Well, we've had another visitor at Chez Cleavely, as Mandy came to stay for a few days. She helped me with lots of little jobs that I've not been able to do (like weeding!) but I can't provide any proof of it because the photos we have of her visit are like this....
I have to say, that France seems to work its magic on people when they come here so visitors always seem to go home far more relaxed than when they arrived. Take note, those of you who have yet to visit!!
The big news is that we now have a fireplace in our lounge and it looks wonderful! It looks so right that I think you wouldn't know it hadn't been there since the house was built! On the day the work started, I was lucky enough to have been out at the hairdressers, thereby missing this lovely sight...
By the time I got home it had all been cleared up! Hacking out the pillars you can see at each side of the fireplace proved to be a very difficult job but eventually they were removed and the far more interesting bit of building the "new" fireplace began. This collage shows the fireplace gradually taking shape..
And here it is.... finished! Well, as far as the building part of it goes. Danny is going to paint the back with special paint then he's going to fit the wood burner we bought with the fireplace.
And so to the POOL UPDATE!
We are expecting our digger man on Wednesday and the plan is that he will dig the extra bit because we got the size wrong (see earlier post on that point) and also remove all the earth that has subsided into the hole during the weeks of heavy rain. I can't resist showing you this picture of my kitten Cali, at this point, as she enjoyed exploring the earth that has subsided (probably best if you click on the picture to see it enlarged!)
Obviously the rainwater has got to be pumped out first so Phil (digger man) lent us a pump to get this done over the weekend. Danny sorted it out yesterday and (with apologies in advance to my darling husband!) I have made this collage of pictures of the operation! (Sorry, but the individual pictures can't be enlarged.... much to Danny's relief I expect! But you should get a 'feel' for what was involved!)
Not quite what we expected as the first pictures of someone in our pool!!!
So what other "bits and bobs"?
Well, when the lovely weather arrived, Danny thought he'd better get himself a new hat - you have to protect the top of your head, you know! Here he is showing it off!
I wrote last time about having ordered our new kitchen. Well, we are hoping that the stonework that needs to be removed so that we can change the window to doors will be removed very soon. We went out on Saturday and bought doors for it, together with a door for the doorway between the barn next to the house and the utility room-to-be. So now, other than these doorways, we are totally ready to go, kitchen and utility room wise. Here are the component parts of my kitchen, languishing in Danny's barn....
I like to end my posts on a positive note, so here are pictures from the weekend just gone when I discovered that we have four apple trees and two cherry trees in the garden. I understand that winds destroyed the spring blossom last year which is why we didn't get this fruit last year. I am so hoping to harvest the fruit so that I can fill my freezer with lots of fruit pies and fruit crumbles!
Tiny, perfect, red and green apples
Cherries, ripening.... can I get to them before the birds do?
And finally... here I am, sitting in the shade as it was unbelievably hot on Sunday afternoon. Liam is keeping me company while I do the crosswords that Tony, my brother, sends me each week from the British Sunday papers!
I hope to be back soon with more news of the pool.... watch this space!
Till then..à bientôt
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