Lost en France

The TdF will travel through Treignac  - a village where we looked at two properties when looking for a place to live - and only a few miles from Uzerche, on 9th July. We'll be there that day! YAY!!! Trouble is, it is the day we land there (late afternoon), so we'll miss it. BOOH!!!

“Your neighbour in France has rang” said our daughter, on the phone.   Not what we wanted to hear, as we’d left  Pirette  with Natasha’s number in case of emergencies.  Pirette  has no English and Natasha has excellent French, so it made sense to make that the communication route should there ever be a problem that  Pirette  needed to let us know about.   It turns out that  Pirette  had been opening the house to let in someone who needed to read the water meter – and the door key snapped. And, she explained, there are no locksmiths in the town. This gave us  a number of  challenges:   Our next planned trip was for Sally to go ahead of me, alone. We would need to get the issue sorted before she arrived.   There were two   front door lock :  a French one with a ‘flat’ key and a UK one with a cylindrical key – the lat t er bought in the UK to be sure it met the British Standard our insurer required. We didn’t know which had snapped.   We  theoretically  had po

The October visit had the principle objective of closing the house up for Winter. Neither Sally nor I maintained a daily blog on this visit, so this is a summary post (of what I can remember three months later). You may recall that Sally had stayed in August, when I returned to the UK. In that time, she’d been doing a little decorating in the loo (not a euphemism) and a lot in the main bedroom. I was especially impressed by what she had achieved with the latter – the white walls and black beams looked really nice (& traditional). Though closing up the house was the main reason for this visit, I was also hoping that the taxe d’habitation bill would be waiting for us on the door mat. My understanding was it was due in October and we’d received no demand in the UK. It wasn’t waiting for us so we popped to the local treasury office. We paid the taxe fonciere (which had reached us in the UK) but were not able to pay the d’habitation yet. We did eventually get the demand back

Home to England. Up early and spent the morning tidying up. Didn’t bother covering everything because coming back in a couple of weeks (turned out to be three weeks because Andy got his dates wrong). Turned off the water, electricity and headed out to catch the 13:05 bus. Said goodbye to the neighbours and told them that Andy and myself would be back in couple of weeks. Got to the end of the road and turned back, just to check I had locked the doors! Bus was punctual. I managed to ask which stop was best to get a taxi to the airport. Jumped in a taxi and headed to the airport. I was a little bit early. Had a coffee and croissant. One of the nicest croissants I have had whilst on this trip. Flight delayed by half an hour. Andy met me at the airport. Very kind of him. That evening we went to the local restaurant. Back Soon

Last full day to get things done. I finished painting the wooden beams in our bedroom. Why did we choose black? Now need to touch up the white paint. Enough said. Did some tidying/prep work for leaving. After having a shower and dinner, I went for a walk into the village. I deposited a small bag of rubbish in one of the bins, so it isn’t lying around the house for two weeks. Treated myself to an ice cream, not impressed, only two flavours to choose from and I found the vanilla bland. Didn’t fancy the Roquefort though. I haven’t mentioned Andy lately. Yes, we ‘phone and Skype everyday. I look forward to seeing him tomorrow.

Wednesday: 10 degrees - what a difference to when I arrived in June. It then hovered in the early 40s. Although did reach 24.5 later. Put masking tape on the window frames - kept bloody tearing. Painting looks good. Thursday: Had a good night's sleep. Perhaps it was the biere rouge. Just the one. I spent all day emulsioning the bedroom. The bits I can reach without a big ladder. Two coats and a trip to the local bricolage for a new roller brush and it looks good. Tried painting the beams black - not the neatest painter. White walls and black beams, a bit cliched but will look good when finished.

Finished cleaning the tiles. Took ages to do but look fantastique. Transformed. Did some sanding in the bedroom, filthy job, takes more time cleaning up than the actual work. Remembered to put the recycling bin out. Yay! Woke up to a dull wet Tuesday. I noticed the bedroom windowsill is covered with sticky-back plastic. What is it with the guy who previously owned this place? He used a plethora of the stuff. I used to want a roll, a piece, any amount, of the stuff as a kid growing up and watching Blue Peter make things and using sticky-back plastic. Anyway, I digress, the bloody stuff is a nightmare to remove and I spent over an hour removing it from the bedroom sill. The tool of choice - a long handled wallpaper stripper and then the big boy (ult-tool)! Yet there is more of the bloody “stuff” throughout the house. If in doubt, can’t be bothered to sand the wood, want some interesting decor, use sticky back plastic. A delight for all the family. Woodwork stripped,

