Bloomin’ pump

I have some gorgeous sharp yellow tulips in the garden, so I cut a few to brighten up the house. I like to use different types of containers for vases - this is an old teapot, which works well for a small posy.

The plumber arrived this morning to fit in a second washing machine for me in the laundry room, this was where we used to have the old oil boiler, out in the barn. We have two washing machines, as we brought on from the Uk when we moved, so I’m thinking once we open up the three bedrooms for the ‘chambre d’hôte” it will be good to have the second machine working. We still have some work to do in the laundry room, but the first thing to address in there is getting the floor level. However, because we have been experiencing unusually low temperatures Brian has not been able to do the concreting. But hopefully next week. That room is definitely a room in progress.

Whilst the plumber was here doing that job, he took a look at the radiators we would need for the room we have created upstairs in the barn. We will wait to get them fitted once the walls and floor are all finished. The pipes will come from below, so no need to run pipe work behind the plasterboard.

He also had what we thought was a small job fixing a burst pipe to the external tap at the pool, but when he went to try it out, which required Brian starting the pump, we discovered the pump had completely broken. The water in it had frozen and expanded cracking the joint. Again the low temperatures had got to it, and just popped it open in about three areas. We will need to get it replaced and ensure next year it is better protected. Brian is already getting a greater understanding of the weaknesses we have when temperatures significantly drop, so we can better protect ourselves in the future.