Saturday 9 May 2009

Since We Last Met . . .

House guest for 5 days
  • Visit to Nyons wine cooperative, art gallery & olive museum
  • Drive to surrounding countryside
  • Day in Avignon for shopping, sightseeing & vet visit
Nala's eyes are no longer producing tears on their own, she's mostly blind in her left eye, can't see much from the right, but -- taratara -- she doesn't need surgery! Since the ectropion is mild and she doesn't produce tears anyway, it wouldn't help.
  • Visit to notaire to discuss the parts of the contract we don't understand
As the French view it, we were married under a contract of separation of goods in the U.K. For purposes of property ownership in France, we are now married under a contract of communal property -- this cost 500€ and only applies to real property in France.
  • Had the electricity turned on
  • Scheduled the changeover in phone service
This required an entire morning on the telephone plus three follow-up calls. Not to mention the meeting at the house to greet the electrician.
  • Been to the mairie (town hall) to arrange appointment to turn on water and
  • to get the forms (forms, forms, forms) for planning permission for the rehab
  • Been to the doctor in Montélimar for Nick's shoulder -- tendinitis
Things are now so bad around here, we're having to coordinate our doctor appointments to cut down on the trips to Montélimar. See further schedule.
  • Helped one friend, Polo, to return borrowed wood stove to other friends, Michael & Ann. As part of this outing:
  • Viewed house with insurance agent
  • Toured M&A's house (Polo hadn't seen it)
  • Toured M&A's house under construction (Michael doing it all himself)
Decided M&A's dilapidated shower would be O.K., but won't fit through bathroom door. Will hang curtain to disguise mouldy wall and make do with current arrangement.
  • Went to theatre-in-your-home production in neighbouring hamlet and did not sleep through difficult Giono piece.
  • Went to Nyons to hire a van for next Wednesday.
  • Sorted furniture and goods in friend's garage and separated what we're taking from what we're leaving for awhile.
  • Packed a fair bit (Nick).
  • Finished a translation job (me).
  • Shopped, cooked, walked the dogs (both).
Coming up:

Saturday:
  • Packing.
  • Going to Montélimar for horsy show with this guy, who turns out not to be the same guy Raw-Lite was raving about a couple of years ago.
Sunday:
  • Packing.
Monday:
  • Meeting village worker to turn on water
  • Signing contract - this would be a hooray, but is now just a sigh of relief
  • Montélimar for CT Scan for me & sonagram for Nick -- coordinated, see?
  • Shopping for last minute stuff
  • Packing
  • Visit neighbours to discuss their solar hot-water installation
Tuesday: Crew of friends (bless them) helping to:
  • Clean and paint 2 rooms and bathroom
  • Check water heater and plumbing (Michael, bless him, too)
  • Strip enough weeds and overgrowth to clear patio for dogs
  • Maybe clear some of the junk of the ages from garage
  • Pick up truck in Nyons
Wednesday:
  • More friends (bless them, again) arriving to help us move
  • Return to Rémuzat to pick up menagerie
  • Return truck to Nyons
  • Sleeping in new house!
Thursday:
  • Phone guy arrives morning to connect phone
Internet could take up to 10 days, so if there is nothing but silence here, you will know why.
  • Clean flat
Friday:
  • Hand over key to flat
  • Go to Montélimar for appointments with oncologist (Margot) and whatever-he-is for Nick's injection in shoulder.
Nick will now not be able to do much for 2 days. Rest at last!
  • Of course, there will still be all those unopened cartons.

9 comments:

  1. You need a nap. I don't see that in your schedule. Several naps! I got tired reading that.
    I hope Nick heals up quickly - steroid shot to the shoulder?
    And what is it with really cute Frenchmen and herds of acrobatic horses? Yum.

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  2. I second the nap thing. Wow what a schedule! In a week you'll be relaxing, can we fast forward to then? If Nick is getting a sterols shot... Why 2 days taking it easy? We usually tell people to take it easy for the rest of the day after the injection. Many people have physical therapy lined up for the next day or on the second day and that's usually fine by us. Just curious. I hope he gets relief with that. Good luck and I hope you can remain on schedule.

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  3. Don't know. That's what they recommend here. He'll need the rest,anyway,after moving.

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  4. I read pick up 'truss' LOL instead of truck in Nyons, think I was overawed by the busy ness but not really anything you can do but get through with moving xx
    I'm excited :-) is there letter forwarding in there somewhere..or is there a new address to send card to xx
    I'm feeling virtous cleared 3 more boxes today and I have been in here 2 years in september :-)
    Give us a time wednesday when you might sit down for celebration exaughstion drink..maybe cocoa and will raise one here too xx
    Jane

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  5. One of the things I didn't mention was designing a change of address notice. Now I'm working on organising our Contacts, so we can send it out.
    Meantime, post will be forwarded.
    I don't know if we'll get to sit down at all, but I think I'll be drinking early. Feel free to join in. LOL!!

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  6. Will do..happy moving if that isn't a misnomer xxJane

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  7. Eesh, you are just a tad busy.
    Warn Nick that sometimes, you can get "cortisone flare" after a steroid injection. Lasts a day or two. The steroid crystallizes and causes pain.
    Just a warning, as I got one for tendinitis in my wrist, and for the first day it hurt worse than the original pain, but it did help after that.
    Good luck with the move, etc. I also vote for the naps!
    Karen

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