Ty Korrigan

Working as a team of two, 4 days this week. I have a bottle of vanilla scented alcohol and tissues ready to wipe any surfaces such as the krab, pulley I send to the climber and my gloves (List is not exhaustive) The chipper and truck are my domain. The climber has his own transport. He climbs on srt so it takes a minute or less to ascend a tree so coming down to fill his own saw isn't an issue. I sent up the Longboy after drenching it in alcohol. The rope is a vector, not just for Covid-19 but typhoid, cholera, norovirus and toxoplasmosis but it's handled with gloves which are regularly drenched in alcohol. Climber normally looks like a homeless guy in a harness but when I pointed out this virus has boosted his personal appearance and hygiene somewhat, he replied that he was back with his girlfriend. Today he pushed the chipper twice, I wiped down those surfaces. If this continues, I might even be tempted to polish the thing. This morning, an elderly 'bourgeoisie' couple stopped on the footpath and had a go at the climber for working. His reply was along the lines of "You have a fat retirement, I only have todays wage" He's not lying, I'm his only employeur in this current situation and his van is trapped in a garage awaiting a new injector system. Thursday and Friday for another local commune (council) Police permission granted to work on the roadside. I'm hoping to unscrew some new road signs and do a couple of cheeky fells. Week after I'm hoping to get on with prioritising the jobs that might get cancelled or trimmed down if delayed longer. I'm keen not to lose a centime now because I see a future of austerity ahead. Stuart

Yes, these are fairly common in the West of France on former thatched houses. Stuart

Magsi wouldn't sell me one direct so I asked a friendly local engineering firm to be my 'dealer' as Didier used to make buckets for Congo sized mining excavators. It needed some hydraulic pipe fettling as well from a mobile hydro specialist. I could also have bought an MX as they are made in Acigné just 7km away and ordered that via a colleague whose brother actually makes the fecking things. Stuart

Totally empowers the machine. For Arb work it is 'de rigour'. Loading logs, moving masses of leylandii to the chipper or more mundane tasks like emptying a clients oversize compost heap. Well worth the extra cost. Stuart

Ping me your price Parcel Monkeyed on a pallet and I'll flash it across to the boss. Regards Stuart

They are though it shows in some areas. You must be carefull mounting, dismounting to not bend the key or get caught up in the gear sticks. The bonnet catch has never worked but I'll fit a pair of those quick release catches instead. The high and low and pto controls are very stiff and low down which is awkward. Sometimes I hurt my hand on the seat base trying to move them. Over all I'm happy enough with it but a set of Ag wheels would be an advantage towing the chipper off road. A Uniforest 35m winch is the next purchase. Just recieved the Carte Gris and once I've a registration plate made up I'll go shopping with it, because I can... Stuart

A client tows the 150P with his grandfathers 1957 Renault 2 cylinder 2 stroke. Note the mudguard seating. It is in regular use though required Easy start. My own Solis 26 is proving usefull though gears are far less convenient than hydrostatic and the endless crunching worries me. I bought the same grab bucket I had on the JD1026r which is made in Sizun Finisterre. Stuart

What...are the 'minimum' heights for each when chute folded? Regards Stuart

I'm pretty chipper regardless, I've kids, the best 'raison d'etre' My mum was a lost cause health wise so no shock to me she was dying, it was the manner of her death I found difficult. Who wrote " No man should have to bury his children?" Stuart

French news this evening, Gendarmes are now controlling your shopping habits. People who leave Supermarkets with banal items only, such as the woman with 4x6 litre bottles of coke, are being given a verbal warning. This will change to a fine of 135euros shortly. People who leave home without the required paperwork, 135euros fine. Cars, one person only, 135euros per person if more than the driver present. On one hand we have the medical teams pleading us to stay at home and others, regional politicians telling us to get back to work! Madness! I'm working alone, no-one come near me, especially when I cough which is enough to send the curious running. Stuart

Our business has 2 important fixed costs aside from our salary. Insurance and social charges. We cannot simply cancel insurances here in France, you sign up for a year, that is it. Social charges, well these the government will give us extra time to pay. Aside from going back to SP98 and mineral oil which is a tiny economy, working alone and not employing subbies where possible is the largest economy we can make. Certain planned investments will be put on hold. This evening I went through our files and separated the jobs into those I can plug away at alone and without risk and those where a subby is desirable or essential. Given that no more work is going to come in, for possibly months, this seems the best way to protect our business, by giving less of it away to others. Stuart

My mothers funeral is booked for April 2nd. It may well be by web cam for me. Only 9 mourners are allowed to be present. The wake cancelled. I had returned to the U.K to be with her in the final hours when she died on Tuesday 10th March of pneumonia and septicaemia. Horrible, I wish to never again witness such a death. She was pleading with me "help me help me" I would have done too but my family wouldn't leave me alone with her due to it being common knowledge of a pact made some years ago not to let her suffer. Thursday, we suspected Macron would announce frontier closures, so not being willing to let myself be trapped in the U.K for weeks and have my business and family life ripped apart, I jumped on the next ferry that evening without even having the chance to embrace Dad who was out at a parish meeting. I'm plugging away at jobs on my own, making progress but finding it tiring. Stuart

