Life in France

A not every day story of normal people trying to live their dream in France starting at the beginning and ending?

Tuesday, October 12, 2004

The Winner is?

Oh, That must definitely be me! What a brilliant day, the sun shone it must have known it was a special day. A friend arrived with the brides wedding transport, a Harley and sidecar! We didn't even know he was coming, what a great surprise. Two friends flew in from the states (Milwaukee, JUST for the wedding, great friends eh?) the ceremony took place in the village Marie completely in French, just prod me when i have to say yes i do, totally, unconditionally, err a simple oui will do, the mayor was there in clean jeans and shirt complete with sash. Friends had filled the room with wild flowers and made Lynda the biggest bouquet of flowers you have ever seen. It had wild flowers of every sort, foxgloves,ferns,roses and tree blossoms quite stunning. Turns out we were the first all English marriage for nearly 400years. The last time that the English had occupied the area! Made us feel even more special. The reception was held outside at Gunters by the side of a stream with dragonfly's flying up and down the table and landing on peoples heads/hands even noses! Even the the postman delivering letters stopped and gave us a toast. Not a day we will ever forget.

To make it even more perfect a local farmer had been to see Gunter as he had heard we were looking for a place to buy and would we be interested? Oh would we? To true we would. He told us where it was and later we went to have a look at it. Only from the outside but that was enough. We fell in love with it, for what it was and for what it could be. The location was just amazing. We knew that this was the place the price just had to be right and we still hadn't seen the inside!

After getting the key we went back for a second look, the inside was er hmmm how shall we say ? Basic, it had been empty for12 years but it had a well inside about 20ft deep, exposed beams, built on rock and the view... Words are meaningless, heaven. No neighbours 12 acres of land, buzzards and hawks flying overhead and deer in the woods behind us. The place was us!

After a meeting with the shared owner he came back with a price, he had to consult his brothers & sister because under French inheritance law all the children share the house no if buts or maybe's that's the law. Oh wondrous heaven it was LESS than we were willing to pay and he was worried it was to much! We tried to beat him down half heartedly, nothing doing but he did put in another 4 acres so now we had 16 acres!

Not wishing to appear too anxious we asked for a little time to consider ( nano seconds) after 10 minutes we said yes. All agreed, break open the wine. yippeeeee it IS going to happen after all.

Comes back down to earth, still got ours to sell... Who cares we got a house in France (subject to usual conditions etc etc etc)

So back to England with uplifted hearts this time we really were on our way.

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