Thursday, August 13, 2015

Thoughts on camping, a wonderful surprise package and alas Windows 8


Wednesday 12 August 2015
Very very hot and sticky 34 degrees

OH shocked me into wakefulness at 7.30 today with a cup of tea.  I must stop him sleeping in the day, I need my morning time to myself....  Felt dazed but at least he had rescued me from my dream where someone was after my detachable toilet and I was determined they weren't going to get their hands on it.  I often dream about toilets - usually I am trying to find one with a door on it so I can have some privacy.  Make of that what you will....

Sent over chapter and verse on the contemporary house to the anglo french law company and told them I would be ringing them tomorrow morning to find out what progress they had made.  They had the good manners not to even acknowledge receipt of the 12 documents I sent their way.  Battle will ensue and butts will be kicked.

Down to our big town and walked around the lake.  The entrance was filled with caravans and camping cars and the people had come from all over France.  Personally I would hate to be cheek by jowl on a campsite.  Right next to the busy main road and they couldn't even see the lake.  Still, they were having a lovely time and hosing things down and hanging out their washing.  I am more of a four star hotel kind of girl and always had a particular antipathy for camping and roughing it.  Give me pampering, a fine restaurant, good walks and views and a swimming pool and spa any day.   Ooh and shopping.  Mustn't ever forget shopping.

Ms Noddi sent me a surprise package of a lovely floaty white top which is so feminine and pretty and a ravishing raspberry crepe wrap around top.  Tried them on for OH and he said how about a cup of tea.  Men!

Back to the now, I am desperately in need of a new laptop as the current one is revving like a Jumbo on the runway and cant hold charge.  We chose a HP model with a terabyte of memory and one which promised five hours of battery life.  What I hadn't reckoned on was Windows 8.  I understood nothing.  I hated it until I understood that it operated like the tablet with apps.  Tried to install free download to Windows 10 and it bombed out after four hours. Will try again tomorrow.

At 6 went back into town to meet the sellers of the contemporary property and the notary to draw up the new boundaries on the plan.  Madame was extremely stressed and just wants to see the buyers signature on the reservation contract.  The sellers signed a procuration as they are due to be going to Cuba next week and the notary is also on holiday all week. Have told the anglo french law company we are signing on Monday.  The sellers then left and I ran through the new deal with the notary and asked about which is the best regime for the HK guy to buy through, seeing as he is divorced with children.

It is a peculiarity of French law that, unless provision is made, ones property passes partly to the surviving spouse (if you are married) and partly to the children.  This is called Indivision.  You cannot disinherit your children.  Problems arise when a party is divorced and non remarried with children because his portion of the property value will go to his children and not at all to his partner.  The notary said a new law is coming out which will enable people to choose their domiciliation for the purposes of inheritance so if you are a Brit with a house in France, you can choose to be subject to the UK inheritance laws and not those of France.  In the UK, property passes to the surviving partner before passing to the children, unless of course you choose to will your property to a cat's home.

Back home and pizza for supper with lovely crisp white wine.  Dog under table and looking unhappy.  Shutters started banging late on and violent gusts of wind rattled them throughout the night.   The lightning started later and was like disco lights.  Something up in the loft was running around, rolling about items and chewing loudly.  Slept well, considering.

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