Monday

Team Steve starts today. Will be great to have things moving along while Matt and I have to work. Unfortunately we won’t be there to greet them as we have to go to Luchon for Matt’s work medical. After a lot of very quick chat in French it turned out to largely be one of those – what is your home set up, do you sit properly, what level is your screen at – types of assessments. The nurse chap was very nice but he spoke incredibly quickly so Matt was super pleased I was there to help.

A quick stop off at Lidl and Brico – to get some glass to replace a few of the windows – and we’re on the way home. Job 1 was for Matt and Steve 1 to get the window out so that they can finish replacing the manual shutter with the electric one. Unfortunately in the process another pane of glass also got broken. Other than that it was mostly working on the window surrounds and some taping and joining.

After work I started to help Matt get the old external metal shutter out and then washed. It wasn’t as easy as you might think. But once out we were on it. Finally time to get the shutter back in as without any window there we need to block it up to keep some heat in at least.

Next it’s time to look again at the Pink SdB. I’m not really clear why they painted over the glass above the door. I’ve decided however that there is no good reason for someone to be naked up at that height so it would be better clear and will give a lot more light into the hallway. I’ve therefore got to strip it before we can put the flooring in. It’s slow going though so I’m going to have to look at my options. Thankfully Matt found the paint stripper that we used on the kitchen doors so I’ve tried some of that which seems to help.

That’s enough for one day, time for dinner and bed,

[20 February 2023]

Tuesday

Up early, but not quite before Team Steve arrived. It started well as we’re about to finish stage one (NHS OBC) on Friday and seem to be on target and client thinks we’re doing well. Just as I got off that call however I was getting some very upset noises about another project.

Oh for heavens sake, there’s no food however Matt tells me there’s two pieces of slightly stale bread and some cheese and almost off ham, sounds like a sandwich. Ah, the cheese is off too. Thankfully I defrosted a bit more cheddar so I do have some cheese. It’a glamorous life.

Time to take a break so I wandered upstairs to see what Team Steve has been up to. It seems that they have been working on the plumbing in what will become the room 1 ensuite and started to pull up the rotting floorboards.

Back to work and then realised it was pancake day, well I know what we’re doing for dinner! Yummy 🙂

[21 February 2023]

Wednesday

Busy day for Team Steve with decheterie runs, knocking out the old door and taping and joining.

First job for me, with a bit of help from our workers, is to clear the space where the old boiler used to be. Seems we’re pretty quick at filling up space as soon as it becomes available.

I’ve also been trying to start making progress on clearing the stones from what will become the games lawn. There’s a lot of them though and this is going to be a marathon not a sprint.

Afterwards it’s time to go on a quick shopping trip and to book my flight back to London. Apparently I need to come back for my first dress fitting, but I’m really coming back because I haven’t really been ‘home’ for a while. It will have been almost 4 months and with spring around the corner [lots of seeds to sow and nurture]; house jobs to finish/oversee; and work to get done I need to do this while I can. My biggest fear is missing the best snow days.

Either way, time for bed I’m exhausted.

[22 February 2023]

Thursday

Slow start to the day. Work and getting some wedding bits and pieces done but I have managed to finally get back to the photographer and confirm that along with a rough itinerary and list of all the ‘staged’ photos we want.

Team Steve has been working on the internal wall between Rooms 1 & 2. The existing wall is very thin so you can hear everything going on the other side. We couldn’t pick up any sound proofing last night but thankfully they have brought some over from theirs, it’s handy being able to trade supplies! They’ve also finished taking down the top bit of wall which will become a window once the old door is blocked up to allow more light into the hallway.

Steve 2 meanwhile has been cracking on with more of the taping and joining. The plasterboards are upstairs but not quite enough of the day to get them up but they have got the new wiring in for the bedside plug sockets. Maybe we’ll get a few up over the weekend so that Matt can then finish off the electrics.

