France: Sept ... Oct 2004

I made a brief visit in August, mainly to sort out insurance and take a few things over to tidy up my hallway, but no pictures were taken. This page has pictures covering further work on the house, and local events and activities, during September and October 2004.

I took the TOYOTA MPV on this trip. It was most useful when I purchased sheets of plasterboard ( 2.5m x 1.2m ), many sheets of chipboard, and timber up to 3.6m long. If only I had had the vehicle last year !!

The previous owner told me that it had been to France once before .... and his children called it Timmy the Toyota !

The weather the first week was very hot. Some more electrical work, and plumbing, was completed, as well as tiling the shower room floor. Some outside painting jobs were done and the satellite TV dish installed in a more permanent position.

The store cupboard on the bar was installed, the " kitchen " walls were painted ( crepi ) and wood trims added. This area is now starting to look more attractive. The staircase and cooking area in the corner need finalising.

A BBQ at La Petite Reigniere permitted sampling of fish from a " smoke house " Tony had just built, brochettes and to cap it all ... coffee from an expresso machine!.

During the summer there are many Village days demonstrating local skills, and street markets ... complete with " boot sales " ... often rounded off with fireworks.

I had a look at the local Sailing ( and windsurfing ) Centre, which makes good use of a large expanse of water at the confluence of the Varenne and the Mayenne rivers, about 5km south of Ambrieres.

I also went down to Chateau Gontier, a pretty town, and called in on some friends from the past, who own a farm just beyond Chateau Gontier. I used to overnight with them many years ago, on the way down to the South of France. Lisa, who was a puppy then, was now becoming an old lady.

I had my first look into the roofspace of the " first " house .... another job, to clear the rubble and the many spider webs and to treat the timber, before I can start work on the room below. Some stonework near the front door, and above the fireplace, was cleaned of plaster, ready for pointing. A large cupboard was built under the stairs in the " first " house to give some storage space ... for when this room is no longer a workshop.

A start has also been made on the upstairs loo and washroom in the main ( second ) house ... on the other side of the A frame to the bedroom. Time was also found to do more work in the garden ... and pruning, to get things under control.

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