The Chateau Diaries #237 If you haven't been blocked, you're not trying hard enough!

[Summerbaby]

Yes, Dan please wear a safety harness. I mean, look at Ian. Look how sexy and handsome he looks.

I agree, Ian is rather sexy. Him and Daphne are a great match.
BUT, never in a thousand years would Dan ever look 1/10th as sexy as Ian, with or without, the harness! There is absolutely no comparison whatsoever! In looks, intellect or abilities!

 

[JackSpratt]

Is he my b.i.l.? Ha ha ha. Mine is one of 3 brothers, Surrey born and bred too. From the other side of the rails, as they say. I never used to swear. Well not much. I was a properly brought up young lady, though that "costume didn't fit so well! I broke the mould. I like being me and not the person I was expected to be!

His family have been in the village he comes from for 3 generations at one time the name was a bit infamous. My links are more Kent, London East End. We all say it as it is. Lol

 

[Margo Polo]

I agree, Ian is rather sexy. Him and Daphne are a great match.
BUT, never in a thousand years would Dan ever look 1/10th as sexy as Ian, with or without, the harness! There is absolutely no comparison whatsoever! In looks, intellect or abilities!

Zero

 

[JackSpratt]

View this château in Bonnes, Vienne (86), France

24 Bed Château for sale in Poitou-Charentes, Vienne (86), Bonnes | €8,000,000

www.french-property.com

I like this one!
China room
Kitchen

Yes, not so far for me to travel. By a river. By the looks of it nice laid out veg garden. Lovely light interior.

 

[Summerbaby]

Zero

I am glad we appear to agree then! Ian = 10, Dan = 0. Correct?
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His family have been in the village he comes from for 3 generations at one time the name was a bit infamous. My links are more Kent, London East End. We all say it as it is. Lol

I seem to have missed something here? Which family are you talking about as my sister married into a semi-infamous Essex/Kent borders family (that didn't come to light until after she married into it), even though we originated from Hertfordshire via Ireland 2 generations before. She and our family were so very naive! Am really intrigued to know more now.

 

[JackSpratt]

I see that the dining room is shades of fanny's spode kitchen! On the plus side there are 24 bathrooms for 24 bedrooms. A bit of a route march to the swimming pool but think of it as extra exercise. Love the formal garden and the river frontage and I think between us we could make the kitchen garden work. Anyone know the area? Things/places of interest?

You've got Poitiers to the North, Limoooooges to the South. Go over to the coast and you have La Rochelle and Royan. Travel a bit further South West and there's Saintes. All very nice places.

 

[NotAChatelaine]

I’m not good for much these days a multitude of illness - I can sit and weed good at looking after kitties - can wallpaper on my good days can offer advice on brocante trips a great listening ear and organiser

I can lounge, arranged decoratively on a day bed, and direct operations which I’ll oversee with intermittent squeals of “spectacular”, “exquisite” and, on occasion, “sublime perfection”.

(I’m the same boat as you, @RubyT, and am pretty crocked but II could volunteer to be in-house Constance Spry and do glorious arrangements for the entire house, working in the Flower Room (every house should have one)).

 

[JackSpratt]

I am glad we appear to agree then! Ian = 10, Dan = 0. Correct?
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I seem to have missed something here? Which family are you talking about as my sister married into a semi-infamous Essex/Kent borders family (that didn't come to light until after she married into it), even though we originated from Hertfordshire via Ireland 2 generations before. She and our family were so very naive! Am really intrigued to know more now.

Nothing infamous in my family. His were infamous in their village, everyone knew everyone. All have moved away or are long dead now and the village has lost it's it's charm.

 

[Pekey]

Dude is definitely tinkering with his hairline these days!

Ok , OK ...... I am going to confess ........ when I groom Yum Yum I collect his fur and when I have a big old wad of it ....I send it off to Squirrel via Gift Grab for his head!

 

[Summerbaby]

Nothing infamous in my family. His were infamous in their village, everyone knew everyone. All have moved away or are long dead now and the village has lost it's it's charm.

No, I obviously realised that. But who were you guys originally talking about?

My sister's XH is the uncle to an extremely very high profile current day British TV personality. And, get this, he even studied at the University where I last worked before I retired. Talk about 6 degrees of separation? I even used to socialise with his mother in my teens when I visited my sister too. FFS, it seems like just yesterday, but makes me feel so old accepting the reality!

