Renovation project - the strain is starting to show!

Renovation project - the strain is starting to show!     

The house resembles a building site again as there are bags of rubble and dirt form the work we have completed over the last couple of days,  I have yet another tip run and the day is spent cleaning. The dust gets into every nook and cranny in the house and also all over the floors, walls and furniture!

We find it very hard to get going today and we are both struggling a bit at the moment the house and work seem to be never ending, I am sick of cleaning and to be honest at times I just think I wish it would bloody end and be finished, but it’s not finished, not even nearly! We still have another floor to do, we have also started to bicker a bit and pick on each other (well there is nobody else to take it out on!). We usually get on so well but living and working on top of each other can start to get to you, I think we really need a break

I keep thinking about our upcoming holiday, maybe I will just have a look at destinations on the internet, wow that actually took a few hours! But there are some fantastic places to visit. This is one of the main reasons we moved to mainland Europe, so that we can get in the car and just go, imagine just driving to Spain or Portugal.

I feel a lot better as I know we will have a break and some sunshine soon.

Renovation project - Places to visit in Brittany

Renovation project - Places to visit in Brittany

Today is a good day we have decided to leave the rubble and the dirt all bagged up and take the day off, we are going out to do some sightseeing as it is my birthday (for regular readers we are a few days behind on the blog!).

We try to decide where to go and as the sun is actually shining we head for the coast, we decide to head down to Benodet, this is a beautiful part of coastline and the drive is stunning.

We stop off in Pont L’Abbe and drive on to Locturdy these are both quite small towns but have a number of shops and small cobble streets, unfortunately we have gone at the wrong time and all of the cafes and restaurants have stopped serving food, so we have my birthday lunch in a supermarket cafe!

We continue to Benodet and the beach area is stunning, we stroll along in the sun and see a restaurant overlooking the harbour, we stop for a while and have a coffee.

This is one of those places where you can get lost in your own thoughts, just looking out over the sea, if only the weather was this good all of the time.

We drive back to Huelgoat and go out for dinner. The day was perfect and just the tonic we needed, we really must start to take more days off and explore the area around us, it is so easy to get lost in what you are doing and become so focused on the work at hand that you may actually forget, the reason you moved in the first place, was for an easier way of life.

Renovation project - Replacing old wooden lintels

Renovation project - Replacing old wooden lintels

John has the lovely new oak beams, we have left them to dry a bit and then John gives them a quick once over with the plane. We could not have bought anything so beautiful (well we could, but we wouldn’t have been able to afford them!).

This is where the saying never judge a book by its cover is so true, when John brought the beams they looked like big lumps of knackered wood, but the planning and sanding has made them beautiful, and they are completely solid.

The first step is to remove the old timber lintel from above the main front door; the old piece goes right into the wall. So for safety and to ensure that there is no movement in the front of the house John puts up a couple of acro’s, these are metal posts that can be adjusted to the right size, and probably one of the most important tools you will need on a job like this. John saws the old lintel and removes it in pieces, the wood worm is extensive and the amount of dust is ridiculous, but it is out.

I find it quite scary that a piece of the house has been removed but it is totally safe as long as you have the right equipment to hold everything up, in addition to the acro’s we have strong boy plates) which are metal plates that take and spread the weight evenly (we have not found these in France yet, so it may be worth bringing these with you)

The new oak beam (lintel) goes in and it looks............ NO different! This is a good thing as it is a case of replacing old for new without changing the fabric of the building, but I wanted them to look spectacular!

John does the same over the window and next he will replace the final window lintel (the one that has already been replaced) but they will all look the same and as these are going to be visible (we will be pointing this wall, not plastering it) it will make a difference, it may take longer but the final result will be worth all the effort. If you are going to do a project like this, take time to think about every little aspect as even thought it may take you more time, it is much easier to do it now than to regret it later!

Renovation Project - Magret de Canard, mmmmmmmmm

Renovation Project - Magret de Canard, mmmmmmmmm

I can’t believe we have been back for almost a week; the time really does just seem to disappear. John has been looking at the work left to do and it is time to start on the ground floor.

John had had to replace one of the beams across one of the windows, but now that he has looked at it properly, he is not happy with the beam across the door or the other window. Our friends with the animals have a number of oak beams at their place and have offered us some of these if we need them.

