Here are some updates from this week — about the house, and about everyday life-in-France stuff too. Including an amazing ladies kilt (genuine! wool! from Scotland!) that I found for 2 euros at the second-hand shop. Because of where the tag is placed in the kilt, for a minute I thought I might be wearing it backwards, but the Scottish Ladies chimed in and let me know I was wearing it correctly. : )
It’s interesting for me to see how the house progresses at totally different paces depending on the week. Sometimes it’s full of tradespeople and deliveries and action. And other weeks it’s very quiet, like nothing is happening. Next week, the big push on electricity work is supposed to happen, so we’re definitely looking forward to that.
Starting Friday, France is having a full shutdown until at least December 1st. So that may affect the pace of the work as well. One good thing: since the house is empty (meaning no one currently lives there) it’s considered a safely-isolated place for tradespeople to work.
Earlier this week, we also went on a fieldtrip to a sandblasting workshop to discuss our vintage radiators. I love getting to do stuff like that! I always learn so much. When I was in my mid-twenties, I was really into buying old metal furniture, and then having it sandblasted and powder-coated. But it’s been a long time since I’ve talked with a sandblaster and the technologies have changed. Have you ever had something sandblasted?
P.S. — More Tall House updates.
I remember my mom taking our air vent covers to get sandblasted. Now I appreciate it, because me as an adult would have thought to just buy new ones.
Thank for for sharing all of this – I especially love the kilt!
Forgive me for posting about another post, but can you share the link for the electric ukelele? I can’t stop thinking about it!
I can’t thank you enough for writing this and sharing what is happening with the Tall House and seeing
peeks of family life too. It is so needed for me to escape the politics for a moment.
Wow-the kids’ bathroom tile looks AMAZING. Your posts are totally my happy place-love following you along in IG.
Sorry you’re going back into lockdown. Things are finally opening up where I am. Hoping our first and second wave ending up being one long one as we did a terrible job getting things contained here.
Love the photos of the house. My sister is considering retiring in France.
It looks beautiful and I’m so excited for you and your family!! So curious to know how your windows have been restored apart from new paint? We have old stained glass windows that I adore and I’ve been trying to determine what needs to happen to make them more efficient. Would be interested to know more about your process.
All kilts are worn with the flat side to the front and the pleats at the back. The leather buckles can be on the right or left-hand closing side depending if the kilt was made for a man or for a woman (men’s kilts usually are thicker and have more pleats). Very pretty kilt!
I bought a very similar kilt – pin and all – when I was in junior high school with my babysitting money ($.50/hr) 55 years ago (OMG!). Wore that skirt through high school and then my sister wore it. Never goes out of style.