A Bit of Good News

In a time when so much in the world is distressing and scary, it’s nice to have something to look forward to.

Today, during a huge rainstorm here in Europe (and political storms back in the US), we got a call from our realtor. She wanted to let us know she had sent our paperwork to the notaire, and we will sign the compromis du vente sometime in the next ten days. This signature is our formal agreement with the seller, settling the terms of our purchase. Once the compromis is signed, we have ten days during which we can change our minds without penalty. After that, she said it would be about a month before we close and could move into the house at last. That puts us in our new home sometime in March, if all goes well, much faster than we’d thought, so we’re super excited. Generally, the process takes about three months, but we’re making a cash offer, which speeds things up.

Also, some packages I’d shipped from home arrived at last, filled with tubes of art and an antique lamp that used to belong to my great-grandmother and which I plan to have rewired so we can use it here in France.

Now on our to-do list (in no particular order), we need to:

• Find doctors for us both
• Get a veterinarian for Mona
• Locate a dog groomer
• Buy furniture for our new house
• Sign up for cell phone service for us both
• Get a French bank account and transfer our funds to it
• Arrange for the remainder of our belongings to be shipped to us
• Set up utilities and internet service at our new home
• Validate our visas
• Begin taking French lessons
• Get library cards

I’m looking forward to each milestone as we reach it and holding onto the good things from each day.

We constantly worry about friends and family, and whenever we read the news, it’s hard not to let despair and anxiety overwhem us. But adversity has taught me gratitude and to focus on the good things that happen. I make a mental list to help reorient my focus.

• I made a very tasty stir fry for lunch today.
• Today, I wrote over 1000 words as the start of a new chapter in my current work in progress.
• All the laundry is clean.
• Mom is enjoying the French history textbook I found for her on her Kindle.
• The orange I picked up at the market this afternoon was delicious.
• After the rain, Mona likes sniffing all the smells on our walks.
• We got to talk to some family members on FaceTime tonight, and it made us both smile.
• The insulated shopping trolley we bought last week is turning out to be a fantastic purchase.
• Tomorrow, a new pair of noise-cancelling headphones arrive, and I’ll be able to work without so much distraction.
• So far, we are really not missing owning a car at all. That may change once we’re in our house, but for now, we’re happy walking or riding the bus everywhere.
• Mom’s keeping up with all the dishes while I do all the cooking, and that arrangement is still working well for us.
• We have a small dustbuster vacuum, and it’s perfect for this studio apartment (though Mona would beg to differ).
• We found brown crunchies that Mona really likes and eats well. She’s never liked her brown crunchies before, so whatever the French dog food manufacturers are putting in it is a success.
• Mom and I finished watching the final season of Vera on BritBox, and it was fantastic. We’re both going to miss it, though we can always do a rewatch.
• Though we’re in very tight quarters, Mom and I are getting along together really well. I love that she and I enjoy one another’s company. I feel so lucky to have this time with her.

Wherever you are, I wish you well. I hope you are safe. I hope you too find moments of happiness, small and large, to cling to on difficult days. I hope you have people who give you reasons to smile. I wish you love and hope and peace. I hope you can rest your mind, feed your body, and nourish your soul. I wish for you art, books, music, light, fellowship, and laughter. May you find what you need to sustain you on days that are a struggle.