La Petite Maison Des Bons Amis: Work, work, work.

This last week has seen our final trip of the year to La Petite Maison.

Luckily we were able to stay in J and M's wonderful gite Les Cerisiers.

It was an especially good trip as it was the first time that all four of us had been to La Petite Maison together and the very first time that Sarge would be able to see inside.

He had a quiet wander around and then proclaimed it 'had a good feel about it.'

It sits just below the village of Montmelard, the house with the brighter roof.

The first job for The Boss and me was to visit the mayor's office to check which forms we needed to fill in for the planning permission. We're only planning a few external changes, adding some velux windows in the attic and making the kitchen window bigger.

As we took the 5 minute walk back down to the house from the village I stopped to take in the view. It's a lovely little green valley.

By the time we were back M had already got going with his chainsaw on the acacia tree.

Me and The Boss made the first of four runs to the tip, with the plasterboard that we had removed from the 'bathroom' back in August.

We also needed to take that little bed frame from the attic. Above the stairs, in the attic is a hatch.

I don't like the hatch being open, it really is quite a drop but the boys told me not to be a wuss

and they dangled the frame down through. I suppose it is better than trying to carry heavy things up and down steep stairs.

Another trip to the tip.

Whilst we were away M really got to grips with the acacia

and pretty soon it was looking like this, the sunlight flooded into the front garden.

Then he had a bit of a go by the back door.

We called it a day and went back to Les Cerisiers for a shower, a glass of red wine and Kir Royale or two.

The following day Sarge and Smiley removed the stud work in the kitchen, got out the sink, took down the hot water boiler and removed all the old tiles.

Before.

After.

We were all curious to find out what was under the 'modern' ceiling in the living room. The beam had been boxed in so we made a hole to see what was underneath.

The whole of the ceiling and beam was covered in lathe and plaster.

Next job.

Sarge pulling the ceiling down.

This was a really nasty, dusty dirty job. Not helped by more old mouse nests.

What happened to the old ceiling? Yes, you've guessed it, The Boss and me took it all to the tip.

We had two runs with the accumulated dirt of decades. Emptying the bags of rubble produced so much dust that, by the second trip, the sign showing where rubble went was unreadable!

It was looking much better by the time Smiley and Sarge had finished.