Signed and Paraphed

The Big Family Dinner was a lovely success. Twenty people had a good time, first in the City Museum, then at home.
Mom even found last year's notes, including times for lighting the fire place and putting pre-dinner snacks in the oven.
We had baby candles in the christmas tree, I did light them for all your missing little ones too. I'll ask an uncle if he got some pictures of that.
After dinner (including christmas pudding with rum-butter) there were endless cakes, chocolates, teas and coffees.

And then today we met my parents again, at the notary. Now that the paperwork is signed and paraphed (and paraphed and paraphed some more) DP and I can say we bought a house together.
22 years ago I was an anti-squatter / house-sitter in this same house. Then it was converted into an office. Now the office moved out and we bought the top part of the building, to convert back into living space.
It is a world heritage building, so we will need permits every step of the way. We have only just begun applying for those permits, so we have no idea how long it is all going to take. My father the optimist thinks it will be a matter of a few months. I'll be happy if it will be less than a year before we can move. It has taken 13 months to even get to this stage of provisional contract. The commitment is real now, just that time of transfer will depend on the next 2 permits.
Both DP and my mother have asked now if we shouldn't go shopping for the grasshopper. But as long as I'm not totally fluffy in the head I think I prefer to puzzle with gas pipes, flooring and kitchen equipment.