Please Mr. Postman

(The Beatles, 1963)

It turns out there is a Ministerial Decree about letter boxes. Their height, size and position. And unfortunately, as we were politely informed by a recent note from the postman, our neat little brass letter box, which is part of the original door, is not the requisite 23 x 3 cm.

So we have rigged up an temporary alternative (which has the added benefit that it keeps the post out of the way of muddy boots tramping in and out the house).

In the longer term, we will need to find a way to add a letter box to the front door. Maybe at the same time as we give it its facelift, but that's another story.

Blue is the Colour

Another big change this week.  Instead of a blanket of snow at the back of the house, there is a canopy of blue. 

It’s under this large awning that everything has been happening, sheltered from the drizzle.  Digging down to make space for the foundations for the kitchen extension, and inspecting the drains (all clear) and laying down new pipes for the drains and the rain-water circuit. 

This is also where the rain-water cistern is.  Happily they were able to salvage the existing cistern, which, at 7.5 m3, turned out to be easily big enough for the small grey water circuit we had in mind (utility room, downstairs toilet and garden tap).  Here it t is, covered up for the moment (better picture to follow).

In addition, the opening between sitting room and the kitchen extension is gradually opening up. 

Meanwhile, as soon as it stops raining, they will be able to make a start on the roof.  

Weapon of Mass Destruction

(Faithless, 2004)

With Europe gripped by sub-zero temperatures and snow, we were not surprised to be told that the workers had only managed three days of work at the house this week.  

They’ve probably managed to take off the roof, we speculated as we drove round on Saturday morning.  The first thing we saw was the tip in front of the house, looking ominously empty.  

This is what we saw as we opened the front door. 

Yes, what you see out the back is daylight.   That doorway used to lead to the kitchen and back door.  

The entrance will stay, but will lead to the new, bigger, kitchen.  You can see better from the back of the garden.  On the left is the entrance to the kitchen from the hallway, and on the right, the window will be opened up to connect the new kitchen and the living room.  

The new kitchen will fill the whole width on the upper ground, with a staircase on the right hand side leading down to the garden.  

Meanwhile below, on the lower ground/basement level (about a metre below ground level) you can see where the garden/laundry room will be. 




And here is the same from above.  You might just be able to make out the paw prints of the neighbourhood cats, having a nosey around.  There's still a bit more work to do in clearing this back to the foundations.  The slightly raised area on the left is where the rain water cistern is, which will make the next stage a little more complicated.

In terms of salvaging pieces of the old house, we were pleased to see that they have dutifully stacked up the Pierre Bleue steps… on the herbs.  



Oh well, it will be easy enough to replant them. The clematis and jasmine had a narrow escape with just a few old doors stacked on top of them, which might in fact give them some kind of protection from the frosts still to come.  




Because unfortunately, this frost looks set to last a while longer.