MAY 10TH 2023
LEAVE SYDNEY FOR PARIS
We are flying with Singapore Airlines although I am not altogether happy about this as Singapore have just executed a woman for having 30gms of marijuana in her possession after being in jail for 6 years.
Don't approve of courts playing God.
HOLE IN ROOF OF BACK HOUSE
We were greeted on arrival in Guemene with the news that the chimney in the back house had collapsed through the roof leaving a large hole and a huge pile of rubble on the upper floor. Some stones too heavy to move without mechanical help.
The news was delivered by Ruth Ingelson who we get to do work about the house while we are away. We hadn't noticed at that point, which is not surprising as there was no evidence of it on the ground floor. On close inspection it seems that an oak beam which protrudes from the wall had decomposed to the point that it no longer supported the chimney.
Ruth has been a great help to us in distributing and attending to de-humidifiers about the house for minimizing mould, as well as doing other work so the place doesn't look abandoned.
Cathy had decided before we arrived that she wanted to sell the property as the family were not interested in inheriting it and it was becoming a liability. I would like to have waited a little longer to finish off work-in-progress and the added drama of a big hole in the roof was not welcome as it would inevitably detract from a sale.
She decided to call in a Real Estate agent who was highly recommended, Claire Dickenson. Claire gave us a few days to settle in then arrived with two other agents to assess the building and give advice on how to proceed in France. Fortunately she is bi-lingual having come to France at the age of 14 with her parents from England.
They came back later with a figure of 250,000 Euros. Agents fees in France are paid by the buyer so 16,000 Euros would be added.
The house with its 10 fireplaces and 1/4 acre by the River Scorff cost 13,000 Euros however quite a bit has been spent on it in the intervening years, including air fares. The sales price quoted would be good assuming its present condition didn't put buyers off.
Apart from the pleasure of being in the area has been to me and its location as a foothold in Europe, I have always looked upon it as a commercial venture. I retired in 2002 from paid contract work in Australia and we decided that our job would be to renovate this property during three months each year. It was a wreck in danger of falling down.
The Covid epidemic prevented us from doing anything in 2020/1 as the Australian government prohibited us from leaving the country.
STAINLESS STEEL FLUE LINER
One job I was expecting to do on arrival was to fit a 150mm dia., stainless steel, flexible flue liner up a chimney in the kitchen.
Bob and Andrea Ellis, friends of ours, brought it from Scotland when they came to clear out the house they used to own just along the road.
It had been purchased online in Glasgow for 30% less than the store price in France.
We go to great lengths for a bargain!
Me on top of the chimney pulling.
Cathy is in the kitchen guiding the tube. Instructions are yelled up and down the chimney like in a submarine. "Full steam ahead, Mr. Barker"!
The trick is to is to lower a cord with a weight tied to its end from the top of the chimney. The weight is then detached and the chord passed through a hole in a plastic flower pot before reattaching it inside. The pot is then fitted over the tube and fastened with a ring of screws.
Feeding the tube up the chimney was a bit of a circus. The help we were hoping for didn't eventuate so I climbed to the chimney top about 10 metres off the ground and pulled while Cathy lay on her back on the kitchen floor and guided from below, debris falling all over her. Not very dignified but it worked! When the tube finally emerged at the top after much manipulating it was fastened with a bracket to prevent it sliding back down again. Next came the fixing of the tube to the wood burner stove which proved to be a bit of a problem. It fitted OK but the stiffness of the tube and its curvature made it difficult to get the stove to sit square.
Eventually success and the burner works a treat.
NOW TIME FOR A DRIVE.
The church at Kernascleden about 15 km from Guemene.
Contented Friesian cow.
PROBLEM 2.
REPAIR OF CEILING IN THE FRONT BEDROOM.
Last year water had penetrated the wall at the front of the house because a drainpipe was blocked with fallen leaves. A beam had rotted and considerable damage was done to the ceiling from mould. Tony Abbato, our helpful local builder, traced and fixed the drainage problem and Ruth and assistant cleaned up the mess.
The water had tracked along the wall and damaged the ends of three other beams. One was so bad I had to splice and epoxy resin a new end.
