24 November 2008 Monday – Portuguese evening

The rain stops for a while at 10.30am after hammering down on the roof for most of the night. It was windy again too.
The Portuguese painter is due this evening so we do not have to wait in.
We go to Casa first, where, amongst other things, I buy an essential oyster opener, which comes complete with a small V shaped wooden board to hold the oyster and protect you from stabbing yourself in the holding hand.
I have not had an oyster since our holiday in Albi in March this year, but now I can buy some if I feel like it.
Next stop was Intermarche for food supplies.
When we came out of CASA it is sleeting but by the time we get home the sun is shining.
S bought me two table top candelabras which prove difficult to keep the candles in place as the holders are at wonky angles.
At two o’clock a small white van parks in my parking area. It is of course the painter, who is due this evening or soir as the French called it. I will have to revise my timescale bracketing.
We measure the front and side of the building so that he can prepare an estimate for the work. I should hear from him in 8 to 10 days, or perhaps he will start the work in 8 to 10 days, or perhaps this means that he will start tomorrow. Who knows.
Unlike the builders implied, he speaks perfect French, having lived in France for the last 42 of his 44 years! Naughty builders!

Shortly after he leaves the rain is hammering down again.

At around 5pm the builders arrive, they are expecting to meet up with the painter to view the walls together. It is not just me who does not know when evening begins.
We go on a tour of the non-working ventilation systems in the studios. I also explain that the fuse board on the bedroom corridor wall makes multiple loud clicking noises at random intervals all night.
The ground floor studio needs the bathroom floor tiling, the damp wood paneling removed and made good (depending upon what they find). The feeling is that that part of the building might be under the level of next door’s garden. (Does anyone want to buy a French building?)
I explain to the builders that the painter will fill in the cracks soonish, and return to paint the side wall with plastic paint from the roof to approx 1 meter above the ground level, which will be painted with normal masonry paint. The front elevation will be painted with masonry paint also.
The young builder will return later this week to disassemble the ventilation housing outside my flat. This works 24/7 and is rather noisy but it works and should be driving all the other vents in the building.
At least the side of the house to be painted with plastic does not catch the sun, so my house should not melt during the summer months…..