what a difference a day makes :-((

Yesterday was all excitement. Our "buyers" had confirmed their offer and had a mortgage agreed in principle. They even wanted the chickens! There was no chain, they were flexible over when we moved out - almost too good to be true. We had the perfect buyers and we were happy to accept a lowish offer on that basis.

We contacted the immobiliers in France and found that all is not yet lost with Las Charetieres so we were gearing up to set things in motion with our sights on moving at the start of February. Timing would be great as the folk club's New Year celidh would be a great farewell gig for TC with the band.

Perhaps it was "counting in the chickens" but all is now lost! This morning we had a call to say the buyers have withdrawn the offer owing to a "financial shortfall". We are not sure if they were angling for another reduction from us but that's a non starter so now we are back to square zero - waiting to throw a six to start all over again.

News from France is that Las Charetieres is still on the market - not sure really whether that makes it worse or better. Unfortunately we are now in a worse position regarding buying than we were ( or thought we were anyway) when we first saw it. It remains a dream and I suppose we will just have to be philosophical about it and stick with "what will be will be la vie!"

do chickens eat chocolate cake?

We have had the strangest day!

Everything has hinged around a return visit today at 2.00pm from our potential buyers ( the people who made an offer back in September). We have had news in the week that other people have been to see OUR house which is a real blow but we are determined to try to get a sale underway - if we lose Las Charetieres we need to be cash buyers next time.

A second viewing meant another day of serious housework yesterday and once again the house was spotless. Marmalade was making allowed as it made the kitchen smell delicious and inviting.
Outside storms raged and strange booming explosions punctuated the morning (apparently they are starting quarrying somewhere nearby) raising the general tension in the air. The H's (hopefully our buyers) do seem to be still interested although it does not feel 100% as yet - perhaps one keener than the other?. If they do confirm their offer they could be the ideal purchasers for us - no chain and not in a hurry to get us out as they have another house.

When they left it left feeling in a strange state of limbo and wondering what to do with the rest of the day. It was too late/wet/cold for a walk but too early to eat and we were both too restless to settle down. We need to get to grips with selling on ebay but somehow think that would mean more stress. Eventually TC settled for another trip to the tip and I did my French homework.

After dinner we tried finishing the last remainders of goodies from the party. The rum and raisin chocolate cake, which was not a huge success in the first place, was not improved after being in the fridge all week even after a quick blast in the microwave - can't win 'em all!

So we wait for news on Monday we can do no more.................

emotional pyrotechnics

For the last twenty years or so we have held a bonfire party for family and friends which has grown to be a major event in our social calendar. Our children make an all too rare visit home saying they would never miss it, relatives join us from Liverpool and even bring their friends and our friends and neighbours have come with their children since those children were babies in cots. This year of course it was billed as the last ever Carters' bonfire. The weather treated us well and the fire was enormous thanks largely to the clear out of the garage, the fireworks were great too.

Every year the party has changed as the participants have grown up / aged. As well as the bonfire, fireworks and food, some years there is music, sometimes games. This year, somewhat inevitably, there was a lot of nostalgia and reminiscing about years gone by: the year I cancelled the party and people arrived anyway, the year we broke a window of the neighbour's greenhouse, the year the firemen came, the year we were in competition with a neighbouring display (we won of course) but mostly how strange it was that it would be the last.

My daughters sudden realisation that this could be the last time she met up with OUR friends, who as she said "have been around all of my life" was particularly touching. My son too admitted to feeling " a bit emotional". They have both been working out new ways of making sure they keep in touch with their cousins and how nice it is to know that they are keen to do that.

Of course it was sad to think that is was the end of an era, but things (and people) do move on and it is better to go out on a high than see the event fizzle out or, worse still, become an occasion people feel a duty to attend out of some sort of loyalty.

As it is it has been wonderful and I hope it won't be the last time we host a gathering of friends and relations for food, fun and music. My heartfelt thanks to everyone who has made the Carters bonfires such a success and occasions I will always remember. But for now as Fred Jordan ( a fine old folk performer) used to say "always leave the buggers wanting more".

Las charretieres

Maybe, just maybe!

We have just returned from a hard week of househunting in Tarn et Garonne and Aveyron. We have now looked at 20 properties. Some were just the sort of place we might have taken on 20 years ago ( like we did when moving to our current , now beautiful, house) needing just a bit too much in the way of DHW ( Damned Hard Work) which would have interfered with our current planned retirement lifestyle with the emphasis on being out of doors and not clogging up our lungs with plaster dust. Others were in the wrong place/garden no good/ too small or too big .......and then there was one!

We have both been seduced by one house (luckily the same one which is always a bonus) in the perfect location, lots of character, great condition, and just the right size for us - big enough to have visitors but not too big when we are on our own. Best of all it sits in two acres of land just waiting for us to get our hands on to make our French garden. There is a walled vegetable garden, a woodland (free heating!) and a field just begging for a swimming pool and an orchard.

We have tried all the "yes but it hasn't gots"and "yes but it isn'ts" we can think of but we still love it and now just want to move in and start on all of our plans. We are really excited.



Now all that we've got to do is see if we can hurry along the selling of No 82 well enough to give us the confidence to start the purchase in France. Till then only distant glimpses, full frontal views when we are more confident!