OK, started well, then life got in the way!!!

We're house buying........

do I need to say anymore?

House buying is slightly less stressful here in France in a few ways.

1 - prices are agreed at the beginning and that's that!
2 - if anyone pulls out the other party pays compensation to them - works both ways
3 - date of moving is set in stone

Well, with all that said, like any financial transaction, you need to keep an eye on everyone and not presume that because it is quiet, that everything is ticking along just fine!

We discovered that, when on Wednesday, the bank announced that they didn't know if they could release the money on time. The Notaire, needless to say, was less than amused and threatened the bank with costs for hotel, storage and compensation to the vendors. So after 48 hours of arguing, guess what, the bank can find the money on time. Funny that, banks having money.... funnier still, getting your hands on it without a fight.

So as the week-end fast approaches, then we know, as best we can, that all things being equal, then we are moving in 2 weeks. For us it is only 2 km as the crow flies or 5 km by road. Sometimes I think that it was easier to move from the UK to France than to move across the valley!! There are no such things as removal firms in the countryside, everyone relies on everyone else and in this case we are as well. The parents of my eldest daughter's best friend are going to help us transport our belongings in the back of their lorry. I've seen belongings in trailers behind tractors before, so our belongings are traveling 1st class!!

So there are boxes to pack, junk to through out and 2 houses to clean - this one on the way out and the new one on the way in!!

Trying to keep calm seems to be the latest hobby, which hasn't been helped by me losing a filling. Thank goodness for French dentists that can speak English - dental procedures sound bad in English and in French terrifying! Mainly because you're sure that they're going to rip your head off to repair the damage!! OK maybe not, but I'm not that keen on having work done. The said filling was approximately 16 years old, so I suppose it did last a while, not sure on the mileage that one should expect. Anyway, the said poor tooth has some amalgam remaining and because my dentist thinks that it is a health risk (and I sure do) then she is going to remove the rest of it, the nerve and put in a proper filling as she called it and it will only take an hour. So I return for the fun a week after we move, now isn't that something to look forward to?!?! In the meantime, there is a temporary filling in its place, feeling huge and tasting terrible.......maybe in 3 weeks I'll be glad to have the procedure..........

Now back to the boxes and as anyone seen a white cat..................