I need to get back to trying to remove the paint off the windows above the Pink SdB door. It’s not really worked well so I’m going to try some more of the paint remover. It’s like overdosing on glue however so despite the cold I need to keep the windows open and I’m going to find somewhere else to be for an hour or so. I did also quickly put some on the frame of the window for Room 1. I may as well get it all done in one go if I can.

Time to check the postbox and today is a super good day. My cigarette bits have arrived from China and, much more exciting, my seeds have arrived from Tonia. I was so excited that I had to immediately go out and plant some. These will be the stars of the wedding flowers so pleased that they have finally got here and I can get some started. 6 of each might not be a lot but it’s put Room 1 back to the top of the list as it’s going to be my nursery.

With a few seeds in it’s time to head back upstairs and try to get some more of the paint off those windows. It seems to be going much better than it was, although still not quick. It’s so much better though and giving a huge amount more light to the hallway. Definitely the right idea.

With that done and Matt back from a trip to Luchon to pick up some more bits from the Brico and for dinner I’m on to doing the vegetables while Matt does the Beef Wellington.

It was quite late already so we only watched a quick bit of TV before Matt was heading off to bed. But…

These are the evenings you dream of living in the mountains. Matt just yelled randomly for me to come. Realising he meant now I dashed out, TV remote in hand to find him at the balcony door. It seems the snow is bucketing down. The flakes are huge!

I think work tomorrow just got cancelled. Matt’s gone to bed as he’ll be up first, I however need to prepare now as I’m useless in the morning. Eventually I found the helmets though and now the bags are packed, I’ve sent Matt a picture of everything so he knows what I’ve put in the bag already and so just have to get up early…!

[23 February 2023]

Friday

Up before 8am to get onto the slopes this morning. I was typically unimpressed by the whole start to the day but thankfully I’d packed everything last night and was pretty well prepped. Matt was still grumpy with me for grabbing as many minutes in bed as possible but we were out the door bang on time.

It was a beautiful journey up, even if it was early.

I found us a pretty good parking spot, it wasn’t in the very first car park but it was close and there were slim pickings, I however seemed to spot a good one that everyone else, including Matt wanted to drive past. Time to hit the slopes. With over 30cm of fresh fluffy powder yesterday and the sun shining it was perfect conditions. It was also weirdly quiet considering that it’s half term here now.

We stopped at lunch as Matt had to be on a conference call. We then grabbed some quick food and headed back. Just as I was getting into a perfect groove I went to get my phone to track my skiing only to find I didn’t have it. It appears that I must not have zipped up my pocket and it’s somewhere under the ski lift. FFS! Matt could see roughly where it was on his phone but the battery was pretty low so spent the next 45 mins looking for it. He had another call though so I met him and then trekked off on my own to go and look for it. After another hour of walking in between knee and waist deep snow I was fed up and hadn’t found it. I had found a random pair of kids red goggles so dropped them off at the lift shack. He advised me to log it at the billeterie in case it was found.

Matt has finished his call so came back up to meet me. We still need to get down to the other side of the mountain. I thought it was still good but apparently snowboarders are really picky, and he was hungry. I even gave him both of the last beignets so he’d be stop being grumpy – and that was quite the thing. Those are the best beignets I’ve ever had – they beat your regular doughnuts by being a couple of little bites with a much better dough to jam ratio. They’re amazing. Next time I’m buying 20.

Anyway, my afternoon skiing was incredibly on point; knees tight together, sweet turns, forward in my boots, gliding all the way. Matt went back to the car and took my skis and poles while I changed my boots for shoes and went to report my lost phone. I don’t hold out much hope that it will function in spring when they find it finally but you can only try. Then time to head home.

Time to get out of these clothes and back into jammies. Meow has missed us and is hungry. She’s been inside all day as it was snow covered when we left and she doesn’t like the snow.

