I am currently sitting under a tree in the back garden with the laptop on my lap typing this while dressed in the latest French fashion. Tile dusted Capri pants over top of black ski pants, two pairs of socks, three silk tops, a sweatshirt and a old paint spattered t shirt of Vicki’s completes my outfit. I also see I have streaks of blue paint on my left elbow so I’m well and truly reno’d.
<if only Debbie Travis could see me now>
I had wondered why I had packed Big Red with so many clothes – I’m glad I did, for like Isle of Man I have ended up wearing every stitch I own in order to stay warm even though during the day the temps can range in the 20’s C, at night, it drops like a rock once the sun goes down and the house of course has no heat other than the fireplace.

May 13 2006
Vicki and I had started out with the idea of getting the whole floor tiled before the ‘la cuisine complete’ would arrive from IKEA <parts of it were supposed to have arrived last Friday- no such luck>* Vicki had wanted the floor tiled and ready for the flatpacks which were sure to arrive at the most inconvenient moment.
*Note: IKEA in any language means ‘we don’t have that in stock until July’.
Some of the wall tiles had to be trimmed to size with tile cutter set up in the barn and Vicki had been using one of those Ikea pencils. Unfortunately as soon as the water from the blade hits the pencil mark it disappears!
That was when I remembered I had a fine point Sharpie permanent marker in my bag – miracle of miracles it was just the thing to use.
No more disappearing lines!
So I won a ‘two day reprieve from THE POND’  which means  I have ‘pond-credit’ and won’t be meeting Mr Serpent a ‘ leau <water snake> for at least two days.
<If I keep on doing things like this, chances are I will be dry by the time Wednesday rolls around and I’m on that plane back to Dublin>
   
Vicki told me it took FIVE days for the self leveling floor to dry instead of the 24 hours as promised! We also had an interesting time with the cement mix, stiff and thick like good icing but as you begin to work with it, becomes soupier and soupier. This does not bode well for tile laying.
Right – it’s now the afternoon and Vicki has had it. Pete the Builder from next door is installing a window in the tile room and with all the noise, we women fled and drove out into the brief sunshine.
THE WOMEN ESCAPE!   Side trip to Fources and Montreal -
Vicki showed me two of her favourite little towns, first Fources <pronounced ‘forces’> which has a wonderful little antique store and I picked up a few pieces in the 5 Euro bargain box. Then on to Montreal which though not as pretty as Fources has a well loved church which has the most amazing hand painted friezes and columns. I took a shot of a ceramic statue of St. Bernadette in the Gascogne costume showing her white headdress and regional dress.

 

So we started off with good will and energy, laid about 8 tiles and that was when Vicki discovered that ‘one’ tile that was noticeably higher than the rest. This of course would have to be the one in the middle and when she went to press on it, realized that ALL of the tiles we had laid over the last two days had still not ‘gone off’ <dried> and were quite flexible! I suppose I should mention at this point that it was raining when we laid them? And there is no heat to dry them – no space heater. We should have clued in when

Though the day was overcast, there was enough warmth to make it very pleasant sitting outside in the town square, Vicki with her coffee, me with my camera shooting a cafe’ ette with her coffee and ever present mobile.
It turns out it was a good thing we took the break as it was not happy news when we returned.
Pete the builder had ordered and installed the wrong window plus there was no hot water.
So that meant that Vicki had to go next door to have a ‘chat’ with Pete while Geoff had to figure out why the hot water was turned off.
He did and hot water returned.
No news re: window and I’m wisely not asking.
It was of course the 13th today.