He returned!

M Janoiux came back this afternoon amidst the heavy showers (its more like april than february). He set up the scaffolding and delivered timber which has already been cut and prepared.

He also brought a manitou fork lift so we really know for sure it is happening.

Look out above theres a roof coming!

Well grapple me grape nuts!

As promised M Janioux arrived yesterday to start the roof. We were actually awoken by the sound of his truck coming up the track and jumped out of bed in the caravan to witness this magnificent event.

However, things did not run smoothly! It rained and rained and rained all day which saw M Janioux return from whence he came.

He returned later in the day to delivery a small crane and we are hoping that he is coming back today.

Started the shower tiling today.

We have gone for a warm rumbled marble.

Finished the tiling and next week we can connect up.

The weather gets warmer, although still frosts at night as you would expect.

Our thoughts are turning to the veg patch as the spring gets closer and today we rowed up the asparagus with a generous application of manure.

M Bertrand was also busy sowing grass seed (something I would not contemplate until late April in the UK)

The seed potatoes are arriving at the local Terre de sud so it wont be long before its all systems go.

Finally completed the front door after taking it off several times today. The arch got a coat of paint to keep the weather out and later in the year I will paint it a deep Royal Red as it was when we arrived and in keepijg with the local area.

Busy as ever. Today.

Donna made us homely by dusting off the things we needed from the barn

I made the arch for above the front door. Its a prototype but may become permanent once its painted. I feel I can do a lot better with practice but there are other things that take priority.

In the meantime the draught is thwarted which is good.

I also attached the old furnishings from he old door which after painting will look traditional.

As the project moves into different phases we achieve and move on from certain hurdles or milestones.

One that is very spooky is the introduction of television.  Probably the first time this house has ever had television in it.Today we set up the tele for the kids (ok and us too).

Its been an exhausting day to say the least.

But, we are here and hopefully its for good and for our long term future. I spent the day making an arch widow for above my new front door and buying a few bits, including a satellite dish from Leclerc. This evening we have been putting in the cooker and a few bits and bobs to make it comfortable.

We still have to tile the floor and finish the kitchen, paint the Walls and seal the floor boards, an Oh of course tile the shower. A couple of weeks work should see to that.

With luck as he has promised M Janioux will start the roof next week on the Gite.

The weather today has been balmy. I hope spring is close now. What a contrast to a couple of weeks ago when the snow was here. Cold and unloved the house didn't feel like home.

Thats all it has taken us to bring the old house back from its slumbering decline after 40 years with out being habitised to a sparkling new family home. Although we still have to build the extension into the barn for extra living space we are thrilled at such intense and quantifiable progress.

Its been pretty full on this week therefore no real time to spend updating websites.

But today, what a sense of satisfaction and real progress. The electicity is on and we have lights all around th house as well as the water and heating. I have also installed the second Fosse Septique.

The front door is made too on my recently repaired Kity 2600.

It has been like piccadilly circus but everyone pulled together which will allow us to move in on Saturday. After this we will have to tile the kitchen floor, add some kitchen units and paint everywhere.

I will then update with piccy's.

You know I must have been Captain Calamity in a previous life!

Since we have been in France a long time prior I have taken hundreds and hundreds of photos.

Well, a small particle of plaster caused the f10 key to be held down during start up and I wiped my computer clean back to factory settings!!!

It does say that it should have been a reset with the data being saved but alas I cant find any of the old files.

(if anyone has any ideas then please contact me)

I would appreciate it too if you want to keep in touch to resend me an email because the address book is clean too!! That includes my Skype contacts.

Anyway, things are moving a pace still. We are on countdown to the 11th Feb for initial moving in (far from all finishing touches though) and this afternoon I await the return of my Kity woodworking machine:)