We had a dose of reality this week akin to a suppository shaped like a butter nut squash. French bureaucracy. On steroids.... work at Le Monteil ground to a standstill when our vendors realised our new chum Mme Mayor needs to approve even the most basic roof renovations and the siting of the septic tank.... we're still waiting to hear what the outcome is but it's pushed the completion date back to May..... Even the dogs looked a bit forlorn, probably because they may have to wait to give their new passports a whirl... "we had those rabies shots for what exactly?" yeah boys but you did get your nails done at the same time so it wasn't all bad was it?
everything else at the house, like converting the barn from a derelict nativity scene into a swish sitting room will require full planning permission. We managed to download the 15 page planning application form from the government website, realising that our French needs to dramatically improve in areas of vocabularly beyond "Marie Claude and Jean Francois" which is the Gallic Janet and John. More butter nut squash...
Christine the estate agent is waiting to put the house on the market until she's got the perfect exterior shot for the brochure. I have to say it summoned all my resolve when I saw the amazing interior shots her professional photographer had taken. I was so proud of our house and what we've achieved here at Greenwood, the people we've welcomed here and the fun we've had. God children coming here days after they were born., holding a riotous impromptu wake for our best friend. I also had a major pang of guilt, wondering if I am selfishly dragging David Mees to a land of forms and delays rather than croissant and large open spaces...he says not..
With his usual ability to cut through the doubt in a wise way he cleared it all like this "Tom, if the next twenty years are merely a repeat of what we're doing now, what's the point, what would life be for?"....
Well the Euro has rallied a bit against the pound today... The Iron Girdle must be exerting her influence over the endless Greek discussions.... she must have sent in some Lebkuchen at half time to keep them going...damn. It's cost me a set of pans
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