Back into the swing
Now that August is over and I'm back to being a stay-at-home writer, I feel as if I'm busier than ever.
Less than three weeks to go before our trip to L.A. to visit my mother and hopefully get things moving with her visa application at the Consulate. This would be far easier if the Consulate actually either replied to emails or had a telephone line that wasn't constantly engaged! We've been trying to set up a visa interview since mid-August and can't get any response at all.
Last week, JM decided to send a telegram. Who knew these were so darned expensive? At any rate, it was theoretically delivered yesterday and, surprise, surprise, we have still heard nothing back. Good friend Diane in L.A. has offered to go over there in person on Friday if we have no response before then.
It never occurred to me that contacting the Consulate might be the most complicated part of bringing Mom over here.
Meanwhile, I have decided that I've had it up to here with using bottled gas for cooking! First, you always run out of gas in the middle of something important, like a cake or an expensive roast; something where time and temperature make a huge difference in the final outcome. Second, the damned gas bottles are HEAVY! I tried switching to one of the new, lighter-weight bottles, but our plumber, Christian Drouin, tells me that they are not compatible with the way our gas connectors are set up. In other words, I can't use them.
When we first moved here, I had come with the idea that I would get an induction cook top. At the time, just the cook top, without an oven, would have been somewhere around 1200€. However, as with all things, prices have come down. I can now get an all-in-one cooker with four induction burners and a multi-function oven for less than 1000€. I really, really, REALLY want to do this.
JM and I are "negotiating" because he doesn't want to make any changes in the kitchen. I think the convenience and energy savings of induction, as well as having a smaller, more manageable oven, will make up for any minor complications. In order to finance the purchase, I'm trying to sell some family silver that I"ve been carting around for over 30 years. No matter where we live, it sits in a closet somewhere gathering dust, since I'm not the silver type. If I sell that and then sell my current stove, I will more than pay for the new stove.
Of course my problem with selling the silver is I have no real idea of the best way to go about it. A friend suggested talking to a local restaurant to see if they were interested in the silver. I have talked to a local chef and we'll see where that goes.
If that doesn't work, I suppose I need to go the depot-vente route or else try on eBay. The problem is that I'm selling U.S. flatware by manufacturers unknown in France. I don't know whether this makes it easier or harder to sell. I suppose it will be an interesting experiment, no matter what I decide to do.
In thinking about selling the silver, I've also been looking around on all my shelves and have realized that I have way too many tchotches! I think some of those need to go as well. Here I thought I'd gotten rid of so much stuff when we moved, yet there is still too much "stuff."
Time for a clearing out sale, that's for certain.
Ciao for now.
Randy
Less than three weeks to go before our trip to L.A. to visit my mother and hopefully get things moving with her visa application at the Consulate. This would be far easier if the Consulate actually either replied to emails or had a telephone line that wasn't constantly engaged! We've been trying to set up a visa interview since mid-August and can't get any response at all.
Last week, JM decided to send a telegram. Who knew these were so darned expensive? At any rate, it was theoretically delivered yesterday and, surprise, surprise, we have still heard nothing back. Good friend Diane in L.A. has offered to go over there in person on Friday if we have no response before then.
It never occurred to me that contacting the Consulate might be the most complicated part of bringing Mom over here.
Meanwhile, I have decided that I've had it up to here with using bottled gas for cooking! First, you always run out of gas in the middle of something important, like a cake or an expensive roast; something where time and temperature make a huge difference in the final outcome. Second, the damned gas bottles are HEAVY! I tried switching to one of the new, lighter-weight bottles, but our plumber, Christian Drouin, tells me that they are not compatible with the way our gas connectors are set up. In other words, I can't use them.
When we first moved here, I had come with the idea that I would get an induction cook top. At the time, just the cook top, without an oven, would have been somewhere around 1200€. However, as with all things, prices have come down. I can now get an all-in-one cooker with four induction burners and a multi-function oven for less than 1000€. I really, really, REALLY want to do this.
JM and I are "negotiating" because he doesn't want to make any changes in the kitchen. I think the convenience and energy savings of induction, as well as having a smaller, more manageable oven, will make up for any minor complications. In order to finance the purchase, I'm trying to sell some family silver that I"ve been carting around for over 30 years. No matter where we live, it sits in a closet somewhere gathering dust, since I'm not the silver type. If I sell that and then sell my current stove, I will more than pay for the new stove.
Of course my problem with selling the silver is I have no real idea of the best way to go about it. A friend suggested talking to a local restaurant to see if they were interested in the silver. I have talked to a local chef and we'll see where that goes.
If that doesn't work, I suppose I need to go the depot-vente route or else try on eBay. The problem is that I'm selling U.S. flatware by manufacturers unknown in France. I don't know whether this makes it easier or harder to sell. I suppose it will be an interesting experiment, no matter what I decide to do.
In thinking about selling the silver, I've also been looking around on all my shelves and have realized that I have way too many tchotches! I think some of those need to go as well. Here I thought I'd gotten rid of so much stuff when we moved, yet there is still too much "stuff."
Time for a clearing out sale, that's for certain.
Ciao for now.
Randy
4 Comments:
hi, I have been looking at the pics on your website and have been trying to figure out where in chalabre you live. Do you live on the same side as madame berland, near to the bakers? Cant tell too well from the pics!!
Celine.
By Anonymous, At 11:11 AM
That's it, exactly, Celine. We're directly across from the La Bonne Saucisse and 3 doors down from the bakery. It was the Salvat house before.
Randy
By Randy, At 11:27 AM
I thought so, I spoke to my mum last night and she said that Madame Salvat moved to the house next door. My mum is Genevieve Vidal and her partner is Patrick Martinez. His family are still in the village, you will probably know Jacques who is the dentist. My mum and Patrick are currently in plans to have a house built near the lake and will be moving back over within 5 years. I cant wait as I really miss going over evry year to see everyone. I was very sad to learn about the death of Pepete last December. When I thought of Chalabre he was always one of the first people I would think of. Every night he would be sat outside his house and we would drop over and speak to him and Madame Berland. If you see her be sure to pass on the Bonjour!!!
Celine
By Anonymous, At 11:29 AM
Randy
With your international readership, why don't you list you silver info in a blog posting? Someone may be interested. Even If they are in the US, you could bring it to California and ship out from there.
AAB
By Anonymous, At 10:59 PM
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