Miscellaneous photos 2/more snippets

As part of our tidying-the-kitchen mission, we needed to empty the blue dresser in the entrance hall [trust me, it does make sense!], so that we could put it in the kitchen.

Obviously, that meant that my "secret gin cupboard" needed relocating...

I know it's no longer a secret, but the name seems to have stuck!

So at the moment, all of the bottles of decanted liqueurs are in boxes in the small cellar.

That one is totally dry, so the best place to store them; we are still trying to dry out the bigger cellar...

The rest of the [undecanted] liqueurs are still in the cupboard in the study...

Hopefully, they are not spoiling...

But at the moment, I don't feel like worrying about them!

Laurent installed a door upstairs for us to get from the grenier into the bit above the study/bedroom.

It's already a huge hit, and we moved masses of stuff through there, so that we can start using the grenier as a "summer sitting room".

It's great finally having things int tidy piles - and out of sight!

I know that David and I could have put in the doorway, but finding time for everything else that is more urgent is already enough of a challenge.

And knowing Laurent's work, I doubt we could have made as sturdy a job!

[It was a bit of a running joke with the other artisans that his beams were in no danger of falling down (and could probably support a whole house, not just a really light wood floor above); speculation was that if the house fell down, the beams would still be standing.]

I know it seems like we have masses too much "stuff" [that part is true], but a lot of the things we've stored are items that came as 'freebies' with things we wanted.

For instance: buying a table in a dépôt vente involves having a set of chairs as well, and buying a buffet (sort of sidboard with a cupboard above, a bit like a Welsh dresser) often involves having a table and chairs too!

Can you see how we could end up with spare chairs?

Still, when I can get around to cleaning them up, we won't be short of seating!

There are also some items I bought with the intention of painting them [too tatty as they are, but would be lovely with a coat of "shabby chic"!]

And obviously (by now, that must be true, surely?), you can't but a wardrobe without getting a bed, too!

One day, I think life will get back to normal, and I'll have 'spare time' and will once again enjoy pottering and fixing up things/cleaning cast iron items/painting miscellaneous treasures.

Well, here's hoping!

I'm including this photo for your entertainment...

It's [nearly] a bathroom set that we saw, but I couldn't persuade David to buy it for future use in the house.

Well, you never know when it will come back into fashion, do you?!

It's not as though we don't have room to store it now.