This morning I had to make the last run by the old house and do the walkthrough and give up all the keys. In the meantime, the people were there unloading their sanders and other equipment and getting ready to make it ready for the next renters. It was a little bittersweet walking through one last time. I was remembering the day we came there for the first time to get the keys and Lawyerella and I each with a dog. We took a picture outside the front door and it was a good one. Anyway, that part of my life is another lifetime ago almost.

Yesterday, I learned a valuable cultural lesson about front doors. I was running out the door to the office and as I was closing it, something didn’t feel right. I thought I would try locking it with my key but the lock wouldn’t budge. You guessed it, I was effectively locked out. I thought it might be my key so i went to working figuring maybe Kate’s key would work when she came to pick up the boys for their daily woods adventure. Nope, her’s didn’t either. I ended up calling a locksmith to meet me at the house. He said to me “Madame, are you sure you do not have a key in the lock on the inside?” I looked at him very puzzled and said “Of course, I do! How else would I lock the door when I am inside?” Kind of like Duh…. and he says “Well, that’s your problem. If you have a key in the lock, you can’t put another key in it from the other side.”

Anyway, he took some useful locksmith device and ran it through the mailbox and unlocked the door. Literally 15 seconds of work for 55 euro. I am in the wrong line of work 😉 Apparently, every Dutch person seems to know this about the locks. And now I do too.

As for the unpacking, it is definitely taking a lot longer this time. The kitchen is accessible. Tonight my goal will be to set up my office so I can work properly instead of from the couch 😉 I will get there eventually.