Tag: Downsizing

Before leaving the US

Shopping in the pantry

While I was growing up on the southeast coast of the US where hurricanes were a routine summer event, Bill was often subject to the threat of tornadoes in the midwest. With disaster a part of our psyche, we both have an ingrained “hurricane mentality” where we hoard food and drink, just in case. If the electricity goes out or the water supply becomes contaminated, we will survive, by golly! We even have a gas powered generator that will run our two refrigerators and our our two freezers if necessary. The three waist-high wine racks in the basement are always full as a back up to the gallons of water that we have stored down there as well. Although we are not zombie apocalypse people, we’re ready for them too!

The closest grocery store to us is what we call the “scratch & dent” store where they buy odd lots, open crates, imperfect items, foods soon to reach their expiry date, or other perfectly edible goods that the chain grocery stores won’t stock or don’t want to sell. Boxes of cereal for $1; big bottles of ketchup for 50 cents, salad dressings for 25 cents, on and on. Imagine the hurricane mentality set free in this place! Continue reading “Shopping in the pantry”

Unknown's avatarBob
Before leaving the US

Who gets what?

Bill’s mom used to say that when she felt overweight and would put on a belt it was like tying a string around the middle of a sausage. That’s how I feel about taking the contents of a 4000 square foot home and putting it into 645 square feet. Something’s got to go. Appropriately for a move to France, there’s a bit of déjà vu here. Twenty years ago Bill’s parents sold their house, bought a big RV trailer, and went on the road year-round. To dispose of the family ‘’treasures’’, all the siblings gathered at what the parents considered a joyous occasion since they were getting to realize a long held dream to travel full time. The kids, however, had not a dry eye as they received photos, tea cups, Christmas ornaments, and other prized possessions that would not fit on the trailer. Continue reading “Who gets what?”

Unknown's avatarBob
Before leaving the US

Take it or leave it

When researching what people took with them when they made the big move there seemed to be two trains of thought: the minimalists and the maximalists. In the former category would be people such as au pairs or students going for a year or even our friends Tracy and Alan who are there to stay. You would see them at the airport with a suitcase, a backpack, and a smartphone or tablet for entertainment. They would be headed to fully-furnished accommodations where even the silverware is included. Count me in that group.

At the other extreme, especially if the spouse’s company is paying the bill, are the folks who want to take everything, including the kitchen sink, since even that common item is sometimes taken with the previous tenant since it was their own property they brought to the rental. Since electrical appliances from here won’t typically work in Europe, this group will need a storage container or a spare room for all of the items they can’t use. Continue reading “Take it or leave it”

Unknown's avatarBob
Life in France

Carcassonne it is, but why and where?

So why Carcassonne? First, there’s the climate. On average, it’s 10 degrees F cooler in the summer and 10 degrees warmer in the winter than Atlanta. No snow! There’s a fresh fruits and vegetables market three days a week in the main town square that’s within walking distance of any apartment or house we are likely to rent, as is the train station and even the airport. There are a dozen super/hyper markets around the edge of the city all accessible by sidewalks, bike paths, or the 1 euro bus. For water access there’s the Aude river and its parks, the Canal du Midi with tree-lined walking/riding paths, and a huge lake for swimming. For history, how about living beside two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Canal du Midi, opened in 1681 and Europe’s largest medieval fortress that is a town unto itself. Each summer the city hosts a 6-week long music festival with dozens of concerts weekly, many of them free. Famous singers known throughout Europe plus worldwide names like Elton John, Sting, and Bob Dylan have performed. Did I mention that Carcassonne sits in the middle of France’s largest wine-producing area? Talk about living in wine country! Continue reading “Carcassonne it is, but why and where?”

Unknown's avatarBob