An 'Old Biddies' Life

Cold!

2012-02-09T08:59:00.000-08:00

Things seem to be working out well for us at the moment, I just hope that the positive element keeps going and going.

The only setback has been the horrendously cold weather that has been hanging around for nearly 3 weeks. We were lulled into a false sense of security by the balmy weather during January.

Apparently we live in a micro-climate similar to that of the south of France, well, for most of the year, but at the moment it is a microclimate similar to Scandinavia. The snow is persisting on the roads as well as paths and gardens. Snow has fallen onto ice and has made things very dangerous out there. Oh, and I do miss my wood burner! The radiators just do not do the job properly at the moment. We do have a chimney so during the summer we will source a new wood burner and have it installed before next winter.

I have heard nothing but complaints about the cold weather from the English fraternity (sorority); they are the same that complain about the excessive heat in the summer! For heaven’s sakes girls, it is winter, it comes every year, sometimes with a vengeance sometimes without. Get used to it, it’s not like the television programmes you know, sunshine, wine, croissants and coffee all the time.

I was originally planning our trip to Central America for the end of January but because of my surgery I had to delay. Maybe I should have waited until end of February to have it done but then we would be in the warmth and sunshine worrying ourselves silly about pipes freezing.

And, there was also the problem with TJ, but he is now on the mend proper.

Last week the surgeon opened him up completely and checked his internal organs. They found that he had adhesions in his small bowel as well as a couple of perforations. They managed to remove the offending part and re-join his bowel. They also had to repair a small perforation in the delicate stomach tissue. After 10 hours of surgery, he was put into a chemical induced coma for 5 days and was then slowly brought back to ‘the world’.

He has since had two of the 4 drains removed and is responding well to treatment as well as the nurses, doctors and of course, his mum and dad. His gastro tube now goes straight into the large bowel as his stomach is too delicate for it.

They are using Manuka Honey to help with healing and apparently it is very effective. Brilliant stuff, apparently it is made from the pollen of the ‘tea tree’ plant! It shouldn’t be too long before all the tubes and needles in his body are removed. It all seems too invasive for a young child but it had to be done.

As you can imagine we are all as pleased as punch. It has been a long haul for such a fragile child. He is unable to say how he feels verbally but his eyes say it all and at the moment he is OK.

Our electrician neighbour has been in over the last few days increasing the electric sockets, no more extension leads trailing all over the place inviting you to trip. It looks so much neater. His next job is to sort out the exterior lighting which needs a complete overhaul. Will be glad when it is all done and dusted.

Arrangements have been made for a new balustrade on the steps into the house and a cat flap for the two felines. Slowly it is all coming together.

The dog is having a holiday with friends and the cats are in situ but being cared for by a friend who lives nearby whilst we are away. Electrician & plumber will be keeping an eye on the boiler and pipes for us.

Not long now, am beginning to feel a little nervous and maybe apprehensive.

Neither of us are regular fliers, well he definitely isn’t and I haven’t that often.

An adventure!

2012-01-28T12:15:00.000-08:00

Time for a few words I think.

Am getting used to this new ‘puter, it is fine at the moment, I haven’t bothered with the voice recognition over the past few days, it was fun while it lasted!

Since having my elbow ‘fixed’ my man has been taking care of my culinary needs, almost 4 weeks now!

I do have problems (still!) holding an onion for chopping or a potato or carrot for peeling etc. you just don’t realise the movements you make with your left hand/arm when preparing vegetables with the right (or vice versa), even slicing bread is painful.

Oh no, I do not mind the help in any shape or form, my own personal chef!
We have sat and discussed why certain processes are used in the kitchen, the alchemy of cooking, and he is beginning to understand why I have insisted on doing various things certain ways.

Yes, I know his mother encouraged him to make various things to eat, but then, did she encourage him to do it properly? Or did he just watch and assume that he was learning? I know I seem a little critical but he has had the habit of extolling the virtue of his own culinary skills to our friends but when push comes to shove he is a little clueless.

Strangely enough I do enjoy his attention, maybe this elbow will; well you know …..

