Life In The Deep Freeze

The snow came, stopped, stayed and then came back again. Temperatures sometimes venture into that heady region just above freezing for a few hours before settling right down again and today, six days after it came, the snow is glistening quite majestically under a furiously bright sunny sky at 2 degrees below. Indoors however, Eric Clapton is cheering us on, as we three adventurers prepare to eat the chicken casserole that’s being slow cooking for three hours causing gastric juices to flow with rising anticipation of the hearty glow soon to be within us, while we lay the table and pull corks from bottles.

My friend Paul arrived from Malta last weekend in his white van laden with tools and the bride finally made it late on Tuesday. However, this was after circling the airport at Poitiers while her pilot searched unsuccessfully to find a runway and then spent the next 2 hours being bussed back from Limoges while I slowly turned to ice in a deserted terminal building dreaming up equally strength sapping discomfitures for its architect for deciding that a heating system would have been an extravagance!

We are now three and enjoying the companionship of a bigger family and as suspected, within 48 hours of his arrival, Beast (old nickname with history, fortunately not all bad), has claimed my workshop as his own, installed racking for his tools and built a 3.8 metre long work bench, soon to be the envy of all who gaze upon it. He now only refers to the workshop as, ‘the joinery shop’, and I can see it may take a monumental force of personality ever to put it to my intended use as a home and workshop for my beloved classic cars!  

Having Paul here is a real bonus, as his professional skills are already boosting progress in leaps and bounds. 

The sub zero temperature however has made it impossible to work in the barn, so plan B has been put into place in the main house. The partition between Paul’s and the adjoining bedroom came down in a morning and sadly, the motor bike wallpaper in one room and the Spanish galleons in the other are now history as well. Miraculously, a beautiful limestone block wall was hiding under the wallpaper, this being glued directly to the dressed stonework, which is adding an unexpected additional touch of sophistication to the gites’ décor.

We’re going to investigate hot and cold water plumbing options tomorrow. Copper has ruled itself out due to its prohibitive price here, so it’s between two plastic systems, one of which comes with three entirely different jointing options. Why? Because it’s French!

Keep warm and more soon.

TTFN

LC

Letting the kids choose the wallpaper seemed a good idea at the time

Phil often remembers his day’s as a drummer with Genesis with a warm appreciation.