Thanks so much for all the very kind messages via email. Sorry there are problems commenting on the blog. It is SO good to have all your lovely comments.
Keep 'em coming!!
Saturday, March 31, 2012
Toilet Troubles
Things were bound to go wrong I guess. Basically the caravan has shifted a bit and sunk at one side [the side where the toilet is] which means the loo won't flush. So we are now heading off into the house with buckets of water because the toilet in the house doesn't work because the plumber hasn't connected the water............
Anyway, back to the beginning. The bed was plenty warm enough now that we have a system of duvetsand plastic wrapped around us but getting up is hard so I have developed a system of getting dressed before getting out of bed but the clothes are bitterly cold so tonight I am going to put the clothes under the duvet at the end of the bed and maybe I can work out a way to slide down the bed and get dressed without being cold. The mornings are so bad that when Chris made me a cup of tea, by the time it reached the bedroom it was almost cold. The caravan in the morning is like some enormous Dementor from Harry Potter, sucking all the warmth out of things. Mind you, it's like a furnace by midday.
This reminds me so much of living in St Michael's. For those who don't know, when Kerry and Danielle were around 7 and 8 we were evicted from our home and lived in 'temporary accommodation' provided by the council. We had an apartment in a big old house, formerly a school, and our bedrooms were the former woodwork room, which was simply a corregated extension to the house. We were there for two winters, the worst possible time of my life. A coal fire in the lounge, the cooker to heat the kitchen and the bedrooms serviced by 2 very inadequate gas heaters. I took my bed into the girls' bedroom and left the gas fire on all night so it took some of the chill off. Consequently, some days there literally wasn't enough money for a decent meal for me as it had all gone in the gas meter. A dreadful time and how I continued studying during it all I just don't know. So actually, it's not like living in St Michael's apart from cold nights and weekly laundrette trips because it's a choice and we're working towards something we want. [That's what I keep telling myself anyway].
Anyway the day didn't get any better. The plumber appears to have vanished off the face of the earth, one of the trenches dug the other day is in the wrong place [following Chris's instructions apparently] and will have to be filled in and redug.
As regards the toilet, Chris tried doing something manly with a jack and the caravan and a spirit level while I was on plunger duty. It seemed to work and the toilet flushed, trouble was that then the caravan doors didn't close. So we fiddled with raising and lowering all the corners and they still didn't shut. Chris went in search of a solution. I couldn't leave the caravan because the doors won't close so stayed there cursing the plumber.
At least the weather's still good, which is more than can be said for our moods.
Antony came to mow the lawn, which always does the spirits good. How does a smell affect one's moods so consistently and strongly? Our neighbour offered to lend us her mower if we pay her gardener to do the job, which would be great but we really need to think about buying one.
Anyway, back to the beginning. The bed was plenty warm enough now that we have a system of duvetsand plastic wrapped around us but getting up is hard so I have developed a system of getting dressed before getting out of bed but the clothes are bitterly cold so tonight I am going to put the clothes under the duvet at the end of the bed and maybe I can work out a way to slide down the bed and get dressed without being cold. The mornings are so bad that when Chris made me a cup of tea, by the time it reached the bedroom it was almost cold. The caravan in the morning is like some enormous Dementor from Harry Potter, sucking all the warmth out of things. Mind you, it's like a furnace by midday.
This reminds me so much of living in St Michael's. For those who don't know, when Kerry and Danielle were around 7 and 8 we were evicted from our home and lived in 'temporary accommodation' provided by the council. We had an apartment in a big old house, formerly a school, and our bedrooms were the former woodwork room, which was simply a corregated extension to the house. We were there for two winters, the worst possible time of my life. A coal fire in the lounge, the cooker to heat the kitchen and the bedrooms serviced by 2 very inadequate gas heaters. I took my bed into the girls' bedroom and left the gas fire on all night so it took some of the chill off. Consequently, some days there literally wasn't enough money for a decent meal for me as it had all gone in the gas meter. A dreadful time and how I continued studying during it all I just don't know. So actually, it's not like living in St Michael's apart from cold nights and weekly laundrette trips because it's a choice and we're working towards something we want. [That's what I keep telling myself anyway].
Anyway the day didn't get any better. The plumber appears to have vanished off the face of the earth, one of the trenches dug the other day is in the wrong place [following Chris's instructions apparently] and will have to be filled in and redug.
As regards the toilet, Chris tried doing something manly with a jack and the caravan and a spirit level while I was on plunger duty. It seemed to work and the toilet flushed, trouble was that then the caravan doors didn't close. So we fiddled with raising and lowering all the corners and they still didn't shut. Chris went in search of a solution. I couldn't leave the caravan because the doors won't close so stayed there cursing the plumber.
At least the weather's still good, which is more than can be said for our moods.
Antony came to mow the lawn, which always does the spirits good. How does a smell affect one's moods so consistently and strongly? Our neighbour offered to lend us her mower if we pay her gardener to do the job, which would be great but we really need to think about buying one.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Not much happening here....but good news about Beth
A chilly night, our first in the caravan. We were generally OK. I had wrapped my feet in plastic bags before putting my socks on - cold feet, cold everything in my opinion - and they stayed warm all night. Thick pajamas completed the look, not one of my sexiest but oh well.........