Made sure I was up early(ish) to cycle to the local supermarket. They open at nine and I was there about ten past -  people were already coming out. Perhaps they open earlier despite signs to the contrary. Speaking of contrary I bought some chocolate, biscuits and salad. I made the cashier laugh by showing lettuce - bonne, chocolate - mauvais. She said little pleasures. The cycle ride to the supermarket was blooming freezing and under my breath I muttered effing cold! A little warmer on the return trip. Did consider going to the piscine, but a bit too chilly, so spent the afternoon cleaning/scrubbing the kitchen tiles. Why does, what should be a simple job, which it is, take so long to do? Someone needs to sell a gel that you paint on, leave for twenty minutes and then rinse off. A bit like that stuff you use to clean ovens. On a lighter note, I listened to a few albums (vinyl) whilst doing this chore. Dinner in the slow cooker. (Bit disappointing if I’m honest. Then again courge

Didn’t do much at all on Thursday, I nursed a cracking headache nearly all day. No it wasn’t an almighty hangover. I was fretting over Andy. Friday, back to work - spent most of the day scrubbing the walls in the study. Well the bits I can reach without a ladder. Seems to be a lot of scrubbing and very slow progress. I have also started tackling the grotty grout in the kitchen. An old toothbrush and bleach. Both yesterday and today I thought I would treat myself to an ice cream. Both days he was closing for the evening. The local produce market wasn’t there either. Ah, September, everywhere is closing early. Saturday. Intended going to the shops, but Skyped Andy instead. He has the delightful Bates family visiting. That sounds sarcastic, no they truly are delightful. Popped to get some bread, ooh I could eat the whole lot in one go. I experienced French car parking, why use a parking spot when the pavement and the pedestrian crossing will suffice? Credit to the van dr

Rough night hardly slept. At one point I was quite cold. Have decided to take a blanket to bed tonight Went on my bike to the local SuperU to get a few bits and bobs. They only have large loaves, so popped in a boulangerie on the way back. Some might say a fool hardy move as I bought a very naughty cake - layers of chocolate on a crumbly base. Dee lish ous. Well worth a day’s calorific intake. Decided to start decorating the loo. The window, although it has a fantastic view, is surrounded by some grotty/nasty insulating tape. The tape had got to go. Listened to some French CD lessons, read my kindle and did some exercise After dinner, that’s right I then went for a walk. Ouch! I felt as though I had something sticking in my big toe. Couldn’t see anything. So to bed. You know the drill by now - up, at ‘em and breakfast. Cracked on with the loo and though I say it myself it is a vast improvement. The only thing I would change is probably the down pipe from the ci

Had a lie in and didn’t get up until nearly eight thirty. What a treat. After showering etc. I had some bread for breakfast, before getting down to work. I gave a final coat of paint to the doors. Though I say it myself they look pretty good. The door frames in Serena’s room look good too. The only disappointment is I need to scrape off some masking tape. I started to sand the paintwork in the study. Surprisingly the purple paint is easier to sand than the yellow. Perhaps the purple is traditional wood paint and the yellow is a silk paint that seems plasticky! (Is that a real word?). After dinner and a Skype call with Andy I went for a walk. I went along the river, over the bridge and back along the other side. I stopped to give the ducks some bread, it was a feeding frenzy. It is said, by some, that you shouldn’t give birds bread, but in one area back home they found the poor devils were starving as folk were no longer doing so. I don’t know if I should or shouldn’t.

I dreamt a lot, strange dreams. Decided to pop into the newsagents for bread because our fave boulangerie supplies his stock. You do pay a little bit more though, but it is worth knowing for when you are feeling lazy! Doors looked o.k, I thought they may look patchy. Gave them a coat of paint. I am quite pleased. Will wait until tomorrow before I decide if they need another coat. Also started to clear the study ready for sanding. The day seemed to go quickly and I swear things take a lot longer to do than you expect. I went very tired in the afternoon and tried to have a snooze, I failed. After dinner I went for a walk and made a ‘phone call to Andy. On a sad note, it is a year since the passing of my eldest sister - Suzzanne.