We discuss the issue and agree that we may as well be better safe than sorry and replace all of the beams, this will add work and time to the job, but will ensure that the house is the best it can be and there will be no danger or wood worm or rot in the future.

So John heads off to our friends to choose some wood, I’ll be back in no time! Yeah right, I don’t expect him back anytime soon. I head back out in to the garden to finish off the blackberry cull, this time wearing long sleeves, jeans and work boots, clever idea you may think, as did I, until I forgot and rolled my sleeves up because it was so warm! Again I am covered in scratches.

John doesn’t help as he comes back 5 hours later and asks what I have been doing as it doesn’t look much different, I really hate him at times!

But he says that we have some fantastic oak beams.

As we are both knackered, me from working, John from talking we go out to dinner tonight, we head to Hotel du Lac, we have only eaten here once before, it is very nice but is more expensive than le Crepuscule. But the food is amazing, I have magret de canard (duck) and as I am not naturally a big meat eater, I am a bit worried that it comes on the bone, this should not have been a cause for concern as the meat just falls off and then melts in your mouth, it is cooked so well. OMG my mouth is watering just thinking about it now, John has steak and he too would recommend this to anybody, I even remember how to ask for it to be cooked in French!

We see Brian and Sheila out walking the dog and call over to them to join us; we still haven’t taken them out for a meal as a thank you for rescuing us all last week on the way to the airport.

We order more wine and spend a really pleasant evening overlooking the lake, this is why we are here, I just hope the rain holds off and the warm weather stays!

Renovation project - Growing chicken dinners!

Renovation project - Growing chicken dinners!

Well we have been back for a while and it is time to start working. Well it will be soon, we are going to visit our friends with the animals.

One of the nicest things about visiting here is that there is always cake, Theresa makes the most amazing cakes and there is always plenty to go around, today it is sticky chocolate cornflake cakes, mmmmmm lovely.

We go to visit the baby chicks, they are growing twenty of them in the incubator and they are so sweet, they are at the little fluffy yellow stage. Theresa explains that they buy them at a day old and keep them in the incubator until they are big enough to go in the chicken coop. She also explains that they are all male and I ask why they have male ones as they won’t get any eggs and then this is when I realise they are growing twenty chicken dinners, yet another aspect of my Felicity Kendal and The Good life dream disappears out of the window! This is the realism of living the dream!

We pass a lovely hour and then head back to the house.

John starts a big cleanup operation and starts to make a list of what is still left to do.

The garden is really growing so I head out to do some work on the trees

We have a beautiful tree but it is currently being strangled by blackberry bushes. My job for the day is to cut the blackberries down, an easy task you may think, but no, this is our house and the blackberries have grown right though the tree. I spend the afternoon cutting, chopping and pulling. 

The weather is glorious and so I do it wearing a vest, great for the suntan, but it is only later that I realise this is a really bad idea, my arms are covered in scratches and I look a mess, so I spray myself in antiseptic, aarrrgggghhhhhh it is so painful, what a stupid idea, why would I inflict this much pain on myself????

I am so knackered that night I have a soak in the bath and try to ease my aching bones!

Top tip

1. If gardening in blackberry bushes, COVER UP!!!!!!!!!

Renovation project - France Today Magazine

Renovation project - France Today Magazine

I’m back and yes I know I said it was my birthday yesterday but on the blog I am a few days behind, so I am going back to where I left off (I was just being polite yesterday and letting people know why I would be offline for a couple of days)

We have fully recovered from our journey and our goodbyes, spent a day in and out of bed and dozing, so we check our letter box to see what bills are waiting for us and have a lovely surprise, there is a copy of France today Magazine waiting for us. I had forgotten how nice it was to actually receive something in the post that isn’t telling us how much money is about to come out of our bank account or what the latest special offer is in the local supermarket!

I open the wrapper with anticipation and excitement (yes I really am that easily pleased!). We used to have regular subscriptions when we lived in the UK, they helped us to plan our move and gave us an idea of what life would be like in France, but once here we haven’t really bothered, yes we look at interesting articles on the internet but they just aren’t the same as having the publication delivered to your door.

I spend the morning in bed reading the magazine, I had also forgotten how nice it was to do this, and it’s even nicer now we actually have a comfortable bed!