I am still thinking about colours for the house. I have seen in a local restaurant the exact shade of grey for the hallway/corridor, must ask them who decorated and what the colour is. It is a lovely dark grey, on the blue spectrum, and I would like a soft dove grey above. The idea is to have wooden wainscot so that any dirt from a wagging dogs tail will be easy to clean up with the lighter grey above. I have lots of pictures and photos to make a gallery on the upper part of the walls. Himself seems to be in favour of my ideas. I have also found two shades of lichen green for the lounge which should work well, again within the blue spectrum.

Methinks I will be busy after our lovely holiday.

BUT…..

Young TJ is not doing well at all. He is still in Intensive Care.

There have been many problems, one after another. Currently he has candida internally which is being treated. It also seems that he has had peritonitis and it seems to have recurred.

His mother is going through the motions. We do talk daily, sometimes twice a day. Thank heavens for free calls and skype.

His older sister (9) has developed psoriasis (stress related).

His big brother (14) seems to be in denial and refuses to go to the hospital.

Us, well, we wait and wonder whether we should go back to the UK… it is all very difficult at the moment.

2012-01-16T11:39:00.000-08:00

I have a new computer, a new laptop.

I have discovered it has speech recognition.

What initially came to mind was that secretaries would become redundant or just be asked to make tea or coffee for the boss.

It is absolutely hilarious and I cannot, so far, get a recognisable sentence out of it.

It seems that you have to train your computer to understand all the nuances of your speech. I must admit that himself said that when I am talking to the computer I am talking clearer. I am fine when I am going through the training of the thing but when it comes to asking it to type for me, well, that is a totally different matter.

The following is an example of me reading what is written above:-

It tight her guy had any computer then you laptop
The there are good and that the got a had discovered in her speech recognition
Would like her what initially came to mind was that secretary’s would become redundant or just he asked them at are on the or cr
It is absolutely hilarious and I cannot so far get a breath ignited will stand and at a
Into names that you have to train your computer to understand Orlando wants is of your speech crossed of the Identifying when I’m going to retraining of the game but when it comes to a asking it to for me well that is a totally different.

I think it has a lot of things to learn…. At least it is stopping me from getting bored and making me laugh!

I am also working on windows 7 and Microsoft Office 2010 starter edition. I have lots of new things to learn. But, it is a nice machine, fast and easy to use with a proper numeric keypad as well. I am happy with it.

Our grandson TJ is getting better, slowly but surely, he is being treated for thrush in his gut, no doubt too many antibiotics over the last few weeks had a play in that infection. At least he is on the mend. His mum has also been to see her own GP to put him fully in the picture and she is now being helped. TJ’s problems have had quite a knock on effect on the family as a whole and, in truth, the family’s GP should be put fully in the picture. She is now feeling a lot more positive which will have a good effect on TJ as well as the other two.

For some months now I have been planning a trip to see a very good friend in Central America. Now that my elbow is very much on the mend and I have a little money in the bank I am in the position to arrange and book the trip.

I found the ideal flight, date and time. Yippee! Discussed it with himself and he is happy with the arrangements.

Booking has been done through a French travel website. I found it a lot easier that going through the likes of Skyscanner, Trip advisor, e dreams etc.. And, as a bonus, the flight is from an airport just 1½ hours drive from us, and it is via Spain avoiding America so only one stop.

I booked on the Thursday, happy me.

BUT!! On the Friday, late afternoon, they contacted me and said that the payment had been stopped by the bank… quelle horreur! I immediately (as one does) phoned the bank and told them to authorise the payment, sending copies of the email that I had received. It was no go. I demanded that they send a direct transfer which they did. This payment was not received until the Monday after lunch…

As you can imagine I was on tenterhooks over the weekend wondering whether the money had gone into the ether and that I would never see it again.

Being a total novice at this great travelling lark I also learned that if I do that trip again I will go direct to the airline, a lot cheaper!

So all is well.

Next month I am off on an adventure, and taking himself with me.

I can’t wait.

