Yesterday was 29 degrees and I was in IKEA Bordeaux buying various new items for the house. Today it’s rained all day so a perfect opportunity for assembling my purchases!

First stop the lounge and a new bookcase. Although about half the size of the old one I’ve still managed to fit in all the books and DVDs and there are also a cupboard and drawers for storing odd items. It’s amazing how much space it frees up and the table tennis table fits much better!

I’ve also finally got round (after 9 years!) to getting the map of the area around the Dordogne river framed. Saint-Martin-de-Gurçon (with the old spelling) is included and it’s a handy reference for places to visit.

Overall the lounge looks much better and it’s surprising how much more space there is.

I’ve also bought a new cabinet for the kitchen. This means that I’ve been able to move the pans and baking trays from the awkward cupboard next to the fridge to the cupboard to the right of the cooker. So much easier to access! I think that I might put a roller blind on the front of the cabinet to stop the crockery from getting dusty when the house is not being used.

This also frees up a good deal of space on the kitchen surfaces and they’re easier to keep clean.

All in all a very productive couple of days. Tomorrow, weather permitting, attention turns to the pool and surrounding area.