Final third of the adventure. Final phase/time box/month is upon us and this should be the good bit when all past work starts to show results..
Except it’s all been good.
In a way this is an anti-climax phase with degrees of disappointment at every turn as things don’t quite live up to optimistically high expectations.
Nah.
First results are coming in and they’re great! Two coats of Mrs H’s choice of paint on the bedroom walls, picked from memory in B&Q Aintree to tone with the bed frame and headboard bought in Depot de Vente, Angouleme. Spot on. If this was S.A.S. selection week, that bed frame would pass it’s camouflage test.
Probably.
English neighbour across the road has returned for a fortnight’s holiday so we exchanged some roadside gossip which drew in Patricke the farmer from down the road.
Patricke describes me as ‘hairy and hard working’ after watching what’s been going on for the past two months. Not shaved or had a hair cut since leaving England, so fair enough. The PMU and Contact staff who also see me regularly are looking at my appearance and smiling these days too. No selfies.
Anyway, at the risk of soundng a bit “Le Archers” the gossip is, a bit of a doo over tested nitrate levels in Michael’s well water. - P. says probably his fault: “Mais sous terrain, c’est mystoire.” which is a nice romantic get out of jail free phrase for a farmer. Suspiciously slickly delivered too, teamed with a shrug and a smile. I wonder if he has used it before..?
Apparently the chemist told Michael “You could drink it.. But I wouldn’t.”
Don’t think we’ll bother with the 35 Euro test. We’re higher than those doped up fields but we also know the bungalow’s kitchen sink deposits almost directly into our well. Sort of; circle of life?
Vacuumed, sanded, vacuumed, sanded some more, then mopped the floor in readiness for a coat of something not yet decided.
Got a bit carried away with the mop and came down the stairs too.
Good to be reminded that the potential is there, just need to keep at it. Feel guilt that we’re putting down laminate in places in the house when the original constructors invested so much in workmanship and materials like this.
We’re doing what we can within our time and budget to preserve and prolong their best work.
Rain on Sunday afternoon so went to St F. to check the Lees’ house for any sign of moisture ingress under new roof. Smuggly, needn’t have bothered. Colder, so lit the stove at home which has revealled a missing seal at the base of the glass. This is it closed down completely but still roaring away.
Added tiles behind the bathroom sink. - Not sure about them, think they look a bit apologetic. I like the tiles but maybe we need more of them. Went for ‘less is more’ since the splash range is unknown and there will be a mirror of some size to accommodate. We can always add a few later.
A theme is emerging as the weeks draw to a close - the need to offer reviews of tools used: Some have just been brilliant beyond expectations. Here’s the laser level stuck to a stepladder putting up masking tape around the colour change line.
Can’t imagine how anyone did this without a laser level but fair play to them. - In regular use since the beginning; plumbing, floors, tiles, and now paint. Brilliant aid to quality, reassuring and time saving.
More, exciting, tool reviews to follow..