Nous Sommes Arrivés! (We’re Here!)

Since the last photo where Hubby was trapped under a mountain of boxes, A LOT has happened.

The next day the movers arrived and packed all of our belongings into the 40 foot container that will be their home for the next 6(ish) weeks.

This one was a little precarious because it didn’t fit down the stairway so they had to put it over the bannister and onto the ground (right next to the pool!).  Luckily there weren’t any wrong moves as this is our beloved mirrored buffet!

Shoot, we had room to spare!  I could have bought more to fill it up!

After the house was empty, we stayed for three nights (Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday) in what used to be Hubby’s office downstairs but which is now a guest room for the new tenants.  It was a very sleepless three nights as all of us were in a full-sized bed.  Definitely a memory (and I’m glad it’s a memory!).

Then we spent the next two nights (Friday & Saturday) with my stepson and daughter-in-law.  It was tight quarters but it was worth it to spend time with them before we left.  There might have been some champagne and some wine while we were there.  (I was a man on the edge by that point.)

Sunday morning was spent trying to cram six suitcases worth of belongings into four suitcases.  (Hey, you try to bring what you’re going to need for 6 weeks for 3 people in less luggage than that!)  Then it was off to the airport.  Not a good experience, let’s just leave it there.

The flight however was really, really good.  We were on the new A-380 (I didn’t realize it but the 380 means they can fit 380 people on the double-decker plane!)  It was very comfortable and very high-tech.  On our personal screen there were movies, games, music, and we could even put on a map of our trip or look outside with the cameras that were mounted on the nose, the belly, or the tail.

I got to watch the take-off…

And the landing…  (I wouldn’t recommend the latter to anyone with a weak stomach!)

Oliver hardly ever took his eyes off of his screen (except for the three-hour nap he fit in).

Even Ella’s trip was mostly comfortable (with the help of modern medicine!).  We did have a little incident where she tried to snap off the tip of my finger when I tried to give her more meds, but other than that she was great.

And when we arrived, what did we find?!

(in my best Bob Barker voice) A NEW CAR!

This is the Clio TomTom, which I ADORE!  It’s a rather inexpensive car (about $12K US) but it is awesome!  It’s got a spacious trunk (the better to carry Hubby’s wheelchair!), all the bells and whistles, AND navigation (which if you’ve ever driven in France is the difference between making it there OR not.)

Most of our day today was spent hopping around among the stores to research how to equip our kitchen (did you know that many people take their kitchens with them when they leave a rental!) and how to decorate our house.

Tomorrow is some holiday (of which there are many!) and I think it will be low-key.  Then we head to Limoges early on Thursday to get the keys to our house, see our family there, and begin figuring out our new hometown.

A bientôt!  (See you later!)