In the night, we woke up cold as one of the duvets had slipped off but once we found it and snuggled down again, everything was fine. As long as the weather stays like this, we'll be all right. If it turns cold again, I am going to have a rethink and buy a couple of sleepng bags or head for home! We couldn't bring ourselves to get up until after 9, when the caravan had warmed up a bit.
Chris spent the morning back at the gite, in the belief that the plumber would turn up to do some work there. We are waiting for him to come back and connect one tap in the house, just one tap, so that we can use the hosepipe and then we can get on with planting all the stuff. He hasn't been answering his phone or returning our messages. So Chris decided to try and track him down. Everyone knows the scarcity of the French artisan and his ability to blend into his surroundings when he doesn't want to be found. The problem for the plumber is that the the temperature here was -17C for a couple of weeks and everyone has got burst pipes etc so he's rushed off his feet. The problem for us is that we have loads of planting to do and only a short window as the weather will soon be too hot and the ground too hard and we need a water supply.
After a wasted morning, we popped back several times to see if we could catch the plumber but he wasn't there - a major headach for Judith as he was supposed to be installing 2 plunge pools for their guests, the first of which arrive tomorrow.
We, however, had a better afternoon as we visited the bank to talk about an eco loan [interest free for environmental renovations but not sure if we qualify] and the chap offered us new accounts which pay areasonable amount of interest. Yay!
AND THEN, the best thing. Workmen arrived to plant on top of the citerne. This is an eyesore by the edge of our land and the reason we managed to buy the house so cheaply. It belongs to the wine co-operative who have been, quite frankly, anything but co-operative regarding covering it up [which they contracted to do]. The plants are supposed to grow down and go some way to making it look less awful. We, for our part, have dug a trench in the chalk which laughingly passes for soil here and will be planting a laurel hedge as soon as we can use the hose on it. This depends on the water in the house being connected, which takes us back to the plumber.
When this whole thing gets sorted out, all we have to do is wait for 3 or 4 years and the citerne will be hidden!
AND THEN, even better. I saw on Facebook that Beth walked into nursery with her walker. First time ever. She really refused to have anything to do with it for quite a while but since deciding that it was actually really good to be able to walk with it, she has come on apace with Kerry's help.
You would think that was enough excitement for one day but then I headed off to my first dance class here - pretty nervous, I can tell you. And so I should have been! When I got there I found out that Kate had booked me into some floor exercise class - can't think of anything I would rather not do, so I walked around town and wasted an hour until the Jazz class. I had forgotten that Jazz classes in France are really aerobics lessons and after the first half an hour I thought I had made a massive mistake but it did get better. Not sure though if I will continue, where are my Dancing Divas when I need them?
On a good note, both the bank clerk and the dance teacher complimented me on my French.
Wrapped up for bed, complete with plastic bags and socks, the weather is getting colder.
In the night, we woke up cold as one of the duvets had slipped off but once we found it and snuggled down again, everything was fine. As long as the weather stays like this, we'll be all right. If it turns cold again, I am going to have a rethink and buy a couple of sleepng bags or head for home! We couldn't bring ourselves to get up until after 9, when the caravan had warmed up a bit.
Chris spent the morning back at the gite, in the belief that the plumber would turn up to do some work there. We are waiting for him to come back and connect one tap in the house, just one tap, so that we can use the hosepipe and then we can get on with planting all the stuff. He hasn't been answering his phone or returning our messages. So Chris decided to try and track him down. Everyone knows the scarcity of the French artisan and his ability to blend into his surroundings when he doesn't want to be found. The problem for the plumber is that the the temperature here was -17C for a couple of weeks and everyone has got burst pipes etc so he's rushed off his feet. The problem for us is that we have loads of planting to do and only a short window as the weather will soon be too hot and the ground too hard and we need a water supply.
After a wasted morning, we popped back several times to see if we could catch the plumber but he wasn't there - a major headach for Judith as he was supposed to be installing 2 plunge pools for their guests, the first of which arrive tomorrow.
We, however, had a better afternoon as we visited the bank to talk about an eco loan [interest free for environmental renovations but not sure if we qualify] and the chap offered us new accounts which pay areasonable amount of interest. Yay!
AND THEN, the best thing. Workmen arrived to plant on top of the citerne. This is an eyesore by the edge of our land and the reason we managed to buy the house so cheaply. It belongs to the wine co-operative who have been, quite frankly, anything but co-operative regarding covering it up [which they contracted to do]. The plants are supposed to grow down and go some way to making it look less awful. We, for our part, have dug a trench in the chalk which laughingly passes for soil here and will be planting a laurel hedge as soon as we can use the hose on it. This depends on the water in the house being connected, which takes us back to the plumber.
.JPG) |
| Original citerne |
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| Planting being done |
AND THEN, even better. I saw on Facebook that Beth walked into nursery with her walker. First time ever. She really refused to have anything to do with it for quite a while but since deciding that it was actually really good to be able to walk with it, she has come on apace with Kerry's help.