2012-01-10T13:20:00.000-08:00

Life is taking a funny turn at the moment.

Things here are working out well, little bits that need doing are being done. Himself is being more pro-active and looking healthier.

I am muddling along with an inactive arm and supervising the cleaning, laundry and culinary department although, I must admit, there have been a couple of faux pas dans la cuisine. Mind you he is on a learning curve after all. A long time since he has had to take charge of cooking!

Nurse comes to visit 3 times a week and so far all is healing nicely. I have quite a nice scar, with stitches, on my elbow at the moment and I hope that with time it will fade away and I will have more movement.

Have sort of decided what colours to which rooms and that we are also going to put ‘wainscot’ in the hallway, just to protect the bottom of the walls from the dogs tail! That will be a ‘fun’ undertaking. I have checked the best way to do it all but whether he takes it all on board is another matter. We shall see!!

Won’t be decorating though until at least end of March, got another thing in mind before then.

Our fragile grandson TJ is not doing too well at the moment, he seems to have a fungal infection (Candida?) not enough protein in his system and still suspected ‘puncture’ in his bowel. Yes, he always has been delicate and prone to minor health problems and they (the hospital) were confident that he was healthy enough when the first procedure took place, I just cannot understand how it has come to this.

His mother is just holding it all together…as we are.

TJ

2012-01-07T13:37:00.000-08:00

We have a grandson, who is now 7½ years old. We did not think he would make that age!

He was born with cerebral palsy and also, discovered later, epilepsy.

He is also quadriplegic, has no swallow reflex and is also unable to cough.

He needs constant care 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 52 weeks of the year.

TJ is a lovely boy, he has beautiful, dark, expressive eyes and smiles a lot in spite of his ‘lot’ not being a happy one.

His mother has done a wonderful job of caring for him as any loving mother would.

The second week of December he had to go into hospital for a routine ‘intervention’.

Due to his growing he needed his ‘gastro’ site moved.

Simplified, the tube into his abdomen through which he gets all his nourishment and medication was not up to scratch and needed to be moved.

The operation went well, but, the ‘tube’ put into his throat to help his breathing throughout the procedure caused a problem. He ended up with an infection in his upper airway, and bearing in mind he can not readily cough, fluid collected on his lungs. His stomach also herniated up past his diaphragm…..

Poor little chap then had to have another ‘intervention’ to alleviate this problem and was put into ITU with one to one care.

He seemed to be progressing well and was put back onto his ward where he promptly picked up an infection and was transferred back to ITU.

It then appears that the original surgical procedure caused adhesions which had to be sorted out and then he started to develop fluid in his abdomen as well.

It is almost 5 weeks since he went in for a simple procedure.

Our daughter and her estranged husband have been at their wits end with the worry of it all.

She lives a good 90 mins travelling time from the hospital and it is taking a toll on her financially as well as physically and mentally, she also has two other children to consider.

We are been out here knowing that if we were in the UK there would be little we could do to help. It is all down to the medical profession and their expertise. We have daily phone-calls with our daughter, being sounding boards and giving constant love and encouragement. It is heartbreaking… and I pray a lot.

Elbows and the case of the disappearing cat.

2012-01-07T08:59:00.000-08:00

We have had Christmas, a very subdued affair in our house due to the fact that the children did not want to come and stay; we were still unpacking and really didn't feel like entertaining.

I did splash out on some excellent wine and champagne, a good start to any menu, found a nice ready stuffed poularde in the chill cabinet of the local supermarche some excellent little individual mixed vegetable dishes, some smoked salmon for starters and no room for pud. It suited us fine.

We had friends over just before New Years Eve - they, like us, just like to 'slob out' on the sofa and go to bed at 00.01 New Years day... You get past the desire to jump into fountains and forget which strangers you kissed (snogged??) and heaven forbid what else.

So onto the 3rd January, Elbow Day, forever etched in my mind.

I arrived at the hospital at the prescribed hour of 07.30 having not had a cup of tea just a little water to wash down a prescribed blood pressure tablet. "Prendre a 6.30 Mme" the anaesthetist said.. "oui d'accord" so I did.

