Dealing with government

Ducks in a row

All of our ducks in a row
All of our ducks in a row

It’s taken us a while to assemble all of the documents that the French consulate requires to apply for a long stay visitor’s visa and I think we’re now ready. There are 10 offices in the US and while each follows a similar list of requirements (passport, application, fee, etc.) some tell you specifically what must be included on each document and some want more information than others. The Miami consulate website shows a pretty general list without many details. Here’s what they have requested and how we have complied: Continue reading “Ducks in a row”

Unknown's avatarBob1 Comment
Before leaving the US

Tons o’ fun

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Over a ton of trash in the back of our rental truck

Earlier you may have read Bill’s post about coming to the conclusion that we were going to need more than a trash can to get rid of years’ worth of accumulations. This morning we rented a 15-foot truck to haul things away. Yep, we’re still in the purging process although what went into this 10’ X 15’ foot metal box on wheels was never destined to make it to France in the first place. In addition to the cost of renting a truck and driving it to the municipal landfill (aka county dump), we had to pay 38 dollars for leaving just over a ton of mostly leftover construction materials behind. Continue reading “Tons o’ fun”

Unknown's avatarBob
Life in France

What’s for breakfast?

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I’ll have raw oats and a cup of hot water, please.

The French have a reputation for eating some weird things such as snails, frog’s legs, stinky cheese with the “smell of angel’s feet” and every part of a pig except the oink. For the real adventurous there’s always tête de veau; yep, a good ‘ole complete calf’s head plopped onto your plate ready for you to chow down on…yum! Continue reading “What’s for breakfast?”

Unknown's avatarBob1 Comment
Dealing with government

Yes, you’re right–you’re wrong

License-Plate-Nongame
Georgia license plate courtesy GA Department of Natural Resources

Last Wednesday I went with Bill to our county tax commissioner’s office to cancel a license plate. The week before Thanksgiving Bill’s brother Dan and sister-in-law Elaine bought our 2014 Honda® Accord and we called the tax office to find out how to deal with the sale. We were told that as long as the new owners had insurance, we could cancel ours and that once they registered the car in their home state, we could cancel the license tag here. Well, not really. Continue reading “Yes, you’re right–you’re wrong”

Unknown's avatarBob1 Comment
Before leaving the US

Riding the roller coaster

Georgia house after a nice rain. Thanks to Pat, our realtor.
Georgia house after a nice rain. Thanks to Pat, our realtor.

Last Monday evening we met with our realtor. Three offers were on the table for the house and they were all very similar. Selling this house was a lot different from most home sales. I actually was the one to show the house to the buyers and their agents. The storms and floods managed to work to our advantage during the process. When there is that much rain and the basement stays dry then everyone is happy.

I do have to back up a bit for you to understand how it all happened so quickly. First we offered the house to the neighbors who expressed interest from the beginning. The timing was wrong for Michael and his family but another family was very interested but really did not know the value that a dry, finished basement adds to property. They could not understand why the home was appraised so much more than others in the neighborhood without basements. Continue reading “Riding the roller coaster”

Unknown's avatarBill4 Comments
Before leaving the US

Lesson learned

100_4128Each morning for part of the time that I’m on the treadmill I listen to a French language instruction course. Lesson after lesson, repeated time and again, it all finally starts to fall into place. At the end of the main course there is a review of the verb tenses that the instructor has taught you so far–all 18 of them. Ironically the verb they use is “to sell” and the object is “a house”. Today not only can I say in the abstract that the house is sold (was sold, would have been sold, etc.) I can also say it and mean it. Continue reading “Lesson learned”

Unknown's avatarBob2 Comments
Before leaving the US

Love (and laugh with) thy neighbor

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Talking animals Teddy Ruxpin and Grubby

We have some really nice neighbors here in Atlanta. Some were here before we moved to this house 14 years ago while others arrived in the past 6 months. This weekend we got to celebrate with many of them: a birthday, a delayed Christmas dinner, and an early goodbye. Continue reading “Love (and laugh with) thy neighbor”

Unknown's avatarBob1 Comment