Plodding on...

Bev made bread and generally got on with things, I worked on the bread oven, then painted and then back on the bread oven. It's been quite a relaxing day.

Almost at chimney height, but it's slow progress because of finding the right thickness stone. I should have used the odd-shaped stuff to match what's already up there, but can't change it now. Besides, it would have been really difficult because of it backing onto the chimney. The chickens watched me today and I swear they were passing comment.

Progress with the Bread Oven

EDF turned the power off for most of the day, so I decided to quickly use the concrete mixer before 9am and again at 1:30 when it came back on for a brief spell.

It's really too hot to work outside and it's so hard to find the right bits of stone...I would rather be painting in the studio on a day like today.

Must make a note to begin this sort of work around tea-time when it's cooler. It was 28 degrees at 8pm when we took off with a chainsaw to help Dave and Annie...EDF had chopped their trees down while they were out, as they were obstructing the cables. What a sight to come home to. He came round asking advice on sharpening his chainsaw. Given the circumstances, it would take a hard man not to offer a helping hand.

Back-filling with stone and mortar takes just as long as finding and laying stone. Should be finished by Saturday if all goes well. Then it'll be the flip side. Can't wait to jet-wash and point this lot up.

Josselin

I was standing at the top of the church tower while waiting for the Trinity Hall Chapel Choir to begin beneath me last week.  This is a shot of our local chateau...and again as we left to go home.  A fantastic evening. Fantastic views.

Bread Oven

I've been painting today, but couldn't resist finishing the bottom section of the bread oven.  I can't wait to start on the upper section.

Le Comptoir Des Rues and Bread Oven...

At the back of the Croix Rouge in Ploermel there is a fascinating little place called Le Comptoir Des Rues. We dropped in while we were in the area to see what we could find.

 

 We bought this little bottle holder...

This little jar to house our pens...

 This little trowel to clean out the concrete mixer...

 And this glass cake stand...all for just over three euros.

After a lengthy stay under the parasols having a hot chocolate in Josselin (which also included a walk up to the top of the church steeple) and welcoming Martin and Colette back home, there wasn't much time left to work on the bread oven.

Hopefully this section at the back will be completed tomorrow.

The priority though is to paint and if I finish the painting in time, I get to play out.

Working on the Bread Oven

I had to pull out all the loose stone, rake out the joints and brush it all down and level the ground before I could start building. They do say that I enjoy knocking things down, but it isn't strictly true, and I'd much rather do other things than clear ground...especially when it's full of roots and rubble.

Anyway, today was the enjoyable bit...building.  I only stopped to Skype and also check out the football results.

Hours and hours of back-breaking work, with all the soil heaped around the side to cover the tree stumps...long way to go yet.

The idea is to hide all the horrible rubble that was at the back of the building and help support the stone work above. I originally planned to use really rough stone and render over it, but decided against it in the end.

Once this retaining wall is finished, I can do the apex, knowing that it won't collapse.

I'll be laying just one row a day next week as I'll be painting most of the day, and hopefully the wall will be finished up to the stone sticking-out bits, by Saturday.

la madone des motards

Each year, nearly 20,000 bikers from all over France and Europe gather for the "Pardon of Madonna" created in 1979 by Father Louis Prévoteau.  I didn't think Madonna was into bikes, but anyway they roared into Josselin yesterday and it was quite an experience. The place was jam-packed. 

For a quiet night we opted for the Billio Fest in the evening instead of the blessing in Josselin 

20,000 gives a new meaning to 'Mass'.