The French call those golden retirement years le troisieme age. The Third Age, it's a good description. Childhood, adulthood, then with any luck, back to a carefree and playful existence toward the end.
We have been blessed with a long happy, early retirement, unexpectedly in a new country with a whole new life. It’s been 16 years so far; and now, again unexpectedly, we are on to yet another phase. We are moving, only an hour away, but from the deep countryside of Burgundy to its very heart, the bustling little medieval city of Beaune, where we will live right in le centre. It’s a mélange of excitement and sadness for sure. We love our village, la campagne, our friends. But that downsizing moment, and a longing for one more little adventure, is upon us.
Another surprise: we sold our home the week it went on the market, to a lovely French couple from Lyon. Today the movers finished up, leaving us with a sad, empty house. After they left, we took a final stroll around the village, as we nearly always do on a pretty evening, to check out the sunset behind the church, and to say hello to our neighbors. Tonight, though, we said a fond au revoir. Memories wash over us like the cool evening breeze. And we bid adieu to our beloved old stone house and our garden, which we had the good fortune to borrow for 13 years, and add to its long history.
The last thing we did was take care of some unfinished business. It’s been two years since our much-loved cat Domino died, but we hadn’t been able to part with his ashes, sitting in a little box in our bedroom. Tonight we buried him in the garden where he loved to play, in the shade of the laurier by the hydrangeas, and under the watchful eye of our 12th century church.
And now Ron and Vino the Bambino and I are off to a new French life, la vie en ville. Hopefully full of adventures, surprises, new friends to go with the old, and many new things to learn. You’re invited along, dear readers, for the next French phase. We won't call it le quatrieme age--which means the "oldest of the old". Maybe three and a half?
In the COMMENTS: Last week's post on Nôtre Dame drew all sorts of interesting and thoughtful comments. And strong opinions! Those who would rebuild the most recent additions seem to be the majority. The French senate agrees with you, they passed a bill that says it should be reconstructed as it last was. But it's not yet law. Both Macron and his prime minister are in the other camp: let this generation move it forward. It promises to be an interesting debate.
