Our latest project…

It’s taken a couple of months, but finally it’s done !

We decided to remove the above ground pool that came with the house. It was too small for swimming and so we haven’t used it more than twice in two years. It had to be cleaned regularly, chemically treated, filter run and winterised for the cold weather. It just didn’t seem worth the trouble.

The Team

Friends volunteered to take it for their garden and agreed to help us build a dining terrace in it’s place.

Gone !

So Lynn and Phil arrived in April to dismantle the pool. Despite not having any instructions from the initial construction, it proved not too complicated, just dirty and wet. We had been pumping water out of the pool and into our well for days beforehand. Since there hadn’t been any chemicals in the water for months, it was a good place to store reusable water.

Lots of water in the bottom of the hole, still.

Then our friends, Richard with his truck (camion) and John with a load of rubble he wanted to get rid of from his own home projects, arrived to help fill in the hole .  

Thank you Richard for your help and the truck and compactor

This part of the job completed, Lynn and Phil went on holiday. This gave us the time to find the materials for the next stage.

Big hole ate all the rubble we could find

After lots of visits to local Bricos ( hardware stores like Bunnings) and anywhere else we could find a pergola (tonnelle) in kit form, and much debate about shape and size and style,  we finally made the decision and bought  a circular frame with fabric roof and curtains. Then the same process to find suitable pavers. The choices here in the country are not all that extensive but we found something in the end.  As in all things, the biggest stumbling block is always finding something we can both agree on, of course.  

Not looking forward to the job ahead - mixing cement and shovelling sand 

Almost there !

assembling the frame

In place, at last

Almost finished

Another three days last week and finally, the paving was finished and the pergola in place. A quick visit to the local pot depot (only open in summer so don’t know what he does in winter) , the Brico for gravel, and the garden centre for more plants. The weather was getting a bit warm by now ( high 30s) so we limited ourselves to working in the early morning or late evening.

Finally !

Last night we christened the new dining terrace with a relaxed dinner in the garden enjoying the breeze from the river rustling the trees and the peace of a country village evening.

Chilled melon soup - puree charentaise melons ( like a rockmelon)
with vodka, and chill, chill, chill !

Barbecued chilli garlic prawns with a salad of avocado and peach

Home made strawberry ice cream with fresh raspberries, strawberries and
 langues de chat ( cat's tongue biscuits)

I know it's all pink, but it just turned out that way and  all was enjoyed with a pleasant chilled Alsace reisling .

A very big 'thank you' to all the friends who helped. We couldn't have done it without you. When can we expect you for a drink ?

Bonne semaine à tous, mes amis