Crazy us had our annual Holiday Party on Saturday the 10th. Yeah, I know, more work we didn’t need to take on, but I wanted a last big shindig, and it was a chance for us to see and say good-bye to many of our friends. I made appetizers that I could freeze during the month prior to the party, and we tried to get the house as decorated and together as we could before S left to fly back to the Netherlands on Sunday the 4th. He flew back into San Francisco on the 9th, and we jumped into packing and getting the house ready for a party. Luckily we have our party set-up down to a science, so we were ready all set up around 12:00pm on the 10th. We were then able to spend the afternoon before the party doing a bunch of packing upstairs – getting through our bathroom and more clothing stuff. Girls were still totally fighting us on the packing but after I offered them $$ for every box they packed (double for the discard bags they filled), things moved along a little more quickly. J
We moved furniture out, ordered bar tables & tablecloths, put out wine, beer, a specialty cocktail (Pomegranate-Lime Fizz), music on the Sonos and food, and we were ready to go. 78 people were expected, I’d say about 70 or so came – all spread out, so it didn’t feel too crazy. It was so nice to see everyone – S and I both had a blast. It was a lot of work (& time that we probably should have been packing) but a lot of fun. And I’m really glad we got a chance to see so many friends to say goodbye.
Here’s the menu of appetizers I served at the party (I only do apps as it’s a 7:00 cocktail party):
- Frank’s Meatballs
- Asparagus Rolls
- Chicken Pesto Bites (these I bought at Safeway)
- Sweet Potato Dumplings with Honey, Goat Cheese and Thyme
- Mediterranean Rolls
- Three-Cheese Pastry Puffs
- Tapenade Palmiers (I bought the tapenade)
- Slow Cooker Buffalo Chicken Sliders
- Sushi (ordered from Mollie Stone’s)
- Spinach Dip, cheese and crackers
All in all, as “not fun” as Sunday, Monday & Tuesday were, I’m glad we had the party and I’m glad it seemed to be a successful one.
Packer/Movers (Crown Relocation Company) for shipping our stuff to France came around 9:30am Monday morning. Sunday was busy with cleaning up from the party, and then packing – I did the kitchen, dining room & living room, and S did the garage. We still weren’t as ready as we could have been for the movers when they showed up, but we got a lot done. Monday night we were up late after the movers left doing more packing, we pulled the girls out of school on Tuesday around lunch time to help pack up their rooms & bathrooms and packed until after 11pm. S had to leave Wednesday morning for a quick trip to Japan, but at least we were mostly packed by then & it was just me sticking around to watch over the movers. It was a very stressful time, but at least it only lasted 3 days. The movers were all loaded and gone by a little after 3pm. Farewell household items – see you in 6 weeks! They estimate that the items will be delivered around the end of January. We also air-shipped around 5 or 6 boxes that will get to the house on the 30th – mostly just more clothes and some toys for R&C.
The house is empty, but not too much as we are putting a fair amount of stuff in storage. Those packer/movers come on Monday and Tuesday to get the rest in storage. Then the house will be super empty. Our friend Amanda is a saint and dropped off 3 Queen blow-up beds and lots of bedding Tuesday night so we don’t have to sleep on the floor. We will need 1 more when S gets home on Friday (12/16) as I don’t see how you can sleep 2 adults in one of those beds – even though they are Queens. I want my own!
We are facing another one of those frustrating French Catch-22s as I like to call them. Of course the relocation company (Crown) waited until now, after our stuff has been all packed and gone, to tell us that we might have to pay taxes and duties on our household goods coming into France. What? They keep saying that S needs to provide proof from his employer that he is being relocated to France for a number of years, and that he hasn’t been living in an EU country during the last 12 months. It has taken us several attempts to make it clear that those requirements can NOT be met as S is NOT working in France, and he HAS been living in an EU country since September 1st. They seem to have finally gotten the message, but now are saying we face fees as I have no employment reason for moving to France. There’s the classic French run-around as the French government wouldn’t give me my Visa if I DO work in France. But now I can’t bring my items into France unless I work in France. What really chaps my hide about all this is that both Crown and Ernst & Young (who are also our advisers on this whole thing) have known the unusual circumstance around our situation the whole time. Why is this just now being addressed as a problem? Different decisions may have been made based on that knowledge if it was made clear to us. And there has to be a work-around – it’s all just so ridiculous. No, I’m not bringing all these goods into France to re-sell them. Give me a break. We’ve already decided not to risk shipping our new Prius over as they may make us pay all sorts of fees on it, now our house hold goods? Ridiculous.
We’ve also been busy dealing with Crown Relocation on what all their services entail. We asked them for some help in buying a washer and dryer (I want something better than the all-in-one tiny machine that is at the house and the website they directed me to is in French), renting a car (we will need one until we find something to buy), renting temporary furniture, and getting to the hotel from the airport. Seems like normal requests to me. All of a sudden we get an email from the head contact at Crown who states that these items are above and beyond the scope of their agreement with S’s company and that we would have to pay for them ourselves. What? Crown said that their agreement with S’s company entails:
1-day preview trip
2-day home viewing trip
1.5 days settling in
I immediately wrote back asking what exactly the “1.5 days settling in” entails since it seems like some of the above items I was requesting would be part of that. In addition, I pointed out that we never had our 1-day preview trip, so we are owed time for that. Now they are saying they will use the 1-day preview trip for buying the washer & dryer, and coordinating the rental car. The settling in will consist of check-in inspection of the house, opening utilities, airport pick-up and furniture rental coordination. I would love to know how some of these things take that much time. I am having my friend who speaks French get the washer & dryer for me (there’s a website in French where you just order them & then they deliver & install), and another friend of mine has contacts at Hertz in France so they are helping us with the rental car. So what else are you going to do for us Crown? Eh?
Good news is that we have our flights all booked and ready to go, room for the 3 animals down in Cargo, hotel in Versailles for 2 nights, and rental furniture being delivered on the 30th. We are looking good for when we get there. Just need to sort out this fee issue with our household items being shipped over - I have to have faith that we will be able to fix that. Someone pointed out to me at a holiday lunch today that in 2 weeks I will be there! Yikes! Time is flying by now & it’s just crazy. Oh, more good news – the gal from ASP that I’ve been emailing invited us to her house for a casual New Year’s Eve dinner. So maybe my social life won’t be in the dumps with the move! J
Speaking of social life, we are trying to get a chance to see all our friends, etc. before we leave – not enough time! We are going to miss everyone so much…and we look forward to many visitors…off now to B Street & Vine to have some dinner and wine with girlfriends…
D
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