August 2010 visit

David picked me up from Dinard airport at 10:20pm and we arrived at Bel-Air in good time for me to get to bed at midnight.

I'm here until the 12th September and the first job will be to work on the landing as Bev arrives next week with Katy, Amy and Eileen and she will be disappointed not to see progress.

It turned out to be quite a visit. The main job was to build a store but the weather and planning permission were very slow in coming forward. Both were a struggle. To complicate matters, Bev had kidney stone problems and ended up in hospital in Ploermel.

Our new neighbours were still at Bel-Air as they waited to complete on the sale of Joel's house and land. It was an ideal time to address issues regarding our building project and attempts to purchase a part of their property.

Everything turned out fine although the option to purchase a part of their property was firmly but politely rejected. Trying to communicate and resolve issues took quite a lot of time as their attentions were really set on the sale and accommodating visiting friends. His wife also became ill and it looked like his daughter had broken her leg during their visit.

They are a very nice family and I'm looking forward to improving my French so that I can communicate better next time I see them.

The landing seat project from start to finish...

We've already jet-washed the stone and fitted a few feature pieces into the concrete blocks. Eileen thought it a good idea to create a seating area so I've knocked it about a bit to catch the vision.

We needed a window to look out of from this proposed seating area.

That's better. Stone is now pointed and blocks rendered, beams sanded and stained, walls boarded and filled, floor brushed clean...

Starting to take shape and feel clean...

Mmm! We need to build it up a bit to accommodate tops...

That's better...seat in place too.

Getting excited now...

This is what we did this time round...
Looks complicated, but...

I THINK I know what I'm doing...extra window bits to be glued and clamped before pushing into position...

Plasterboard screwed onto the wooden back supports and edging clamped...

More clamping

Pipe covers shaped...

Plasterboard rounded, filled, sanded and painted...

and stained...well done Bev.

Using the chain saw to shape the old timber...

The old timber in place and the end section finished (by the vase). The skirting is also in place although not fixed yet.

We love it! Eileen was right about the seat. We just need to varnish, add cushions and a blind to finish the job.

The store project...a continuation from the last post...
More hardcore and footings in place...

Almost ready for the concrete base...

Protecting the base from the rain using counterbalances...

David getting on with rendering the breakfast room and doing a good job...

And Helen...

Ready to build...

Bev, Eileen, Katy and Amy arrive...

The third dormer, breakfast room and pointing all done and looking good...

Cornerstone...

I badly sprained my ankle and am really happy that the pain has subsided enough for me to carry on working...

Roofing timbers and velux...soaked!

Ready for the roofing felt...see how the grass is growing...seeded 10 days previously...

David fabricating the guttering end and down-pipe...

A mouse for the mix? Just look at my battered leg...

Door almost fabricated...

The door was fitted and stained. The tiling almost done (just a small corner to do). The edging tiles are to be done and the painting of course. It's a shame we didn't get it all finished but we are looking forward to the next stage.

Other jobs completed...
Woodworm treatment for the fireplace canopy tops.
Woodworm treatment for above the front window.
Levelling of living room window ledge.
Fitting roman blinds onto the patio doors.
Windows sanded and re-stained for winter protection.


As for David...too many jobs to list.


Back to finish the job in November.

July 2010 visit

I returned home very tired last Sunday (25th July).
Work completed...

• Chopping out the hard concrete and stubborn bits in the stonework joints at the rear of the property.
• Moved a whole load of stone.
• Jet-washing the stonework again as well as the rest at the rear of the property.
• Pointing the stonework.
• Digging a whole lot more out the patio area.
• Smashing and removing the concrete troughs along the length of the building
• Raking the patio area level.
• Digging out the base for the outbuilding.
• Hardcore into the base ready for building.
• Stained glass fitted in the bathroom.
• Landing top cut to size and fitted ready for the next visit.
• Grass-cutting
• Cleaning the chippings.

David concentrated on building his dormer and seating area on the inside of it...as well as the grounds. A lot of hard work.

The long hard work of pointing...

You wouldn't believe how much soil was dug out of this area...

and concrete...which was hidden under the soil.

Temporary chippings until we decide on the type of slabs and have saved up our pennies. I had to figure out a way of cleaning them, First came the bucket with the holes in (hoping the dirt would flush through and then the wire mesh which would allow the dirt to drop through. Neither of them worked; I resorted to throwing the lot into a concrete mixer and flushing with water...it worked!

Just the facing to do...

Before (actually, the bramble was about 5' tall) after we cleared the area.

As it is at the moment with the third dormer. We'll render the corner kitchen area and feature just a few of the stones.

The landing...the top will end up about 2'' thick with the plasterboard shaping down to meet it. It'll look great when it's finished (it's the very next job when I go back on August 19th...a week before Bev joins me.)

                         

A picture of our quirky kitchen stairs made from whatever was lying around...

                         

                                    

We worked from before 8:00am until about 9:00pm every day except Sundays and still managed a walk in the woods and a bike ride every evening.

I hid my little friend here under the book eileen left on the chair as she went indoors for something. Yes, we got a satisfactory scream on her return.

                        

David is still out there beavering away and I'm her in the UK trying to answer the questions from the Mairie regarding planning permission for the outbuildings. (I should really be painting.)

Biggest regret of the visit...allowing the bad weather and tiredness to prevent me from attending the Bastille Day celebrations in Josselin.

Oh, our new neighbours are living in Paris and will live here permanently in two years. They arrived just after I left, but David says they are very friendly.

They are possibly in their 40's. He is originally from Auray and is a chef. She has a fashion boutique (presumably in Paris). They intend to be heavily involved with rearing horses...I think.

I guess time will answer all the questions. For now, I can't tell you what a relief it is to have friendly people next to us.

I'm not sure how they would view their new neighbours.

Our visit in June...it's all about the back of the house

For once, we had time to check Portsmouth out before catching the ferry.

London Illustrated News now on the wall and me with a black plastic bag over my head ready for jet-washing the stonework at the back.

Raking the joints ready for jet-washing. Also defining the patio shape.

Bev pushing it. Stonework being cleaned to the left. The right still to do. We aren't sure what to do with the previous owners bodged attempts at pointing (the little bright corner bit).

I fully support the French siesta.

A walk down the lane with the family.

Juli learning how to relax

The new breakfast table

Taking a break from cleaning the stone...digging the soak-away

It's hard work...

David entertaining the kids...the next train leaves in ten minutes...

Unless you prefer just two wheels.

Chris helping me connect to the soak-away.

Soap, water, plastic and sunshine...perfect!

Breakfast marching band

Hardcore filled, connected and capped...only the soil and seed to go.

 

A visit to the French Resistance museum

And Auray. Where's Danny?

Not to forget the cyclists...they're really serious about this.

It was an all work, all play and all relax couple of weeks.

Very tiring but very special.

Special thanks to Martin & Collete for their help with submitting plans to the Mairie.

(See previous post regarding work completed.)