Hello.
Sarge, Smiley and Me have spent our week at La Petite Maison.
Instead of our usual 2.00am get up, this time we were booked on the 8.30am train as we had six work days in the house instead of three or four. The journey around the M25 was pleasant and we arrived with time to spare at Eurotunnel.
The terminal was full of people, much busier than at 5.00am!
The journey to Burgundy was uneventful although the amount of things stuffed into British cars heading south was amusing. There were skis and bikes on roof bars, trailers with building equipment and one four wheel drive with a large packet of loo rolls. We arrived at our little cabin on the campsite in La Clayette early evening, time enough to check in 
and go to the local supermarket for essential supplies.
As you can see when I said little cabin, I meant it ~ best described as compact and bijou but it had everything we needed, good comfy beds, a hob, fridge and a hot shower.
We sat watching a local football match in the sunshine drinking the essential supplies.
Sunday was our first day of work which we had to undertake quietly, as in France Sunday is a family day and we didn't want to annoy the neighbours. We painted the kitchen ceiling with woodworm treatment before the plasterboard went up and woodwormed the floor above.
The crumbling wall in-between the kitchen and living room ~ more mortar than brick ~ we're not removing any of this as it is the supporting wall.
Early Monday morning and our delivery arrived. The very nice driver bamboozled us with French, we resorted to hand signals and he stopped bothering. We all smiled and nodded, I managed to fill in a French cheque under instruction from Smiley and he was away.
We had insulation, plasterboard and railing for the walls.
Smiley and Sarge attached the rail to the beams of kitchen ceiling and filled the gaps in between the beams with insulation.
The three of us then man (and woman) handled the board up. Plasterboard is extremely heavy and it was a struggle ~ I'm sure there is a better way than using your head to balance the sheet on. A bit wonky but we were pleased with our efforts.
This piece was smaller and easier. One job done.
Sarge then set about removing the wooden door frame in the cupboard under the stairs in what will be the first floor bathroom. The plumber wants the frame out of the way so he can install the hot water tank and the shower will be in here as well.
Sarge came across more evidence of mice from the past. In the nooks and crannies we have found mice nests, grass seeds, wool, fabric and paper and friend M found a desiccated rat when he replaced the attic floor. There are none now, but in the years gone by there must have been lots of mice in this house.
The Sarge and his hammer removed the door frame and whole wall, so at the moment you need to be bit careful when going into the attic.
Meanwhile, as bricks hit the floor above, Smiley and Me set about building the kitchen wall. Smiley has done a plaster boarding course, so I was The Apprentice. There are two different types of framework, montants (uprights) and rails which attach to the ceiling and floor. Unfortunately we forgot the spirit level, and had to use a phone app, which to be honest, wasn't that great.
We had a crimping tool to join the corners, which I didn't have enough muscle for, so I left that to Smiley.
It took us half a day to make the bottom half of the wall.
After a hard day's work, we retired to our cabin and a treat of Mille Feuille and Tarte Citron.
I'll leave you today with the lake the campsite overlooked, the wonderful chateau in La Clayette and the town itself.
