The Chauffe Eau saga continues.....

Why does renovation always take far longer and cost far more than you anticipate? Just life I guess... we haven't even started on the wreck yet this is supposed to be the "good" house that works !

We bought tiny little no 7 from Gertrude our German neighbour who moved out to her newly renovated Barn. Everything was renovated in 1992 with ALL fittings brought from Germany because they are obviously the best in the world as far as she is concerned.

Soooooooooo the instant water heater took A 3 PHASE ELECTRICITY SUPPLY, and I kid you not when I tell you we call this house a stone caravan as its soooooooooooooo small. Apart from costing us 60 Euros a month for 6 years just for the supply ( plus usage ) IT NEVER WORKED !!!! So you could choose your shower as boiling hot as in impossible to bear as your skin would fall off, or freezing cold ( winter ) or cold ( ish) in summer. We had the puissance ( power supply) lowered by EDF who drove away at lightning speed twice, at a cost of many euros and now the leccy trips out whilst doing crazy things like boiling a kettle and heating a hot plate !!! We have no hot water any more for washing up !!!!!!!!!!!

This is where having an extra house comes in handy !

In our big old wreck house No 8 ( next door with a connecting door / hole in the wall which brings you out half way up the stairs on account of living on a hill ) we have the minimum puissance at a separate and further cost of 16 euros ( possibly may have to correct that. ) However in No 8 ... we can run a 200 litre water heater, boil a kettle, run the washing machine and freezer .... OK maybe not all at the same time but we can eat and be clean.......... hooray for simple electricity and FRENCH things.....!!!

Gertrude is wonderful and a dear friend and speaks very good English and entertaining French with a Catalan / German accent.

Some of my favourite expressions of hers are.....

" and I was angry like shit !" = I wasn't very pleased about that !
"cannnnnot beeeeeeeeeee!" = you must be joking !
" I will make a control of the builder = I am going to watch this builders every move...

Will post further developments as the plumbing boys progress..... I am worrying now about the big jobs we have to do if this is a simple one... ah well no one ever said it would be easy.... and it sure beats office work.