So.... another year comes to a close and an exciting New Year dawns. Reading back over this blog I realise how far we have actually come in what will be 3 years in April. This has been a long time dream of both of ours and one we have talked about every since we first got engaged in France in 1990.
Here are some before and after shots.... to show the progress of this first Phase that is now nearing completion.
House 2011
House 2013
Landing 2011 and below Landing 2013
Above Blue Bedroom 2011... below Blue Bedroom 2013
(Still new carpet to be laid in this room.)
Master Bedroom 2011... below Master Bedroom 2013
Green Room 2011... below Green Room 2012
(This room being done this Easter with an en-suite and new carpet & soft furnishings)
Hallway before and After
Stairs in 2011
Stairs now
Downstairs shower room 2011 & below Downstairs shower room 2013
Lounge before and after
The best makeover of the whole house a poxy cupboard space transformed into
a beautiful bathroom!
The back garden when the septic tank went in and the back garden now!
The "waste corner" transformed into a lovely seating area!
Whew exhausting going through them all with so much acheived in just under 3 years!
Thank you to everyone that has pitched in to help us we really couldn't of done it without you all ...
Peter Robertson for his Plumbing, Gardening and Project Management
Rosemary Robertson for all her gardening advice, manual labour and more importantly all the beautiful soft furnishings in the bedrooms and around the house!
Andrew & Julie Duggett
Gardening, Boiler Replacement, Cleaning and General Maintenance!
Wilson and Jan for their wonderful efforts on clearing up the garden on their first, but hopefully no their last visit.
Alastair & Kirsteen Davies
Alastair sadly passed away in February 2013 after a short illness he will never be forgotten for the work he did at Les Eaux & for naming the house! I am looking forward to seeing the Daffs, planted in his memory, come into bloom this spring.
Phil and I are eternally grateful to you all for your friendship, advice and for politely listening to us rattle on about the plans for Les Eaux De La Petite Fontaine. For sharing our dream and most importantly for being our friends. As I have said many times Thank you dosn't seem enough but we truly are.
So 2014 blows in....
This year is very exciting as on 1st of June I will open the doors of B&B Les Eaux De La Petite Fontaine something we have been working towards for 3 years. At the end of March the tractor is due to be transported across to France on the trailer with the good ole' Disco pulling it I know this something Phil & Peter are really looking forward to doing! More to come on this once it has taken place.
The en-suite will then be fitted in the first 2 weeks of April, door locked fitted to the bedroom doors and all the finishing touches put to the two main letting rooms. I leave on May 30th to set up ready for 1st of June and as Phil is tied up with Thirlestane Car Show I am delighted that Rosie is coming back out with me for a few days to celebrate the opening. I only had to mention the words "Bottle of Fizz" and she was booked!!
It's then time to take a step back and see where we are, see how well the set up copes with being a B&B and to spend some time working in the garden and getting the barn doors straight oh and of course for Phil, playing with his tractor! Phase 2 is our next plan but not until Autumn of 2015 at the earliest when we would like to start converting the attached barn downstairs into a large farmhouse kitchen and snug area but we will see how the next 2 summers go first.
Jack leaves school this summer which is a big life event and Harriet goes into her last year of Uni ... sigh of relief but a little sadness that they are now both grown up and making their own way in the world. BUT... on the bright side, this does give me the opportunity of taking 4 months off this summer to spend time running the B&B and hopefully a month or so that Phil can join me out there. I am sure there will be lots of tales to come to continue this blog and also the write up on Le Tractor's Grand Voyage.
HAPPY NEW YEAR TO YOU ALL.
I hope 2014 will be a happy & healthy one for you all and that you all get a chance to follow your dreams!
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