We have reached the end of the second week and are about to leave our new home for a brief holiday. Obviously not because we’ve earned it with the work we have put in (yet!) but because it may be the last time we can afford to take a holiday for a number of years …
Knowing our first period at Kergudon was going to be short we drew up a list of things we needed to achieve before leaving and I’m pleased to say we’ve completed 95% of them. The remainder, thankfully, can be picked up when we get back or we are waiting on a response from those we have e-mailed.
Conscious the real work starts when we get back from hols, last week has been one of research and ‘window’ shopping for the new kitchens, bathrooms and colour schemes we want to put into the gîtes.
As such, much of last week has been on the road between the big cities near us, Brest and, a little further afield, Saint-Brieuc. (As an aside, one of the significant changes we are getting used to between living in France and the UK, is that nothing here is open on a Sunday. Visiting Saint-Brieuc would have been ideal en-route to the ferry today but just isn’t possible.)
We have visited Brico Depot (Wickes-ish equivalent); Castorama (same company as B&Q) and Leroy Merlin (expensive B&Q). Thankfully none of them are as disappointing as Homebase so all have something to provide inspiration.
We think we have selected the kitchen range we will use in Granary and Hayloft and probably the items for the bathrooms in Granary, Hayloft and Stable. Will make for an expensive February when we’re back. Afraid I have to admit we also visited the local IKEA – there is a place for IKEA in everyone’s life and while most of the items will be sourced elsewhere (we love Maison du Monde) Swedish style will also be evident in the gîtes.
We have also chosen colour schemes for the gîtes too, so when back in the UK we will stock up on paint. Appears universally agreed that paint in the UK is both better quality an
d value than that available in France.
Thank you to an old colleague of mine (Emma Hill) who has sent us a lovely house-warming present – a cushion which will fit perfectly into the décor of Priory – and proves that the mail is making it through!
There won’t be a blog post for a couple of weeks but when we return there will be lots of change. We will welcome some of Dave’s family in our first week back to assist with the transformation – please come prepared to paint!!
À bientôt.