25 Aug 2008 Mon - The pipes

Plumbers arrive early morning with a machine to blow smoke. The pipe is quickly located and the plans are discussed again, The velux window is going to be expensive, and supplying the hot water will also be a problem. They will give me their quote for the work before the end of the week.

My next job is to visit the CPAM building. I take my forms, passport proof of address etc along. I am directed to sit in a corner and someone will see me. I am third in the queue.
It is my turn to see the suit. It starts well. I have my forms, do I have a bank RIB with me? Yes.
Do you have your birth certificate? Nope. He gives me all my papers back. I will have to return with my certificate. I walk the few hundred meter home and find the required document. I return to CPAM and am directed to the corner again. There is a young woman there with 2 very lively small boys. They have scattered the leaflets from the table and when they go into the suit’s office the younger one makes a dash for it while the other one starts drawing on the desk with the man’s chained down pen. He gives the boy some paper and he starts drawing. When they leave, without the cash that they hoped to get back, the boy proudly explains that his scribbles are the school children and that is the master.
I hand over my documents and the birth certificate. He takes the certificate away and photocopies it. A signature later and that is it. I will receive something in the post. No problems there then.

The washing machine will not plumb in properly. There is a cold supply but no hot supply. At the Bricomarche I stand in front of the bits of pipe, joiney-bits, and try to figure out what bit I could use to cap off one of the washing machine hoses. It is no use. One of the staff nearby finishes dealing with a customer and I explain what I am looking for. He is not surprised and with an expression of thinly disguised contempt, tells me that I am looking at the gas fittings. I follow him to the plumbing and he gives me a small, threaded metal cap.


Back home it does not fit on to the back of the machine, but will fit on to the end of one of the hoses. I switch on the machine. It will only work on one setting, it is as the booklet suggested, in need of water coming in to both of the in bits at the back of the machine. I will need to brave the Bricomarche again and try to find a Y shaped joint like the book says.