Nothing a bit of paint wont fix.

Well, that's the theory! With this ghastly hot pink color predominating in our new home, it is time to get 'clean' as it were. I'm not usually a proponent of white, but in service rooms, I will go for any color as long as it looks clean and is easy to clean. That inevitably means using Satin or Gloss paint.

Satin is our choice this time around and it is indeed easier to apply and clean up.
Someone has used acrylic paint over oil based, everywhere, and we all know that you cant do that...dont we? Consequently the acrylic is peeling off.

Back to the hot pink...

Now that we have a clean and bright new pantry, it was time to get stuck in and do the Laundry room opposite. Not only did we have to paint, but Waz had to do some surgery to various items in the room to make sure it all functions the way it is meant to. Anytime you have water in a room, it pays to check the plumbing out first of all. That done, he set about prepping the room with a first coat of paint.

Before...
'Things' were previously hanging off the wall, so those places had to be spackled to cover up the HUGE holes someone had made. a quick sanding and they were ready for the first coat of white.

 Yes, someone did a rush job on the building of the pantry and the laundry. We still dont understand the thinking behind the two rooms, but they exist, and they are useful and so they stay. The alternative isnt very attractive and we need both rooms, so ...they stay.
After the room is painted we will install the ceiling board. Why not before? Because Mrs Perfectionist wanted it this way! I wanted to make sure there was good paint coverage on the walls before attacking the ceiling job. Not a biggy, it just means painting the ceiling, when it is installed. Easy!

 First coat finished.

Of course we decide to do this around 4pm. Nothing like being unmotivated to do anything all day, and then suddenly saying..."Let's paint the laundry!". Emptying the room took a bit of jockeying with the load cart, so I left Waz to it...mostly because he is quite capable of doing this on his own. Too many helpers??lol.

Yes, it really is a small room! 

So, in the meantime....It was all left to dry overnight.

We woke the first time this morning around 6am. Grey skies, go back to sleep.

2nd wake up was 7.20am Bright blue skies outside. Throw open the windows in the bedroom, breath the glorious fresh air, and survey our little kingdom. Yes, we do feel like King and Queen some days:)

The sun is just hitting the nearest vines and coming in the glass doors onto the terrace. I love going out there and surveying the scene, first thing.

 You can see the fog layer in the distance. This is 7.30am. How happy we were to wake to sunshine this morning, after a couple of weeks of almost constant rain or drizzle and grey skies. It really does affect your mood. While we liked living in almost eternal sunshine in Florida, it can get old too. No pleasing some people??:)

 Our grapevine is coming along nicely, and those grapes appear to be elongated. They may prove good eating!

 We have been selling some of our furniture and other items online in this area. This took some of the morning as local English folks turned up to take a look at the table tennis table. Lovely to meet some more locals from literally just down the road. Having been here for 17 years, they are not just fluent in French, but know who to ask for what! We are excited to make their acquaintance.

I decided to get going on the final paint coats just before lunch...around 11am. I like the detail bits on any project, so Waz left me to it. Four coats later, with lunch on the terrace in between coats, it is finished.
All washed up, we went outside to the north terrace for our afternoon coffee break.

 It is pretty warm today, so it was lovely sitting out there with a cooling breeze. Waz is going to power wash this terrace in the very near future. It will be the first of many such projects around the house.

In the meantime...or was it this morning? I had been informed that an English journalist wanted to telephone interview a non-EU resident in France who had just purchased their home. Silly me volunteered...and then she wanted me to send them a selfy in my PINK kitchen. Her comment upon receiving this photo was "WOW! It IS rather bright!" lol. I like the general pink glow, dont you?

So, back outside and I had been 'told' that the tomato plants needed staking. Yes boss!
Bamboo stakes were found, some new pots sorted out to transplant some of the smaller plants and repot them, and all were tied up.
I think I will need to transplant the trough tomatoes as the soil isnt deep enough for them. the ones in the pot at right are doing exceptionally well, after Waz fertilized them.

 The middle right tomato plant is dying, I think. I have been accused of being a 'killer'!. yes, well....I didnt mean to!

 The Mint, bottom left, and the Basil bottom right are the herbs I use the most. I do need to start some chives from seeds and some ordinary parsley...soon!

I have been informed that it is now 'Wine o'clock'. It is after 5pm, so I guess it is:) I will make some hamburgers for dinner from the 15% fat minced beef we bought last week. Some chopped bacon and eschalots and a little garlic, and they should be delicious.

We will go and relax for a bit now. Our new English friends are coming to collect the table at 6, so we can relax until then.

A bientot. Picking up the ceiling Gib in the morning. This should be fun:)