Meanwhile we proceed with the next item of our action plan: we will demolish...

The future living area is emptied and with cover the openings with plastic. We also cover ourselves with a dust mask and safety glasses. First we make a small opening in the wall, then the sledge hammer may do the major works.

It's not that difficult after all and the giant cross beam ("poutre") does not move. Everything has become very dusty. One hour later also the second part has been removed. Now we can easily remove the vertical beams and the door opening.

 

For the first time we see the entire space of our future living room.

On Thursday afternoon the water team is indeed showing up - a crowd of three men! Another metal detector is switched on and again the main faucet cannot be found. Then one of the men brings out a divining rod and starts searching.

 

The thing actually reacts on certain places, but the faucet cannot be found.

 

The digging machine is moved from the trailer and two of the men continue their search for water.
 

Then the third man suddenly shouts. He found the faucet a few meters away in the other direction. The drawing was wrong. Instead of a 30^o angle to the right it should have been a 30^o angle to the left. We wonder if they will adjust the drawing...

The works can be completed and we get a new, modern water meter that can be read remotely.

Now that the faucet has been made, we have to hurry, because we should collect the quotation from the carpenter.

The offer is waiting for us in the show room and we are pleasantly surprised by the total at the bottom. But of course we have to read the details and we promise to let them have our decision by Saturday.

 

The rest of the week we work on the fencing. We do not forget to make an opening to our future kitchen garden.

On Saturday we tell the carpenter that we accept the offer. He promises to order the doors and windows the same day, because we want to have everything installed during our next stay in about five weeks.

We do some more work in the garden and that evening we visit a local restaurant where the server delicious jacket potatoes.

With a full stomach we return to our French house for the last night of this stay. Tomorrow we have to wake up early. Before we return to Holland we want to visit a nearby jumble sale ("vide grenier" = empty loft).  

It has been a crazy week. We did not have the time to visit Monsieur Le Maire. We will visit the major a next time.

Also we did not get acquainted with our French neighbours yet. The wave friendly each time we drive by and we already showed the works to the children, hoping it will satisfy their curiosity. 

Sunday morning starts with the daily trip to the bakery; it is only closed on Mondays. The caravan is cleaned and power cables are removed.
We leave at eleven and visit the "vide grenier" where we meet our Dutch neighbours. One hour later we are on our way and leave Allier behind us.

On our way back we decide to adjust our plans. We will not yet start with the attic. We will first use the future entrance as a bedroom. In a second phase we will build two bedrooms in the attic.