Thank you Chessfou and Nicky for your comments. Right, I hope this response ends up in the right place when I've posted.
Firstly, Chessfou, I hope eventually to achieve eminence, but I suspect it won't be until I'm grise! Oh dear, what a terrible gag with which to commence this blog! Stay with me, it can only get better....
As mentioned, it's not until October that we move, but there is SO MUCH to cover.
I'm currently struggling to retain anything more than the vaguest grip on my sanity. Yesterday, for instance, the gruff man on my language CD aggressively demanded from me some basic phrase or other, something even a GCSE student would know. I froze, mind blank, spirit deflated, as the five second window of opportunity slammed shut before even the first syllable formed in my mind. It's at these moments that I realise the enormity of what we're undertaking, and its concomitant hassles, and get a bit intimidated. Fortunately, there is an antidote to this uncertainty. Un verre ou deux (oh gawd un or une?!) and I've recovered, confidence restored, focussing once more on all the exciting elements of our plan.
Talking of which, one such element should be arriving sometime soon. Amid all of the language CDs, guidebooks, tax bafflements and countless apparent contradictions, I've just made what feels like some tangible progress in buying a left hand drive 9-seater Land Rover Defender!!! Several of our proposed income streams relate to scooting around mountains with walkers, skiers and cyclists, so it should come in handy, and is also therefore easily justified as an essential business tool rather than a fun toy, but for the remainder of our time in England it may as well be a fun toy.
The trouble is, it has been imported into England from Germany, and currently resides in Lincolnshire unregistered, so I can't get my hands on it. It should hopefully be domiciled in Gloucestershire early in February, and then we'll make a trip to the Vendée (St. Pierre du Chemin, NE of La Chataigneraie, Nicky) soon after that with the first load of possessions.
The reason for what will probably amount to a one year stopover in the Vendée before getting started properly in 65 (or possibly Haute Garonne or Ariege) is that we can live in a farmhouse there (Vendée) rent free, acclimatising to climate, language, culture and bureaucracy before buying further south. We're obviously very lucky to have such an opportunity, and it also gives us a bit of extra time for website development and the like. As mentioned, the plan is to set up an excursion company with B&B/gite provision, and what will hopefully prove to be a burgeoning pottery business.
Chessfou, when, where, why etc etc....
Welcome to the first post of my shiny new blog, which will hopefully describe the excitement, fears, aspirations and illusions I'm currently experiencing as an imminent emigrant.