December - oh what a year

So there we were on 1st December just completed our third move in France in two years and what must be our twentieth move in thirty years.     There is gypsy blood in us that's for sure.   House buying and selling over the years was usually for work or family reasons and now without ownership ties, it's just because we can - woop, woop hoooorah!!  


So here we are for the winter in 'no mans land' house-sitting this lovely wee but 'n' ben in Midi-Pyrenees region about 40 kms south east of Toulouse - http://selfcatering.travel/en-croux .    It's lovely to chill in this little cocoon after the most fabulous, interesting (sometimes even stressful) year.    Jeff is plinky plonking on his guitar everyday and I am walking a few kilos off me and next door neighbour's dog.   Hoping to watch all of 'Breaking Bad' by the spring.    I think I am becoming list-less and those who know me will find that just unbelieveable!

Within two weeks of arriving here we had seen several houses for long term rent, and found one we liked!!   Yeahhhhh.     We have seen some horrors - tiny high ceiling bedrooms with no windows, and grappled with really surly and unhelpful french estate agents (they don't know who they are dealing with!!).

Bosc Lebat

N'importe quoi - we have found something just right for us (an apartment in Bosc Lebat - an 18thC french manoir).    It is near the town of Lavaur in the Tarn region and about 40 kms north east of Toulouse.    
http://www.tourisme-lavaur.fr/.       So we plan to move in there around March at the end of this house-sit.... 

We went to Toulouse yesterday for the day and we were just thrilled with it. It is a small city - vibrant, prosperous and chic. After two plus years of very rural French living we are looking forward to being able to dip into city life - big time! but still benefit from beautiful rural living. Now plan to spend Hogmanay in Toulouse - it will be DJ Jeff's first Hogmanay night off for about 9 years.

I was speaking to my sage sister and telling her that during the preparation for moving we (me and Jeff) have "...had a few hissy fits, but we keep it quiet". She said "that's life". How true I thought.

So to end this amazing year and wish all our dear family and friends a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, la santé surtout! (above all else - good health).   

I leave you with this extract from a conversation Jeff and I had the other day: