warmed by godin

It doesn't look much different from the last picture I posted about a month ago.  though now, it works.  All the parts for the chimney have been sourced, ordered, delivered and fitted.  I fired her up and she burns like a dream, keeping me hot and toasty for the sake of three or four logs an evening.  THANK YOU SO VERY MUCH Brigitte.  

The flue passes out through the wall directly behind the stove before rising to above roof level outside.  I thought it would be easier this way to make/keep the chalet watertight.  The home made double lined flue is insulated with perlite which is held in place with steel wool at each end of the second tube.  The flexible outer tube starts before the insulating boards inside and extends some 15cm past the wall on the outside of the chalet.  It also has a light steel wool stopper at one end to keep vermin and the worst of the draughts out whilst allowing much needed air flow close to the stove.

wood burning stove instillation

Next task, to install the wood burning stove.  I’ve had it for ages and not been particularly concerned, it being a Godin, one of the most popular makes in france, about getting fittings to install it in my home.  How wrong was I?  Very.  I spent most of Monday visiting a variety of fireplace and DIY stores on the way home, to no avail.  I spent the evening beginning to prepare for the instillation and the following day started in the local scrap metal dealers.  Metal plate was easy, bought by the kilo (50 centimes a kg) then back to the quest for chimney pipe.  The stove is old and the new regulations have increased pipe sizes dramatically, no one has the appropriate bits and I go from shop to shop, waiting an eternity each time, it’s the first really cold day of autumn (everyone and his dog wants a fire installed and now) just to be told the same story.  By chance an engineer in one shop decided to try and help those waiting, he told me to try the Godin showrooms out of town.

The Godin showroom, joy at last, the kind lady knew exactly what I wanted and corrected my measurements by a millimeter or two to be precise.  The catalogue showed they were still made and she would order them with some other parts later in the week.  Result, although patience will be needed as the delivery won’t arrive till later in the month.  Good job I’ve got my thermals and I can sleep easy knowing that the problem can be solved.  I shan’t make the hole in the wall just yet, but wait till I know all can be done at once.  By now it was five in the evening, just time to drive home, catch my breath and pop to the neighbours for dinner.

bricks to support the metal plate where the wood stove will stand with battens on the
wall for the rock wool insulation panel

metal plate in situ.  (it has two more bricks underneath now to take the
weight of the stove)

first panel of wall insulation in place.  It'll need a hole cutting through when I have exactly the
right dimensions for the chimney pipe.

second metal plate to deflect heat and protect the wood store from  too much radiant heat

stove in position.
Now all I need is the flue pipes and I can heat the chalet

Slightly groggy start to Wednesday but that soon went when I started digging.  Tidied the weeds from the paths between the new vegetable beds then headed into Lannemezan, market day, to pick up provisions, made the most of the trip by gathering most of what I need for the water pipe work.  It’s too risky leaving buying things till the last minute, plus it’s easier to mentally check that everything has been thought about once the bits begin to gather.  Lunch with Pierre in a busy little bar by the market, everybody crowded inside  protecting themselves from the wintery weather, noise and activity filling the tiny dining area.

the end of another year

Another catch up posting after having been in the UK for a while.  I am back at Chalet Lou Rider for the winter again, my fourth season here and the place that I have spent the most time during my last four years on the road.

Christmas flew by in a blur of meal preparations, serving drinks, washing up and helping the new team get acclimatised to their new environment.  We are now in a slight lull before the excitement of New Year celebrations kick off, I have time and I am in the mood to write.

Where had I got to?

Matty and I returned to the Dordogne, to Matt and Wendy’s for a couple of weeks for a promised introduction into willow weaving as a thank you for the efforts we put in back during the summer.  Ben, one of the summer team joined us too, it all felt very easy and a bit like coming home.  We laughed, ate and drank as well as we had in the summer, enjoyed gite accommodation (indoors), got to see our roundhouse creation again which looked more amazing than before, and became part of the family for a second time. 

Hurdle making in progress

The finished article

We coppiced various varieties of willow, learned the basics of hurdle making and started a long curving in situ fence for one of their future projects.  Due to a prebooked flight I left before it was finished, but have seen the finished result, it looks amazing,  missed to salmon trap and fan lessons, but with a decent book, can’t imagine that it is hugely difficult to master in the future.

freshly cut willow varieties, with in started situ fence behind

progress with the curved in situ fence

I flew back to the UK at the end of November, in time to celebrate Mum’s birthday, make flying visits to some of my favourite friends and catch up with news and goings on.  It is always great to spend a decent amount of time with folk and share some love where I can.  Work on allotments, choosing Christmas Trees, reading books and playing with children, cooking meals and turning compost, walking dogs and shopping.  It’s all good fun and contributes to making life run smoothly.