 

[Margo Polo]

I am glad we appear to agree then! Ian = 10, Dan = 0. Correct?
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I seem to have missed something here? Which family are you talking about as my sister married into a semi-infamous Essex/Kent borders family (that didn't come to light until after she married into it), even though we originated from Hertfordshire via Ireland 2 generations before. She and our family were so very naive! Am really intrigued to know more now.

Absolutely correct!

 

[JackSpratt]

I just watched Dan’s video from yesterday, with the title “Today is site inspection day.” What would you think that means….that a government inspector or engineering/ structural expert is coming to examine the crispy chateau to determine its structural integrity? Nope, it was a click bait title. Dan had some local building supply merchants come to examine the ruins and one of the merchants was surprised/ startled to being filmed by Dan at the site.

Here are some comments about the inspection, safety concerns, etc.:

Rita M.
21 hours ago
Did I hear right? You're going to upgrade from the 'Scaffold of Death '? So Happy to hear it!View attachment 2151166 I'm tired of holding my breath every time you're on it, and you don't have a harness, or anything View attachment 2151167


Chantal Pinsonneault
22 hours agoI really hope a structural engineer will come visit the chateau at every stage to make sure all the work done so far is all right, so nothing collapses or has to be undone then redone in the future.


Robert Chautard Jensen
22 hours agoHmmm talking about inspections, have you had the local Marie inspector around to inspect the structure and your planned works? It would be a pity to put a lot of effort into renovating the building and then the local Marie inspector comes along and condemns the work because it has been undertaken without approvals from the local government...

Elizabeth Streeter
21 hours agoI hope the building merchants throw in a helmet with dans next delivery it would be so much saferrubberdc
22 hours agoSome of the walls look so fragile , how do you know if they can stand the weight of the wood you are putting in ? each time you bang a wall with those beams I wonder if the brickwork can take it .or tumble .

Angela Hare
7 hours ago
Safety squints don't really protect your eyes. View attachment 2151168 Please wear safety gear. Love what you're doing!


https://www.youtube.com/create_channel?upsell=comment
Aidan Clarke
11 hours ago
The builder had the same reaction as me seeing the chateau for the first time: oh f#*k View attachment 2151169


Ivanhoe076
13 hours ago
I was glad to hear you discussing getting "Proper scalfolding" that one you are using REALLY worries me! Seeing it sway every time you climb it, you are getting pretty far off the ground now!

sally scanlan
15 hours ago
ducted heating! Yes I got it right! Can you get your building supplier to find you metal braces for the scaffolding please, I can’t cope with the wobbling. Please Dan

Charlie Preston
15 hours ago
Dan, please stop using the hoist wire to wrap around the items to be lifted, not only will you bugger up the cable, but you are compromising the Hoist, and it will fail. The bits you are raising are not particularly heavy so get a two meter, one ton endless sling to wrap around the items, or through the trug handles with a choke around the beams. Also it's a lot easier, in operation. Ask your chainsaw man what a choke is, he will know. I hope this helps. Keep up the good work. Xx

jmz388
15 hours ago
Dan i wondered where you got the beams as they are of decent quallity… another concern is tha you should use reinforcement in the lime mortar to improve tensional performance

William Schleicher
16 hours ago (edited)
I have not seen you “crown” your floor joists. Typically they are installed with any crown (upward bowing) facing upward, so the floor loads will tend to flatten them. The joists are usually marked on the high side.

Andy Peoples
16 hours ago
Anyone else waiting for Dan's ladder to be knocked over by the wood swinging on the way up?

David Wrigglesworth
16 hours ago
You really aught to replace that telescopic ladder that have a tendency to collapse as i had the misfortune to find out Great project though

Julie Bower
17 hours ago
Please please Dan get some proper safety measures in place, a better scaffolding with a enclosure at the top or something, my heart is my mouth everytime your up there. Safety first please.


Michael Clayton
18 hours ago
When you used the word "inspection" day, I got worried thinking it was some sort of government official coming to check out the situation. How does that work in France with such an old building?
Katharina Chen
15 hours ago
He is working in the legal "greyzone".

kittycatgraham
20 hours ago
When does an inspection by a structural engineer happen?

David Analyst
21 hours ago
its hilarious seeing you hack away at the wood beams. Im pretty sure you have a screw gun or a cordless screw driver somewhere that would just pull those right out.

Mary & Jim Dale
22 hours ago
Dan, what would you do if the ladder fell over while you were on one of the higher floors? Have you secured it in any way?

