5 Oct 2011

Haven’t worked at the Ruin the last few days.  Took Friday off since we worked so hard on Thursday, then of course the weekend rolled around……Sound like we are getting into the French work week?  LOL

Monday we thought we would make a quick trip to BricoDepot (that is another French version of Home Depot). We had to reserve a truck because Jerry decided he needed Green Board, Drywall, a bathtub, a new toilet and framing rails.  The rails are metal and used just like framing boards in the States.  We also looked at tile and paint samples.  I am désespéré over the number of paint samples and the choices of tile Brico Depot had.  I fear more trips to more Brico places (BricoMan, BricoMarche, Brico this and that) will be in order.   I have to decide soon since Jerry will be installing green board in the bathroom and if I am not mistaken the tile will come next then the tub and toilet then the paint….  

Anyway, by the time we finished our pre shopping trip the day was more than half over.  We headed home so Jerry could continue his search for us a car.  We have to turn in the rental car today!  No work going on at the house today because Jerry is taking the bus from Beziers to Alignan after he turns in the car. It will be the afternoon before he is back.  He couldn’t talk me into driving Robert’s car to Beziers and bringing him back here !  

Tuesday we headed back to BricoDepot to pickup all of the above plus some smaller items and it was the start of what I would call a 3 Stooges type of day.  In France, MOST everything closes from 12:00 or 12:30 til 14:00.  We had reserved the truck for 14 :00, but Jerry thought he could talk them into letting us have the truck during the lunch break.  As he soon found out that was impossible.   Jerry and I used the 1 hour prior to the lunch closing to gather up most of what we wanted to put on the truck.  We had three wagons and a cart full.  All of this was parked out of the way as we were hustled out the door.  Back again at straight up 14:00 we wheeled all our stuff thru checkout. Jerry begain the procedure to get the truck since he was told we had to check out first.  As I stood guard over all this stuff Jerry finally completed the paperwork and inspections for the truck.  We loaded everything but the green board, the tub and the toilet.  I continued to stand guard over the tub, and toilet while Jerry went to another area with the truck to get the green board. Finally, he was thru the cashier, the security and the gate. All that was left to do was load was the tub and toilet and strap everything down. Jerry was completely bumfuzzled by the straps…there was nothing to attached the straps to on the truck.  After about 30 minutes we had figured out how to work the straps and everything was secured. I am sure we were the afternoon entertainment at the Depot !  We were ready to finally leave the parking lot of BricoDepot…..it was 15:55 and the truck was due to be back by 17 :00.  That wasn’t happening and we both knew it.  We had a 25 to 30 min drive to Alignan, a truck to unload and a 25 - 30 minute drive back to the Depot.

As we pulled up in front of the Ruin the church bell rang 16 :30. Our new friend Richard showed up and helped unload the heavy wall boards and I was thankful!!!  After getting everything inside, the straps rolled up and stowed we headed back to the Depot.  It was 17 :45 when we arrived.  They had not set the police on us!!   (I am always worried about doing something that will land us in the local pokey) LOL

As we were driving home I asked Jerry if there was anyone in the back that helped him load the greenboard.  ‘not a soul was in the yard’ he said.  He also said he could have gotten the rails and the dry wall board ‘in the yard’.  We would still have to load them ourselves. I suppose we will know next time.  Soooo, the next time you go to HOME DEPOT thank the person with the machine that loads the heavy stuff for you !!!!!  

Tomorrow we get to haul all that stuff up to the 1st level…..wonder if we can find Bengay in France ?