I always feel the last day of August is sad. It heralds the end of summer. Nights will draw in quickly and before we know it, it will be Christmas. Today is particularly poignant and sad because Andy goes home to Hinckley, two weeks before me. After breakfast, that’s right - croissant, I made some sandwiches whilst Andy packed the car with enough booze for an almighty hangover. As he left I shed a silent tear and as I watched the car head towards the top of the road, I felt like running after him and telling him not to go, or to take me with him. I did a quick tidy up and then popped to the market for fruit and veg before getting down to work. I sanded two doors from Serena’s room and the door frames in the aforementioned room. I then washed them and whilst waiting for them to dry I changed clothes yet again and went into town. I am sure if people see me they think I only have one set of clothes. I put clean clothes on to fetch bread, change into scruffs and when I have f

Andy goes home tomorrow. I have another two weeks. Andy fetched croissant. No bread because we decided to eat out for lunch. Off to both local supermarkets to get wine for various people. Next time we bring the car we don’t know if allowances will drop, because of Brexit. Uncertain times. We looked at the menu of a restaurant about a mile away but decided to dine at a little place called 'Au Fille de Temps', a stone’s throw from our house. You could climb over our balcony and knock on their back door. That might surprise them, climbing over the balcony is more than surprising to me too  - quite a drop. Andy had house burger and frites, I had rabbit in mustard sauce with frites. Very nice, Peter rabbit, or was it his annoying sidekick? Had a short afternoon nap. Then off to the local piscine, on our bikes (yes, we finally located it!). I am not very good on the bike and frighten both Andy and myself. The piscine is fantastic and it is a shame we hadn’t been ther

Being Andy’s penultimate day we decided to get all our jobs done so we can have tomorrow off. Up and at em, croissants for breakfast. Andy laid the flooring in the lounge area - wow, a huge improvement. Why does it look easy in the ads? One man can lay a floor the size of a football pitch in a couple of hours! Dream on. Another backbreaking job. Not good for Andy since because of his dodgy knee. I did some detail painting on the shutters. (I put shitters and luckily spotted my error, would have meant something completely different), I also did some ironing. I would like to say that I helped Andy, but I wasn’t doing much. Whilst Andy finished his floor laying I made a very nice pasta dish, Andy said so too. Not just blowing my own trumpet.

Today is my nephew Eddie’s Birthday. Bonne anniversaire, Eddie. As usual, croissant and bread from the local boulangerie. Down to work - I gave the shutters a second coat of paint. They look good. Then stuck some random bits of wallpaper back in place. Painted a wall where a radiator is going. A huge, heavy cast iron beast. These things cost a fortune and we have quite a few. If we run out of money we will have to sell them and replace with modern radiators. Large modern radiators are heavy too, but are a darn sight easier to sand, clean and paint! In the afternoon we both went a bike ride to try to find another view of the house. We have two old ‘photos and we are trying to see if our house is on them. I am not very confident riding a bike. However, credit where credit is due, French motorists seem to give you a wider berth than in England. The other day, whilst riding through the fugly (Andy calls it the funnel - f'ing ugly tunnel ) a lorry patiently followed me th

Woke up early. Usual breakfast of croissant, juice and coffee. Painted the shutters. Looking good. Whilst waiting for paint to dry, didn’t watch it drying, I stripped some paper off the stairwell. There is some paper on top of a hard board partition. It is impossible to shift. Any suggestions? Blowtorch, maybe. Went to the local supermarket on my bike. Andy has done a fantastic job of the ceiling in the lounge/diner area. Backbreaking job. He has also done a stirling job of removing the paint on the radiator. In the evening we both had a glass of wine and read a book. It is nice to sit outside and see it get darker. It is dark by nine o’clock. A cooler evening, so we didn’t bother with the air con. <Andy Edit> Can't believe Sally didn't mention this fella; he obviously impressed me more than he did her. Found him in the lounge diner. As you can see, he's about 7 cm long PLUS antenna. We get grasshoppers and crickets in the UK

Had a bit of a lie in. Got up just before nine. Popped to the bakery. The dreaded corner didn’t bother me today. Wait until Wednesday. After breakfast we went to Leroy Merlin and a very nice SuperU which is near to it. Once again Andy filled the car with wine and beer. Didn’t drink enough today, so felt decidedly fuzzy. By not enough fluid, I mean water. Sanding an old cast iron radiator is another of those horrible jobs. Someone needs to invent sanding gloves. After dinner I walked into the village to see if the bakery is open on Tuesdays - it isn’t. Went home and Andy had put the flares outside, they look very nice when it gets darker. We sat outside reading and had a glass of wine and nibbles.

    Removed the shutters at the back of the house. Soul destroying job sanding them. However, the belt sander, a.k.a big boy, does a brilliant job. Sanding is one of those jobs that always takes a lot longer than you expect and other jobs that you hoped to do get side-lined. In the evening we went for a stroll to see the view overlooking our house. We discovered an old photograph of our road and hoped to figure out the view. The walk to the top of the many steps made my knees ache and it would be easier to walk to the top of our road and head towards the school. Both bring you out in roughly the same position. We used the portable air con for a better nights sleep.