22.12.2008 Monday – To be thick as a brick

Another super sunny day after a frosty minus 3 degree start. I set off into town to tell the Prefecture that I am living in France. I noticed that the front door was not locked.
I gave Prefecture until 2pm (as they re-open at 1.30pm) before I entered the building. I now know where the citizens go. The place had a queue, there was an electronic numbering system in operation. Perhaps I will try again tomorrow..

My car insurance windscreen square has still not arrived, so I had to go to the bank for my 5th temporary one which will last for another month. This is becoming a nuisance.
Back home, bee boys car has gone and the front door is still unlocked. I lock it and go upstairs. About half an hour later my door buzzer goes and I trundle down the stairs to the front door. I unlocked it to find Madame there with a man and a woman, who it transpires are relatives of bee boys, down from the Loire. He has told them to wait for him in his studio and did not mention that they would need a key for the front door.
I ask them what they are going to do until b-boy arrives. It is not a problem they say, because he has left his keys in the studio and it is unlocked…..

I can see that getting him to lock the front door is going to be more difficult than I thought.
Here they perceive themselves as living in the countryside and there is no security issue. Where I have lived previously in the UK, premises security is a big problem.

Later I watch as he loads up his car with all kinds of crap and a guitar. Madame told me this morning that b-boy would be going to the Loire for Christmas to his parents’ house. He drives off. I go down to check if he has locked the front door. No, as usual he has not even pulled it closed behind him. His parents obviously did not beat him sufficiently as a child.

I lock the front door. On my way passed his studio door, I knock then try the door handle. He hasn’t locked that either. Does this mean he has not gone away for the next few weeks? As long as I keep the front door locked all should be well.
I gave Madame a key for the main door this morning. I hope that if he does return this evening, he does not bother ringing door bells to get back in.

I expect that a lot more of my hair will fall out overnight waiting for the door buzzer that may or may not buzz..

4 November 2008 Tuesday – Getting my Assurance in gear

Another poor night’s sleep.
The Assurance man came this morning and I now have my multi-risque policy. The visit took over an hour and a half and we chatted, mostly in French about his son who works in a local bookshop, employment, insurance etc etc.
He worked with an American company for 15 years so the morning ended somewhat bizarrely with him speaking English and me speaking French as his desire to try out his English proved too strong for him.
Daveed’s parents and brother are still living with him in the studio. Half way through my insurance meeting, one of my 2 apartment door handles wiggled a bit. When I opened the door, there was a young lady half way down the stairs. I asked if she was looking for someone, and she replied that she was looking for Daveed. I directed her to the right porte. That makes 5 in the studio.
She doesn’t stay long, which is good, as when the assurance agent goes to leave, her car is blocking him in.
The rest of the bees hardly stir, only leaving the apartment late afternoon for a while. They must be bored. The weather is cold and damp.
At around one o’clock I am hit by a wave of fatigue, so I go to bed and wake up an hour and a half later.
I listen to the tenor part once at very low volume.

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.

20 Aug 2008 Weds Covering my assurance

First plumber arrives. I explain what I want, give him a plan for the kitchen in the former toilet and he leaves within 15 minutes. He will get the quote to us quickly he says.
I head into the old town to the British food shop. We had been there the week before and had chatted to the owner and her husband. Just as I approached the building, I could see them strolling towards their shop. They had been out for a coffee which had taken longer than expected. I explain about the insurance and the owner S searches through a copy of the yellow pages for the firm. No trace. She tries on the internet, but her connection keeps getting dropped. She has a spare 2007 phone book which she kindly gives me.
Well it closes every Wednesday. Ah she had just been out for coffee, but apart from that the shop never closes.

I try to arrange insurance cover for my new car, contacting 2 firms who list themselves as speaking English. The first firm speaks no English at all, and the second firm says that if I phone back next Monday someone will be able to help me.

Later I emerge from the bank with very costly insurance cover and an indication of how much top up insurance for my E106 medical cover will cost me. But for the health cover I need a social security number. I will need to take the paperwork for my E106 into the CPAM office to start the ball rolling.
The car insurance is so costly because the car is just over a year old. The maximum French equivalent of a no claims bonus is 50%. This has been included in my insurance price and I need to get my UK car insurance to send a letter to DM detailing my no claims bonus or my insurance will get even more expensive.

The screw on feet for the sofa are nowhere to be found.