You would think that was enough excitement for one day but then I headed off to my first dance class here - pretty nervous, I can tell you. And so I should have been! When I got there I found out that Kate had booked me into some floor exercise class - can't think of anything I would rather not do, so I walked around town and wasted an hour until the Jazz class. I had forgotten that Jazz classes in France are really aerobics lessons and after the first half an hour I thought I had made a massive mistake but it did get better. Not sure though if I will continue, where are my Dancing Divas when I need them?
On a good note, both the bank clerk and the dance teacher complimented me on my French.
Wrapped up for bed, complete with plastic bags and socks, the weather is getting colder.
Thursday, March 29, 2012
Home Sweet Home
We spent the morning cleaning out the gite. We wanted to do a good job to make sure that Judith didn't have much to do before her first guests of the year arrive on Saturday. The gite next door is unfinished and the plan was to get all the noisy work done before the guests arrive in 'our' gite. Unfortunately Kevin has had to fly back to the UK because his Mum is ill and so they are down to 2 men in the second gite, so it's all hands to the pump until Kevin returns.
By lunchtime we had gone back to the caravan and had a snack before our appointment with a landscape gardener. Despite all our best intentions, I have noticed that most of the cars arriving this week have UK numberplates!
We looked over the massive woodpile that will one day be our orchard and talked a few things through.
After shopping for supper, we returned to spend our first night this year in the caravan. Despite not being nearly as luxurious as the gite, there was something lovely about being back in our own [somewhat confined] space.
We celebrated with a bottle of champagne, supper in the garden and a good old fashioned argument.
Good to have things back to normal!!!
We spotted a hoopoe on a nearby tree whilst we were eating but couldn't manage to get a photo - good to see another visitor from Africa!
While pottering around in the caravan I was listening to Radio 4 podcasts. The Moral Maze or Any Questions or some such. British enough to make me feel at home but I wasn't really listening; it was just background noise. Chris spent the evening swatting midges with his favourite electric tennis raquet which kills them on contact and gives him a little exercise.
Everyone was happy.
By lunchtime we had gone back to the caravan and had a snack before our appointment with a landscape gardener. Despite all our best intentions, I have noticed that most of the cars arriving this week have UK numberplates!
We looked over the massive woodpile that will one day be our orchard and talked a few things through.
After shopping for supper, we returned to spend our first night this year in the caravan. Despite not being nearly as luxurious as the gite, there was something lovely about being back in our own [somewhat confined] space.
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| Light and warm until 8.30pm, so drinks and supper in the garden |
We celebrated with a bottle of champagne, supper in the garden and a good old fashioned argument.
Good to have things back to normal!!!
We spotted a hoopoe on a nearby tree whilst we were eating but couldn't manage to get a photo - good to see another visitor from Africa!
While pottering around in the caravan I was listening to Radio 4 podcasts. The Moral Maze or Any Questions or some such. British enough to make me feel at home but I wasn't really listening; it was just background noise. Chris spent the evening swatting midges with his favourite electric tennis raquet which kills them on contact and gives him a little exercise.
Everyone was happy.
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Some work finally gets done.
They dropped me at the caravan at 7am and it was freezing so I put on my sheepskin jacket and some thick socks and snuggled under a duvet until the tree surgeon and his team arrived at 8am. It was nice to have some company and to see work getting under way. Then the builder arrived to discuss our septic tank and a few other jobs that we want to get done this year. After that, it was one visitor after another.
Even the postman came by to bring my Carte Grise to show ownership of the car and my insurance documents. It was quite exciting!
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| Before |
Something horrible, Chris realised that someone has been using the woodshed as a toilet, yukky!!
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| Afterwards, we can now see all the lovely Ash trees and a view across the valley. We'll have lovely sunsets We've got enough firewood to do us for a very long time! |
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Some water, but most of it on the floor of the house!
A bit despondent during the night. Everything takes so bloody long and each solution leads to another problem. An early start to clean the caravan but, on opening the house, we found the flexihose is leaking a bit in the lounge. Luckily the house is so damp it doesn't really make much difference. After some energetic cleaning we went back to the gite to wake Kate and have a day sightseeing.
Only managed to see Bergerac and Monbazillac because we're all a bit pooped.
Kate leaves first thing tomorrow and it feels like she's only just got here!!
Well, then it was time to take our stuff to the caravan and start settling in before joining Kevin and Judith and some of their family for dinner on the terrrace.
Only managed to see Bergerac and Monbazillac because we're all a bit pooped.
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| Cafe Life in Bergerac |
Kate leaves first thing tomorrow and it feels like she's only just got here!!
Well, then it was time to take our stuff to the caravan and start settling in before joining Kevin and Judith and some of their family for dinner on the terrrace.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Will this be the day we get water back at the house?
Kate and I stayed up drinking, eating and bonding til 3am, I think we drank everything in the gite, including some Malawi gin. So Chris had to get up and go to the house on his own to wait for the plumber. Kate and I had a VERY slow start to the day and after lunch we went to the Notaire's office to try and get copies of my birth and marriage certificate. Well, you can say what you like about French bureaucracy but that lady knew where the file relating to our house purchase was and photocopied the relevant documents in no time, with a smile and at no cost.
