In recent times at L'Ecole de Campgast, not only has worked rolled on with steady advance, but we have also had the pleasure of receiving a number of guests and enjoying various accompanying celebrations and frivolities.
Included in this update is the laying of the slab for the new preau, visitors, partying, and gliding.
...as always, click on the pictures to enlarge...
Our first international guests!! Annie and Lochie, old friends drop in for lunch. Unfortunately they couldn't stay for long but they promised they'll be back (when there are bedrooms)!!
As various guests arrived, work continued, including the laying of the concrete slab for the new preau building behind the house. This lays the foundation for Michael's workshop and guest bedrooms and bathroom.
After preparing the space, erecting the shuttering and double-triple checking their levels, Nick and Steve lay down waterproofing, insulation and reinforcement under the slab area.
Straight to work Jess!!
A section of the concrete slab in the preau goes down. Supervisor Dylan is on hand.
More supervisors as the concreting progresses!
At one point we had a total of four guests and a full family of four, stretching our accommodating capabilities to the limit. But all were more than willing to pick up a hammer, shovel or drill and pitch in. One seemingly simple job that became communal was the removal of the existing concrete gate post attached to the house. Communal as most gave up hacking away at the very stubborn post after a certain amount of time...
Dylan ups the anti with a grinder?? Nope, not with that little toy, hahaha...
Michael tries hitting it! But this post ain't succumbing to a silly little hammer.
Andrew's turn next. … not with that silly drill of yours either.
In reality Andrew did a lot of work to expose and cut all the reinforcing steel before the tractor came. A job well done!
Andrew, Julie, Jess and Dylan.
Michael met Andrew way-back-when in Cambridge and reconnected recently when Andrew stayed with us in Sydney. After Deb and Michael recently attended Andrew and Julie's party celebrating 25 years of their own French abode (see previous post: L'Ecole taking shape) they decided to pitch in for a few days and re-explore with a part of France they'd previously visited as a young travelling couple.
(Despite the fact it was a milestone birthday he did actually spend
most of the day shovelling gravel. Hero!)
As well as being enjoyably busy entertaining our guests, it also happened to be Deb's birthday (... her 21st if you were wondering) and Greg's. So let's party!!
The guests arrive.
A mix of our neighbours, local and international friends, a bit of food on the new barbie and a drop of wine = instant party, construction-site style.
Day after the party and looking fresh before attacking the daunting peak behind,
with the Chateau of Montesgur atop.
Penny is Deb's cousin and stayed with us for a few days after swimming between islands in the Mediterranean, cycling in France and just before walking in Spain. Not a bad trip if you ask me!!
And as it was Deb's birthday, of course she deserved a present! Why not a tandem flight in a glider at our local (100m down the road) airstrip! She initially expressed interest in the idea soon after arriving at Campgast, but in the subsequent weeks she wavered back and forth after hearing varied gliding experiences from friends. But as the day drew near her resolve was steeled, with encouragement from the rest of the family: "You're doing it! We don't have anything else for your birthday, and we want to do it too!"
Campbonnaure (left), Campgast (right) and the grass airstrip.
Next time...
...we actually get some work done and the house starts to resemble a house!!
