While I’m on my first call of the day the delivery guy arrives with the new scaffolding tower. Rather than just come to the door, I can see that he is sat on the other side of the road opposite the house. Seems I can’t ignore the French phone so have to excuse myself to answer it, tell him to come to the house and shout down to Matt to go and meet him.

Since I have my Director here and my new employee who is starting in the new year, as Managing Director Friday before Christmas is Christmas jumper day. While I wasn’t ready for my first call, I’d borrowed Tonia’s Olaf jumper for my second call with the Prof. Not quite sure what he made of it, he probably thinks I’m a bit weird but we all have our idiosyncrasies right.

More work for me as I try to get a few bits and pieces finished off before all my colleagues go on leave. So while I beaver away Tonia is doing some more stripping in the kitchen and Matt is taking photos…

Matt’s then off to the basement to widen the holes that he made yesterday so that they are big enough to run the gaines through. Much of my work is now done and Matt wants to go down to Luchon. It’s a nice day and there’s snow up there in them hills.

Bricomarche for some stud rails to create the frame for the utility room in the basement (and location of the new power board). Clearly Matt is a pro with the ratchet straps after all those Burning Man trips which is handy as most of them are 3m long so they weren’t going to fit in the car. I think Tonia just liked climbing on the car.

Lidl next. Managed to spend quite a bit but we do need to test the local sparkling options ahead of Christmas day. Would be quite the let down if we ended up with something sub par. Also picked up a cheeky case of St Emillion, 2 bottles of Hortus Gin at 15EUR each (bargain), Tequilla for Christmas Margharitas (Camp family tradition), and some Pastis (well we are in France and Matt doesn’t recall if he’s had it before).

Mr Brocolage next. Curtain rails and some of the hangers as going to steal a couple of the curtains from the Salle a Manger for the Salon for the time being to help make it a cozy Christmas. Unfortunately couldn’t get all the ones we needed though. Back to Bricomarche. Thankfully they have some hangars that are the same length.

Made a start on the scaffolding but seems we have to lay it on its side. Currently there’s not enough room so we’re going to have to clear the boxes.

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Tools down to the basement workshop, few things to the garage and a good sort out in the salle a manger so we now also have a better idea where things actually are. Now to finish putting together the scaffolding.

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Well that definitely goes up high enough as Matt is hitting his head on the ceiling (which is 3.8m).

Time for our ‘work’ Christmas dinner, and being a UK company in France we’re having steak hache and chips. The workers seem pretty happy with it.

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Time to get the party started with some prosecco and decorating the Christmas Tree that Tonia put up while Matt and I did dinner.

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This room is almost done – there’s still some more decs to go up on the ceiling but will need the scaffolding back for that so best leave it for another day. We have some more drinking and silly dancing to do.

Seems that the kids are up as they’re responding to messages so had a good chat and catch up about what’s happening back home and plans for Christmas. It’s now 3am and I think its time for bed, someone seems to disagree though…