Taking a break

14 Sept 2011

Had to be at the Maison early this morning.  The electrician was coming to get a better picture of the job.  Kevin is an Irishman and was recommended by one of our friends here.  After talking with Kevin Jerry is coming to realize he isn’t in Kansas anymore and what he knows about doing electricals doesn’t really apply when you are in France working with their codes on 250 year old houses with walls three feet thick and tile floors your wife won’t let you tear up to run conduit.  Everything has a learning curve…..

We also met with two fenêtres guys  (windows).  We have to replace the fenêtres due to rot, warp and just not being energy efficient.  We had to file papers with the Marie (city hall) to get approval to  change the windows and freshen up the outside and repair some of the masonery on the facade.  We have to wait 30 days to get approval or not..whatever they decide. However, we did want to get the bids for how much the windows will cost so we will be ready when the time comes.

I have nearly all the wallpaper off in the two bedrooms.  Since I am vertically challenged i still have the top 1/3 of the room to finish in one room and in the pink room I have to have chemical help…for me and the wallpaper…LOL.  Just kidding about the chemical help for me.  Need something to get the paper off the wall.  The last wallpaper was glued to the paper under the present wallpaper……not just wallpaper glue but glue !  Can’t get it off and I am afraid I will damage the plaster wall under all the glue, paper, etc if I keep digging at it.  Going to BricoMan tomorrow to get supplies……was supposed to go today but was total sidetracted by everything else happening.

the wainscoting waiting to be numbered

Jerry and Jake made 6 or 7 runs to the déchetterie.  He completely filled the Haz Mat bin.  Since we still have stuff in the garage that was used on grape vines back when but isn’t anymore because everyone has gone organic, he decided to wait a week before he goes back !  

wainscoting coming off

After the runs to the déchetterie Jerry decided to take the wainscoting off the walls in what will be the salle à manger.  It had to be removed anyway since we have a problem caused by rising damp (don’t ask).  The wall behind the wainscoting has to be replaced with limestone plaster and somesort of rising damp treatment so the damp won’t rise again….(don’t ask).  Tomorrow we will number the wainscoting pieces so we will know where they go and take them to the garage to get ready to refinish!  Then we will remove the wainscoting in the foyer and what will be the salle de séjour.  After all the wainscoting is removed we will chip off the cement that was used above the trim in an effort to fix the damage by the rising damp…but all that did was make the damp rise higher and cause more problems.  The way it will be repaired will allow the house to breathe and the damp not be trapped in the walls. 

rising damp damage

I suppose Jake is getting used to the hussle bussle.  He spent the day either riding in the car with Jerry or sitting on the street outside our front door.  The street is pedestrian only so he became acquainted with neighors, strangers and any other random person who wandered by. He was very good today….didn’t wander off at all.  Wonder how long that will last ?  I guess he learned his lesson about running up and down three flights of stairs all day !  LOL

more rising damp damage

We quit about 15:45 today ….had to rest and get cleaned up because we meet our buds at the pub for a glass of wine.  Made it home and fixed dinner and am turning in now…..Hard work was done today !!!  More demolition tomorrow !