I recently published pictures of some of the houses in our hamlet. Here are some more pictures, but of just one house: ours. We've lived here for more than ten years now. That's longer than we've ever lived anywhere else, except for my growing-up years, when I lived with my family in the same house for about 17 years. In his entire life, Walt has never lived in any other house longer than in this one. He and I have been living together for more than 30 years now.
For nearly 20 years, back when we lived in California, we talked about moving to France one day. Then in 2002, a whole set of circumstances brought us here. I had quit my job because I couldn't stand the heavy-handed management I worked under, and I just couldn't take the long commute on crowded freeways any more. I thought I might not survive the stress. Walt was getting a little bored with his job and wanted "a new adventure." So we decided to come look at houses in the Loire Valley, where we had spent a few nice vacations. We both already spoke French fairly fluently.
We contacted a real estate agent in Amboise by e-mail. In early December 2002, he showed us about 15 houses around the area (Amboise, Montrichard, Saint-Aignan) in four days. On the second day of looking at properties for sale, we saw this one. It wasn't perfect, and on paper we wouldn't even have been attracted to it. The real estate agent insisted we give it a look. The house sounded kind of small. However, when we saw it, with its big windows, its front terrace, and its location at the end of a road out in the vineyards, we knew it was the one. We hadn't yet made the decision to leave California and relocate to France, but we figured we might be able to buy a house here by refinancing our place in San Francisco and come live here a few years later.
After returning to the U.S., having signed a promise to buy this house in France, we decided to see if we could sell our San Francisco house for a good price and just pack up and move. The idea of living in the quiet French countryside was just too tempting, compared to the traffic, noise, politics, chilly summers, and earthquakes of San Francisco. To make a long story short, our California house sold quickly, and for a very good price. By March 2003 that house was no longer ours, and in April we closed the deal on this house near Saint-Aignan. We arrived here — lock, stock, and barrel, with our 11-year-old dog in tow — in June 2003, and here we still are...
Congratulations! 30 years is a feat for any couple. Paul and I have passed our 42 wedding anniversary; we know.
ReplyDeleteAll these photos without wires and poles makes us dreamy for next year when we get rid of the telephone wires hanging in our street. They've done all the underground work and repaved the street and sidewalk, so we're just waiting for the wiring, which will include telephone and optical fiber!
I'm glad the utility poles didn't put you off back then! Thirty years and never a cross word, hmmm? P.
ReplyDeleteYou were both very brave to sell the California house and make such a big move where you had to deal with all the legalities of another country, I think. But how wonderfully it paid off. I think your life in Saint-Aignan is a wonderful one and of course you make it so by all you do.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on thirty years together!
Any special paperwork needed to import the lock and stock along with its barrel into France?
ReplyDeleteAnd we are all grateful you moved to France; our morning blog reading would not be the same without your wit, recipes and beautiful photos.
ReplyDeleteI concur with Nadège comment.
ReplyDeleteSo a -ditto- coming from me.
Congratulations for your 30 yrs.
Ours will be next August.
Ditto what Nadege said, too :)
ReplyDeleteLife needs to be as good as we can make it, but it takes strength to go after what we need.
Every time I look at your house, I think of the big project you did re-making the attic into living space. Are you still loving that?
Judy, we do love the "new" upstairs. We spend more than half our time in the loft (it's where we sleep). It' a very pleasant space.
ReplyDeleteThanks N., N., & K. for the nice comments. D., the price for the lock was abordable; the stock was plus onéreux; and the barrel... well, we had to have that, given all the local wine.
Pauline, LOL. We have crossed (s)words often enough, like all long-time couples.
ReplyDeleteEllen, good for you with the undergrounding. Nice.
I love your story and admire you both for making such a major change in your lives. Sometimes stress can destroy you and sometimes it drives you to do what you SHOULD be doing. Glad you chose the latter.
ReplyDeleteWhat Nadege said, plus, I always knew it would work. You were aiming your lives at France the whole time I've known you.
ReplyDeleteAs an aside, please send rain.
You have made a lovely home. What a lovely story.
ReplyDeleteI hope 2014 proves to be a good year for you and yours.
ReplyDeleteBonjour, Ken. Was the south side of your house once covered with ivy, prior to your moving in? Seems like that's your house in the framed photo behind the Christmas cactus in a post from December of 2008. Looking at French realty sites, there seem to be lots of homes for sale that are covered by ivy; looks nice, but must be terrible for the structures.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the good comments, Mitch, Chris, Madonna, and Jerry. Dean, see tomorrow's post...
ReplyDelete