Woke early and went straight up to the grange. The more time we spend putting a roof on the little out house the more we think that it would make a really cosy place to sleep. First off finished spragging the wall plates together. Although we had enough douglas fir left over to do the wall plates in one piece, we decided that if we used some smaller lengths joined together we could save one long length for a more deserving need. It also meant that we could use one of the longer lengths cut in half as floor joists inside the outhouse as a mezzanine. So that’s what we did next. This gave an added benefit of a high platform inside the building for sorting the wall tops out.

Wall plates in place and then the chevrons and it is starting to look like a building. Track down a cement mixer, a muscle bound oaf and a delivery of ballast and we should have the walls capped and ready for laying the poplar planking. May take a bit of time and effort though!

As we only have the gite for three weeks and have four weeks here, we are planning to stay at the grange (camping inside) for the last few days. The main barn has attracted loads of mice and bats, making it slightly less desirable. Heating will also be an issue as it’s big, has no heater and has loads of holes in the walls. So we are now thinking that the old shepherd’s hut could offer a far more appealing alternative. That is if we get the roof on and if we get the toilet installed in the main building and if we get to make a door? Let see how things go!

Got back to a note on the door from Cecile who has picked up the keys to the Mayor’s garage and so we can get the toilet. Unfortunately she was then out so we made arrangements to collect it the next morning.

First time I have been let lose on the blog this time…change in the weather the mist was low down on the mountains and there was a constant drizzle all morning. So we made a plan to go to the barn in the morning and then go to St Girons in the pm as we have loads of bits and pieces which need doing and a wet weather day is more of an incentive to traipse down the valley.

We sorted out the wood in the morning, checked nail stocks etc so we did not forget anything whilst in town.

On the way we saw Lee’s car at Pont de La Taule so we stopped and found the new place he has bought and is doing up, quite a project with loads of work, but will I am sure look great when finished.

A very successful pm in St Girons. We had a different trip to Maccy D’s  of all places….WHY? you may ask…free Wifi internet connection. So we spent a good hour or so catching up with work stuff and sorting out other bits and pieces. Then it was on to junk shops in search of an old door for the shepherds annex, no luck there but did pick up some cheap other bits we needed.

Into the centre of money, stamps, tobacco, phone shops, postcards etc. A trip to La Forgue and managed to get everything we wanted reinforcement, cement, nuts and bolts…who said married life was dull!!!! A quick cheeky stock up on food as it appears we are hosting some folk for dinner on Saturday.

We got back and had a quick turn around as Ekke and Cecile had kindly asked us over for dinner at their place in Salau. They are a lovely couple he is German  she is French and they have 3 boys between them. We turned up with a bottle to a warm slightly chaotic welcome as Ekke had been trying to fix a leak in the kitchen  sink which was taking longer than anticipated and Cecile got caught behind the sheep being taken down from the mountains for the winter. We had a FAB dinner, spicy vegetable broth with a semolina bread, cheese and home made cake.

Ekke and Cecile speak very clearly so understanding is fine but the kids speak so fast we do find out that we are missing a lot of it!!! All good practice. Cecile has been very helpful with sorting out storing the toilet and giving us plenty of local advice etc. so hopefully we can get them around for some dinner before we go and return their kindness.

Started straight on with the front wall of the out house. The building would have originally been for the shepherd to live in for some of the year while the beasts lived in the main barn. I think they were very short as the door was very low. Inside was a hearth, earth floor  and a sleeping platform.

Made good headway rebuilding the front wall with earth and stone infill as we have no cement mix at the moment. Pleased with the result we headed off to do internet stuff. Saw Clive on route and caught up with him quickly.

 

Started by driving up to the mines to see if we could find an Orange mobile signal to get the new internet key to work. No joy on that front but we did bump in to the Mayor. After the normal greetings we arranged to go to his office to get a permit for the Toyota to be on the 4×4 piste.

When we got up to the barn there was already a car on the parking area. Peered in the back and saw some full shank boots so figured it was Lee’s who we met last stint. Spent the morning with hand saws, brace and bit, chisel and mallet; making the mortised door frame and lintels. Would have been easier with a chainsaw but we couldn’t get it going. Finished off cleaning off the walls and starting to rebuild them around the door frame.

Before we left for the Mayor’s office Lee and Ian turned up having been up Mont Rouch. We had some tea left in a flask which was well received. They had a fab day and it was good to catch up.

Demolition  From inside New door

In the begining Having arrived in Salau yesterday evening about six, we unpacked the van of stuff for the gite in the village, cooked, ate and went to bed knackered.

This morning we drive the works Toyota over the bridge and unloaded everything else into the barn. No need to do a day of strimming as Olivier has evidently been grazing his donkeys on our land. The bramble cutting from the spring also paid off as there was little clearing needed before tackling the small outhouse at the front of the barn. The wall around the entrance was teetering dangerously, so we took it down to a stable layer and then started digging out the inside. Dug out soil was dumped round the back of the barn to back fill walled areas later. Finished off by searching out some oak beams from the old roof off the barn suitable for a door frame and lintels. Marked them up ready to cut on Monday. A beautiful sunny day, snow capped mountains; an idyllic way to start the holiday.

  New door required