French holidays...searching for sand

It shouldn't have been so difficult...I needed to buy some more sand for our on-going work, so I headed off to 'CMC' in Yzeures-sur-Creuse  where you can buy it in 'bulk' at a good price. When I arrived I noticed the weighbidge was blocked off - the division which sell the sand was closed for the holidays!

Ah well all is not lost, I thought as I drove to the other side of town to 'BricoMarche' where I knew I'd pay more by buying it by the sack but at least I could get on with the job. Guess what - no sand! They obviously didn't take their competition being on holiday into account! Don't they have a stock history report to refer to?  Holidays here are like everywhere else  - they happen every year!! 

Next it was down to Brico Depo - not our favourite trip - where  at least we could pick up the materials for our new roof for our outhouse - so not a wasted trip. We don't enjoy this shopping experience - for building materials you have the 'drive through' - ok, if there is no one else in the 'labyrinth' but cars and trailers and white van men stopping at the necessary different pick-up points can make for long waits. Then you have the queue to get out. This time the van in front - who only had three items took what seemed like an eternity in the sweltering heat of our car to settle up! The girls here do a good job but why the delays? We moved through quickly with our purchases neatly fitted into our trailer - well in and out of our trailer!!...

but we were not alone! We made it home safely (Colin) but as we were entering Barrou we got the flashing light signal from oncoming cars to let us know the 'Gendarmerie' had set up a speed check at the end of the road -wasn't concerned about the speed as had rather gingerly come all the way from Dissay with one eye on my purchases at a slower (for me) pace than normal.As I approached the junction I felt a little uneasy but luck was on our side, as one of the lady Gendarmes was pointing the camera to the right of the junction while the second had pulled in the car in front of me. I did get a backward glance and a knowing smile from the one with the camera-'next time!'

Footnote:

Were with new found friends in Boussy-sur-Claise yesterday morning who showed us around their new French home - lovely - with interesting mix of furniture which included a bookcase from 'Depot Vente' in Chatellerault -after saying we were looking for something similar for 'Le Bourg', they told us that there had in fact been two of them for sale. So we rushed over there in the afternoon - only to find...yes..they are closed for AUGUST.
Ah France!!