A Septic Bicycle Mechanic, 18 July

 

We’re now over half-way through our stay. Another post-9am rise and the off to get croissant and bread. We went to the bakery together and stopped off, on the way back, at the small Saturday market that is held around the corner from us. Bought some fruit and veg and then home for breakfast. 

After breakfast I took my pushbike to the market. Since last year, a cycle mechanic has set up shop there, which is very handy as the nearest bricks and mortar bike shop is around 30 km away in Tulle. My bike, though new, has developed a noise somewhere in the drive-chain. Having taken the bike for a test-rede, the mechanic returned and told me he was "septic". after a few moments of bemusement I realised he meant sceptical; I'm sure we have inadvertently said more amusing things as we try to speak French. His initial diagnosis is that it is due to play in the cassette (the series of cogs on the wheel) or within the motor-hub. He did not have the tools available to check properly, so I’ll take the bike back next weekend. 

Back home I got stuck into two jobs that had been dragging on and which were something of a PITA. The first was drilling the beams for the rewiring (one, long, hole to go) and emptying the trough of the topsoil.  I finally got both jobs done – hurrah! Before drilling the beam, I tried sharpening a couple of spade drill bits using the new grinding wheel. I can honestly say, they were better than new! The grinding wheel will soon pay for itself (well, it cost less than €20, the best €20 I’ve spent in some time).

In the afternoon I managed to mount a towel rail, brackets to hold the microwave, and remove the old, tatty, shelf in the kitchen and mount the brackets for a new, solid wood, replacement. The level needs adjusting slightly, but that can wait for tomorrow. All in all, a really good day’s work.


The nasty old shelf we're removing

Sally continued to paint the wardrobe doors and started to apply the protective wax to the wardrobe frame. She has also removed the ‘funnel’ from the base of the duvet cover and today fitted press-studs instead. The funnel on French duvet covers is where you put the duvet into the cover. It is like a ‘tongue’ that you then tuck in. Quite odd and not as convenient, for us, as ‘English’ press-studs – hence the alteration.

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