We stop by the house every day to see what’s new. Or maybe I should say to see what’s old. These are the days when everything is changing fast, and we revel in the daily unveiling. Yesterday we were thrilled to see that the workers had removed the wall that closed in the stairs and the entry hall closet. It was an awkward and narrow space before, making the stairway claustrophobic and the closet long and dark.

Now we have to decide how to deal with the open area. We thought of keeping some sort of closet there, but it doesn’t need to take up all that space. Or we may decide to keep it open and bright. There will still be space under the stairs to tuck things like a vacuum.

Moisture is a big problem when rock walls are covered with plaster, which doesn’t allow air to circulate. Taking the plaster off the rock has allowed the rocks to dry out after decades of suffocation. Of course, prolonged wetness causes any wood to rot. Not surprisingly, the now exposed underside of the stairs shows some damage and will need attention, and the stair railing, which had been one-sided against the wall, will have to be replaced.

The outback.

Our house is on a curve in the road, and the backyard area is gigantic. One of the first things we bought was a battery-operated lawnmower. The locals encouraged Bob to get a riding lawnmower but he would have none of that.

In the picture above, you see the house indicated by the red mark. The yellow line indicates our property boundaries. The side of the house sits on the road, with the front of the house facing the grouping of trees in the yard. Those trees, except for the biggest one on the right, will be removed in order to build the annex that will be our master bedroom and bath, which will be built perpendicular to the house. The little metal structures to the left of the house are old chicken coops and rabbit hutches, which will also be removed.

Tomorrow, Monday, is yet another holiday in France, so no progress on the house. Life definitely moves at a slower place here, and that’s not a terrible thing, except when you are eager to move in to a lovely 300 yr old house.