After the external structural work was begun (roof tiles rain down) and the rebuilding was finished (a phoenix arises from the rubble) – it was time to work inside the pig pen. The OH who is the Gov’nor when it comes to building, instructed me, the apprentice, to do the painting of the horrible black, [...]
Having removed the roof from the old pig shed (and survived being knocked out by a roof tile dropped on my head) – we now had an empty three walled shell. It was time to move the hot tub in! Yep – the pig shed was earmarked for an Italian hot tub bargain that I had [...]
We (that is me and the Other Half) decided that we would get the structural work done on this old French house before we did any of the internal works and that included some of the out buildings. We started by renovating the barns which came with the house – one of which is in [...]
My French home renovation reminiscences – as renovation continues unabated on this old farm house in Pas-de-Calais, northern France, I was remembering how it was when I first bought it and wondering why on earth we did it? At the beginning of this project I made a huge list of jobs that needed to be [...]
As a project manager in a previous life I am inclined towards being organised. The Other Half – despite having been in several jobs that have required it – is not remotely organised. This can be a bone of contention when it comes to the work schedule in our French farmhouse – and that is [...]
This is the Short List table I put together for the renovation work we needed to do to our house, there’s a much longer list – in fact its a book! In it I laid out each job that was needed to be done, any dependencies, what special materials we needed and the approximate time [...]
When I found the house of my dreams in Pas-de-Calais, France, I took my Dad to see it – his immediate reaction was that it ought to be knocked down because it was in such a state and in his opinion dangerous. He walked around the rooms with a pen knife stabbing it into old [...]
I didn’t realise that I was starting to turn into a French style recycler until English friends who visited commented on my use of old vinyl records as coasters and place mats, the fact that I use old plastic packets as cloches in the greenhouse and that I steal their newspapers to line my chicken [...]
I was interviewed recently by a journalist from a UK newspaper about my life in France and she asked me to think of something funny that happened to me. I was stumped – I didn’t expect that. The journalist had emailed me after seeing the website and was keen on talking to renovation experts and [...]
It’s a really cold day with a hint of snow in the air, the sort of day when you want to stay in and keep warm, it reminds me of the day we found our house and the start of my French life began. It was a few years ago and like today cold, grey and [...]
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So today, after indulging for 4 days on a press trip to northern France – well really I should be honest and say over-indulging – I am starting my French diet with a 4 day fast! This is not something I’m doing lightly or that I particularly want to do but I have reached the [...]
The weather in the last couple of years in France has been very tricky. It used to be that I’d know that in the summer I’d be wearing T Shirts and shorts all day. I’d go to the beach where it would be hot and sunny and eat outside at night enjoying pavement style dining, [...]
Donna and Dave Faulkner moved to a house in Deux-Sevres. To say that it needed renovation is an understatement – the couple had no electricity, no water, no mains drainage and no septic tank – and the house itself was in an overgrown garden and could hardly be seen. Undaunted they took on the task [...]
I woke up early this morning and listened to the doves cooing outside my window – they are there every morning and quite noisy at times. The cuckoo that lives in the garden across the road went on and on and I could hear other birds, little wrens, blue tits screeching a warning sound and [...]
Expats living in France: Victoria Burton, from Lancashire, UK had been holidaying with her family in France for years before deciding to take the plunge and relocate to Normandy. The whole family loved the French way of life – first her brother made the move, then, Victoria says “It was no surprise to me when [...]
Most days I work very hard, I write from dawn until dusk as a journalist – researching my facts and figures, learning more about my beautiful adopted country of France and writing about it, as well as being editor of this fantastic website you are currently accessing! Sometimes I am lucky enough to go on [...]
Lots of excitement on the news alert grape vine – the French have officially now got a French word for “French Kiss”! I’m not really sure why everyone is getting so excited about it but newspapers around the world are transmitting this news with much relish and enthusiasm. There has never been an official French [...]
When we found the two spaniels in Rue du Chateau, Hucqueliers they looked awful, exhausted, shivering, hungry and thirsty and covered in cuts – it was a Sunday afternoon so we took them home as you know, and I was pretty sure they were lost dogs. We gave them something to eat and drink and [...]
