Wand in Hand.....

We won't be sleeping in this
room for quite some time!

For the uninitiated to the Harry Potter world, seeing me  gesticulate madly with a wand in hand while chanting accio, accio accio will have little meaning. This incantation, which can be used over long distances,  is a summoning charm that supposedly sends any object (or hopefully, Mr M, my man on the ground in France) directly to the spell-caster.....Desperate times lead to desperate measures! 

Mr M has had the keys to my property for 12 months now, and also a contract to project manage its renovations. Nothing has happened. Not one nail removed, not one door rehung, not a floor repaired, not a spouting replaced, not  a tile inserted , no utilities connected not a ditch dug. Not even a single quote for works has been sent in my direction. 

My Man on the Ground has become increasingly invisible, and when (after months of effort) he is located, he is  progressively more creative with his excuses. 

His Houdini act has sorely tested my patience and the patience of others ........3 sets of keys have supposedly been sent to Switzerland and Australia on 3 different occasions but have never arrived, (until recently when one set  turned up in Switzerland), meeting times at My French Folly with my representative, (a girlfriend who was holidaying in France) were organized then cancelled, which definitely didn't add to her positive holiday experience or my confidence in Mr M, ........the list goes on.........and on........and on.

Just as a generous friend, who has renovated in France, starts to pen a terse letter with heavy legal overtones to the possessor of the keys to my house, he surfaces via email......His  olive branch! 

After 12 months of hopes being raised then dashed, I think that a whole dammed olive tree would have been more appropriate!

Apparently my house has " fallen through the cracks" due to the unforeseen, rapid expansion of his business, coupled with staffing problems!  Perhaps he should invest in a a few "how to " books......... Good Business Communication for Dummies or How to Efficiently Run a Business for Dummies. And concurrently, I should purchase How not to Lose Your Retirement Savings In a Global Recession for Dummies. 

I've started to think that my cup is half empty instead of being half full...... and it is all my own doing!

Pinocchio
Original art by Enrico Mazzanti

Keep climbing to the grenier

Post script: Just as Mr M started to dash my faith in others, 2 wonderful people with houses in France.....you know who you are.....have restored it, with offers of help. Now hopefully Mr M will help to maintain it, by keeping to his word and revised renovation schedule.

Corridor to the bedrooms -first floor