Monday

It’s a big day today and a very early morning to go along with it. Up at ’em before 8am local time. There was a good reason however. The pool guys are due to arrive. Even more surprising however was the fact that they didn’t just arrive on the right day but they were even early, and there’s a whole team of them.

Can’t just stand around watching them work all day though as we have to concentrate on our on work so we can pay for theirs. Matt however has to ensure that the power is working so that they can connect up the bits in the pool house. I’ve also decided that the other guy is now dubbed ‘French Matt’ – well he’s the technical guy and I’m not feeling very inspired right now, we can call him Mathieu if you prefer.

It seems the moles round here have been supersized. Either that or it may have something to do with this rather large hole in the ground.

As they were finishing for the day it looked as though they’d made some pretty good progress. There’s also a lot of gravel been dropped off today.

Sadly however they appear to have been taking some shortcuts – across my flowerbeds! At least they have levelled the games lawn, a bit anyway; some of the boulders in there look like bedrock.

Having a team of people here that need to be paid however has focused the minds and we’ve still got more work to get done before we can take a break so late dinner and early to bed. It was also a very early morning.

[28 March 2022]

Tuesday

It’s another busy day for the pool install. There’s even more big trucks today, and we get to see them lift it across the hedge and into the gap.

There was lots of extra work needed to get it into the right place, level things up, move things around – all of which made us incredibly grateful that we’d decided to get the professionals in for this job. It was not one for which we were either competent or capable. So we’d best stop watching them and get back to work to pay them.

After work I managed to get a couple of the new jasmine planted and was good to see the grape hyacynths coming into bloom. Matt has meanwhile been working on dinner – looks like pie! ?

[29 March 2022]

Wednesday

Really just a generally busy day. The pool is getting filled and we are busy working. Sadly however it seems that large machinery close to relatively small but very expensive trees is not a good idea and the tree isn’t going to do much to the digger…

[30 March 2022]

Thursday

What a long day, and already a very long week.

Matt got me up quite early, as he hadn’t packed yet he needed to have the lights on and curtains open. I then had some calls before we could get off to the train station. Unfortunately, I thought he was on the late flight and so hadn’t arranged my meetings accordingly. He was therefore sent up rather early but at least, we hoped, the lounge would finally be open for one of us.

Always sad to see him leave. But, it was nice to start cleaning the house and know it might stay like it for more than 2 minutes. Before I do that however there are a few work calls to crack on with. First break was to take care of the kitchen. The floors took longer than expected. Those stupid one layer mop things need to be cleaned about 28 times to get anything up or all you do is push it around. It’s probably not perfect but it’s better.

More calls and quick clear around and we are starting to look like a space I can live in for the next few days. At least I can now that the recycling is also done.

The cat’s more annoying without Matt to entertain her. I mean, it’s nice to have her hold my hand in sympathy that he’s left us both but it really isn’t helping me work/

Time for bed.

[31 March 22]