Good News

We have been a little tardy with our updates, but we have good news, our offer for the land was accepted. There are some clauses in the agreement that will allow us to pull out without losing our deposit, if either the well, septic tank and additionally if we fail to get planning permission, then we can withdraw and get our money back.

We have had some difficulty finding an Architect with time on his hands, so we drew up our own plans, based on general blue prints that we had. From that Jerry has been to the planning office
and shown them what we have, and have been told we will have no issue getting the permission. What we do need to get drawn up is the foundation plans, as we are going for a specialist/ non-standard foundation - which is called Frost Protected Shallow Foundation. This thankfully is accepted under the Canadian Building Code.

So the next step is getting an Structural Engineer to draw up the plans for the foundation, and put in the application to the planning office. We only have 18 days from acceptance (8th January) of the offer to get this through. Although they have said there would be no problem in extending it if we needed to, so we are not stressed out over that.

On the health front, I had not been well after our last update, I was terribly run down, but I am finally beginning to pick up again, feeling less like a wet lettuce, and starting to work more hours again. I am quite relieved to be getting up again, and not feeling as if my legs don't work. I am being watchful of how I feel, so as not to stay late, and find myself run down again. The extra quality time together has gone to good use, in drawing up the house plans, which has been interesting to say the least.

I take in my lunch to work, usually something to put in the microwave, which is the only option we have. Lately that has not been enough, and I got drawn to the vending machine yesterday to find chocolate, and disappointing that was - it was an Aero bar, and it didn't taste like chocolate as we know it. This was only the second time I had done this, and both times turned out to be a mistake, so I shan't be doing that again. I was telling everyone how good it was for the diet that you couldn't eat the chocolate there. I am down to 57 kilos, that is only 8st 9 in English, still a lot more than when we moved to France, but then I was falling over thin back then.

It is Valentines Day and we ran out of oil, so with a storm coming our way, will be an interesting night. I am wrapped in a quilt my friend Dianne in South Carolina sent us when we moved here, in preparation for living in the 'Frozen North'. So thanks Dianne, it is coming into its own tonight. We shall have to be very close tonight to stay warm and toasty.