The magazine has so much information in it and actually brings back some happy memories, the Sun, Sea, Sand and Oyster feature makes me smile, I had forgotten all about Arcachon, yet the place holds some amazing memories, we stayed there a few years ago on our first trip to France, and this is where we had our favourite photograph taken, between the pine trees and the Atlantic.

We are planning a holiday in the next few weeks and had been planning on driving through France to get to Spain, but now we may spend a little longer in France.

We had discussed going to the champagne region for a break, but the feature titled a sparking tale, has made the decision for us, I really want to go on the laser guided train through the cellars, I also want to tell my daughter that I have actually been to the vineyards where they make Veuve Clicquot and take her a bottle back on our next visit.

There really are so many wonderful places to visit, but as this is now home we are looking further afield for holidays, the magazine has reminded us why moved here.

I have to put it down as we need to do a bit of work around the house, so my pleasant morning is swapped for an afternoon of cleaning; I think I may change my name to Cinderella!

Happy Birthday to me :)

There will be no post today as we are going out to celebrate my birthday

Normal service will be resumed tomorrow depending on my hangover!

Renovation Project - Plymouth Ferry Port

Renovation Project - Plymouth Ferry Port

Time to go home, I am so looking forward to getting back to France and finishing the house before our holiday, this will freak John out who will no doubt be the voice of doom and say it will be a few more months yet, but I feel good thinking we may be finished before our big holiday (yes I am ever the optimist) we have one more night in the UK and I am going to visit a relative in hospital tonight.

I am so upset when we arrive at the hospital, the care is not what you would expect and I arrange to meet the doctor the following morning with another family member. The meeting appears to go well, so fingers crossed things will improve.

I am at the hospital whilst John is at my parents, we are due in Plymouth this evening and I don’t arrive back to him until 12 noon, we say our goodbyes and head into my parents town for a bit of shopping (when you get to France you really do miss the UK pound shops!)

We have also promised to bring back some mint aero’s for some friends in France; we cannot find these anywhere and wonder whether they still sell them in the north of England?

We set off for Plymouth with plenty of time to spare, this is lucky as we hit a major traffic jam en route.

Luckily we arrive on time and now we really can’t wait to get back to France, no more traffic jams, no more M6 and lovely driving conditions. We are about to get on the boat and it suddenly hits me I haven’t cried sat at the docks, this is the first time, I have texted and rang family, I have said my goodbyes, but no tears, maybe I am realising that it isn’t so hard to leave, we can be back in no time and we get to have fantastic visits and actually spend more quality time with family than when we lived there.

This thought had never really struck me before, other than my daughter who I saw a lot of, we only ever visited family for a reason or for a flying visit we are now spending the night with our parents, something you don’t really do when you live reasonably close.

The crossing is very smooth which is good because we forgot to buy some more sea sick tablets, we only had one left and that had my name on it!

We land at Roscoff and the drive home is so calm and easy, very easy for me as I slept for most of it.

We get in to the house and luckily there is no smell this time, I head straight to bed and John unloads the car,

The rest of the day is spent either in bed or just pottering around unpacking. It’s good to be home 

Renovation project - Cheshire Life

Renovation project - Cheshire Life

Today is the big day, the christening has arrived and it is going to be amazing, my daughter and her friend have worked on the decorations which look out of this world, I really think they have found their niche in the world!

We have a beautician booked for this morning and 3 of us are going to get our makeup done professionally, OMG I am really going to look good!

The beautician is late, now for me this would not be a problem as those who have got to know me on here may realise I rarely get anywhere on time, but for my daughter this is a disaster, she is the total opposite to me, everything she is involved in goes as smoothly as a military operation!

She is made up and looks gorgeous and instructs me that I have to get the baby in her clean vest and tights to the church, we have to leave at a set time and not a minute later.

I feed the baby and she goes down for a sleep, I have my make up done and notice the time, hurry up beautician, she finally finishes and I have to almost throw her out of the house, she wanted to clean up after herself, which is very professional but we are now at the time we have to leave.

I get the baby up, who is still in her baby food covered baby vest, we have no time to change her, we try to put the baby seat in the car, yes I have been shown many times, but can we do it, can we hell! We are both trying all different ways, we can demolish a house and rebuild it with no problem, but trying to put a baby seat in the car, well that is a different story, we finally manage and get to the church (late) my daughter is outside and frantic, the baby is dressed next to the church entrance and everyone assumes it is my fault! I have to spend the rest of the day explaining to everybody that I was ready on time but the beautician held us up.