I had a lovely shower, got dressed into the car and off to hospital.

On arrival I was shown to my room, given a hospital gown, towel, gant (French equivalent of face cloth) disposable knickers and disposable 'footwear', you know - the sort that you see SOCO's on TV put on their feet over their shoes at a crime scene - I wear size 4 shoes so you can imagine the size of this 'footwear'. I was also asked to take a shower using an iodine based product.... 2nd shower of the day and before 08.00.... a first for me!!

Ablutions done, I sat and waited, and waited, got bored and waited more. Then in they were, drip in arm, blood pressure taken, name tag put on wrist... at last things were happening!

I was taken down to a 'prep' room and had my arm checked using an electric shock thing... it was funny watching my arm dancing away without any control from me. Wasn't painful in the least - the anaesthetist was checking something, don't know what but he was checking. Then the anaesthetic was pumped in so one dead arm. I think that the drip they put in had a sedative as well as saline because I was quite relaxed throughout it all. Conversations went on in a mixture of French and English. The surgeon spoke perfect English and we made a few little jokes whilst surgery was underway. He re-sited the ulna nerve from the outside of my elbow, where it was being pinched by a very arthritic joint, to the inside of the elbow. During it all it felt as though my arm was floating above me, quite bizarre.

When it was all over I was taken back to my room and I just rested and slept, that is whilst I wasn't being checked by the lovely nurses who did their very best to speak English to me. I learnt some words from them and them from me. A fair exchange.

I have been home now 4 days. My elbow does hurt at the operation site but I now have proper feeling in my fingers.

The nurse came to visit yesterday to change the dressings.

Our black angora cat, who absolutely detests strangers, was in the salon.

When the nurse came in I shut the door so the dog did not disturb us.

I saw the cat moving about the room trying to hide, he was flattening his coat and he appeared to become smaller and smaller. I don't know how he did it but he seemed to disappear completely, just like the fabled Cheshire Cat although the smile was nowhere to be seen.

After the nurse had left he suddenly re-appeared.

How??

He has done this on more than one occasion, is my boy a magic cat?

2011-12-09T12:53:00.000-08:00

On Saturday 26th November the purchaser of our house came for a visit to look it over, we had no problem with that at all; then came the bombshell – she wanted to move in on Friday 2nd December. My husbands face was a picture! It was an ‘Oh Shit!’ moment! he then realised that he had to pull his finger out (fully!) and start to clear his ‘stuff’.

OK, we had been to the UK to help our eldest daughter celebrate her 40th birthday (what a lovely time we had too!) and had lost a few days of packing/sorting etc. He had hoped that Mme A. would want to wait a couple of weeks before moving – no way, she wanted to be in ASAP.

And so we signed the Acte de Vente on the morning of Wednesday 30th November 2011. (for a few hours we were homeless!)

Daughter came out with her partner and little Georges (the bouncy one) for the signing. A very quick turn around for them – one night in France and back home! I wanted them involved and insisted that they came out to sign; after all we had been inconvenienced enough over the last couple of years – time for them to make changes to their plans.

On the Wednesday afternoon we signed for the purchase of this property. Our Notaire is an absolute gem, we have used him over the last 10 years and he knows us well; our last property involved many purchases and a couple of sales. Amazingly enough one of the two agence immobiliers that we used did not realise that Maitre C. was fluent in English until we told him. It was a very interesting learning curve for us although Himself seemed to switch off during the process and automatically signed/initialled all the papers involved.

We moved the furniture and electrical goods over the Thursday and Friday morning with the help of some super friends, only downside, it rained non stop!! Since then we have been bringing boxes etc that had been stored in the barn (note: big shed!).

We are now installed in a very nice 3 bedroom house with a sous sol/garage. The house has not been truly lived in and loved. Only one room has been decorated and that is the main bedroom. There is a fitted kitchen and yesterday we went and bought a new fitted oven and ordered the hob to match. We have basically been camping since last Thursday using kettle, microwave and steamer but am now able to use an oven as well! We only had 4 functioning electric sockets until our lovely new neighbour, Mr M., who is an electrician, came and sorted out the fuses for us. He is in partnership with another guy Mr P. who is central heating engineer. Both of these men are friends of an English guy we know who has been here for 17 years as a builder…. Everything fits into place eventually!! I consider that we have been very fortunate with where we have moved and who we know.

