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Initiation To The Vendee
May 2001
I had made a few notes and lists of requirements for whenever the next trip would be so I gradually collected paint, cable, wiring accessories, timber, boarding, tiles etc. until I had quite a pile spread around the garage and workshop at home.
I had decided to buy most of the materials at home as while we were in France the previous time we had to go and get a few things, and apart from the distance involved in finding the stuff it was also very much dearer than I knew I could get it for in England. Wall paint was two and a half times the price, cable was 6 times the price, so timber if I could find what I wanted was bound to be dear.
I was mulling this over in my mind one day at breakfast and said to Jan that I might buy a trailer. She said 'Why don't you get a caravan then you can transport the materials and also have temporary sleeping accommodation when the house is full of rubble?'
'Nuff said. I had already lined up Keith an unsuspecting neighbour to help with the painting in exchange for a fortnight in the sun. So I went out and bought a 4 berth touring caravan for £495 and commenced filling it with stuff.- - - Problem !- - -With all of the materials and tools now in the 'van the springs went the other way and the mudflaps touched the floor.- - - Rethink!- - - The sand, cement and slabs just had to come out. That's better. Still a bit heavy but better
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We left home just after 2pm on tuesday May 8th towing this heavyish caravan. Two miles down the road we had to stop as something was making a bit of a noise. I thought it was the caravan mudflaps rubbing on the road but decided to have a look anyway. Oh ho, the new jockey wheel had come loose and was dragging on the road. That fixed we carried on to Portsmouth with no further trouble. So far so good. We got on the ferry and had a good meal in the restaurant and then retired to our cabin, relieved! The 190 miles to the house next day went like a dream at a steady 48 mph. When we arrived we unhitched the caravan and went straight to the local Mairie to get a copy of the 'Cadastral Plan' of the property just to see what we owned and where. We also had a couple of beers in the local bar as a reward for arriving at our destination.
We checked out the house and I found it to be just as I had left it last time. We unloaded the van an resited it as we were to sleep in it for ten days. We had a cooker and a fridge in the back of the car too so they were the first things to be installed - in the lounge to start with.
As the days went by Keith took charge of the cleaning down and painting while I planed down every door, fitted new locks and furniture, secured the windows, fitted a stable door to the grenier to replace the rotten one. We also had to refit a partition wall and reposition the door so that we could build a new wall and door to enclose the bathroom.
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This is when I had my first accident. The aluminium step ladder that I found in the house just collapsed under me and I ended up face down on the floor in a tangle of twisted metal and blood - my blood. The steps went straight out of the window to be replaced by a new set from Bricomani on the D938 at Antigny the following day. Meanwhile I was mopping up the blood with fistsful of kitchen roll and Keiths help.
Keith finished the kitchen and we moved the appliances in to their rightful places. We were getting on well in a few days and it was looking lovely.
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While Keith painted the other rooms I started the rewire. I ripped out all of the old stuff as it was too dangerous for words. New lights, new sockets, new fuseboards, it took about three days but it was worth it for peace of mind. In situations like this it is handy being an electrician.
When we eventually got it all together we moved in to the house. Another milestone!
It was good to sleep in proper beds again even if it was going to be only for the last few days.
With the inside nearly finished and at least habitable now we set about starting the outside walls. We started sandtexing the back wall first but after 2 days we ran out of paint. More paint next trip.
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The next job was to knock down the old 'dunny' so that we could put the caravan in a better position as I didn't intend to take it back to blighty this trip. We cleared the brambles and attacked the block walls. The rubble went into the pit - cor what a pong. We were so happy in our work that we were singing 'The day we took old dunny down'. It was hard work but good when it was done.
