In which deeds are signed

At last! Transaction complete, the house was paid for in full Thursday. No more mortgages, hurrah! Thursday was Mike’s birthday, so it was a great day for it to happen. Married on March 2nd, his birthday on the 5th, we move in on the 10th and then my birthday is the 23rd. One could say March is our month.

Monday Pickford’s/Matthew James come to pick up our things, or at least what’s left of our things (just the art collection, really)- and then we drive a bit faster than them so we can be at the house to receive them. They’ll be bringing the Knole sofas and a Burley stove (for the new study) from England. The velvet sofas for the study are delayed, they were supposed to be delivered next week, but that’s been pushed to the week of the 26th. They’re ultra comfortable. One is donkey brown and the other is faded red, both three seaters (2 metres long.)

Very classic, very English. Perverse as we are, when we lived in Spain we had a Moroccan house full of French furniture. Now that we’re in France we’re going to have an Italianate house full of English and Swedish (Gustavian) furniture. I’m sure French pieces will sneak themselves in as they usually do with me.

I’ve been having a bit of trouble settling on a dining table. Our last table sat 12, which made it a bit awkward when we only had four people around it. I suppose the way to go is an extending table. It’s more work, but makes more sense. I’m hoping to find something that seats 6 without leaves and 12/14 with leaves. Something simple, like this:

My Parisian cousins are going to be visiting for the last ten days of the month. Staying at a hotel, though, as we still have no beds except an inflatable affair we bought for our arrival. Our English girls are coming for summer as usual, which is fantastic- now I just have to hurry as the house must be guest-worthy for their arrival. That means two guest suites and all living/dining areas in presentable condition. I have three months, so it’s entirely feasible.