The service was amazing, the vicar was lovely and the occasion was like something out of Cheshire Life. The list of designer clothes was extensive no wonder my daughter was so adamant that I do not wear any of my own clothes (she wasn’t just adamant she was terrified) but I was good, I didn’t have purple hair, I didn’t wear purple clothes, I didn’t wear doc martin boots and my clothes didn’t clash because I just wore everything that I liked all in one go.

We head over to the The Drum and Monkey pub afterwards for the big party and even though I had seen the decorations I could not believe how good it all looked.

The welcoming Pimms, the fantastic BBQ (with not a burger in sight!) the bouncy castle, the atmosphere and most amazing of all the sun shone for the entire day. I had never been to this pub before and would recommend it to anybody having an event in Alderley Edge.

I could not have been more proud of my daughter and her new little family, the day was such a success and it was so nice to catch up with family and friends.

Once it was time to leave we took the baby and had our final night with her, my daughter and her friends were going to go for a meal, it’s not often they have unlimited access to baby sitters and its even less often I have unlimited access to my baby granddaughter, I want to soak up every moment of this

Renovation Project - Scary eyebrows and Prosecco with our pie and chips!

Renovation Project - Scary eyebrows and prosecco with our pie and chips!

We have a hectic week planned, so many people to see, and so many things to do; now this is usually where I just bury my head, get out the wine and do nothing! (I find this is often a good solution to most problems!) But on this occasion we can’t.

We take the car for its MOT and to have the new light fitted, it doesn’t pass but there aren’t many problems, the one that takes us by surprise is the middle back seat, seat belt not working. I ask if they can just remove it as it is never used and no it can’t be, John starts to meddle with it and poking it with a narrow sharp instrument soon clears some dirt from it, this was the problem, it is now working, thank goodness we didn’t agree to a new seat belt being fitted!

The afternoon is spent with my daughter and the baby and we are going to the beauticians, I am having my eyebrows shaped and when I go in I am terrified, the beautician has got the biggest, scariest eyebrows I have ever seen, she asks me how I want mine and it takes every bit of will power to not say I don’t care just please don’t make me look like you!!!!!!

The eyebrows take some time as she cannot understand that I just want them to be shaped nicely and not to be square.

John and I take the baby back to Wilmslow, whilst my daughter has her fake tan and decide we are going to get something to eat, we can’t find just a normal little cafe so decide we are going to go to a fish and chip shop (good traditional English food!) we find a chippy and of course being in Wilmslow it has to have a twist, the cold counter that normally has cans of pop has bottles of wine, but not just wine, Prosecco!!!! Only in Wilmslow can you buy Prosecco with your pie and chips!

Have to say though the chips were amazing as were the pies, not your standard chippy pie.

If you ever visit the UK you will have to visit a chippy, but make sure you go to one in the North of England so that you can have gravy, this is a real delicacy in the North that the south of England has not grasped yet.

OMG I have only been back a couple of days and I am considering pie, chips and gravy a delicacy, I want my fresh croissants and moules et frites!!!!!

Renovation project - Volvo car parts in France

Renovation project - Volvo car parts in France

We now have no choice as to when we are going back to the UK; we need to fix the car. John has looked on the internet and found a Volvo breakers that have the correct light and wing, unfortunately the wing is the wrong colour but we can spray this when we fit it.

We book a ferry crossing and this time we are going for a day crossing, we do not want to spend a fortune so book one of the tiniest cabins (how they can call it a cabin when it really is a metal coffin I don’t know).

We are all set and head off, please car make it all the way, we will arrive in the UK at approx 8.30pm which means we should be able to get to my brothers before it gets really dark, we do have side lights but would rather not risk meeting police without fully working lights.

The sailing goes smoothly apart from the fact that John decided to have a sleep and as we only have tiny bunk beds it means that I am pushed into a corner, and he wonders why when he wakes up I’m in a crappy mood and shout at him, so if you are wondering if the tiny cheap cabins are worth it, I would say no!!!!!