Chris spent most of the day burning wood in the garden while either waiting for the plumber or while the plumber was actually repairing the leaks, because of course once the big leak was dealt with, lots of little ones made their presence known.
Kate and I sat in the garden nursing our hangovers. Me with a trusty cup of tea, Kate with a bottle of rosé. The resilience of youth!
Chris spent most of the day burning wood in the garden while either waiting for the plumber or while the plumber was actually repairing the leaks, because of course once the big leak was dealt with, lots of little ones made their presence known.
Kate and I sat in the garden nursing our hangovers. Me with a trusty cup of tea, Kate with a bottle of rosé. The resilience of youth!
Chris continued burning wood, despite there being no water on site and eventually he and the plumber decided that they would simply run a flexipipe to the caravan so that we can move in and we can make a final decision later about what to do with the house.
A quiet night in!
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Driving around in my automobile............well, there's no point in hoping for a plumber to turn up on a Sunday
The clocks went forward overnight but the weather was glorious this morning so getting up was easier. Went to the house, the shops, the garden centre, in fact anywhere just so that I could enjoy driving my new car. I think the novelty wore off by lunchtime so I went to the house to have a dance session then home to make dinner and sunbathe a bit. Don't know how long this weather is going to last.
We divided up the jobs this evening. I stayed to grapple with the wood stove and clear up and Chris drove to Bordeaux to pick up Kate.
We divided up the jobs this evening. I stayed to grapple with the wood stove and clear up and Chris drove to Bordeaux to pick up Kate.
Saturday, March 24, 2012
A Cleaning Day
Another bright day.
Chris took the hire car back and I cleaned the gite then sorted out some stuff in the caravan, did the washing and the washing up. So exciting!
Then we headed to the local town for the Saturday morning market and a long leisurely boozy lunch to show our appreciation to Judith and Kevin for all the times they have bailed us out this week. Well, not a boozy lunch for me as I was the 'designated driver'. Make the most of it Chris, it won't last.
We managed to get the TV in the gite to work and watched British TV; it seemed really odd after DSTv [South Africa], especially the adverts. Then I realised that everything was current, political jokes, cultural references. I'm in my own time zone. Spooky
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| Ready to go cruising! |
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| A bird had pooped on my car! |
Then we headed to the local town for the Saturday morning market and a long leisurely boozy lunch to show our appreciation to Judith and Kevin for all the times they have bailed us out this week. Well, not a boozy lunch for me as I was the 'designated driver'. Make the most of it Chris, it won't last.
We managed to get the TV in the gite to work and watched British TV; it seemed really odd after DSTv [South Africa], especially the adverts. Then I realised that everything was current, political jokes, cultural references. I'm in my own time zone. Spooky
Friday, March 23, 2012
No water but sunshine
The weather has significantly improved. Although cold, it is sunny and bright so I felt slightly better when I woke this morning.
We braved the chill to go down to the house and open it up. We cleared out the lounge of debris and decades of dirt and I also sorted out some of the stuff in the caravan. It needs a good clean but of course that will have to wait until we have water.
The internet has arrived within 3 days, oh bliss! I should be delighted but I just feel that I can now huddle in the caravan and see what people in warm countries are doing. I know it's a step forward but at the moment it doesn't seem like much. On the bright side, I now have a room to do some dancing in, which should cheer me up. I have downloaded some music so I'm good to go!
Unfortunately I didn't have time to try out my new 'dance studio' as there was a mass of paperwork to do regarding the car purchase and insurance. There's a bit of a problem as the Prefecture is not happy that I changed my name when I got married and my 'nom de jeune fille' is different from my married name. Funnily enough I don't carry my marriage certificate around with me - perhaps I ought to! Oh well, nothing is simple here.
Back to the gite for a shower and then off to do the weekend food shopping before picking up the car. It all went without a hitch, despite the fact that it is still not registered in my name as I don't carry my birth, marriage, divorce and next marriage certificates with me. How remiss of me.
The journey back to the gite was fine and I arrived tooting my horn and smiling for the first time in at least a week and we celebrated with some local rosé.
We finally ate the pork and prunes which somehow had not been ruined by the pressure cooker and celebrated finally making some progress. Internet and a car all on the same day!!
Who knows what tomorrow will bring?
We braved the chill to go down to the house and open it up. We cleared out the lounge of debris and decades of dirt and I also sorted out some of the stuff in the caravan. It needs a good clean but of course that will have to wait until we have water.
The internet has arrived within 3 days, oh bliss! I should be delighted but I just feel that I can now huddle in the caravan and see what people in warm countries are doing. I know it's a step forward but at the moment it doesn't seem like much. On the bright side, I now have a room to do some dancing in, which should cheer me up. I have downloaded some music so I'm good to go!
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| Not exactly Pretoria East, but somewhere to dance |
Back to the gite for a shower and then off to do the weekend food shopping before picking up the car. It all went without a hitch, despite the fact that it is still not registered in my name as I don't carry my birth, marriage, divorce and next marriage certificates with me. How remiss of me.
The journey back to the gite was fine and I arrived tooting my horn and smiling for the first time in at least a week and we celebrated with some local rosé.
