The morning was spent trying to sort out Vinnie. Patrick very kindly gave us a lift down to Vinnie to hand the keys over to the garage tow service and then gave us a lift home. Now we will wait and see what AGF say? Mum and Dad arrived at about 11.30 after a lovely drive over from St Girons via Alos, we have yet to do it, but it is meant to be lovely. We had a coffee at the bar, which was busy with the chase and other folk. Then we headed up in Patrick’s 4X4 to show Mum and Dad the Bergerie. Not great weather but not raining and even better that we could see the cascades even if we could not see the top of the mountains. Al and I had had a trial run re getting Mum up the hill in the trailer with the muck truck and all padded out for her it worked a treat. I was very pleased that we got up to the back of the bergerie so that Mum could see it all in action. We also managed to get Mum inside the bergerie too. We had a snack picnic lunch at the back with a bottle of rose, local cheeses and wild boar salami which all went down really well. We sent Mum and Dad off for another mountain drive in the pm while we tried to sort out the van!!!! Nothing went to plan and good old Patrick lent us hiss car to get to St Girions to meet M&D for supper a their hotel. A lovely night, with everyone on great form and a band playing too. We left in sheeting rain to head back to Salau and hope for better weather….

^{A rest day. And boy does my body need one. Started with a lie in, scrambled egg breakfast and a trip to St Girons. Picked up another half ton of cement to go with the ten ton of ballast arriving on Monday then an amble round the market. Followed that with food shopping for the week, lunch and then unloading the cement up at the grange (so missed the rugby). Siesta and then a drive down to St Girons for a meal with Breezy’s folks. The van broke down just short of Seix. After a short re plan Breezy’s folks came up to Seix and we abandoned the van by the road and got a lift with a local lass Cecile. Dinner was lovely. Sort out the van tomorrow?}

^{Two weeks to go and we have a skeleton of a roof. By all accounts it will happen. I am knackered and seriously need a day off labour. Breezy seems to be coping better but she has a brave face. Slowly dismantling the dry stone wall at the back of the pad in order to rebuild the top of the walls of the building. Seems a shame but we have priorities to consider and we can rebuild a wall later but we need a roof. On going wars on site over tape measures. Clive always has one and everyone else mislays theirs; turned into an ongoing joke. Similar with favourite hammers and trowels. Everyone briefed to bring their own hammers and trowels from now on and there is a stash of measures on entry, Had to get one out of Murray’s pocket this evening on exit otherwise they will all end up at his place. The truss frames look fab. Walls are coming on. Should be ready to cap the walls on Tuesday and sarking the roof Wednesday with poplar (volage) or planking for those building numpties.}

^{Photos of the truss in place and the final parts being fitted “les jambes de force”. Once these are in place the weight of the roof is spread into the walls and the acro props can be removed.}

Jambes de force  Looking good!!!  Hans in action

^{After a grotty forecast for today the sky had patches of blue when we woke up. Murray had French lessons today so we were down to Breezy, Hans, Clive and myself. By the end of the day we achieved a complete roof structure and also fettled about a third of the walls up to the wall plate. By that I mean; the walls are all uneven so having taken a level of the ridge beam, all the walls need building up to meet the roof. Bearing in mind that they are not entirely straight and have been held together with earth and gravity it means collecting rocks, dismantling down to something solid and then building them up using concrete as glue. We are both sore. Hands and backs. Currently running a bath for Breezy and then a back massage using my elbows, as my hands will not do that at the moment. Tomorrow we are all going to be on the walls. Missed Murray today as he makes a good victim.}

^{All the leaves have started turning and each day the colours get more beautiful.}

Wall fettling  Autumn Colours

^{Weather has definitely not aided work today. The morning saw the second frame being constructed very quickly. However, rain was threatening all morning and then it finally arrived. We had an early lunch before the boys started levelling the second frame into place. Not ideal in the pouring rain.  I decided to leave them to it, as there was nothing I could help with. They continued on battling with the elements to secure the frame in place as more bad weather is forecast for tomorrow and I think they would all have felt happier leaving it fast rather than dangling!!!}

