posted on 15 February 2007 13:14
by
Ejc
We're here
Wow, I can't quite believe it, as I type very slowly and carefully since I'm using a french keyboard, we're actually here. The physical move went smoothly but our much loved cat survuved the move only for us to find him curled up by our bed dead just a few days later. He was only young but we knew that something wasn't quite right with him - he was a maine coon but very small and our vet seemed to think he may have had some sort of heart problem. So the first digging in our new garden was a grave for our pet.
Living close by a small town we discovered that such basic things as depositing sterling in our bank account wasn't a simple matter of turning up and handing the cash over - we bank with CA, and have found the, very helpful, but they opperate a "cashless" bank - so I had to "faire un rendevous" to make the deposit. My french has also been stretched with getting our home phone line installed, luckily work took care of my professional line, I don't think I could have explained that adequately.
Setting up the computer was a challenge - it's not a querty keyboard and so my spelling, never a strong point is now most peculiar with q's appearing where a's should be. The phone plugs are different - but we simply replaced our UK ones with french ones without to much trouble. But it's been the electric plugs that hve given us most cause for concern - and I have to confess we're using quite alot of UK adapters at the moment rather than replace sealed plugs. The UK plugs seem so much more robust.
The phone line's been busy with family & friends arranging to come & visit - but we're making it clear that I'll be working for much of the time so that they'll need a hire car as we can't spend the time entertaining.
We're still looking for a chimney sweep ) since the chimney is bloked by a next of something or other - we think possibly a dormouse.......We're also dealing with alot of spiders - not my favourite thing.
Our neighbours have popped in and introduced themselves properly which was really great, our 70 something neighbour insisted on chopping up a fallen tree for us. Trying to explain what I actaully do has been a challenge but one I think we've just about resolved. Anyway I should be able to post more regually on actually working here now which is what I intended all along, as well as life in 79 in general.