Renovation project - The trusty Volvo strikes again

Renovation project - The trusty Volvo strikes again

Well it’s time to go shopping, yet again the trusty old Volvo proves its worth but unfortunately our timing was wrong again and we did not manage to get everything before the lunch break, as you may remember the average French lunch break is 2 hours, I think I may have complained about this at least once before.

So we complete our food shopping and still have an hour to go, so we decide to have a MacDonald’s, I can now advise you that we have never found a MacDonald’s in France that sells edible food, yes I know that the words edible and MacDonald’s do not really fit in to the same sentence easily, but in France it is even worse, as the service is not good either, I had a hot chocolate which consisted of quite a small cup of hot milk with a sachet of chocolate powder, which you then mixed yourself??????? Can I be sued for slander? Oh no it has to be untrue for slander.

So fifteen euro’s poorer and taste buds in revolt we move on to the next shop, where we manage to find a sink unit to match our new bathroom and it’s on special offer, fabulous! Only problem is they don’t have it in stock, so we order one to be delivered to the store next week, my French is improving by the day, as we write our mobile number on the order form the assistant explains that they cannot ring mobile numbers, so we’re searching through our phones to look for our new French landline, I’m sure I put it in there! Couldn’t find it so the only number I have for people who speak fluent French is Sheila and Brian, after some deliberations we give them Sheila’s number, I hope she doesn’t mind.

After the drive back home we start to unload the car and take the shower upstairs, as John is finishing unloading the car I go to visit Sheila and tell her what I’ve done, I realise that each time we have visited it has been for advice so this time I go baring gifts (or is that bribes?) 2 lovely fresh cream cakes. I explain to Sheila that I have given her number to a store and that I have brought the cakes for A - a thank you, B - a peace offering or C – an apology. I needn’t have worried as she was absolutely fine about it, I couldn’t stay long as she was about to go for a cycle ride as part of a get fit kick, so cakes were probably not the best offering, but I explained if she ate one as soon as she finished the ride the calories didn’t count, I think that is true.

Back home John has started to chisel out channels on the walls for the water pipes to the shower. We’re going to have a working shower any day soon; I’m so excited once again!