Chateau de Firbeix

Across the road from our entrance is a lake which has been brought back to life. In the recent evenings, frogs have been very vocal. The next time they're out I'll record it and post a video, it is quite incredible.

As part of our new life in France, we wanted to grow our own fruit and vegetables. Included in these plans is to have a greenhouse and the best spot for one is where the old chicken shed used to be, on the ground above the barn. Now the chicken shed has been demolished and the ground cleared of grass/weeds and the trees pruned, the preparations for the greenhouse can begin.

This tree that has looked almost dead over winter and until recently has in the last week budded and flowered, amazing and such a smell which you can enjoy everywhere. I need Mark to confirm my tree identification 😉 if he can do that remotely

There must be 2 different types, the one in the foreground (with green leaves) has been leafing for a week or so, the back one (with brownish leaves) has just kicked into life

The previous owners, or perhaps even before them, had kept chickens for eggs but we're not into that (yet anyway) so the shed is coming down to be replaced by a greenhouse. It is a perfect location as that ground above the barn gets all day sunshine.  One side, front and partial other side removed today. All sides removed today. Tomorrow (Saturday), I'll remove the roof (corrugated plastic) and then the main frame and footings. Chicken shed gone and removed ready for the dechetterie, when it opens again. At this time I can only demolish the old shed and level the ground. I'll come back to this post when I can get building supplied again.

Where I had widened the existing door opening in the back gîte, which will lead to the bedroom, a second door opening is needed to the bathroom, the same size as the other opening (for a wheelchair). Here I have marked out the lines to cut (with the large angle grinder). The white tape marker at the bottom shows the location of the wall between the bedroom and bathroom. The placement of the opening was selected to align to block joints to retain the wall strength and minimize cutting and ease of removal. I have also relocated the light. As I need to cut away the blocks which support the floor joists, I need to use acrow props while I install a lintel on both sides as some beams run across both rooms and some end on the middle wall. Today I removed the top concrete cap on top of the blocks where the lintel will sit to support the floor trusses. I'm using a spare wooden beam which is 19cm x 10cm so a good fit for the blocks which are 20cm wide. It is oak I t...

The doorway in the breeze block wall is too small as it much be a finished width of minimum 90cm for wheelchair access. It is currently 85cm so I need to widen it by 15cm so the finished width is between 90 and 95cm, allowing for the frame. I will also lower the doorway opening by 10cm to align to the slab level. I also have to add the same size doorway further along the same wall into the future bathroom, again for a wheelchair. There is a separate blog on this job. No before, just an after pic. Once I can get supplies again, I will replace the wooden lintels with reinforced concrete ones but these are fine for now as they is very little load above. I simply used the very large, noisy and dust creating angle grinder below to cut 15cm from one side of the door way. The existing wooden lintel has enough overlap to provide support to the joists for now. I also filled in the bottom of the doorway opening with concrete as I had to partially cut horizontally a concrete block. ...