Renovation project - fighting all day, feeling lonely and getting angry at expat experts! - Friday 5th October 2012

Renovation project  - fighting all day, feeling lonely and getting angry at expat experts! - Friday 5^th October

Well it’s still on with the paint, filling and sanding until we decide it really is pointless until we get some quality paint (we are visiting England in a few weeks so we will pick some up and bring it over).

We don’t have a very good day and spend a good part of it either shouting at each other or not really speaking, I get really peeved off that whenever I ask John what needs doing next, his reply is to keep cleaning, I try to point out that this is ridiculous as he is still making a mess and so instead of sitting and discussing it and explaining how we are feeling we just shout at each other. I then realise I miss my girlfriends and being able to have a moan, which John then says makes him feel guilty, so all in all a bit of a no win situation.

The day doesn’t improve when we find out that the person we were hoping to bring over some insulation for us, can’t, and when we put a note on one of the expat forums get a ridiculous comment telling us that it is no cheaper in the UK aarrgghhhhh!!!!!!!

Whilst on one of the sites I notice a comment from another expat asking for advice on renovating an outhouse, so leave him a detailed message with costings and advice, to find that another expat has left a comment stating buy everything in England, it makes me so angry, I remember before we moved here, the amount of expat experts that give you such bad advice, these are generally the people who have never lived in France or live here in an English community and do not get involved in France. I know I shouldn’t let it wind me up but how many people don’t do this because of the stupid advice and scare stories they are told. When we first stayed here looking at properties we were informed that we would have to buy our kitchen and bring all supplies over with us, I have to admit we did panic a bit then, but once here we realised that France is a brilliant country with everything you could possibly want, otherwise why are so many Brits moving here???????

I also see a post on face book that I know will hurt somebody and there is nothing I can do about it. It makes you feel quite useless, which is not a feeling I am used too.

I think this is the first post where I have ranted all the way through it, but hey I did say this was going to be realistic and the realism is today I have felt like crap, I have felt lonely and I have missed friends and family. I have also really missed my regular beautician, which is probably not helping with the way I’m feeling because I also look rubbish at the moment!

I do get some good news during the day, French Entree have e-mailed and asked if I would be willing to do a Q&A for their on line magazine, so that is really exciting as long as the questions don’t come through on a day like today.

I don’t regret coming here for one moment, but if you are considering doing the same, you will have days like these and anybody that tells you differently will be lying, but the nice thing is, they are only days, the feelings pass and you make up and get back to normal, this was probably helped by the fact that Johns camping armchair (we did have one each until mine was broken!) collapsed with him sat in it, it was comical to watch as he just sank in slow motion and was unable to move for a few minutes. I did take a photo but as he was only wearing his boxers, he won’t let me put it on.

It’s time for bed and sleep ready for a new day and hopefully a new mood!

Top tips

1.       Be very wary of the expat armchair experts

2.       If you do ask for advice on an expat forum, don’t believe all you read

3.       You will have bad days, be prepared for them