We finally ate the pork and prunes which somehow had not been ruined by the pressure cooker and celebrated finally making some progress. Internet and a car all on the same day!!
Who knows what tomorrow will bring?
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Still no water....maybe today
Well Thursday started gloomy and overcast. So did I!
Our first task was to go to the Lyonnaise d'eaux [water company] to pay for a new meter we did not request, about which we were not informed nor consulted, which we didn't want and which means that we have no water supply to the house. When we arrived at the office [and I use the term loosely - it was just a room full of defunct computers, road signs, fire extinguishers and dirty cups], it was empty, vacant, desolate. Not a person in sight, despite the fact that we had an appointment. Chris phoned the chap we were supposed to meet and he said that he would be there soon. After 10 minutes we gave up and I beetled off to the laundrette while Chris went back to pay an extortionate amount for the meter we didn't request etc.
The stint at the laundrette took me back 35 years to the times when life was tough and the laundrette was a weekly event, so did nothing to lighten my mood.
A bit of shopping was followed by a visit to our neighbour [the widow of the chap who just died]. We took some flowers and she seemed quite pleased, although difficult to be really sure because of her strong regional accent, wheezing chest and peripatetic teeth.
While Chris met the plumber in an attempt to get some water supply to the house, I struggled unsuccessfully to get the wood burner to work and then struggled to understand the manual for my new pressure cooker.
Long story short, the plumber put in a temporary connection, it worked and at that point they discovered the pipes had not been properly drained last Autumn, one had frozen and consequently burst. Water disconnected and plumber beat a hasty retreat to another one of his many jobs and will return on MONDAY.
As I threatened to have a coronary there and then, before even putting the pork and prunes into the blessed pressure cooker, Judith stepped into the breach and offered us the gite for another couple of days. What a lifesaver and let's hope the water situation is resolved tout suite or I'm off back to Pretoria on the next plane.
Whilst mulling over the horrors of the French water system, I remembered that the utilities don't work so well in South Africa. I dug out an email that I had written to Kate last year, it goes something like this:
C] We paid it
D] The figures on the disconnection card bear no resemblance to our bill.
Wandered off the point a bit there, but here I am a year later still fighting an incomprehensible system of paying for basic services, but this time it's all done in a foreign language accompanied by Gallic shrugging and it's cold and grey.
I still want to go home.
Our first task was to go to the Lyonnaise d'eaux [water company] to pay for a new meter we did not request, about which we were not informed nor consulted, which we didn't want and which means that we have no water supply to the house. When we arrived at the office [and I use the term loosely - it was just a room full of defunct computers, road signs, fire extinguishers and dirty cups], it was empty, vacant, desolate. Not a person in sight, despite the fact that we had an appointment. Chris phoned the chap we were supposed to meet and he said that he would be there soon. After 10 minutes we gave up and I beetled off to the laundrette while Chris went back to pay an extortionate amount for the meter we didn't request etc.
The stint at the laundrette took me back 35 years to the times when life was tough and the laundrette was a weekly event, so did nothing to lighten my mood.
A bit of shopping was followed by a visit to our neighbour [the widow of the chap who just died]. We took some flowers and she seemed quite pleased, although difficult to be really sure because of her strong regional accent, wheezing chest and peripatetic teeth.
While Chris met the plumber in an attempt to get some water supply to the house, I struggled unsuccessfully to get the wood burner to work and then struggled to understand the manual for my new pressure cooker.
Long story short, the plumber put in a temporary connection, it worked and at that point they discovered the pipes had not been properly drained last Autumn, one had frozen and consequently burst. Water disconnected and plumber beat a hasty retreat to another one of his many jobs and will return on MONDAY.
As I threatened to have a coronary there and then, before even putting the pork and prunes into the blessed pressure cooker, Judith stepped into the breach and offered us the gite for another couple of days. What a lifesaver and let's hope the water situation is resolved tout suite or I'm off back to Pretoria on the next plane.
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| Home Sweet Home for the time being - thanks to Judith and Kevin |
This afternoon the rot set in. All week I’ve been thinking this was just like a sunnier version of the UK when we get a reminder that this really is Africa. Lucas [the guard] knocked on the front door to tell us that there were 2 men outside preparing to disconnect the electricity for non-payment.
This is what I think:
A] We paid a deposit
B] We only received one billC] We paid it
D] The figures on the disconnection card bear no resemblance to our bill.
Disconnecting guy was a ‘jobsworth’. Harsh words were spoken [me] and inane grins were produced [Mr Jobsworth and his fat grinning mate ] My final throwaway lines were something along the lines of ‘You’ll be sorry if you do’ and ‘I don’t care because we’ve got a generator anyway.’ This is not strictly true, I do care, as the generator’s only going to power the electric fence and exterior lights. But anyway I stormed into the house, leaving Mr J ascending his ladder, armed with a pair of pliers or similar.
Kept thinking of all the things that wouldn’t work, the garage door so can’t get the car in or out, the washing machine door wouldn’t open so I could get the wet stuff out, the freezer contains two large joints of beef, the laptop so no communications whatsoever etc etc. Phoned Chris and had a bit of a panic so went to his office to decide what to do.
