Almost Cravantaise. . .

Just three weeks away from our move to France now. The idea that had been lurking in our heads for a while,  was then firmed up April 2013 and rolled out over the last twelve months, is almost a reality. Feels quite strange.

Think it was the photo of the house up on the estate agent's website last week that helped it all to sink in - along with all the paperwork. There's quite a bit of it. Very interesting, which is just as well, as there's no alternative but to do it. Some had to be put in place over here. Others we can't complete till we're over there, one of which is a paper in French and English. The French authorities have to stamp it first,  then they send that section along with the English section back to the UK for completion. As we're coming back for a week in June, maybe if they pull their finger out and get it done in time, we could bring it back to the UK for them. Save them the cost of a postage stamp - in these days of austerity and all that. 

We're now on the landlord register as we're letting our house out while we're away. We've also finally accumulated all the birth certificates and marriage certificates (across several generations!) that are needed for our residency cards. Mike was straightforward as he had most of this information already. But being adopted, I had to get a copy of my original birth certificate as well as my adoption certificate, because all my names are different from when I first arrived in the world. Then my adoptive parents birth certificates and their marriage certificate. It's practically a whole new filing cabinet and articulated lorry to get that pile across the channel. Anyway it's done.

The car received the full treatment yesterday, with a major service, tyre change etc., and all the headlights were replaced to meet French requirements. A legal necessity if your staying longer that three months I believe, or may be it's six. We've held on to the original British headlights, which we'll store so that when we come back, they can be put back. That was a painful bill.  Fortunately red wine bottle to hand from Fabrice Gasnier- the sounds of cork popping, wine poured into glass and then a taste, and Mike had fully recovered. The last thing to do on the car is when we get to France, where we must register the car for a French number plate.  But have all the paperwork now for that. Tax paperwork is all in the system. Phones, internet connections, postal redirection. There's loads of detail. Almost there, but not quite. Mike is downstairs working on the next batch.

'Reckless' the house elf

On a serious note, I've been having problems with the staff. I think the staff - otherwise known as 'Reckless the house elf' - has had a turn, or perhaps hasn't fully recovered from the cost of the car service. He's been behaving both badly and strangely. 

Yesterday afternoon I was making a batch of lavender ice cream, which I admit is particularly delicious. I turned away briefly from the freezer container in which I had just placed it and suddenly noticed movement. A long arm with spoon attached, was attacking the ice cream and had left a hole. The photo of the culprit was taken shortly afterwards and the expression on the face says it all. Then this morning, he emerges from just having a shower, holding an umbrella.  

Dear readers - do you think I should be concerned, or should I just open another bottle of wine?