Part of ceiling removed where it was damaged.
CLEANING WALLS AND ROOF IN ALCOVE
Luko, who was living with the people renting next door, showed me his business card as a professional wall and roof cleaner. We had the front wall done a couple of years ago but the alcove detracted from the good look. He quoted 400 Euros to clean the walls. By the time he had finished and persuaded us to clean the roof of the second house and then fix loose capping tiles on that roof we were up to 1000 Euros. Ouch! but had to admit it was a big improvement.
Good friend Maguay in her garden with Cathy. She is Breton and lives just up the road. We have known her and husband Gerard for 20 years. Unfortunately Gerard is suffering from Parkinson's disease and it is a full time job for her to look after him. He has worked in many parts of the world in his time and is able to do a lot on his own but its not good to see him restricted the way he is.
THE GARDEN
To help with the sale it is necessary to clean up our garden beside the river. Due a two years absence it had become a huge job to get it back under control. Ruth and her team of three spent a day lopping trees and strimming undergrowth.
TRIP TO THE UK
On June 22nd we set off for a two week trip to the UK.
Our first stop is Roscoff where we had to leave our lease car because, due to Brexit, we are not allowed to take it with us to the UK.
Cathy befriends a seagull in Roscoff.
On board the 'Armorique'. Brittany Ferries.
Helicopter pad on top deck.
The ferry is involved in research related to global warming and this notice explains. I was surprised to learn that the ocean in dark blue is 4000 meters deep.
PLYMOUTH
Outside 'The Mariners' guest house where we stayed overnight in Plymouth. This is the owner beside his novel vehicle.
Cathy and Sue enjoying a cup of coffee on Plymouth Hoe. Sue has driven down from Bristol to take us to St. Agnes, Cornwall, where Cathy's niece Gail and family live.
The cathedral in Truro where we stopped for a break.
TREVAUNANCE COVE, ST. AGNES, CORNWALL
Drinks with Gail and Paul at the 'Schooners bar' overlooking the cove.
DAY TRIP TO ST.IVES
As children Sue and I stayed at St Ives several times. Hasn't changed much except for the volume of tourists!
Gail, Cathy, Sue and Nessie.
Outside the 'Driftwood Spars' pub
PORTISHEAD, BRISTOL.
The marina and Sues block of units now stripped of scaffolding to display the new 'fire resistant' fascia.
A visit to Karen, Sues former daughter in law, husband Rob and Grandchildren Anna and Max. Harrison couldn't make it.
Feeding the swans near the marina. They know her and come running. The seagulls and pigeons arrive at the same time!
Shops and restaurant below her apartment.
Entrance to the marina with tide out.
... and with tide in. The tide rise and fall is around 13 metres, twice a day.
Along at the Lake grounds of Portishead we meet up with some local wild life.
Annas hair needs a lot of attention if she wants this look. It took Nola, the hairdresser, about two hours, painful for Anna but a with a happy ending! This is not Nola's normal job, she works in a bank, but she is experienced.
TRIP INTO BRISTOL ON A DOUBLE DECKER BUS.
We have a mission to unfreeze our HSBC bank accounts. Keeping them open has been difficult as the bank has started arbitrarily freezing them if not being used regularly. The branch at Portishead has just been closed down, which is happening all over, so we are obliged to travel to Broadmead in the centre of Bristol City. There we were talked into closing the accounts with the assurance that if , at any time, we wished to open a new one all it would need is a passport and UK address.
At this time of year the overhead branches are weighed down with foliage and lash against the bus roof. You involuntarily duck!
We met an interesting lady at the bus stop in Portishead. Probably in her seventies, she obviously had very little English and communicated with a translating software on her phone. It turned out she was from Ukraine. I very proudly told and showed her that I was wearing a Zelensky Tee shirt. She was not impressed and said she didn't like him as his government was poor. I was a bit taken aback, her living in the UK, but didn't have time to question her.
Suspension bridge from the bus.
Sign beside the road near Portishead said 'WEAK BRIDGE' which was a bit disturbing as we are in a large bus!
Statue on the marina.
