The Return of the Plumber…

This, we know, would not normally be terrific news but in our case it merits a few rounds of the Hallelujah Chorus.

Olivier came back to us after a disappearance of a full month in which he worked for us exactly one-half day. Not his fault, he claims, because the arctic weather we recently suffered caused him to have rushed to and fro fixing frozen and broken pipes for dozens of local households.

‘C’etait terrible!’ he told me, ‘I even skidded my truck off the road.’ He also expressed shock and sadness at how many older folks in our area have such problems because they cannot afford heating fuel.

Whatever, we are happy to have him back - along with the return of the sun, warmer temperatures, and the distinct feeling of spring. While Olivier began anew installing the heating system and bathrooms in the other house, Francesco, Jez, and I managed to erect a somewhat jury-rigged scaffolding in order to reach the dormer windows – one on the main house and two on the other.

Each needed sprucing up with paint and stain, so while I steadied the ladder on the bottom and Francesco handed paints and brushes out the window, Jez scaled the contraption and worked at each task, balancing athletically on the wooden rungs. The project took the major part of the day – and the sad, unsightly lucarnes have now taken on a decent appearance. Hallelujah, indeed!