Finding gifts and starting home repairs

Hello Hivians!

It's Monday, and the week looks busy ahead. But Christmas is coming soon, and we're planning to take a little break with @altheana.

So far, we've managed to buy our Christmas gifts online, which is much more convenient for us right now. However, this weekend, we had to go to Rouen, in Normandy (France), to look for some gift ideas that we couldn't find online.

Currently, there is a Christmas market in front of the cathedral. I have to admit that I’m not particularly a fan, as it’s mainly food stands and many chalets selling resale products rather than a true creator’s market. That said, the festive atmosphere is definitely there, and it’s still pleasant to stroll around!

I hadn’t mentioned this on Hive yet, but last week, we found a house to rent, with the possibility of buying it later. Things are moving very fast right now!

That said, this countryside house does require a few simple repairs. To start small, we bought some expanding foam and filler to patch up a few holes.

Then, we took a one-and-a-half-hour drive with two family members to show them the house.

The nights fall quickly these days. We had planned to patch up the holes, but it was already late, and before applying the filler, the expanding foam needed to dry completely. According to the bottle, it would take 2 hours if the room temperature was 20°C. However, since it was only 10°C, the drying time was much longer. So, we just applied the foam in the holes.

That wasn’t the only thing we worked on.

This house has a wood stove, which, in my opinion, has never been cleaned. We disassembled the first pipes because, before calling a chimney sweeper, we needed to replace them. They were open at the back, which made them dangerous.

In one of the rooms, there was still laminate flooring left. We removed it, and the raw wooden floor underneath is much cozier. @altheana is thrilled with this new project, and that makes me really happy too.

We then drove the two family members who had come to help us back home. In their village, a fireworks display was planned. The good thing about winter fireworks is that they aren’t scheduled late since the sun sets at 4 PM here.

A few days ago, I came across this beer in a store. What caught my eye at first was the color of the label. Then, its name, “La Bagarre” (“The Fight”), made me smile.

The description also amused me: “It’s strong, it hits hard, and it’s packed with hops. For those who love their beer strong and bitter.”

As for the taste, it lived up to its promise: strong and bitter. And that’s often what I look for in a beer.

And that’s all for the weekend update! We’re excited to keep sharing these little adventures and this new chapter with the house.

In the meantime, enjoy this festive season, and take good care of yourselves and your loved ones!

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All the photos are mine. The English translation was done using DeepL.