Jerry and the Hooptie

14 Oct 2011

The last two days have been rather productive.  Wednesday, however, was totally shot.  The Hooptie started but because the brakes weren’t fixed Tuesday, Jerry took Wednesday ……all day Wednesday….to put new brakes on her.  So, no work was done at the Ruin cause “Baby needed new shoes”.

Yesterday, Jerry dropped me and Jake at the Ruin and took off in the Hooptie to buy us a car.  I finally painted that bedroom and Jake was supervising as usual.  When 3:00 rolled around and we had not heard from nor seen Jerry since about 9:30 I started to worry.  “Was he broke down somewhere again, did the brakes fail, did he have a wreck or maybe, just maybe he found us a car!”  Think positive!!  Jerry showed up about 4:00, clean as a whistle and with a new haircut.  He was also wearing a great big grin.  If we hadn’t been married so long and I wasn’t so tired I would have been suspicious.  We now have a car of our very own.  A 2000 Renault Scenic.  I haven’t seen it yet because it has to go thru Controle Technique (emissions, etc.) and we will probably pick it up tomorrow.  Jerry had to get spiffed up to go to the bank to get our car insurance and while he was spiffed up he decided to get a haircut.  An aside to all my insurance family and friends….we have all ALL RISK coverage…we are covered for EVERYTHING per the agent at the bank.  LOL

Paul the Plumber arrives

We celebrated with a pizza!

Primed walls

Today the plumber came right when he said he would at 9:00AM this morning.  Paul is a Brit and we have as much difficulty understanding him as we do some of the French. He and his colleague, Wayne, dithered on in plomberie lingo and we were without a clue as to what they had in mind.  Paul looks like he is from the Haight-Asbury district of San Fran but appears to know his stuff.  He gave us a great tip on Faugeres wine: while you are buying your pieces at Point Mat in Pezenas, ask the owner for some of his own domaine ‘s wine, privately bottled on the domaine (not at the cooperative) and a bargain at about 23€ per case of six boutielles.  Hand picked and vinified by the proprietaire.

New Hot Water Heater

Paul was busy til about 5:30 this afternoon and said he will be back Monday about 9:00 to “finish up”.  I now have new water pipes from the main water connection to the house, a new Cumulus chauffee de eau (water heater), a new toilet, and stub outs for three other toilets, plus the stub out for the kitchen.  On Monday he will put the stub outs for the sinks, lavatories, bathtub and showers.  It is wonderful to finally see construction instead of just destruction.

Drilling hole for Kitchen plumbing

New Manifold

I painted the bathroom and did some “touch up” on the infamous bedroom.  I guess I should explain about painting.  What I actually did was roll on a product called sous couche.  It looks like a fluffy vanilla shake and if you get it on your hands it feels like talc powder and when it dries it is hard like plaster.  It is a sealer (undercoat) for plaster walls.  This stuff will apparently make the paint go on smoother and will not let the plaster suck up the paint.  Soooo, technically, I still have to paint the bedroom!

Wayne and Paul

Out with the old

Jerry sanded what will become a closet and the second bathroom.  Monday he will start building out the closet and the entry wall for the bathroom.  I will sand the second bedroom in preparation for sous couche.  Hopefully, the contractor will be coming this next week and the construction will begin on the ground level.  Everyone keep your fingers crossed!  

Supervisor Jake