This week

What's been happening this week? The electrician has finished the first fix.

 

 

Which means that we can start wrapping the rooms up in brown paper.

 

Or lining them with teddy bears. Your bedroom wall has been pointed.

 

The balustrades have been fitted.

 

 

Him Outdoors has been playing with frames for the plasterboard and lining them with cork.

 

A man came and fitted the only handle that will fit on the tiny space left on the door frame.

 

And spring has arrived (swallows this afternoon.)

 

Peach blossom.

 

And the neighbour's plum tree.

 

Yesterday we had drinks with our Parisian neighbours. We had a form to fill in and they spent ages discussing the exact wording necessary. They couldn't decide whether we were doing a 'renovation totale, or a totale renovation'. If they don't know what hope have the rest of us. There was also huge discussion about what a difference it made if you said 'ce matin, il faisait beau' rather than 'il faisait beau, ce matin'. The most important thing comes first ?????????? Beyond me.

Paris

Oops made the mistake of telling our 75 year old Parisian landlords that we were going to Paris in May. Could be the fact that we have just been given prawn crackers, salami, bread and butter, frankfurters and three large glasses of wine! Now we are committed to dinner at their house and a tour of Paris by night driven by them............. I'm sure it will be lovely.

The nicest part of the day was discovering that the man that owned our house before always planted his potatoes on 19th March -and I just had too. That pleased me no end.

A good day

Yesterday the guy came to fix the guard rails to all the upstairs windows. Wish we didn't have to have them but with floor level windows and huge drops they are essential. He also apologised for not bringing the handle because it hadn't come in as expected. 'What handle?' says I, 'I haven't ordered any more'. Someone said they were coming to show me something that might do but nobody came and I certainly haven't ordered anything!

Called in on balcony man to gently enquire about where the balcony had got to and there it was in his workshop, all done and ready to fit. He will come and fit it when he has got someone to come and help with the huge weight at great height. Sigh of relief from Him Outdoors.

One of the kitchen/bathroom sheds sent us a '20% off one item' offer letter. They can't mean that the cooker I like which costs nearly 2,000 euros could be included................................ But they can, and it is, and it will be delivered at the end of April!!!!

Only slight downer is that there is a leak next to one of the chimneys when it pours with rain - not normal rain, just downpours - and when asked when they were coming to fix it we were told that it was fine now and to plasterboard over it. Mmmmm maybe not, further discussion required.

The garden is looking brilliant. I know that it is that time of year when everything is just gloroious and I am in control and it won't last but hey. I only see the tiny shoots and peach blossom, not the burgeoning nettles.

GG

 

 

Yvonne

20th April1926 to 20th February 2014

 

She is gone

You can shed tears that she is gone
Or you can smile because she has lived
You can close your eyes and pray that she will come back
Or you can open your eyes and see all that she has left
Your heart can be empty because you can’t see her
Or you can be full of the love that you shared
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live yesterday
Or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday
You can remember her and only that she is gone
Or you can cherish her memory and let it live on
You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back
Or you can do what she would want: smile, open your eyes, love and go on.

David Harkins