Breakfast with Sue and her walking partner Ian Slee at their favourite watering hole. It happened to be July 8th , our 56th wedding anniversary.
We took a bus from Bristol to Plymouth and were met by cousin Cathy. The ferry leaves at 10pm.
BACK TO FRANCE
PROJECT 3. COMPLETING FLOOR IN THE ATTIC OF SECOND HOUSE .
Floor finished and lacquered.
The deck boards had been prepared years before but had been hurriedly installed so gaps had opened up due to expansion and contraction and it all needed fitting again.
Time for a walkabout. Up the hill in front of the house as far as the church.
VISIT TO SYLVIANE AND GILES
We got to know this French couple through Gail Engel. They once commissioned Gail to do a painting of their house which has been in Giles family for generations. He bought out the shares of his two sisters. They have passionately restored the property and acquired a lot of furniture from the period in which the house was built
Both were educationalists before retiring.
Pat, Mary and Robbie Melody are in Guemene for a few weeks.
23rd JULY. FINN and ELSKE arrive in Lorient by train from Holland.
A trip to Josselin.
MINI TOUR DE FRANCE PASSES THE FRONT DOOR.
LAST MINUTE LOOK AROUND BEFORE LEAVING GUEMENE THIS YEAR AND HEADING FOR HOLLAND.
Finn and Elskes fencing job in the garden.
Temporary water proofing in rear house.
CATHY'S PHOTO SHOOT
Alcove looking East.
Kitchen looking East.
Kitchen looking South.
Kitchen (East) showing sink and cooker.
Alcove looking South.
Loungeroom looking North.
Loungeroom looking West.
Loungeroom doors looking West towards park.
Back bedroom looking East.
Main bedroom, looking North.
Main bedroom looking West.
Front bedroom, two, looking West.
TV room looking West to park.
Downstairs shower room looking North.
Same looking South.
Upstairs bathroom looking East.
Looking West.
Mezzanine over front bedroom. Corner floor behind white desk is under repair from below.
Terrace.
30th July SET OUT TO DRIVE NORTH.
First night stay at the Ibis Budget hotel in Caen. Finn driving.
Part of the Bayeux tapestry which we visited.
It commemorates the Norman Invasion of England by William the conqueror in 1066.
The English King Edward III had no heirs so decided that when he died William of Orange would succeed him. He sent his brother-in-law Harold to Northern France to convey this decision to William. Harold decided he wanted the throne himself so failed to pass on the message. On Edwards death and Harold taking the throne, William decided to invade England and claim what he considered to be rightfully his. Harold was killed by an arrow during the invasion which lasted a long time.
OMAHA BEACH.
Site of American landings in Europe on June 6th 1944
BRUGGE, BELGIUM
Visit to Sonia Watson and Tony at their home in Brugge.
l to r: Sonia, Tony, Finn, Cathy, Bill and Elske. in their back garden.
AMSTERDAM
Views around Amsterdam.
Liz and Glenn's house in Zaandam North of Amsterdam.
HISTORICAL ZAANDAM
Bill, Finn and Caroline, Liz's sister.
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l to r: Lukas, Cathy, Finn and Caroline
Caroline took us to a museum, Honig Breethuis. It was the home of the family who made paper from recycled fabric in the 1800's. These people made the paper which formed the basis of some famous historical documents such as the original map of Australia in the late 1700's.
The entire area Zaandijk, is a tourist attraction.
LIZ ARRIVES FROM AUSTRALIA.
A walk with Liz and Finn into Zaandam. The elevating bridge was most impressive. Designed to allow tall boating traffic to pass through the canal it was absolutely silent during operation despite its enormous size.
Farewell party as we were about to set out for Lille.
9th AUGUST . TO AIRPORT IN PARIS WITH STOPOVER IN LILLE.
Views in Lille.
Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, Terminal 1 underpass.
Changi Airport, Singapore.
Back home in Sydney. One of our resident kangaroos. He hasn't been anywhere for the three months we've been away. "What did you do all that for?!!!"
By the end of September Tony, our builder, has been able to source matching roof tiles, repair the hole and fit them. A brilliant job just in time to protect against an expected stormy weather event.