When it’s time to leave the boat we are right near the front, this is fantastic as Plymouth ferry port is not car friendly, it is tiny and you will get stuck in the bottle neck of traffic trying to leave, but we should be one of the first to leave, so all is good.

The cars start to move and we realise that there is nobody in the car in front of us, so the other lanes of traffic start to move before us, where is the driver of the car in front, it is only a ferry, you can’t get lost, you know what time it docks, you have numerous intercom messages telling you to go to your car. I want to shout at these people at this moment in time but they still aren’t here so I can’t, all sorts of murderous thoughts are going through my head, I’m also wondering if we start to drive can we just shunt the car off the boat????

They finally arrive and then stand there to take their coats off and put them in the car, DO IT ONCE YOU ARE OFF THE BOAT!!!!!!! We finally move, just far enough to join the massive bottle neck of traffic, so much for travelling during daylight hours!

We drive to my brothers and think as it is almost 10pm, it will be too late for them to make us some dinner so we stop at a service station, all the food courts are closed, we try 2 others and it is the same, I ask a girl behind the counter if there are any big famous burger brand (not sure if I should advertise them on here as I am so peeved at them not being open, but I am sure you know which one, and no it doesn’t have a clown). She explains that in Somerset they all close at 10pm, so if you are driving through Somerset in the UK after 10pm make sure you take some sandwiches with you!

We arrive at 11.30pm, though we did find some food once we left Somerset. We spend the night and set off in the morning, we are driving to Nottingham for the car parts.

When we arrive at VOLVO SAAB BREAKERS they are so helpful and they have everything we need, hi guys we did say we would give you a thank you. We also find out that they will send parts to France, so now we know where to get any parts for our Volvo, and though I do advertise on here I rarely give any full endorsements but we are really happy with the service and the goods (and the fact that they will deliver is fantastic!)

Well now it’s back to driving, we decide to visit my parents first, we have not told them what time we are arriving as we wanted to surprise them, this is not a good idea when you have driven from France as we turned up and they weren’t in. In theory a surprise visit is lovely but when you have travelled for 24 hours it probably is a better idea to let someone know you are coming.

I talk to them on the phone and say we will see them later in the week and we drive to my daughters, then on to John’s parents in Manchester.

I really just want to sleep at this point, I’m knackered, but it is so lovely to see everyone.

Renovation project - Crashing a car in France!

Renovation project - Crashing a car in France!

Well my daughter and baby granddaughter have flown home and the house seems so quiet without them, but we will be seeing them again soon as the baby will be getting Christened in a week’s time and we are going over to the UK.

We have an invitation to visit some new friends today who will be moving to France permanently in July, I have been looking forward to visiting their house for some time (they are also keeping a blog and I’m sure they won’t mind you taking a peek http://www.gerdaboltonphotography.com/)

We have the directions and the car seems to be running smoothly, I set the sat nav and of course it can’t find the address! Roads in France are very different to the UK as a postcode will cover a large area not just a few roads, I pick the one that seems the most appropriate and we get going.

It is a lovely drive and the house is approx 30 minutes away, I have seen a photo so as we get close I start to look out for the house, I see it just as we drive past! But no worries we should be able to do a U Turn as the roads are so quiet, we find a suitable and safe place to turn around and as we start to drive the car skids on something on the road, for a brief moment we are on the wrong side of the road just as a large wagon comes around the corner!!!!!!!!

John swerves and we miss the wagon, but as we straighten up the front wheel catches on the ditch at the side of the road and pulls us into the ditch, this is my first ever accident and it is amazing how slow it all seems, the car comes to a stop with the front corner in the ditch and suddenly this quiet road has so much traffic, the first wagon has stopped and blocked the road behind us, another wagon has pulled up in front of us and the driver and passenger are checking we are OK, as we are British the automatic response is ‘we’re fine thanks’ how the hell can we be fine when I have a sore neck from the seat belt and the car is stuck in a ditch?????

We have a tractor directly behind us and the driver of this and the wagon gets out to help us out of the ditch. One man leans across the bonnet, 3 are behind pushing it and john is steering, we are out in minutes and all of the people are so concerned, it is absolutely amazing, I have broken down in the UK and have had cars beep their horn because I am in the way! But here everybody just wanted to help.

