Doors

Most the day away today giving a second opinion on some damp at Donna and Hugh's new house...picked up a door for my troubles which should come up a treat when it's stripped and be perfect for our bedroom.

Slow

After racing along in wood, it's now back to a snails pace trying to finish the last bit of stonework. It's always slow once your up high and double slow now the scaffolding has been collected by it's owner....everything has to be carried up the ladder.

The big lift

After a very long day yesterday and dawn start this morning, preparing all the beams and fixings - the lifting team assembled at 10.00 this morning. Each beam weighs in at about 280kg but 2 hours later everything was up and it was beers all round! Susie, Jasper and Ruby watched via the webcam. Thanks everyone for your invaluable help and Sheri for taking all the photos.

This afternoon a big clear-up, grouting in the beam ends and bearings, more preparation of joists and then their installation.

Planning permission

Horrah! Today I received planning permission (Permit de Construire) for the extension. Just as well as hopefully the first floor will go up on Sunday! A busy day getting materials, then casting the last pad stone and pointing. Also the first injury today...I clouted my little finger with the hammer and it's gone all black! Gonna lose the nail for sure - it's the first time I've ever lost a nail.

Pointing

Today was a marathon of pointing - still both sides of the last remaining bit of wall to do. Also moved the massive oak lintol. Need to build a crane or wait for some visitors!Update:I flexed my muscles and the lintol is up...bloody hell I'm knackered.

Stuff

Plenty of veg with the warm wet weather.

Progress!

Slow progress

A couple of days of torrential rain - time for finishing off jobs at Pont. Alun and Breezy are back and dropped in to see the progress at Pont.

Today was warm but humid...progress was slow but the addition of scaffolding has helped.

Back to work

After a cold wet day yesterday, today has been warm, allowing me to scythe all the bracken in the 2 large fields in front of the house. There are some fence posts to be replaced and I heard a large tree fall in the woods.

Through the mid morning I rebated the little window frame and then pressed on with building up the front wall of the extension. A quick trip to St Girons for food and this evening a soiree at Sandrine and John's. It was Sandrine's birthday last week.

Port d'Aula

The rain overnight brought fresh snow to the mountains this morning, so Susie and I set off to the Port d'Aula and a quick foot inside Spain. It was fresh all the way and the last few hundred metres to reach the Port were bitterly cold (-2) with light snow and a strong wind (gusts of 45 km/h).

Yoga at 2000m

Knackered!

At the Port d'Aula

En route we saw a solitary vulture soaring around the Cuns d'Aula and 4 Isard which took flight as we approached.

Turgilla with Susie

Susie is here and after a couple of days relaxing in the sun after the long journey, feasting on our home grown vegetables (beetroot, lettuce, radishes and a cep) and making another little oak window frame, today we went for a stroll up to the Cabane Turguilla.

A lovely gentian

20 minutes from the hut the thunder started and we just made the hut before the heavens open and a huge storm ensued. The wind was gusting and inside the hut it sounded like the roof would be torn off! We were none the less warm and cosy and after eating our lunch decided to have a siesta - hopeful that the storm would blow over! After a couple of hours it was still raging so we realised that we would have to brave it. We put on all our clothes and waterproofs but no sooner had we stepped outside than the rain stopped the clouds parted and out came the sun!

Dung beetles hard at work

An unidentified beetle

Phew...

Just about finished at Pont now. Valuer came, but I have to wait until next week for the valuation as she wants to consult a colleague.

A productive day at Pont, 4 more sheep sheared in the evening, very hot (38 in the sun) and too many strawberries!

Champagne and ceps

A very productive day at Pont: coving up, bedroom painted, skirting and architraves in bedrooms 2 and 3, and few other little jobs, then off to St Girons for materials and sand.

Hot today (36 in the sun when I got home at 5.30). A short walk to get tea (a cep) then on the spur of the moment decided to shear one of the sheep. Mini is the biggest and has the thickest wool so did her first - a bit of a battle but after about 30 mins all was done.

A cep to fry then the champagne bottles to sterilise before bottling up....it's fizzing away strongly so might leave it one more day.

Pont

All day at Pont working on the final bedroom. Next week the plan is to do any farmwork at dawn, work a full day at Pont (with the aim of getting it finished by the end of the week), then doing pointing of the walls at home in the evening. I haven't posted any pictures of Pont for a while so I quickly took some today. Need to do some proper ones with a wide angle lens.

House and barn

Garden

Terrace

Shower

Bathroom

Bedroom 1

Bedroom 1 with the hand carved marble sink in the window

Living/dining room the door leads out to the terrace

Looking towards the kitchen from the living room

Fireplace in the living room

Kitchen

Kitchen

Bedroom 2

Little bedroom 3

Bedroom 4 under construction

A relaxing day helping Susie to dismantle and reassemble our bed over skype, continuing with the slow process of stabilising the new doorway (not pretty but it's all being plastered) and some general site clearance.

The bullfinch chicks are doing well there's either 3 or 4 chicks from the 5 eggs.

No Valuation

I had time to make curtains for the bedroom and living room, weed the vegetable garden and scythe the verge before the man from SPANC arrived to check the septic tank. It got the thumbs up! Then I headed over to Pont, hung the curtains, hung a door, sanded some plaster, collected some sand...the estate agent didn't show. Eventually, I left for home and got a message that she had got lost and been unable to find the property. Another rendezvous has been made for next Thursday. Hopefully I can finish most the works by then.

I'm knackered...an early night beckons.

New septic tank!

The septic tank and filter are under the little green manhole

Another busy day. First of all building some support for the "dodgy" wall. Then pressing on with the oak frame for the double kitchen/diner window when a prolonged thunderstorm arrived in the afternoon.

The septic tank works are complete and operational - an inspection tomorrow from SPANC the specialist department of the water board (SMDEA) which looks after septic tank installations.

There is still a lot of stone walling to build including a retaining wall and I'm reconsidering if I need the little window beside the big double one.

View from the kitchen

View up the road