^{We did get the second truss secure as Breezy suggested. Also managed to complete the ridge and put rafters on a third of the building. Some preparation is done ready for tomorrow and there is a tarp over a third of the roof giving an area that we can work under in foul weather. The outlook for tomorrow is not great.}

Truss making  Rafters going on  Toward the end of the day

^{Clive got on site before us and had already started whittling a truss. Security is not really tight with no roof at all and steps that lead up the back over the wall.  It was a beautiful day, almost too hot around lunchtime and all of us guzzling lots of water.}

^{The morning’s challenge was to get one of the trusses up and in place using Clive’s mighty new winch. A very handy new toy!}

^{Clive and Hans had a bit of final touches to the truss framework before it was heave ho into place and it looks great.}

^{That then needed securing by getting some of the ridge beam in and cementing the truss into place. Lots of cement loads for Al and Murray to put on the gable end to make it really start looking like a roof. All the guys are working really hard and achieving loads which is great to see.}

^{Seeing a third of the framework in place was just great.}

^{Chris left today and headed home with a lot less than he arrived with. He has been a HUGE help in all ways. Many, many thanks Chris. Coming back for the “roof party”????}

Truss one 

^{Clive turned up still hung over from Saturday, to be fair he cleared up after the party on Sunday morning and started drinking again celebrating his wedding anniversary and spent the afternoon in bed. I gave him a bottle of water.}

^{Clive finished bashing out holes in the gable wall to accept floor joists while Hans and I finished the middle of the floor and placed poplar boards down to create a platform at 1st floor level. Clive and Hans then started working on the 1st truss.}

^{It is a weird feeling as the building starts to take shape again after spending a week taking it apart.}

By the end of the day we had a truss virtually built and the whole of the first floor as a platform to work off. An hour to finish the truss and we should be rocking tomorrow!! 

^{A large lie in after a 2.30am finish from the antics the night before. We woke up to the sun shining always lovely.}

^{A few errands in the am and a visit to see Daniella’s new pup a border collie which is adorable. Much needed time for Al and myself at the Bergerie discussing the next steps. It has been a very busy week with very little time to discuss things between ourselves so it was lovely to catch up in the sun on the land. Chris arrived after spending the day with Annie and Murray and we trundled up to see the sculptured limestone and the waterfalls all looking very impressive with the recent snowmelt.}

^{We managed a few beers before Chris cooked some roast chuck for us all.}

^{Took 2 vehicles to St Girons as Chris was keen to be a tourist for the day. Breezy and I had a list of things to do and buy which took slightly longer than anticipated so we missed the market and had to scoff lunch before meeting the guys for half a days work. A productive pm for the lads…with getting a third of the first floor joists in. Clive drilling the holes in the walls and Murray and I  filling in afterwards with stones and cement making it look new!!!  Breezy’s birthday along with Gizelle and Clive’s wedding anniversary plus Martine’s birthday  (married to Johnny, secretary for the mayor) So we had been invited to a “party” partagez which is the equivalent of a “pot luck” in the UK bring something for the meal and something to eat and it is a free for all. Met loads more extremely hospitable and interesting locals who made us all feel very welcome. Chris in his newly purchased beret from the market.}

^{A night to remember!!!!}

^{The sun finally shone but wow was it cold after the snow getting down to 1200m, a tad parky to say the least.  We had a very successful day today and achieved loads.}

^{Chris collected an extra scaff tower from Murray’s and then  helped Clive to get cement mixer etc on site too.}

^{Clive joined us who is “the man in the know” re the actual structure of the roof and we had been waiting for him before we could progress much further. He is another English chap who  has been in the area for years living just above Couflens in a lovely place which he is gradually doing up along with his wife Gizelle and 3 kids.}

^{By the end of the day the whole roof was stripped off; ridge beam, purlins the lot and a great deal of heave hoing from the guys as the wood was in huge pieces and very wet so doubly heavy.}

Builders Bums  Snow   Roof Off

^{Clive had done a great job at cementing in  the first floor rafters the very large pieces of wood which we had struggled to get up to the Bergerie and it actually feels like progress is being made. Slowly but surely.  7.30pm much needed beers to end a very good day.}