We made the final move on the last Friday in February and just ahead of the worst wind and rain we’ve seen since our arrival in Argeles-sur-Mer in April 2015. We spent the first two weeks enjoying the upgraded internet speed while watching hail, wind and rain from those incredible windows.

Sami and Lou protested the move at first and we weren’t able to leave them alone for the first two weeks without some major howling complaints. They both started up barking when we put them in their crate and tried to leave. Not wishing to upset our neighbor downstairs, Denis, I stayed in with the dogs. Eventually we were able to get it under control just in time for our appointment at the prefecture in Perpignan to renew our visas.

We have had quite a bit of fun exploring this new neighborhood. This end of the plage is a bit more developed with beautiful sand-set brick paths, large grassy areas, lots of trees for shade, beautiful lighting. Which makes walking the dogs in the rain a bit less messy.

The unpacking is being held up by the lack of places to put things. The bedroom has a small but serviceable closet, more than enough space for our minimized wardrobes, but without a dresser for all the things that don’t hang we’re using the closet’s floor and upper shelf for clothing. Eventually our luggage will store up there, but first we really need the rest of our purchased shelving to arrive . . . hopefully this week.

When you haven’t owned furniture in three years it can be a challenge to decide what you want from all the options available. It can be a little more challenging when everything you purchase must serve a dual purpose. For example, the microwave cart that we purchased at Conforama had to be able to hold the induction cooktop, a toaster oven, offer storage for cookware and utensils. It’s a big ask for one item to do all that and fit into a space that is 13″ deep by 26″ wide, the unit also had to be a minimum of 36″ tall so that both Alan and I can comfortably use it. Oh, and did I mention that I wanted something that could be mobile so it’s easier to clean up around it?

Our online shopping prowess has assisted in the purchasing of everything we need. Even if we plan to purchase in the store we do all the research online first to make sure that we are getting a good deal, that the item will fit in the space we have and that it matches the rest of the decor (which isn’t much yet).

We still need to purchase a dining room set, a rug for the tile floor, a few kitchen items that we just can’t live without, and a console table to use as a charging station. Did I mention that we have only 9 outlets in the whole apartment? We have more things that need charging then we have plugs to charge them in . . . first world problems for sure, but still a challenge for our digital lives.

Everything is coming together slowly, but we are completely enjoying this new space. Spring has brought quite a bit of cold, wet weather but now that the jasmine is blooming it’s gentle fragrance is a reminder that warm, summer weather is just around the corner.