Well, I promised to write a blog way sooner, but, we have had a very 'dramatic' period.
It all started more than a week ago. Yes, we would have started. The car. On our way to another new dessert adventure, armed with empty shopping bags, we got into the car. And then ... nothing. No click, no prrr, nothing.
The car was clearly not about to start. We pulled the engine cover up, but oh well what all those things tell us. Fairly technical, we realized that something didn't work. There you are, on your own property, in the middle of France, where you don't know anything yet, and certainly don't know how to make this clear in French to approach a garage and ask for help. My bright idea to call the ANWB roadside assistance in the Netherlands, why not? Membership for so many years and it had not been canceled either. A friendly gentleman spoke to Erik and offered help. A French garage was approached from the Netherlands.
And within 45 minutes, the 'depannage' came!
I was immediately pushed forward by Erik: 'you can already speak a little bit French, so go ahead' But my French really doesn't go that far. And the hope that every Frenchman also speaks a word of English is long gone. But: long live the translation app! Every Frenchman has it on his phone. And of course I do too. It soon became clear. The battery had failed. Fortunately not the starter. The engineer had already prepared for it and had taken the correct battery. After 15 minutes the job was done and the car did it again. We were able to buy our favorite desserts again.
We thought we were done with the car now. But nothing was less true. A few days later we would go to the hardware store in Lisieux. So far everything is fine. The car started immediately. After the hardware store we went to another store. We come back to the parking lot ... NO! FLAT TIRE! Fortunately, Erik had been allowed to practice with a flat tire just before we left for France. So he got back on his knees. (We call this within our family the conscious' Jolin's Plankje Moment'. I will explain this in another blog someday I fear) In Lisieux we went on the so-called 'home carrier' to the garage which we found to look the most reliable and normal. A good choice because we were helped very well and in a friendly way and were immediately able to find new tires. Tires yes. Two of them indeed. Even though the tires of our car were just about new, in France they do not have the same system of all-weather tires and the brand does not exist here at all. So in order to get no difference in tracking, two new ones had to be added. There was a huge sort of nail in the flat tire, in an unfavorable place for repair with a plug. Here we go again. Waiting an hour for the tire change. That is why we have once again done our favorite activity to get through the time: buying desserts. We were close to the supermarket.
Completely done with all the car trouble, we went into the weekend full of optimism. In the valley it became a little colder, the night frost made its appearance. But for us it didn't matter, because our house has two heat pumps. Who cares.
Of course. This is not the case with us. I was painting in the holiday home for a few hours together with Erik, and by the time it got dark I went back home to the valley. I opened the door and ... cold? Lights out? Not good. Main switch was folded out of the power. It happens more often. Is very normal. Can happen. Switch again and the heat pumps on. Nothing wrong, it all started again. The next day. 1 of the control panels of the pumps started to beep. Code 35 emerged. To briefly tell a whole story: after frequent back and forth messages with help in the Netherlands to get everything working again, we now only had 1 working pump for the heat. The other always shot the earth leakage switch so we had to turn it off. Today: the auxiliary troops and mechanic are here from the Netherlands. Replace the entire pump machine that is broken. Whether it works? No idea. The icicles are now hanging on my nose and it is getting darker outside. Three men are still sitting outside in the boiler room, with all printed circuit boards because the good pump now also gives: code 35 ... I have put on an extra sweater. And I think I'll just eat a dessert ...