Kat Arnold
22 hours ago
I don't know if you've had any structural engineers out but that main beam and the other warped metal braces do still really worry me as does the really unstable top points of the chateau, have you gotten any advice on putting the tarp over? I'm just concerned that if the tarp isn't tented properly it's going to have a LOT of water weight trying to pull inwards on very unstable upper walls.

Rob Tuck
22 hours ago
Dan you should build a proper bench for your saw so you don’t have to kneel all the time



Kay Stapleton
20 hours ago
Absolutely love your blogs daily you’re so positive and determined love it I laughed when the builder looked out the window and went OH FUView attachment 2151170K View attachment 2151171View attachment 2151172View attachment 2151173View attachment 2151174 I never want them to end take care


Tea&Opals
22 hours ago
oh F#@K! LOL have said the same thing a few times watching you McDanver things to suit your needs.

I wonder if he's taken out an insurance (decinale hopefully) and has been told he needs to upgrade his safety measures for it to be granted.
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No, I obviously realised that. But who were you guys originally talking about?

My sister's XH is the uncle to an extremely very high profile current day British TV personality. And, get this, he even studied at the University where I last worked before I retired. Talk about 6 degrees of separation? I even used to socialise with his mother in my teens when I visited my sister too. FFS, it seems like just yesterday, but makes me feel so old accepting the reality!

I can't remember now, don't think it was anyone in particular. I think it's because we both come from the same area in Surrey.

 

[Summerbaby]

I wonder if he's taken out an insurance (decinale hopefully) and has been told he needs to upgrade his safety measures for it to be granted.

I wondered/mentioned that a couple of threads ago, e.g. public liability to safeguard "independent" helpers at the ruined chateau. Nick the tree guy would have his own, of course!

 

[JackSpratt]

If you can teach me how to play the piano...I'll teach you how to play spoons

I could be your backup playing the tin tray and kazoo.

 

[Summerbaby]

Ok , OK ...... I am going to confess ........ when I groom Yum Yum I collect his fur and when I have a big old wad of it ....I send it off to Squirrel via Gift Grab for his head!

I am certain that PJ can lay his hands on enough brillo pads and boot polish in France to do the job without you going to the expense of sending Yum Yum's fur from Oz. Please save yourself the time, energy and expense, ultimately because it certainly won't be appreciated just like anything else that is send via the GAG.

 

[JackSpratt]

I sell junk and dead peoples stuff to millennials, I’ll open a small shop that actually sells stuff, and pay rent to help with mortgage

Can I have first dibs?
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@T Rex. Sounds to me like you are a one woman survivalist on a mission in taking care of your entire local community. Fabulous achievement and my hat goes off to you in being so prepared as personally, and thankfully, hurricanes are not something the UK generally has to deal with.
Although, back in Oct 1987 when my son was 1 month old, we had the BIG STORM in the UK! I got up to feed him around 12 midnight and immediately went back to sleep, as only a sleep deprived mother does. Then when I got up again to make his next feed at 5am - I noticed that we had had a power-cut, looked out of our patio doors and could not believe the devastation caused by the storm that I had slept through
That was the worst weather conditions I have experienced and pales into utter insignificance to what you have ever had to deal/cope with.

I slept through that one too. I was in my first flat very near to Gatwick. I thought the noise was from the aircraft. Got up in the morning and you could get out of our road as all of the trees along it were down.

 

[tarteauxfruits]

I wonder if he's taken out an insurance (decinale hopefully) and has been told he needs to upgrade his safety measures for it to be granted.
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I can't remember now, don't think it was anyone in particular. I think it's because we both come from the same area in Surrey.

He certainly won’t have a décennale. He doesn’t have any professional qualifications, proven experience and or any other form of justification to get one. No third party would cover him as they would have to be present during the works.

 

[JackSpratt]

Can we have running water in the bathrooms, too?

Of course that's our department.

 

[vitanova]

Her Instagram says....visual storyteller...coming back to France

oh no. you silly girl.

 

[Summerbaby]

Can I have first dibs?
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I slept through that one too. I was in my first flat very near to Gatwick. I thought the noise was from the aircraft. Got up in the morning and you could get out of our road as all of the trees along it were down.

You and I had good reason to miss it, didn't we? Me, being a over tired and knackered first time mum and you living alongside Gatwick so, no stranger to noise.
Yep, my huge entire new patio trellis was in bits and plants smashed. Many fallen street trees blocking the road. BUT, for the next day or so, all I did was get in and out of bed to feed my month old son and I let my XH deal with the aftermath - well, he was a builder!
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