Transformation takes time!

When we left the house at the end of June 2010 we were happy that the roof was going on.  In between time, as you have seen, there has been much work done and little by little our house is turning from a pile of stones held together by shear force of will to something which will stand for many more years to come, certainly see us out.  As you can see in this first photo, the end wall above the bread oven was looking decidedly sorry for itself.  In April, Simon and I made our annual 'pilgrimage' to start the ball rolling for this year. 



As you can see below - thanks to team work and Simon being prepared to sit on 3 pieces of wood over the bread oven, balanced on the top of ladders which were either side of it, the wall now looks a whole lot safer and less at risk.   We also finished the front of the Bread Oven and discovered that the door at the top of it (far right of the pic) was actually a pidgeon coop where the pidgeons were kept warm in the winter by the warmth from the oven!

I have to admit, we could have done with some warmth this time.  The house was like a meat locker when we arrived!  I'm sure that 30 years without habitation or heating may have something to do with it but that first night, Simon and I clung to each other for warmth and the first thing we did the next morning was buy a convector heater.  Within a couple of days, the room was lovely and warm, but the weather didnt improve at all - however we  did manage to get work done, as you can see.  We also arranged with a couple of local contractors for work to be done and fingers crossed, by the time we return in September, the first floor will be in in the barn and the fosse will be in.  Luc Faure came to meet with us and said he had been passing our house and wondering how he would be able to get his machinery in to make the fosse (the shared access problem).  He also confirmed that the Mairie have asked him to quote for clearing/making the Chemin to access our property and he asked if we owned the land in between.  Beaming, we were able to say that we do and he was happy about that too.  He said 'now there is no problem, your fosse will be in by September'.  Which will be great for us - we can actually attach a toilet  to save us having to go to another village.....Yeay!!

I looked down the Chemin, which will become our private access, as this goes no where but to what is evidently the old access to our property in times gone by.  When you first turn into the Chemin, you cannot see our house, hardly at all, so the idea will be that as you arrive down the Chemin, and the house appears 'out of the ground' it will entice you to come and investigate.  The wall on the right is the back of the Dr's property and the fence to the left is a property at which we have never seen anyone other the gardener.

Michel Williaume is putting in the windows on the ground floor of the barn, almost as I type this. We have put the drainage in at the back of the house and due to running out of time on this visit, it will be something to finish in September, when we plan to finish the pointing on the back of the house.  As you can see, we have started but the weather was not really very helpful.

Thankfully though, there are people in the village who do want to see us succeed.  Mr Bonchereau watches us from his patio door/veranda.  If the weather is a little warmer, he comes out and waves at us but we notice that he has become more frail since we saw him last year.  He tells us he is 86 in August.  One morning, Simon and I were walking to the car, talking, looking at the house and discussing what we were going to do that day.  It was a warmer day and Mr Bonchereau came out without us noticing and shouted to Simon - Bon Travail!  He had been watching Simon sitting on our make shift scaffolding over the bread oven, rebuilding the wall to the gable end and as you can see - it is certaily looking better.  He has asked me what we are going to do about the window at the back which you can see next to his lilac tree.  Someone has done a very poor job of fitting a window which is too large for the hole and butchered the wall to get it in.  This will be another job for our Michel. We shall call this Michel 'Michel le pierre', as he is our mason....!  He is going to help Simon to create the large window at the front which we have seen in many of the houses in the area.  It will need a large oak lintel which the porte-fenetre will sit under, with windows each side and  a small wall each side which will sit under these windows.  Beaucoups de lumiere !! :-))

Then we start on the inside.  As I say, we hope that the first floor will be in place in the barn in the next few months.  We have a price for French oak.  It's half the price of English oak and I'm sure that purists will say that this is because there is a difference in quality.  My answer to that is what is currently in the house has lasted for the last 200 years, so I'm sure that we wont have too much to worry about.  As much as I might like to live there for ever, it's not likely to be that long!!

Anyhow, progressing to the social side - Annie is her usual lovely, bubbly and irrepressible self.  We did have some fun, especially when she came for dinner one night.  I had invited Michel le pioche, (who is renamed by Annie my self as Mon St Michel) Annie and our new friend Denis for dinner and the gas ran out the night before they were due to come.  As it was a Bank Holiday in May the next day, I wasnt able to get any gas, so had to manage on a 1 ring gas stove, start the meal off and then put it into the 18 ltr oven which Id taken with me.  With copious wine, we had a ball !

One of many evenings and lots of hospitality - On the last Sunday, as we had made sure that we didnt have any food in the house as we were leaving early next morning, we had decided to go the the Auberge in Charroux for lunch.  Simon said I should go and book a table, as we hadnt managed to get in the week before.  Again, she was fully booked and I'm not suprised as they offer a very good meal at a good price. 

Consequently, I went round to another restaurant I know of in the village, which has a good reputation and the minute I saw it from outside, I knew it would be good.  Luckily the owner just happened to come out as I was approaching the door to see if I could book.  After a few moment chatting, it was all arranged for 12.30 - when I gave our name, he looked slightly puzzled and asked 'Etoile?'  when I said yes, he smiled.  I think he liked it.

Here is a link to the restaurant - if you are ever in our vacinity, we hope you'll stay with us and this place will certainly be worth a visit !   http://www.fermesaintsebastien.fr/restaurant.php .  Unfortunately, since we looked at the site after returning, I think some work is being carried out, as the video has been removed, but I will keep an eye on that and try to upload again later.

A Bientôt