November 2005

The beginning of November arrived too quickly! Getting desperate to get into the gite as the winter closes in, we hadn't even quite finished the roof. Unfortunately, the nice man that was helping us to do the roof and showing Dan what to do, couldn't come for three weeks so finally Dan decided to work it out for himself. Dan, set his mind to a dormer window, a chimney and two triangular windows:

Unfortunately, this took time but having never done any roofing before, Dan did an amazing job:

Roof done, time to fit the rest of the windows and doors, which I had been lacquering over the last couple of weeks.

All went in except one single door - we had ordered it incorrectly, it opened the wrong way – there's always one!

Luckily we can use that door in the house but it meant that we had to order another door which takes 6 weeks to make. I pleaded with the man to make it quicker as it is cold and we need to make the place watertight. Finally, he agreed to deliver it at the end of November – but…it didn't turn up, so we are still door less!

Finally, (and not a moment too soon) we turned our attention to the inside. First job, plaster boarding the ceiling. Dan and I developed torretts syndrome – plaster boarding is possibly the worst job in the world! The mild mannered Dan, lost it badly – sadly we lost one of our dear friends, young master plasterboard, as Dan inadvertently, momentarily lost control of one of his feet which strangely and unexpectedly flew into the plasterboard creating a rather large hole!

Just as the temperature plummeted to minus 10 degrees, Polly came for the weekend. The pipes froze. Once again, she got stuck in to helping us – plasterboarding!

And here is the wall that Polly plasterboarded:

Whilst I began to stuff the walls that Dan had made earlier with insulation:

We carried on plaster boarding and erecting the upstairs internal walls – oh my god it takes so long – Dan and I are dreaming about the stuff

Unfortunately the pipes hadn't defrosted by the end of the weekend when Dan's Dad, Bob, arrived. Nor did they defrost until the following Friday. Luckily for Bob (and us), our very kind neighbours lent Bob their house – so the lack of water was not as bad as it could have been. Bob, like Polly, worked very hard for 6 long days. He and I pointed the wall in the sitting room:

The finished product is pretty impressive:

Whilst we were pointing the wall, Dan sorted out the plumbing in the bathroom and fitted the shower tray:

Following that, whilst Bob put the finishing touches to the wall, Dan and I insulated the bathroom, plaster boarded it and inserted the door:

Hoorah, our first room with a door – very very exciting!

Dan then fixed the switches and Bob set to work filling the joints and screw holes in the plasterboard (that was meant to be my job but I really didn't fancy it – was v. pleased that Bob didn't seem to mind doing it instead!):

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh plaster board – it's the end of the month and we haven't finished plaster boarding – noooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've never been so pleased to see Mr Villards when he came round with his tractor and insisted on having all the old tiles (which we were delighted about even if it was a bit odd). So he cleared the courtyard completely

4 tractor loads went and then he wanted the old rotten wooden doors, the scrap metal from the old drain pipes, you name it! Fine with us but I thought it was all quite sad really as I thought he didn't want anything to be thrown away that was part of his deceased wife's childhood. I sat on the side of the tractor so I could help him off load by his barn (he loved that – thought he was a bit of a player!) I soon realized he was just a complete hoarder, so much crap. I had to walk round making all the right noises at old washing machines, old cars, old ovens, frost broken tiles and masses of other junk!

Tomato World

The frost and ice arrived with minus 10 degree temperatures – Tomato world died

The few remaining tomatoes on the plants froze and then turned to mush when the sun came out! We had a small burial and tulips were planted in their place. Unfortunately, though cold, the sun keeps coming out and Mr and Mrs Tulip appear to have become confused as to when they should sprout and their shoots have emerged prematurely, I hope that they don't die in the frost too!

So we are pushing on into December to finish the gite and move in – but Dan thinks I am being a bit unrealistic! Sadly, think I have to agree with him (just this once mind!)