Sunday 16 September 2012

Renovation project - The trusty Volvo strikes again


Renovation project - The trusty Volvo strikes again

Well it’s time to go shopping, yet again the trusty old Volvo proves its worth but unfortunately our timing was wrong again and we did not manage to get everything before the lunch break, as you may remember the average French lunch break is 2 hours, I think I may have complained about this at least once before.

So we complete our food shopping and still have an hour to go, so we decide to have a MacDonald’s, I can now advise you that we have never found a MacDonald’s in France that sells edible food, yes I know that the words edible and MacDonald’s do not really fit in to the same sentence easily, but in France it is even worse, as the service is not good either, I had a hot chocolate which consisted of quite a small cup of hot milk with a sachet of chocolate powder, which you then mixed yourself??????? Can I be sued for slander? Oh no it has to be untrue for slander.

So fifteen euro’s poorer and taste buds in revolt we move on to the next shop, where we manage to find a sink unit to match our new bathroom and it’s on special offer, fabulous! Only problem is they don’t have it in stock, so we order one to be delivered to the store next week, my French is improving by the day, as we write our mobile number on the order form the assistant explains that they cannot ring mobile numbers, so we’re searching through our phones to look for our new French landline, I’m sure I put it in there! Couldn’t find it so the only number I have for people who speak fluent French is Sheila and Brian, after some deliberations we give them Sheila’s number, I hope she doesn’t mind.

After the drive back home we start to unload the car and take the shower upstairs, as John is finishing unloading the car I go to visit Sheila and tell her what I’ve done, I realise that each time we have visited it has been for advice so this time I go baring gifts (or is that bribes?) 2 lovely fresh cream cakes. I explain to Sheila that I have given her number to a store and that I have brought the cakes for A - a thank you, B - a peace offering or C – an apology. I needn’t have worried as she was absolutely fine about it, I couldn’t stay long as she was about to go for a cycle ride as part of a get fit kick, so cakes were probably not the best offering, but I explained if she ate one as soon as she finished the ride the calories didn’t count, I think that is true.

Back home John has started to chisel out channels on the walls for the water pipes to the shower. We’re going to have a working shower any day soon; I’m so excited once again!


4 comments:

  1. I've never found a MacDonalds anywhere in the world that sells edible food - least not for thirty years :) Only reason to go to MacDonalds is to use the WC.

    Don't complain about the 2-hour lunch breaks - take a break yourself, it's a great way to split the day up

    Cheers

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    1. We have found a very novel way of working, which starts at approx 11.30am (this is very new to us!)so have lovely lazy mornings and then keep going, we just have to start planning more efficiently when we have to shop :)

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  2. well my kids who are 4 love McDonald's. for A their toys and B their slides.. the food not so much.. lol... when you said you gave your neighbors numbers.. I told myself : that was clever.. how much was the sink? and what was the make? I was going to respond in regards to turning your addict into a 1 room or 2 bedrooms.. for resale value and if your thinking of doing a B&B I would have done 2 rooms.. but it is so hard to decide.. have you found any more treasures? the one with the pictures was awesome! it's Val again...

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  3. the sink was on special offer at 199 Euro's. it's a slimline white cupboard with a matching basin, the photo's should be on in a couple of weeks.
    No more treausres yet apart from all the fabulous spare wood floor boards, which will be transformed into furniture in the future :)

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