We then hot footed through the Normandy countryside down to Le Mans and joined the road which I had already travelled 4 times this year. Passing through Tours and then heading for Vierzon and Bourge. We knew that once we had cleared Bourge, it would not take long. Arriving in Ebreuil around 5 pm, we stopped at the Spar to pick up some provisions. Finally arriving at the house around 6pm. Unpacking and setting up camp in the snug, we cooked a quick meal and soon settled down to sleep. Having slept in the car the night before and then driven for 8 hours between us, we were glad to lie down and relax.
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| Simon having ripped up the chipboard flooring - note the level of the floor to the door. |
After clearing all the woodwork out of the way - much of which, we can re-use for stub work walls, we then had to clear away the masses of rubble. Along with hugh pieces of stone which created to large pile, Simon and Michel moved 150 barrow loads of rubble between them. Without the help and support of some of the villagers, I think we would be totally daunted. As you will see as this story unfolds. There are some wonderful people in the world.
In the afternoon, Michel, frère de Bernard arrived. (There are many Bernard's and Michel's in this story - not to be confused!)
Michel, frère de Bernard was the person who rebuilt the front of our house, which fell down, thanks to the antics of James. We had engaged Michel to re-build the beam on the barn which was dropping. He told us that he had put an RSJ in between the wood, for support and that it was strong now. However, when he had put the needles through, to support the wall above where he needed to work, he removed the first stone and the whole lot fell on top of him. Thank God he hadn't been injured. He did say that you could see where rats had been using the branches of the fig tree to climb up and make nests in the wall. Another good reason to get it all sorted out and the tree removed.
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| See where my head is, against the 'window' to my left. We are already several inches below the height of the floor on which I had pitched the tent, in May. |
Cracking on the next morning, we removed all the rest of the woodwork and Michel who lives in the village and subsequently became nicknamed Michel the Pick came to see us. This Michel helped me when I was alone, earlier in the year and now he had heard that we were back and came to offer his help once again. He, Simon and I set to work clearing the rubble and we took down the silly wall which had been built up in what used to be the entrance to the animal shed. This now allowed us to take all the rubble and stones out of the room. You can just see the stones still filling the lower part of the wall, below the "window" in this picture. We were now able to make some serious inroads and after a few hours , the three of us had made quite a difference.
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| New level, before Simon and Michel got to work with the pick |
I think it took the best part of the first week to clear this room and it was hard work, as the sun had come out and the temperature outside was 25º so being inside was quite refreshing!
During this first week Bernard de Paris arrived and was to discuss the disposal of our scaffolding. He invited us to his house one evening for a drink. Little did we know how hospitable he is and 6 bottles of wine later, we were all much the worse for wear. Infact, it took me all morning to look up some telephone numbers and write a letter to M. Coulon the next morning! Simon said I could be site foreman for the day. :-)
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| Two piles of stone either side of the door, which is almost 5' high. These came out of the floor, when Michel and Simon set to work with a pick! |
Finally, the room was cleared and Simon and Michel got to work with the picks. I did help, but was very girlie and not much use really. By the time the men had finished, this is what we ended up with. Huge piles of stone, which is difficult to give an idea of the size.
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| These are the foundations of the original house, now partially exposed. |
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| You can see the foundations below the door in this picture. See above picture, where Simon was standing by this door. Once again, enter Bernard de Paris. He knew that we had had a difficult time with the roof and he also had known our house as a child. During our evening of wine, wine and more wine, we had spoken with Bernard at length about our hopes for the future. Bernard grew up in Naves and now lives in Paris, running and international business. He promised that when he had lunch with his Architect, he would ask for names of reputable builders, as putting in the floor will be a very important component in the structure of the house. Enter, M. Mazeau - M. Mazeau lives and works in Charroux, a medieval village just 6 km away. Building in Charroux is controlled by strict planning controls and therefore we thought that he might be a good choice. Of all the names which Bernard gave us, the only one to respond to us was M. Mazeau. Instantly Simon and I met him, we liked him. He exuded something that I can only call trust. We showed him around and he was quietly confident. Asking questions which made complete sense to me and he even was able to understand my French. He did say that the wrong tiles have been put onto the roof of the snug and that these should have been canal tiles. We told him of the problems we've had and how much it has cost us so far. He was astounded. He took our plans away to copy and promised to return them the next day. Having both felt the same trust towards him, we allowed him to take the plans. However, I did afterwards kick myself, as that is a cardinal no-no. Do not let your signed plans out of your sight. We were due to leave on Thursday lunch time and this was Tuesday night. If M. Mazeau was not good for his word, then we had just cocked up, again. However, trying to be philosophical about the situation, I decided that it would test whether he would do what he said he would do. And he did. We were out when he returned the plans, but He left them on the door step, with a Devis to put in the floors to all the rooms, put in a tie bar on the barn (which Thierry had told me we needed months before, but no one else had mentioned) and also to build in the large opening of the barn, putting in a window and the pipe work in the interior for the plumbing to meet up with the Fosse. The total price including TVA was now lower than the original quote for the floors. Simon and I had done what we set out to do, which was save ourselves money. But so much more had come out of it. Some of which is yet to come to fruition and so, I can only hint at it here. Other things were that people whom I had met in the 6 weeks i had been out there, were pleased to see us. Henri, our neighbour, said that my French was improving and that he could now understand me (big compliment, I can tell you.) We had made more friends and the best of all, we felt that were are at home in that house. At no time, despite all of the difficulties so for, have we looked at it as anything other than our home. We have even bought furniture for a house, which we cannot put the furniture in. You might think that crazy, but to my, its all about manifesting your dreams. Think negatively, and that is what will happen. Think positively and you will over come the hurdles that are sure to be placed in your way. Nothing worth having in this life, comes easily. If it does, we dont value it and often over look its importance. If things transpire the way we believed they will when we left France on the 17th, then we will be very happy. |
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