We phoned City Hall several times and couldn't get any sense out of anyone so we actually drove there. It was really hot by now but luckily the car has air conditioning and we managed to find a parking space right outside City Hall. They wouldn’t let us in as they close at 3.15 – they re-open at 4pm specifically for payment by people whose supplies have been disconnected – and we were next to a growing hot, discontented and largely smelly group of people standing on the pavement waiting for 4 o’clock. So I spent a joyful 30 minutes sitting in the car, waiting for my turn in the telephone queue, listening to music and the fact that my call was important to them. Eventually the [and I use the term loosely] Customer Care Officer answered but couldn’t seem to care less about Customers or anything else. I explained that I was 10 metres away from her office and I was willing to pay this money that we didn’t owe, just to get the electricity reconnected. I could even throw it in through the window!! I exercised unbelievable patience but in the end I had to use the trump card and, rather in the manner of Hycinth Bucket I had to ask whether they knew that my husband was a diplomat and no one could possibly forecast the ramifications if he were to be left unprotected all night, at which point she put me through to someone with a brain.
I don’t know if it was the word ‘unprotected’, perhaps she was thinking along the lines of HIV/AIDS. Or maybe I should credit her with understanding the word ‘diplomat’. O maybe it was just bloody good luck. But anyway, what a relief to talk to someone who could understand and respond. It turned out that the arrears were on the part of the landlord, sort of rates, and so City Hall has the right to turn off our power. The guy explained the procedure to ensure that we would probably get reconnected within 4 hours of payment by the landlord [who is in Guatamala!]. So I drove back across town as they still wouldn’t let me into the office. I phoned and left it all in the capable hands of the estate agent.
Got home about 5 to be greeted by Lucas with the words,‘I don’t think those guys cut off the electricity after all’. Absolutely right Lucas, everything working. Settled down with a cup of herbal tea, completely bemused.
The agent paid the outstanding amount [which he says he has already paid, and I believe him].
After supper, cooked on the electric plates, which were working nicely thank you, we settled down to watch TV for a while until we were disturbed by Stanley, the night guard, who told us that the City Council had sent out a team to reconnect our electricity. A long conversation ensued about why they couldn’t reconnect it, but I left that bit to Chris.
Wandered off the point a bit there, but here I am a year later still fighting an incomprehensible system of paying for basic services, but this time it's all done in a foreign language accompanied by Gallic shrugging and it's cold and grey.
I still want to go home.
Still no water.............Wednesday
Chris met the plumber last night and he can't come until Thursday afternoon as he is too busy dealing with burst pipes due to the cold spell. Thank goodness for Kevin and Judith's gite. We sat in front of the open fire for an hour or so after supper last night but were still tucked up by 9.
Another lovely night's sleep and awoke to another grey gloomy and cold day.
So far: weather awful and cold, house freezing and no water, caravan just freezing, living out of a suitcase, no internet for 2 weeks and everything is really expensive. On the other hand: I've bought a car but not yet insured it and the food's good. On balance I'm not really happy.
We spent the morning with the architect and the roofer, shivering our way around the house, talking in rustic French, which was jolly hard work. Finally we retired to the caravan to sign the devis [estimate] for the roof and all congratulate each other on a decision finally made. Then we introduced the architect to the latest changes to the plans and he explained slowly and carefully why most of them won't work!
We hadn't really recovered from the sleepless nights before we left Pretoria and at the weekend so the afternoon was spent in front of a log fire, searching the internet for cheap insurance for the car. Some hope!
We spent the evening getting outside a bottle of local wine, eating and watching Downton Abbey. I actually sat right in front of the fire, changing sides as each one gets to burning point. I want to go home!!!!!!
Another lovely night's sleep and awoke to another grey gloomy and cold day.
So far: weather awful and cold, house freezing and no water, caravan just freezing, living out of a suitcase, no internet for 2 weeks and everything is really expensive. On the other hand: I've bought a car but not yet insured it and the food's good. On balance I'm not really happy.
We spent the morning with the architect and the roofer, shivering our way around the house, talking in rustic French, which was jolly hard work. Finally we retired to the caravan to sign the devis [estimate] for the roof and all congratulate each other on a decision finally made. Then we introduced the architect to the latest changes to the plans and he explained slowly and carefully why most of them won't work!
We hadn't really recovered from the sleepless nights before we left Pretoria and at the weekend so the afternoon was spent in front of a log fire, searching the internet for cheap insurance for the car. Some hope!
We spent the evening getting outside a bottle of local wine, eating and watching Downton Abbey. I actually sat right in front of the fire, changing sides as each one gets to burning point. I want to go home!!!!!!
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
Still no water..
The dusk arrives around 7.15pm at the moment. I know that because it was the last thing I saw before showering and crawling into a lovely warm comfortable bed. Twelve hours sleep certainly improved my mood and Chris was not much later than me to bed.
Chris went to meet the man from the water board and I decided that cowardice was the order of the day and got dressed in bed to lessen the shock of such a cold morning. When Chris returned it was with the news that we now have a meter but that was the end of things as far as the water board were concerned, we had to find a plumber to run the water from the new meter into the house [and thereafter into the caravan]. This seems more and more like Africa but without the sunshine!
