Rent A Traditional Country
Farmhouse in South-West France
Week 56 |
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Day 362, Monday 2nd May
Its going to be a warm day so a quick breakfast and then straight back to laying tiles. The reason I've put this picture in, is so that I remember to finish plastering some time during the tiling, so that the sockets can be fitted to the wall. I'm not sure the Health & Safety guys would like my temporary power connections. In the afternoon, we go a little further than the local Brico's to get the right colour grout. This we do, and I manage to get an extra bag at half price as it was broken open! Well if you don't ask, you don't get; even in my French. While we're out, I get suckered. We go to a hyper-market for a cup of coffee before going home. While there, we go and look at the sit-on lawn mowers. They have one which has everything we want, at a really good price. The Boss insists we get some information. As usual; in the vernacular, she bottles it. I have to do the talking, and we end up buying it on a credit card. Perhaps I'll have to go out cutting lawns for others in order to pay for it. When we get back, its too late for tiling, but this is what it now looks like. |
No, I'm not planning to sleep in the lounge to guard the tiles and despite the lawnmower trick, I'm not making the Boss sleep there either |
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Soon, I'll have to cut the jungle down to lawn size
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Day 363, Tuesday 3rd May
In case you're wondering, the Monday picture was actually Sunday, and this was was Monday. So on Wednesday, I'll show you the Tuesday picture. Got it?
Early start, mixing tile cement in the wheel barrow. And no real excitement during the day, except for the light shower of rain which made me dash outside to bring the bags of dry tile cement in. The door to the lounge needs a bit more cut off the bottom. However, the cutting has to take place with the door on, as it does not come off. And that really is hard work. The Boss putting the cement down in blobs, me levelling and spreading the cement. The Boss then lays the tiles and puts the spacers in and I level the tiles. By the end of the day, except for the corner under the cupboard you can see above, a space around the door and the part tiles round the outside, its done. Now just the cut tiles and grouting.
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Day 364, Wednesday 4th May Final day of tiling before we begin grouting. However its all the cut tiles. Because of the lack of straight walls, each cut is different, and many are not straight. This means each tile has to be marked in situ, then cut and then checked for accuracy. And if I'm on my normal form, then probably cut again to get it right! |
And what do call a man with wet kitchen towel in his ears? |
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My tile cutter works well for the bathroom tiles, but on these tiles many do not cut well. Cheaper tiles means they have to be cut using a grinder. This is noisy. I've tried protecting my ears using my mini headphones but that was no good. No cotton wool, so wet toilet paper will have to do. By the time the Boss gets back, most of the tiles around the edge are cut, but not yet laid. That's the job for after lunch. And tomorrow, grouting.
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Day 365, Thursday 5th May Voting day in the UK. We're so excited about it all, that we haven't watched TV for three days and I intend sitting up all night as the results come in! And if you believe that, you'll believe anything. The Boss is off food shopping so I'm grouting on my own. I start with a corner of the room, using a thick mix of grout and a grouting squeegee. The grout goes on well but leaves a lot on the tile surface and after the kitchen experience, I'm not leaving the excess to dry for too long. Then I try a thinner mix, pouring it into the joints. Clearly, it fill the gaps more easily and I presume it runs into any spaces under the tiles as well. However, it needs regular wiping over as the grout seems to settle leaving a deep gully between the tiles. As its French lessons in the afternoon, I make the mistake of leaving these tiles without cleaning off the excess. In the evening, I begin the cleaning. I now have a new rule about tiling. Always grout in the morning and clean the excess within a few hours.
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Day 366, Friday 6th May We wake up to discover that lying does pay. Well Tony Blair got re-elected as British Prime Minister, so it must! As it was Ascension Day yesterday and a public holiday, the Boss did not get any food, so she's off again this morning. And of course as always after a days holiday, the supermarket is packed. I spend an exciting morning cleaning excess dried grout off tiles and putting away all the tools that have accumulated around the house over the past few weeks. Definitely no more grouting late in the day! After lunch its off to Bergerac airport.
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Day 367, Saturday 7th May
After breakfast, Clyde and I have to find a way to get the new lawn mower out of the van. Its too heavy to lift and it is sitting on a palette. Some big boards, a lot of pulling and pushing and hey presto! We have a lawn mower to assemble. Most of the instructions are straight forward, but just like self-assembly furniture there is always at least one problem. We have done all the hard stuff. The lawn mower is ready to go, but the grass catcher, has got us stumped. No matter how many times we read the instructions we're left scratching our heads. Try the diagram this way up; stand on your head and look at it; read it again; look at the bits still not fitted. Finally in a moment of inspiration we get it (actually Clyde got it) and of course, then it's easy. Then petrol, oil and away we go! |
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The grass is so long that the catcher keeps getting blocked and the box needs emptying every few yards, but it's still easier than the "less bover hover". Out to dinner in the evening to a Vietnamese restaurant. It makes a good change.
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Day 368, Sunday 8th May The sun is out, and its getting warm again. Fresh bread for breakfast, from the wood fired bakery in the middle of nowhere, but its great bread, if your false teeth have been well made. Then its sit in the sun, lie on the freshly cut grass, and when I can't resist the temptation any longer, I go and cut a bit more grass. Especially for our friends who planted it, this is the "mound", looking just like a putting green; well, if you have a good imagination.
Then its back to Bergerac to drop Clyde off. And on the way back travelling through the "Double" forest, the Boss makes me get out and pull up a wild seedling acacia tree. I hope none of the hillbillies that live in the forest saw me
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The day begins with an early trip to the builders
merchant for more tile cement. As it's market day, I go round the outskirts of town instead of through
the middle, which will be really slow.
It just has to be croissant day; and it is!