As those of you who know me well know, I have a touch of the obsessive. This applies to things in turn. I don't obsess about it all at once, preferring to focus intensely on ONE thing. When the kids were babies, it was them poor things. Living in Ireland during the summer, it was the rain. Now it's finding a house. It is driving me demented. And unfortunately for everyone, I cannot stay off the computer and the house website. I tell myself to stop. Don't look today. Okay, don't look this morning, wait until after lunch. I'm like a gambler hooked on online poker. Only the game is house slot machine. If I pull the lever just so then bing!, the perfect house will line up like a threesome of pineapples. Everyone tells me, 'It's not a great time to look for a house.' But we only have until mid-April here in Sommiéres so it doesn't really help to know that. Now is the time that we're looking for a house.
We wanted a pool, have had to give up on that idea because all the piscine are either postage stamp mockeries of proper pools or in the worst case, a big, deep, round hole in the ground with an above ground pool buried inside. Safe? No.
Now all I want is something comfortable with enough rooms for the kids to have their own and Mon Mari to have somewhere to work from home. Somewhere he can be where we don't have to all whisper shout and tiptoe while he's on calls, always on calls.
One last thing you should know--the houses here have different levels of kitchens. Either you've got cabinets, a sink, and maybe a hob or cooktop and that's equipée, you're thankful, laughing. Or you've got a microwave included, perhaps a dishwasher if you're lucky, but never, ever, jamais a refrigerator. Add to that, no fixtures. I'm talking wires hanging from ceilings where a light or ceiling fan should be and sad looking holes on the walls where there once were sconces.
Please say a house prayer for me. Or at least an, 'Aidan would you please chill out!' mantra for the sake of Mon Mari and our relocation agent.
I'm ready for a new obsession.
HI Adian,
ReplyDeleteLooking for the perfect home, how could you not obsess? I know what you mean, here in LA, rental don't come with Fridges, sometimes even stoves? Who thought that people who rent want to own appliances? crazy talk. good luck on your search, I am sure you will find your HOME soon.
xoxox,
Robyn
I know what you mean about the kitchens. It's still a mystery to me in a country known for their love of cuisine! I have not needed to deal with house hunting but apartment hunting was a trial. When I finally found an apartment with a decent fridge, a cooktop with four actual burners (however, if you use all 4 you blow a fuse) and a...what?....a dishwasher...I snapped it up. Of course, I can operate all 3 of these appliances without much more than a pivot! Good luck and welcome to France.
ReplyDeleteLucky you to have found all that. Everyone says, 'Oh, so and so found a great house but they got lucky.' We actually decided on something yesterday so fingers crossed. It has a pool but no: fridge, oven, dishwasher, washing machine. Oh, well.
ReplyDeleteAidan