First Message from Amboise

We haven't had Internet service since our arrival and won't until sometime later this week but a new friend let us piggyback on his connection to enable us to post this message at long last.  Other than Internet type services, everything has gone extremely well.  Our new checks were waiting for us upon arrival.  To our amazement, when we went to Ikea to buy our furniture, they took a blank check from our checkbook, ran it through their register and it printed all information on the check (date, payee, amount in euros in numerals and words).  All I had to do was sign the check.  Voila.  All transactions take a great amount of documentation such as setting up utilities, purchasing a car (very little choice in automatics but we did find a manufacturer vehicle with only 7000 klm on it for about half price), establishing telephone service, procuring insurance and on and on.  Several times we needed a copy of our lease to prove we were living in France and a utility bill.  For some reason, utility bills are the king of documentation for proof.  Then we had to purchase tools for Ron to assemble the Ikea furniture - bed, dresser, nightstands, desk, armoire etc.  Naturally, he was happy to be working with his hands again.  Soon he will tackle the 2 gardens which are terribly overgrown.  Today he painted the mailbox and window railings.  So we have been extremely busy establishing ourselves.  In the evenings, we sit on the bank of La Loire with beautiful sunsets with sweet little Lola watching rabbits nearby.  This is paradise - for us.  Stay tuned for future posts when we get our service working.  By the way, Les Simpsons in French are very amusing on TV.  A bientot.