I have sorted out the basics for living, beds set up, dining, lounging, bathroom etc. I still have loads of things to sort for our use and also for selling on. It isn’t until you go through such an exercise that you realise how much is accumulated over the years. The sous sol is full of boxes and duplicate things. After Christmas I will be advertising these things for sale and hopefully make a little extra spending money for our hols.

I like it here. I do hope that Himself settles as well, he seems quite comfortable at the moment. He has been through the mill over the past couple of years and maybe now a new beginning is right for him. Fingers crossed!

Dog and cats are fine. I bought some Feliway to help the cats settle. It seems to have worked as they are not scrapping as much as they were. They have had a couple of visitors, one ginger and the other a Felix type, it seems that they know the house!

The boy also is absolutely fine.

There are other dogs in the neighbourhood, one of which is next door. It is a little white ‘yappy’ thing – possibly Shih Tzu or similar. The little yappy thing was ‘yapping’ (as they do) and our boy heard it and decided “Oh goody goody, (pant pant) a playmate, lets go play!” Mme, owner of yappy thing, was horrified to see our boy heading in her direction and leaping over their fence in order to introduce himself and play. She scooped her precious up in her arms and shot indoors! We apologised to Mr. explaining that our boy only wanted to play - he was OK but I am still not sure about Mme… I think that they (dog and little yappy thing) need a proper introduction!

More to follow!

New chapter

2011-12-03T13:38:00.000-08:00

We have moved!

We have intermittent internet connection.

Will post a proper 'blog' once we are sorted out.

2011-11-25T11:53:00.000-08:00

Since my last posting various things have happened.

My internet connection went up the spout, again!! We had the most horrendous storm. I was shaken out of the bed by thunder (not the God Thor unfortunately!) and I rushed downstairs to turn off the modem… too late, it was done in. When I phoned our internet provider the next morning I eventually got through to a very ‘exhausted’ sounding young man who said “just post it to us we and will send a replacement today, let me know the cost of sending.” Methinks there were a lot of modems blown up overnight!

We also went back to the UK to help our eldest daughter and her husband celebrate their 40th birthdays..

What joy! Not only seeing our lovely daughters but also seeing our lovely grandchildren, who are so affectionate and polite.

The youngest, Georges, bounces!! We saw him on the Friday night and he ‘bounced’ into the room and ‘bounced’ around it. He ‘bounced’ into my arms for a kiss and cuddle, he also did the same for his granddad. He was ‘bouncing’ back and forth in all directions. He is the only grandchild of ours that has done this, absolutely full of joy and ‘bounce’. I would dearly love some of what he is having!! (isn’t bounce a funny word?)

We also went to see my dear Mum, she is coping very well, albeit with the assistance of my older sister. Mum is determined not to leave her 3 bed house ‘it is the only home I've had you know!’ she says. I appreciate her feelings and thoughts, she never had a home with family in her infancy and youth. She has lived there since 1947 – may she never be taken away from the place that she has loved and in which she has brought up her children. She is an amazing woman my mother, almost 91 years on this earth….

So we took a trip to the UK… what fun. The car kept slipping out of gear, and we had it serviced a week before!!! Got to the ferry port early and were allowed on without any problems so we got to our daughters before the grandchildren went to bed… They were so pleased!!

The weekend progressed well. We caught up with friends and family, just love it! Did some shopping and lunches and dinners… Much too busy for Himself though!

The return journey was as traumatic as the leaving.. I think that once this house is sold a new car is on the cards! I know we bought this car as a stop gap, but at the moment a new one would be a good idea, I would just love comfort and reliability. When we got home we were both so tense we could break in half.

A very tense journey and we had other 'stressfull' things to contend with once we got home.

