Monday, 3 March 2014

Sun, snow and plaster-board

OK, it has been mostly plaster-board.

We started on the big room (kitchen/dining-room/living-room) when we got back after the long stay in UK.  Twenty-three sheets went on the ceiling (a kind builder friend lent us a magic machine for winding it up)

 and 30 on the walls (the pink one is fire-resistant and will be behind our wood-burner). 
 


But it's now all done and we're waiting for a 'jointeur' to do all the joints.  We have done them all upstairs but this was just too daunting.

Meanwhile we spent 6 days with the walking club at Llloret de Mar at the beginning of February.  On the way there we stopped to see some interesting 'organ-pipe' geology, a bit like Bryce Canyon but smaller, quite spectacular nevertheless.


 The bus got stopped by the Spanish motorway police who went over it with a fine-tooth comb and managed to find something to fine the driver 280 euros on the spot.  I think they have to earn their salary in fines as the Spanish economy is bust and there's no point trying to fine the Spanish!  Then we spent 3 days doing various walks and a day out in Barcelona.  The cathedral (pictured) was designed by Gaudi and was started about 80 years ago and is still unfinished - hence the cranes.  Quite impressive though.




 Unfortunately Judy's foot is still bad (pulled tendon) but she managed some of the walks and lots of wandering with others who were just there for the fun, the sun, sea and general merry making.


 We had been keeping an eye on the snow reports and the weather forecast and managed to find a few days when both were good at the same time.  So off to Ax les Thermes where we fought our way through the snow on day one but then had three glorious days of sunshine.  Again Judy's foot was a bit of a limitation - she was fine going up and along the flat but no brakes!  No fun in that so she walked in the snow or sat in the sun.  It was actually pretty good!



 On the way back we stopped at IKEA in Toulouse to design our kitchen.  Took hours, and then they wouldn't let us order it for June delivery!  But a good thing really because after we got home we wanted to change a few things.  We also went to buy the wood-burner as the shop (Leroy Merlin) were showing one in stock but when we got there they didn't have one.  So we have to go to Agen (closer) to order one.  Really looking forward to a finished room with kitchen and fire.  Fed up with all the dust everywhere.

Meanwhile, as all the heavy machinery is finished, we've had the drive done, so the parking area is looking smart and not muddy.


We've just got back from a weekend, also with the walking club, snow-shoeing in the Pyrenees. 


This time it was Chris who had to opt out as he got a flu-type bug on the Saturday night so didn't eat, drink or do the Sunday walk!  Much to the amusement of the assembled group who had never seen him drink only water!









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