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 |
 |
| 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.
 |
| 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!
 |
| Before |
Something horrible, Chris realised that someone has been using the woodshed as a toilet, yukky!!
 |
| 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.
 |
| 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!
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