Various phone-calls about the removal van resulted in revised plans: they will collect from Suffolk on Saturday and deliver here on Wednesday next week.
Went to the farm on the south side of St Dizant, which sells vegetables. I bought asparagus and lettuce because that was all they had left by this time of day. Looks like they sell to the shops. Thence to the little supermarket (called "1000 Frais et 1 Fred", Fred being Madame's name); very friendly couple who like to practise English. They gave me directions to the nearest cash machine, in St Fort sur Gironde CA so there will be a charge for using my card; the nearest HSBC is in Royan, 26 miles away, and it's cheaper to pay the charge.
Returned via Port Maubert, which is very pretty: pancakes and boats and the well-known restaurant L'Ecluse, and only 5 miles away.
More signs for poneys and poney clubs; donkeys are popular as well. Sometime last week I passed a western-riding-style ranchette, but I can't remember where.
I know when I'm getting near home because I can see one of the two water towers (Le Rivalard is between two towers). The one on the estuary-side is shaped a bit like a cocktail glass but longer.
Back just as Camille and Benoit Chambon of Casa Nova arrived to assess the work. Much shaking of head and sharp intake of breath. The crumbly wall is not a problem, though - it's salt-petre and caused by damp.
They spent ages measuring and discussing, and took away a floor plan to make drawings. I asked for estimates for separate jobs so I can see which can be done, explaining that "the pound..." ah yes, all the English are having trouble now. The first thing will be roof insulation, though, otherwise it's going to be chilly in the winter.
The electricity supply is only 20 amps and should be at least 30. Camille says I can't put on the oven at the same time as anything else.
Most of the renovation work was in fact done by the owner before the one who sold it to me. Last owner had planned to do things but didn't get round to much except some lighting before his heart attack. Ah, and most of the electrical supplies in the garage aren't usable because they're no longer legal.
They found rodent-traps upstairs at the back, with little bodies in them. Not mice, and not rats either. They think they may be loirs. Squirrel-like things. Protected. :(
As they left they said if I need things moving or bed building, to phone them :)
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