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Earlier today I was hiking a back trail, high above the Ballantree Trail in West Vancouver. I was high enough up that I almost couldn’t hear the traffic on the Upper Levels highway below. I was reminded of the nearly constant wall of noise and sound that surrounds us
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One of the projects over the last couple of weeks has been investigating whether it's possible or sensible to take our red Fiat Turbo with us to France. On one hand selling this car just to buy a new one over there seems like a hassle, but on
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At 11:36 am last Monday North Vancouver moved from the endless rainy season to bright, warm, sparking sunshine. Yes, it was that dramatic, and immediately the mood of everyone on the North Shore improved by about 110%. This week has reminded me that one other thing that I want
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If you're moving to another country you need to figure out which electronics you will bring. Here in Canada we like 120v 60hz power with this plug. France though uses 230v 50hz and these plugs. What freaks me out is the voltage. For sixty years 120v is "
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Writing this blog has caused me to spend time thinking about the places where I've lived, and the things that made each home special. To the list above I'll add a few more things. A big, deep bathtub. I don't know who invented those
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Top floor was ours, above a special effects shop. Over the years I've lived in many places, in two countries, and have pretty much figured out what I like in a home. I've owned, rented, and borrowed places and understand that no home is absolutely perfect.
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Today we went from just spending hours poring over property listings on the Internet, and actually emailed an agent immobilier in Normandy. We have just begun our search online and this property is EXACTLY what we're looking for. We aren't quite ready to make an offer
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When we tell people that we're planning to pull up stakes and move to Normandy we get one of two reactions. Your specific gîte may not be exactly as illustrated. About half of time we're told "Oh wow! That's exciting!" Followed quickly
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Thank you Wordpress for titling the default blog entry so perfectly. This is indeed the beginning of a new journey. For a year or two, and certainly since the election of Donald Trump, we've been considering our options for the next phase of our lives. We're