April 8
Updated May 19
Dear Friends and Families,
A week after Marianne returned from California, it is time to travel again, to northern Spain and Portugal and, of necessity, via southern France. The week preparing has been filled, since we are also taking firm steps to sell our Bavarian house. We met with Axel, our architect/general contractor, to run through the fixes that might be needed. Overall, the old house is holding up well, so we hope the pre-sale costs will be limited. We also met with Alan, our real estate agent, to work out the marketing plan. The goal is to finish all preps, including "staging" for both photos and the parade of buyers, to support a July 6 on-sale date.
These two meetings have prompted a whole range of feelings and concerns over are-we-doing-the-right-thing. In many ways, our current situation is our dream: a wonderful, unique home; pleasant surroundings; some good friends; known, if not conquered, challenges. We have always known we would eventually move back to our home country, but after 15 years in Europe, it is a bit of a step into the unknown. At least there won't be another language to struggle with.
Meanwhile, back at preparing to travel, we've done what we can with the yard and garden, considering that it has stayed cold so late his year. Despite a nice sunrise this morning, our trees are bare and nothing seems very perky yet. When we get back in mid-May we hope to face a jungle. (In fact, we got way too much of this wish! Next time I will NOT fertilize before leaving.)
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Marianne and I agreed that we will not be allowed to worry about the future during our trip. Good luck with that.
France
BeauneSaint Germain des Pres (Dordogne)
Spain
San Sabastian Bilbao
Picos de Europa
Oviedo
Santiago de Compostela
Portugal
PortoWine Country : Mesao Frio and Guimaraes
Spain and France Again
BrionesDrive through Pyrenees to Lourdes
Castelnau De Montmiral and neighbors
Beaune
Germany
Neustadt an der WeinstrasseHome in Pommersfelden
Stay tuned and regards,
John and Marianne