The Nasty Trick (La Vacherie) November 2001

Just 4 days in France with two workers and many problems were solved. Chris supervised, while Janet and Jen removed over 1000 bottles (empty) and a mountian of rubble to the Decheterie and Paul spent nearly two days hacking through a 20" thick granite wall. They must have enjoyed it because they volunteered to come back at Christmas.

We arrived to extremely cold weather on 27th December and quickly found that the plumber had done his job and connected the gas to the tanker and that the tanker had been filled. So we commissioned the central heating for the first time. A little problem with an air lock somewhere between the pump and the boiler but after plenty of head scratching we managed to get it to flow and we gradually warmed up.

As we were having visitors from Poitier we concentrated on making the place warm and clean (ish). Mike and Lenna used to live over the hill from us in Bilsthorpe and Lenna used to work with Janet. Somehow Mike gained a friendship with a shovel we had brought over from England for him. Ahhhhh! we know why you're doing that!

The window we had repaired was reglazed only to find it did not quite fit as the joinery machine shop had been a little too generous with the cutting. Nothing to do with Chris's measuring and fitting of course!

We started fitting lighting in the hanger but gave up when we ran out of wire. As it was Christmas we could not be bothered going to buy some more so we enjoyed yet another glass of Christmas cheer. Paul removed the tiles from the lounge wall where a sink had been and Chris spent another pleasant hour or two using the air chizel to make the holes in the walls for the sockets.

Returning in January to ensure all is well and to progress the work as well as the Chris quoting for some work around Brittany.

Paul's floor in all its glory	Mike and his shovel	Paul removing the tiles
The Oust Sign	The Oust valley	A canoe by the Oust

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