it drop. I don't think J-M picked up that he was on the receiving end of a dig, but M. Mekki knows that we know. And moreover I know his English is a lot better than he lets on!
Anyway, back to the meeting: it degenerated pretty quickly into listing what needs to be done to finish, and putting dates to various jobs/trades.
J-M asked if we'd been talking with M. Waeber; no, that's your job, you are the project manager. If we were in charge I would have walked to the other end of the village & chatted with him [well, listened!], but as we didn't know until Friday morning when he could come [w/c 20 Sept, apparently] there seemed no point in seeing him to say "no, we don't know when you can start the tiling".
So with all that's left to do we're now looking at the carpenters finishing some time the first week in October! Hopefully, by then M. Baty will have been and gone...
J-M did like my changes to the upstairs plan, and promised he and Nicolas will draw up accurate drawings and make that alteration; I will be watching them like a hawk, so have every faith it will happen!
I was "de-mob happy", and couldn't wait to escape on my "holiday", so we said goodbye to M. Jamel & left him to it.
In his defence, he left everywhere nice and tidy. I hope he has a good time back in Morocco, and that his friends/family back there can chat with him in the same way that seems impossible in France.
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