As I am stood by the car I realise that I am shaking from head to foot, the realisation that if John hadn’t controlled the car so swiftly, we would now be inside the first wagon hits me like a thunder bolt!

Once we have made sure the car can still drive and reassured everybody that we are OK we drive the 500 yards to our friend’s house. Once there we look at the damage, the headlight is smashed with little tufts of grass and dirt sticking out of it, the wing is crumpled and the bumper has a bit of shattering in the fibre glass, but it has not caused any other damage, the bonnet is still in place and no other parts of the car have been affected.

We stop for a couple of hours and the house is amazing, they have done so much to it already, but I am so tired, which I realise later is probably shock and we head off for home.

Once there John gets on to the internet to look for spare parts for the car, we find a Volvo breakers yard in Nottingham in the UK and decide we are going to go back earlier than planned to buy the parts and fix the car.

Its days like this that make you glad you are in a sturdy car, the trusty Volvo comes to our rescue yet again! Though I am wondering if anything else can possible go wrong after the week we have had?

Renovation project - French property magazine

Renovation project - French property magazine

OMG today is so exciting we are famous!!!!! We have just received a copy of French property news magazine and we have a big feature and are on the cover.

I have taken a photo and sent it to everybody I know, I am so proud, this is my first real feature in a published magazine.

The blog is going viral and not in the nasty sense! But that isn’t all we have been contacted by a TV program as well and they would like to know if we are interested in having a program about us and what we are doing, would we!!!!!!!!! We have to do a casting shoot and luckily my daughter is here to film it, we pick a really nice spot and the filming starts, we are quite pleased with it until we see it, the camera doesn’t just add 10lbs to you, it also gives you a squeaky voice, I sound like Mickey Mouse!

We have to send it off and wait to hear so it’s fingers crossed.

As we have to wait for the TV program we can’t do any work on the house at the moment and this is killing John, we also have the last day with my daughter and baby granddaughter, I am going to miss them so much but we will see them again next week as we are going to the UK for the baby’s christening.

John can hold off no longer and he clears the barn, it looks really big when it is finished and we discuss what we are going to do with this area, the roof is falling down and it is probably not going to last much longer, so we think once it collapses properly we may just flatten it and turn it into a flat roof with a patio, this will still give us a big workshop but will also make the view from the back bedroom window beautiful as you will be able to see the entire garden.

I also want to turn the little paved area outside the kitchen window into a small terrace for just us, so we have a private little oasis when we finally get the B&B up and running; I think this may be one of my new favourite spots!

Renovation Project - Traditional Breton Music and costumes

Renovation Project - Traditional Breton Music and costumes

We have had a lovely couple of days, it is so nice waking up to my baby granddaughter and she is getting to know me more and more every day.

I have the fun of getting her up in the morning and giving her her breakfast and playing with her while my daughter gets the chance to have a lie in, this is what I have been missing.

We have been out on a couple of trips and I got the chance to see the baby’s reaction to the sea and standing on the sand, it is so funny, you can see how mesmerised she is by the ocean; I even managed to drop her lovely new sun hat in the water!

We have visited Morlaix and sat at a pavement cafe with espresso’s and croissants, the baby happily watching the world go by.

We have been to Carantac and had the world’s most disgusting drink of hot chocolate, it was a white chocolate and it honestly tasted like melted milky bars, it was the most sickly thing I have ever tasted, John had the worst coffee and my daughter had a bottle of cola (not the well known brand) and that was as bad as the other drinks, but the cafe was fabulous, wonderful views (just a pity the drinks were extortionately priced and undrinkable!)

We have also spent a day in Brest which is a big city by the coast, whilst we were there, there was an event on with a number of groups playing Celtic music and dressed in traditional Breton outfits, the weather was amazing and we sat (yes you guessed it at another pavement cafe, well we are in France!) the sun was shining and the day was great. 

We have been to Brest before and though it is a big city for Brittany we thought it consisted of one road down to the harbour, today though my daughter wanted to visit the clothes shop Zara, we assumed there wasn’t one, but she kept seeing people with carrier bags, I finally asked a young woman where the shop is and I manage to translate some of the directions, we head off and can’t believe how big the city actually is, the road stretches as far as you can see.

We can’t believe we have never seen any of this before!

It has been a wonderful day and we head home, still keeping fingers crossed that the car will get us all the way home!