France - May / June 2006

Much useful work was done this visit, and although not completely finished, the rooms in the first house are now more presentable. Downstairs is no longer a workroom, and only a little more work is required to the upstairs external door area - plus new windows, to get the upstairs room ready for final decoration.

A beam was removed from the stairway to widen and improve access, and the exterior wall was insulated and plaster boarded ready for final decoration.

The removed beam will be used as the new door post when the upstairs door is completed.

Outside, the rear pathway has been cleared ready to resurface. A small store is being built alongside the steps to the garden to get building materials, garden tools and other such equipment out of the house. This will enable better use of the storage space inside the house.

Shutters for the back door were made up and fitted . They are more convenient than the lift off arrangement that existed before.

The weather improved rapidly after the first week, and soon temperatures were well into the twenties ... eventually reaching thirty plus. The Tour de France passes through Ambrières les Vallées early in July, crossing the Pont de la Varenne.

The River Varenne provides for all sorts of activities apart from the many walks along the banks to the confluence with the River Mayenne and the Parc de Vaux leisure area.

The montgolfières also made use of the balmy evenings.

Things look good for the peaches and pears ... after the heavy pruning last year ... but will need some rain to swell the fruit. The geraniums and begonias ( from Carol ) were just starting to flower before I left.

RETURN to PHOTOS and TRAVEL INDEX ...............RETURN to MAIN INDEX