My brother was home for a week too, so we got to spend a day together and almost has a whole family Christmas meal, unfortunately not everyone was able to make it.  He, however is much happier than when I visited him in Portugal and his house project is coming on leaps and bounds.  The track is finished, the house reroofed, has a new floor inside and a temporary wood-burning stove, he and his partner moved in on Christmas eve after several months in a caravan. I am so glad that they have somewhere warm and cosy to spend the rest of the winter. 

Windy's new roof

The land that I am looking for has been somewhat elusive this last year so I decided that another winter season at the chalet would allow me to pass the worst of the winter somewhere enjoyable, warm and in a location that might allow me to visit land possibilities should they arise, continue to improve my french and learn further kitchen skills from our great chef Mark.  I arrived by Eurostar again, by far the most comfortable way to travel with extra luggage, complete with hundreds of tea bags and other english supplies, straight into a busy chalet.  

Chalet Lou Rider

My quiet morning is disappearing fast, with reservations coming in for lunchtime, new guests arriving and an extra ten eating tonight.  I’ll be needed in the kitchen soon to lend a hand and keep things running smoothly so I’d better upload this whilst I have time.  Wish you all a Very Happy New Year and hope that the coming year is a good one for you all.

donkey stables

I am less than 24 hours from being out of computer contact for three weeks and have too much to tell you.

This is what Vivien, Julien and I managed to build in two weeks, on helpX hours, with a little guidance from Jean Francoise.  His advice changed like the wind as he adapted the design as he went, adding or altering specifications and requirements as the project evolved.  An interesting way of working and with a well equipped woodworking workshop at our disposal, little alterations didn’t need to take for ever to complete.  Our competence with hand tools and big machines increased dramatically during this project and the result was satisfying for everyone. 

as close as I got to a before photo

not sure of the correct technical term in english but the french call 

them "jambes de force" (legs of strength)  which works for me.

not tongue and groove but good enough to be a weather proof stable

roof detail

waiting patiently

artists

Claude and Susan were great hosts, they are artists, often performing as ‘Un kilo de Cirque’ and between events lead a calm and pressure free lifestyle.  No animals to look after, save a couple of horses and a cat, so no daily feeding routines and rushing around, no work schedules and times to keep, it made a great change from other more hectic hosts.  That said, they practice their routines and learn new sketches frequently, fabricate their own costumes and have just finished renovating the old barn into a community events venue, their plan is to host local events and loan the space to societies and associations as there are few local resources like that available on a regular basis.  It’d be great to be there for a dance or musical event as the building is beautiful and the sprung dancefloor just waiting for the movement of feet and music.  The opening event is next month but unfortunately I won’t be there.  Julien and Vivien are helping out for the two day event as ushers/parking attendants/general help and I shall be in portugal visiting my brother in his new home.......

Susan started life in London and has lived in france since the eighties.  It was great to spend time with someone who has spent so long here and has settled almost completely.  Many of our conversations were in french, especially if the others were involved, but often alone, her french with a definite west london accent made me smile.  She prepared us great meals and, much to the amusement of my french friends, kept us well supplied with tea at all the appropriate times and with cake or biscuits in the afternoon.  How civilised.  Proper pot with cosie, I wish I’d taken a photo now, PG Tips, though in tea bag form as they were easier to get hold of.  

Our accommodation was wonderfully comfortable and definitely different to the usual room , Julien had a wonderful gipsy caravan and I, a white van.  We were going to swap halfway through our stay but as we were both comfortable in our beds decided not to change in case it wasn’t for the better.  Vivien stayed home in his camper van as usual.

We put down new stones on the floor of the winter horses shelter to help keep their feet dry, spent a couple of good mornings clearing brush and scrub in one of the higher pastures, no bonfires as it was far too dry, but plenty of fun for whoever is there in the winter.  Collected several truck loads of heating wood and stacked it ready for the winter, I can imagine that the hall takes a fair amount of heating even if everyone brings their log contribution that is requested of them.  Put up the framework for a tack room, I guess you can call it that, somewhere to keep saddles and straps and all the paraphanalia that goes with horses.  Someone else will get the pleasure of boarding the sides and kitting the inside out when the  wood arrives.