Dog was ensconced with a friend and was so 'waggy' to see us home, the cats did not give us 'cold' shoulders at all, but the house was absolutely freezing!!

I will arrange for some Feliway for when we move - apparently it helps cats settle when their are 'things' going on. Maybe there is a human equivalent?

Our ‘buying’ agent had arranged for the electricity and plumbing to be checked for us, good girl! Electric meter read and switched on. Plumber in to check central heating, Ooops we need to put some oil in the tank! We arrange for oil company to fill said tank, done this morning at a ‘silly o’clock’, at least we will have heating.

We went to the telecom shop to arrange new phone and internet. What a lovely young guy! He was so helpful, so we now know that the engineer will be there on 1st December to connect the line and also sort out the internet for us (I have the modem in my hot sticky hands waiting!!).

All is going to plan at the moment.

Youngest daughter is coming out with her partner and the bouncy child for the signing next week. Yes she was worried about the loss of pay etc… but she was reminded that she will be quids in afterwards….

Will update after 1st December… I am still thinking POSITIVE!

Moooving

2011-11-10T11:29:00.000-08:00

Not long now, at the end of the month we sign the acte de vente. One problem though is that our dear daughter and her other half will not be able to come and sign for their property, (too expensive to travel, got to bring kids, losing money at work etc.). So now stops need to be pulled out to get a power of attorney for their signature. I am getting really fed up with the child’s attitude to it all, she has been given plenty of notice. I am quite tempted to sign for ours and let her sort her ‘bit’ without my help.

I have been bending over backwards to accommodate her and she has yet to say ‘sorry mum for putting you through all of this and thank you for doing it all.’ even himself is in the shadows and doing very little to help matters.

Stress is rearing its ugly head again. I thought that I had it beaten – no!

I think I will take a holiday when this is over and done with.

And, I still have to see another orthopaedic surgeon for my elbow. Saw the original guy and he has referred me to his colleague who is fluent in English and is good at the ‘minor’ stuff. So I get to see him in another couple of weeks, just before the ‘signing’.

Life is not good at the moment.

It will get better though.

Just got to be positive.

2011-11-01T14:25:00.000-07:00

Not sure where to start, just type and see where it takes me I suppose. Thank heavens for spell check, it tells me where I have gone wrong!

Have had a few ‘bad’ days, not sleeping, feeling fed up, wanting to have a change from this life of sorting, cleaning and packing boxes, I suppose I am getting a tad impatient.

‘Tad’, now that is a word that I never knew existed in general conversation (Tad Williams the author yes!) until around 8 years ago. Never encountered it before but my husband started using it and I exclaimed ‘what??’, he said that he used the word all the time – ‘not in my presence’ I said ‘maybe at work, not in front of me!’. ‘Hmmm’ was the reply.

It seems also that at least one of our daughters used the same word.

Now this set me to wondering, was I living in a different time, were they living in a different time?

A parallel universe that met only occasionally.

One wonders, well at least I do!

So the sorting, cleaning and packing continues.

I think I am getting it all under control but I must admit that today I did give himself a bit of a ‘talking to’ to put it mildly. I think I used the words ‘lazy’ ‘indulgent’ etc. Anyway I told him that I was fed up with doing all the necessary on my own without any input or help from him. Now I was talking everything from sorting laundry, doing laundry, sweeping floors, mopping said floors, preparing meals, cooking meals and all the other ancillary things that go on in daily life without him lifting a finger to help. And this is not including packing boxes prior to our moving.

I think he is living in a parallel universe and just visiting me occasionally!

Tomorrow he will be getting reminders.

Yes I have had a few bad days…

Feel better now.

Moving & Stress

2011-10-26T09:48:00.000-07:00

We have a date for signing the acte de vente.

At last, we are no longer in limbo, we know when things are happening.

I have found though that I am waking at silly o'clock in the morning and mulling over all that needs to be done. My mind goes into overdrive.

Will the furniture go through the doors? Will it even negotiate the stairs? Will the house be warm? Will the house be quiet? Will it be noisy? Will the pets settle? Do I get some Feliway for the cats? Do they do a version for dogs? If not why not? What colour should the walls be? Will my man be happy there? Will I be happy there? and so it goes on, and on.