The plumber can't come until 6.30, naturally, because he is already working somewhere else so we decided that, following yesterday's success in getting a landline installed, we would go to Bergerac and get the internet set up. Minor hitch when we got there because they've moved the shop and there was no indication as to where the new one was, but we found it and got everything arranged. Yes, we will have unlimited internet in less than 15 days. Well, hopefully. Yep, 15 days to flip a switch.
By now, our mood was as low as the temperature so we went to a garage to look at a car that Chris had seen on the internet and thought might be suitable for us. It seemed fine and a reasonable price. I took it for a test drive and everything seemed OK. We thought we'd better have a look at some others though and drove around to find that most garages were shut [of course, it was lunchtime by then] and some were just frankly way out of our price range.
We stopped for lunch at a Relais Routiers [a sort of transport cafe]. There were lots of lorries and trucks parked outside, always a good sign. The conversation among the 23 men in there quietened as I entered and it never really recovered. [Yes, I did count them]. The food, as one would expect was a world away from a transport cafe in England. Entertainment was provided for me by watching the clientele taking turns to go outside for a cigarette in between courses. I provided entertainment for them by just being there.
Well, after more fruitless trips to garages, we returned to the original car and bought it there and then. My first car since my beloved Toyota Corolla in Malawi [and almost as knackered!!]. A Citroen Berlingo with a sun roof. Just waiting for some sun now.
We went to the house for a while. It's sad there at the moment because our lovely old neighbour who was 90 has just died and his wife is very sick. We got this news from our other neighbour who came to deliver a pressure cooker I had ordered from England. Tonight lamb stew and some local red wine and then hopefully another long sleep.
Chris went to meet the man from the water board and I decided that cowardice was the order of the day and got dressed in bed to lessen the shock of such a cold morning. When Chris returned it was with the news that we now have a meter but that was the end of things as far as the water board were concerned, we had to find a plumber to run the water from the new meter into the house [and thereafter into the caravan]. This seems more and more like Africa but without the sunshine!
The plumber can't come until 6.30, naturally, because he is already working somewhere else so we decided that, following yesterday's success in getting a landline installed, we would go to Bergerac and get the internet set up. Minor hitch when we got there because they've moved the shop and there was no indication as to where the new one was, but we found it and got everything arranged. Yes, we will have unlimited internet in less than 15 days. Well, hopefully. Yep, 15 days to flip a switch.
By now, our mood was as low as the temperature so we went to a garage to look at a car that Chris had seen on the internet and thought might be suitable for us. It seemed fine and a reasonable price. I took it for a test drive and everything seemed OK. We thought we'd better have a look at some others though and drove around to find that most garages were shut [of course, it was lunchtime by then] and some were just frankly way out of our price range.
We stopped for lunch at a Relais Routiers [a sort of transport cafe]. There were lots of lorries and trucks parked outside, always a good sign. The conversation among the 23 men in there quietened as I entered and it never really recovered. [Yes, I did count them]. The food, as one would expect was a world away from a transport cafe in England. Entertainment was provided for me by watching the clientele taking turns to go outside for a cigarette in between courses. I provided entertainment for them by just being there.
Well, after more fruitless trips to garages, we returned to the original car and bought it there and then. My first car since my beloved Toyota Corolla in Malawi [and almost as knackered!!]. A Citroen Berlingo with a sun roof. Just waiting for some sun now.
We went to the house for a while. It's sad there at the moment because our lovely old neighbour who was 90 has just died and his wife is very sick. We got this news from our other neighbour who came to deliver a pressure cooker I had ordered from England. Tonight lamb stew and some local red wine and then hopefully another long sleep.
Monday, March 19, 2012
France at last
Well the weather in the UK was just as wet as Pretoria but it seemed to be a million degrees colder. We had a lovely but hectic 48 hours but we didn't get to see as many people as we wanted. Wer spent lots of time with Beth and could see lots of little bits of progress. It's not going to be a sudden leap but just a series of little steps [literally and figuratively]. Sunday was Mothering Sunday and I was thrilled to receive a bouquet from Kate in France, as well as a lovely present from Kerry and even a cuddly toy from Beth.
We caught up with some of our friends in Seaford but just didn't have time to see all the people we wanted. There's never enough time...........
So this morning we had to leave Kerry's well before 5am to get the plane to Bordeaux. The plane was jampacked full of testosterone! It appears that it is a popular thing for young, presumably single, French men to pop over to England to celebrate St Patrick's Day. So the plane stank largely of stale Guinness, unwashed male bodies and stale cigarette smoke, with just a whiff of last night's kebab to enhance it all. Quite a relief to disembark.
By the time we got to Ste Foy [our nearest town] we were definitely suffering from a slump so we thought we'd go and get some lunch. Of course we had forgotten it's Monday. In most countries that wouldn't really matter too much but here nearly everything's shut. We eventually found a restaurant which served very mediocre food, which we wolfed down. We visited our new Centre Commercial which is quite swish but not a patch on a South African mall to get some food for later and then headed to the house.