Monday, worked flat out to try and squeezed 4 jobs in before curfew imposed. Tuesday morning and Mrs Lee navigated the paperwork requirements which would allow me some limited local freedom to work. I need to sign an attestation (statement) and the client needs to send me one requesting my intervention, I carry the business registration certificate, the job quote and a procuration from Mrs Lee stating that I am representing her on business. So Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday I spent working alone to finish a large job for a couple in their 60's. Cheque upon completion, as it has been for a couple of weeks now. Resting up this morning, I find working alone is more tiring and stressfull. Saws to tickle then later I'll go fetch the chipper which I left onsite as I also had the tractor with me. Tractor to grease up and prep for tomorrow. Locally, we are mercifully free of virus but the East of France has been hit so hard the army are flying out the more critical on a medical Airbus. Monday I recieved a call from a guy asking if I had any work. He was from the East of France from his accent and from his pattern of speech I deduced a member of the travelling community. Amazingly, I'm recieving emails from clients asking for dates to which I respond that current restrictions mean I must work alone and that as travel is discouraged, even restricted, I am limited to more local jobs that I can do alone. Last nights news, the minister of health said that gardeners etc can continue working if they respect the minimum distance requirements, However, I suspect that as many people are taking the piss and over riding restrictions, that the authorities will take on more severe attitude shortly. Stuart

Gendarmes stopping every vehicule exiting and entering town. So far no fines imposed first afternoon but that will quickly change. I must complete an 'attestation' for every journey and belt and braces, back it up with the job quote, business reg. cert and a procuration from my employeur (wife) that I am about legitimate company business. If I wanted to stop off at the Supermarket on the way home, I would require another 'attestation' for this task...ffs. Stuart

Really? As of today 63 have died of it in the whole of the USA and one was actually related to you...? What are the chances eh? Stuart

Although I'm contributing in France, I don't earn very much so my French pension is likely to be rather low. I'm lucky to be paying £2.60 per week into the UK state pension. I understand that new overseas workers must now pay class 4 instead of class 2. Stuart

Lemon Plant gone? Made my day that news. Stuart

Tronçonneuse sans fil Dolmar AS-3835Z | KOX SARL M.KOX24.FR Tronçonneuse sans fil Dolmar AS-3835 Z avec 35 cm de longueur... Makita also sold as Dolmar in France. Wife wants one for a chipper saw. Stuart

One of my reasons for choosing EFI over Deeezle was Macron's proposed scrapping of tax advantages on GNR (red) fioul. This reform has been delayed due to the civil unrest. Stuart

I prescribe a bowl of morning oats and avoiding chugging down the yeast must in that Lidl beer. Stuart

It's a scan I had not a finger of fudge fest, I had one because I was leaking and the Doc thought early prostate. Turned out to be anxiety and too much caffeine. Anyway, do Darren Shepherd and Dominic Lunn know you are feeling ropey? I know they take a keen interest in your health and general well being. I think they have a sweepstakes on you and and a keen eye on your tool shed... Stuart

I organised the valuation of a poplar plantation last year. I billed the British client in advance luckily. Sure enough, he had thought it worth twice the experts valuation and was (is) very angry with ME over that. On top of this, the plantation is surrounded by French landowners he has pissed off over the years and so no-one will grant him access across their land for extraction purposes. All this, he seems to think is my fault and wants a refund of the fees charged. Stuart

Mostly in jeans without PPE though but they do have balls. Stuart

Brits now account for less than 5% of my turnover. Most of those are heritage clients from my old business or word of mouth. The last one was 1hr 15min away and paid my full rate plus travel which stunned me. There are very few British around Rennes, most are over an hour further West which is well saturated with Brit Arbres engaged in a lowball downward spiral, fishing a tight pocket of cash strapped Expats. I have the impression that the Brits who live in your area a more well heeled than those in Brittany. Stuart

This week, quoted for so many jobs that I had to post-pone work just to fit the quotes in. 2 large jobs took some selling, both conifer removals The clients insisted on telling me they would deal with the waste, just get the tree down. First thought I could stack 4 very large leylandii on his neighbours property as "It is up for sale and no-one lives there" The second thought I might stack 6 tall firs in a field for him to deal with. Except the entrance of the field was 150m up the road... He also said "What if you just fill up an Ag trailer with the brash and I get the farmer to go to the tip?" I gave them both my spiel about Henry Ford, double handling and cost implications of. Some times I feel like a Michelin chef being asked to make a pot noodle...ffs. Stuart