I try to put it all out of my mind, shelve it, file it, and all those thoughts creep into my conscience again. How long before we have telephone connection? Will the central heating work? How long before I get an oven and hob? How long to walk to the Spar? What do they sell? Then I doze and wake again, eventually dropping off around 7am and sleep through till around 9.30 am - and then wake from weird and wonderful dreams!!

STRESS!

Apparently moving house is one of the most stressful experiences one can have.

Yes, I agree.

Death, I believe, comes at the top of the list for stress and divorce is quite high up in the list (I have never been divorced).

I have not experienced a lot of death (sounds strange I know). I never knew my grandparents, they passed away before my parents married. I realised that I was missing something in my childhood as all of my contemparies had either a gran and granddad or both and I didn't. When my father-in-law passed away I felt a deep pain - he was a lovely guy and I adored him. When mum-in-law went we were here so the pain, in a way, was not so intense. She had lost her 'spark' many years before when dementia arrived. But, when my dear Dad died I was absolutely devastated, it hurt. Even now, 5 years on, I still find it hard to believe he is not here. That was stressful and even typing this brings back the sadness and pain.

I diverge, I was talking about the stress of moving....

At least, thrashing it out on here relieves some of the tension.

It seems that not only will we have the problem of moving house but I will also need surgery on my left elbow.

Some years ago I tripped on a kerb and, as one does, put my hands out to stop falling on my face and damaging the pleasant 'visage'. The ulna and radius in my left arm 'slipped' either side of the humerus and then replaced themselves. A lovely dislocation (and oh so painful)! I went to the doctor then hospital and they confirmed what had happened. My arm and hand swelled to twice its normal size - my fingers were like sausages (thank heavens I had the foresight to remove my wedding ring).. I was monitored and also had physiotherapy to help the recovery and got on with living.

Since then I have had intermittent problems with the elbow and just ignored it, put up with the inconvenience, and carried on working and living as one does.

Until now.

My little and ring finger go dead and are painful most of the time.

So off to see my GP who refers me to a neurologist. He checks and confirms that there is a nerve trapped in the elbow joint. He sends his findings to my GP. I go for a visit and she writes a prescription for me to see an orthopaedic surgeon. He needs an x-ray which I had today.

I seems that my elbow is 'deforme' and riddled with arthrose.... No wonder I have so much pain.

Rendezvous beginning November - will be interesting to see what the Ortho guy has to say!

Better get the packing done before then!!!!

Also, I remember one of my doctors in the UK telling me that I thrive on stress, I think he was right!!

Little boxes, seduction & change of role

2011-10-17T09:12:00.000-07:00

Surrounded by boxes, some empty, some full and some half full.

Pictures, plates and photos are off the walls. Boy does it look bare now, just as well we didn't put wallpaper up - there would have been lots of original colour patches!

Curtains are down, washed and ready to pack.

Cupboards are emptying.

Bed linen and towels are in vacuum bags, now that's a laugh, I extract the air in the morning and by nightfall they have expanded... Will get it right eventually.

Found things I forgot I had, bonus! Although there is every likelihood that they will be stowed away again for another few years. c'est pas grave!

Hopefully, we will be out of here in one month - then unpacking.... Oh joy!!

Our dear boy, Jensen, has been seduced by the bitch next door. The brazen hussy has been shoving her rear end under his nose for the last few days and he eventually got the message... Thank heavens we had him castrated! The thought of the gene combination does not bear thinking about.. At least we will be removing him from this canine hothouse of passion.

When we first arrived here in La Belle France we had two dogs. A male and a female, both very calm gentle creatures we 'rescued' from Battersea Dogs Home. Max was an Alsatian/Collie cross, a lovely chap. Guess what? One of the bitches next door seduced him!! Now this particular bitch was a tiny terrier type, (she is now in canine heaven) poor Max could not resist her charms. What is it with these Chiennes Francaise and les Chiens Anglais? