Getting Stuff Together

The annual task of making sure everything is ready for the DIY trip.  It is slightly different this year in that I am not going in a van, which is a different challenge.  We have a couple of packages (eg the wine fridge!) ready for UPS to pick up.  I have organised for an SFR engineer to visit to set up the Broadband (actually it was a former colleague in Paris who did it, as SFR do not have a phone number to use from the UK to set  up new installations!).  I have arranged for a "chauffagiste" to visit to service the boiler.  My list of tasks is complete (but will probably be added to.....).

Swimming pool heater is installed, and the pool has been de-wintered, although given the weather there at the moment, I may not be using the pool!!!

One thing I hope to be able to do is create blog posts and upload photos whilst there.  That will, of course, depend on the efficiency of SFR to get the broadband working.  Watch this space!

Oh yes!

A quick PS - we've just heard that the heating for the swimming pool has been finished.  Testing is under-way, and it is expected to be ready very shortly!

It's all coming together (again!)

Plans are always good when they start to come off!  We have been planning to expand the storage and work surface in the kitchen by building a peninsular unit the other side of the door to the "utility room".  When we were over in March, we ordered the custom worktop: we've had a call to say it's ready for delivery.

Now we've taken delivery of the wine fridge, which will be installed within the peninsular units.  All we need to do now is organise shipping to send it over to La Matha to co-incide with me being there at the end of the month.

As ever, photos and updates will follow to show progress!

"Expanded" Kitchen

One of the problems we've always found with the kitchen is the lack of work surface for food preparation.  To get round this, we have just ordered new kitchen units, which we'll be installing in May.  This will be a peninsula just over 2m long by 90cm wide, and will be just to the left of the door into the utility room.  There will be three cabinets helping with storage.

We will also be installing a wine fridge, which will ease space in the main fridge, and help visitors ensure they always have enough wine chilled!

Photos posted here when completed.

Landerrouat - a Ghost Village Comes Alive

Landerrouat, a nearby village, and home to both our gardener and swimming pool man, has always seemed to be a bit of a ghost village.  There was a bar there, although we've never been there for a drink.  When we were visiting in November, I was concerned that the bar had closed.

That concern has now been put to bed.  The Bar has now re-opened, there is an epicerie next door, and also a creperie!  Next time, we will have to make sure we try them out.  We hope that they will have enough business to keep them going!

"Utility Room" Ceiling

The "utility room" adjacent to the kitchen is in reality an unfinished room, used as a store room and contains the washing machine and (very large) boiler.  One thing that makes it unfinished is the lack of a ceiling, as seen in these photos.

When our builder was refurbishing the en-suite, we also got him to put plasterboard up to make it look more attractive.  As you can see, it's a big improvement! I'll be painting the ceiling later in the year.

Refurbished En-suite Shower-room

In the triple bedroom upstairs, there was a small en-suite shower room with a loo and washbasin.  It was very small and dark - these photos don't really do it justice.

We realised that there was about 20cm of boxed in space wasted, so we were able to make most of the room wider, and then also made it lighter by having a small velux window fitted.  These are the first photos - we will be decorating this in the next month or so.