The kitchen saga - and visitors

Our IKEA kitchen was due to be delivered on Monday 26th May, so we just got back in time.  The guys who delivered it said, "It looks like some bits may be a bit damaged".  We found a few small bits so phoned IKEA who said they'd send replacements next week.  Then we started putting the cabinets together as we had a kitchen-installer friend arriving on the Friday and Thursday was (another) bank-holiday.  By the end of Monday we had 31 damaged things, including base units, wall units, drawers, shelves, doors, you name it!  So, made the big decision and took it all back to IKEA in Bordeaux who were not at all impressed but fortunately had it all in stock, so we came back with all we needed.

We started getting all the base units together and things progressed well but as we opened more and more we found more and more damaged. Fortunately all the base units and worktops were fine and we were missing only 2 wall units, plus assorted bits and pieces so when Christophe arrived to install the kitchen we had a few base units in, the plumbing ready and so progress was rapid over the two days he was here.  He came back for a couple of hours on Sunday morning and then it was wait for IKEA.

To be fair to IKEA, they did respond well to all the problems and got things delivered to replace damaged bits.  I think they'll have a big argument with the delivery company!

So here are a few photos of progress towards the finished article.

Fiona and Ray arrived on the Friday of the kitchen installation, but by then we had base units, worktops, sink and even the dish-washer plumbed in.  Chris worked with Christophe on the Saturday while Judy played tourist guide, then big celebration in the evening as the kitchen was nearly finished - what a relief!

We really enjoyed having them to stay as it means we can take a break (sympathy, anyone?) and enjoy the countryside, food, wine and music.

We had a few more days to finish a few little kitchen bits and also work in the garden which had been neglected since we left for Canada before Donna arrived.

We picked up Donna from Toulouse airport on Monday morning which was fortunately another bank holiday so no traffic jams.  Spent the next few days doing the tourist bit and introducing her to friends here.  Our friend Helene invited us to dinner one evening and she had invited two of her 'young men' friends, both of whom turned out to be gardeners, so that was really good for Donna.  A bit of luck as Helene didn't know that Donna was a gardener too.  The week passed in a rush of the usual fun things including the opening of an art exhibition so Donna could do her arty thing as well and where we bought two paintings.

Now off to the UK to visit the 'rellies'.