30) A place is found in France!

We have finally moved in.  The acte de vente (the equivalent of completion) was signed a week before, so we had one week to get all the services re-connected, whilst we still had the comparative luxury of living in the gite (hot and cold water, beds, furniture, electricity etc.)  We did pretty well.  The water was turned on, and we arranged for a plombier to re-connect the hot water tank and by-pass the boiler (which doesn't look awfully safe).  EDF turned up on schedule to turn the electricity on, and the same afternoon an electrician came to test it was all (more or less) safe.  Orange even turned up (having rung to say their van had broken down) and we got not only a telephone, but also broadband as well (after we had managed to work out the access codes, which the engineer, who only spoke Occitan, clearly did not have the slightest clue about).

As a result, we felt very pleased with ourselves - for about a day.  Then there was a spectacular storm, which blew the electrics, various taps and joints started to leak, the second loo began oozing something vile from underneath its pedestal, and the water softener, which had sat stagnant for eighteen months, rendered our water non potable.


Luckily we had arranged to have lots of different artisans come round to look at the work that needs doing, and various of them came to our rescue.  Within a few days everything was pretty much sorted, and we are now very happy in our new home (albeit we have no furniture, or indeed anything).  We are off to the UK tomorrow for a couple of weeks, then our things arrive from storage at 8.00am the day after we get back.

There is likely to be yet another lull in the postings while we are away, but in the meantime here are a few photos to illustrate where we have got to.

At the moment we have no furniture so things are a bit bare

Lots of spare bricks have allowed us to construct some temporary  tables

Two foam mattresses on the floor act as a bed (notice the curtain material on the ceiling)

A great view to wake up to in the morning, though

More bricks and an old cupboard door make quite a good dressing table (notice the quiet good taste in wallpaper)

Wildlife seen across the field from our temporary dressing room

As our tools are in store, we have had to do a Heath Robinson  on the post box

Septic tanks are definitely the less romantic aspect of rural France

Our only method of cooking is a barbecue, but what the heck?

I am getting very excited about the prospect of the wood turning out to be rich in  truffles

Although everything's very beautiful, some of the wildlife is very BIG

There are lovely walks all around, and now  the sunflowers have come out

G is very relaxed about our first dinner party (the door has already been laid)

A good time (and an enormous amount of wine) was had by all

Proud owners outside their new home in France - now the work really begins