The Trees Campervan Trips: Week 4

Had a full on weekend courtesy of the Beverley/Nogent sur Oise twinning society and our hosts Annie and Adrian Petit. We were treated royally by the food-and-wine-loving Petit family!

Back to work Tues 5th April.

A return to painting the front twin bedroom. Unfortunately we have exhausted our Dulux home bought paint so are now using french paint bought from the french B and Q. We hope the bedroom will have a seaside feel - white beams, blue ceiling and sandy coloured walls. We think this will be the most transformed room if the scheme works. Graham has spent ages hiding various wires, sockets and bodged bits of wall - he hopes to create a platform to house a bookcase to hide the worse.

It is nice to have a tea break in sunshine in the garden - today it has been in the early 20 degrees C - very pleasant!

A view of the ? Almond tree - in the sunniest part of the garden late afternoon. The thermometer says it is 22 degrees C at 6pm.

Graham has also demolished a cupboard in the dining room - unfortunately revealing a rather damp wall. More work!

Another before - the landing -

And after -

Tomorrow a trip to Nantes - to Ikea - Graham can't wait!

Graham then spent a few days assemblying the purchased Ikea products - 2 beds, a bedside cabinet, a chest of drawers and a tall bookcase - all for the "kids" front bedroom which is now finished - again difficult to get a good photo on the ipad.

The panelling which is to hide the wire which is being re-routed.

The new colour scheme

And the beds - we think it will be a lovely bedroom - especially once dressed with curtains, bedlinen,headboards and a few seasidey/nautical decorations. We will get these in England as we think they're cheaper there.

We are almost on first name terms with the workers at the dichetterie (tip) having made frequent visits!

Here we are preparing for another trip. As you can see we are not content just to attack the inside of the house - we have attacked the garden just as enthusiastically!

We will leave the dining room and kitchen until our return in May/June. A new kitchen is planned to be fitted then as well as a wood burning stove.

Further exploration of the damp has now left a stone wall needing drying out

The wall between the kitchen and dining area is to be demolished

So we have come to the end of our first trip of redecoration and some renovation - we have booked a ferry to return 12th April. Just a few more decorative jobs over the last few days and a clearing out of the kitchen ready for it's demolishment.

Back to Angleterre for a rest!

On the positive we feel that the house is beginning to feel more of a home.

We have also had time to have a soiree with our french neighbours who have kindly offered to help feed the fish, water the plants AND mow the lawn whilst we're away. We even have a lovely lady Christelle lined up to do changeovers once we have paying guests in the summer - result!!

Just a few photos of the many little decorative gifts left by our french vendors.

A pirate ship with firefighter and pirate - in the garden BBQ shelter - along with