Everyone fed and it’s time to kick back and relax. Matt’s legs are hurting and I’m annoyed I lost my phone. [I’m sure my legs will hurt in a day or so but are too stupid to tell me until later.]

[24 February 2023]

Saturday

Before work can start on the house I need to make it look like a house. It looks like a tip. Kitchen first then bathroom. Since work has been going on above it the bathroom is disgusting and I’d be hugely ashamed to invite anyone to use it. After a couple of hours I was finally done – apart from the floors.

Once I got Matt out of the kitchen after lunch I could finally start mopping the floors. Once it was done we were off to Isosol, the tile guys. We went and found the tiles we needed 3 left, perfect. After a short wait he gave them to us for free – I have to say they are incredibly good here. So much so that rather than leaving we went back in to have a look for the tiles for the ground floor SdB (bathroom). We got quotes for a couple of ideas but not 100% sure yet.

A quick stop at Action, Noz, Brico and the Troc and then to JC’s. Seems they have been watching the rugby but we made it for the first half of the England game. A quick drink before we drop by Intermarche on the way home. We need dinner and food for the weekend and we have some credit that can only be used by the card holder, which they keep telling Matt about but it’s in my name so he can’t spend it alone.

Finally back at the house ready for the second half of the match. Afterwards I figure it’s time to finally have a go at these floors. It’s not easy but it’s definitely a job that needs doing and doing properly. Hopefully you can see the difference but it’s not easy in a picture.

Exhausted, time for bed.

[25 February 2023]

Sunday

Up early – 11am on a Sunday is early. Matt has been up having breakfast, feeding the cat etc while I spent 10-11 watching some Doctors, it is Sunday after all.

It seems that we somehow have a load more washing up to do, despite having had pasta for dinner there’s trays and all sorts of things to wash up. Where did they come from?! Anyway, Job 1 C: is to get the kitchen cleared up again. With that done I can start to crack on with the other jobs in the house.

Job 2 C: finally get the last of the paint off the window above the door to the Pink SdB. I think it looks great and it’s going to make such a difference to the light in the hallway.

Meanwhile Matt has been cutting the insulation to go under the windows in Room 1 and is now off to make lunch. Apparently leftover beef wellington is a good sandwich filler, I’m in. Well, I’m sharing Matt’s anyway and half a sausage roll too.

Matt is off to put the plaster board on while I’ve spent 3 hours getting the blue paint off the old window frame as best I can. It’s still going to need some more work on the detailing but I’ve done a lot. On the other side however it seems that Matt’s able to use the sander, which took a small fraction of the time that I spent on the inside. I’m not complaining, it means I can get on with something else.

Since the rugby is starting soon I’ve decided that sanding plaster is a nice quiet job so I can hear what’s happening, so I’m off into Room 2 where I can have the laptop on the bed and thankfully I’m also 2 mins behind so as well as listening Tonia can alert me when something particularly exciting is going to happen. I’ve been making good process and it’s half time.

I’ve been bugging Matt about the raised planters I want, who in turn has been bugging me about deciding exactly what size they need to be. So this seems like as good a time as any to confirm. Turns out I want them each to be 2m long x1.2m wide and about 50cm tall – I also need a good 20cm top as I want to sit on the ledge. Tonia’s on the phone, time to get back to the rugby and sanding.

I’ve been at it for hours and it’s looking good. I’ve been called down to dinner however so time for a stop. After dinner though it was back to check on my work and start to sign things off. There’s a little more finishing to do but Team Steve has bigger jobs to tackle and Matt wants to finish things himself.

Pleased that most of my work got the thumbs up it’s probably time I had that shower, not downstairs now though as that one has finally gone. I have to say that I’m feeling pretty fancy now. There is however a clear leak from the crack so Matt needs to look into that, which he’ll do after his shower.

Time to get the list done and printed for Team Steve – I don’t plan to be up early enough to explain. Finally we can update the blog, relax and maybe get to bed soon.

[26 February 2023]