The sun was shining and the cherry blossom was glorious - such a shame that we are going to have to cut those trees down when the extension is built.
The caravan was fine, although a bit cold but it soon warmed through once I put the radiator on.
It has a major advantage over the house - it's waterright!
Everything seemed to be going fine with one small exception - there's no water in the pipes [plenty on some of the floors though, where it had cascaded through the roof]. It was going to be difficult to clean up the caravan or make a cup of tea with no water. Our neighbour popped along to see us and told us that in October the water company had dug a trench down our road and given everyone a new meter, except us because we weren't there and couldn't pay for the new meter, so they had just cut off our water. We were pretty despondent but a phone call ensured that they promised to come tomorrow and reconnect us. They explained that the quote for the new meter had gone to our UK address, which is odd because we don't have one. I don't feel quite so homesick now, it's a bureaucratic muddle just like South Africa but with a funny accent.
Thank goodness our friends Kevin and Judith have offered us the use of one of their gites for a few days, with a wood burning stove and hot water in the shower. Bliss! It's 5pm now, I'm counting down the hours til bedtime.
 |
| Two of my lovely girls |
We caught up with some of our friends in Seaford but just didn't have time to see all the people we wanted. There's never enough time...........
So this morning we had to leave Kerry's well before 5am to get the plane to Bordeaux. The plane was jampacked full of testosterone! It appears that it is a popular thing for young, presumably single, French men to pop over to England to celebrate St Patrick's Day. So the plane stank largely of stale Guinness, unwashed male bodies and stale cigarette smoke, with just a whiff of last night's kebab to enhance it all. Quite a relief to disembark.
By the time we got to Ste Foy [our nearest town] we were definitely suffering from a slump so we thought we'd go and get some lunch. Of course we had forgotten it's Monday. In most countries that wouldn't really matter too much but here nearly everything's shut. We eventually found a restaurant which served very mediocre food, which we wolfed down. We visited our new Centre Commercial which is quite swish but not a patch on a South African mall to get some food for later and then headed to the house.
The sun was shining and the cherry blossom was glorious - such a shame that we are going to have to cut those trees down when the extension is built.
 |
| Cherry blossom hiding the worst of the house |
It has a major advantage over the house - it's waterright!
 |
| Home Sweet Home for the foreseeable future |
Thank goodness our friends Kevin and Judith have offered us the use of one of their gites for a few days, with a wood burning stove and hot water in the shower. Bliss! It's 5pm now, I'm counting down the hours til bedtime.
Friday, March 16, 2012
Off we go!
I had a lovely 'Au revoir coffee' with some of my Dancing Divas. Thanks girls!
I've taken lots of pictures of the house in case I get homesick but forgot to take some photos of the Divas.
Farewells all done, house is clean, fridge is empty, cases packed, just waiting for the taxi to arrive.
Big sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. But on the good side, tomorrow I'll see the lovely Beth, and Kerry and Glynn of course!
I just can't wait to see how Beth is getting on, Kerry is very pleased with her progress. I'm hoping to see her walk with a frame for the first time. Fingers crossed, or as we say here, holding thumbs!
I've taken lots of pictures of the house in case I get homesick but forgot to take some photos of the Divas.
Farewells all done, house is clean, fridge is empty, cases packed, just waiting for the taxi to arrive.
Big sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach. But on the good side, tomorrow I'll see the lovely Beth, and Kerry and Glynn of course!
 |
| Beth and Grandad a couple of months ago |
I just can't wait to see how Beth is getting on, Kerry is very pleased with her progress. I'm hoping to see her walk with a frame for the first time. Fingers crossed, or as we say here, holding thumbs!
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Getting ready to leave
I'm packing up to leave Pretoria for 7 months. So far all I've packed is books; gardening books, design books, architecture books and a cookery book. No room left for clothes!
I'm sad to be leaving Pretoria. I love the city, the climate, our house and our lifestyle but I'm excited/nervous about spending 7 months living in our caravan and working on the house. I'll be alone most of the time, no husband, no family, few friends as yet [although I hope to remedy that]. The vast majority of our belongings will stay in our home in SA. So all I can take has to be fitted into one suitcase and one carry on.
Still, it's not as if I'll be stuck in a field in the middle of nowhere. Oh, I forgot, yes I will.
I've never blogged before but I guess we all have to start somewhere. The purpose of this blog is threefold, firstly to keep a record of the renovation of the house, secondly to let family and friends know where I am and what I'm doing so you can send encouraging comments and finally to aid the preservation of my sanity. A sort of 'Grumpy Old Women' meets 'A Year in Provence'.
This year is going to be great - or it's going to be terrible. I just don't know
Still, it's not as if I'll be stuck in a field in the middle of nowhere. Oh, I forgot, yes I will.
I've never blogged before but I guess we all have to start somewhere. The purpose of this blog is threefold, firstly to keep a record of the renovation of the house, secondly to let family and friends know where I am and what I'm doing so you can send encouraging comments and finally to aid the preservation of my sanity. A sort of 'Grumpy Old Women' meets 'A Year in Provence'.
This year is going to be great - or it's going to be terrible. I just don't know
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