I can see clearly now

Ste Aimé
Yesterday’s weather: Still lovely

Two men and a van turned up yesterday morning. We were surprised really because they had told us they were coming and we aren’t used to people turning up when they say they will. More often than not they will arrive a week, two weeks or even six weeks later than expected.

They backed their van into our garden (it was a tight squeeze), shook hands (carefully in one case as his finger was bandaged in the manner of a cartoon character from the Beano) and promptly ripped out all the windows.

We were still amazed at their arrival and retreated to the chalet where I varnished and Jon worked on the steps.

By lunchtime we had new windows everywhere, fly screens (how I wish we had had those in June) and a hole where the back door should be. They left for lunch and returned less than an hour later. Now I was beginning to wonder if these were real French workmen or had been imported from outer space. We retreated to the chalet again.

At three-thirty we were called back to the house for an inspection followed by the completion of their satisfaction survey (Were we satisfied? Yes, we were) and to write a cheque for the amount one would expect to pay for one or two double glazed, high specification windows in the UK – we had five and a door.

We are so happy with our new windows. I couldn’t hear any traffic in the night (that is, the two lorries who pass along the road at 5am). There is no condensation anywhere in the house this morning. The back door opens and closes without having to force it open the last quarter and the kitchen window either tilts or opens which will be very useful in the winter.

The cats are confused (always a funny sight). The main kitchen door is now glass from top to bottom so they can see in from the garden. Misty finds this particularly puzzling and even when we open the door just enough for her to squeeze through she still thinks she should be able to walk through the glass. This morning I have had the three of them take it in turns to come up to the door, try to walk through, wait for me to open the door, come in, wait for me to shut the door again and then try to walk out through the glass once more.

This is amusing for the first couple of times but it soon wears thin. I am now considering getting a baby gate to stop them from scratching on the glass all the time. However I’m sure they will soon get used to it when I refuse to open the door for them every time.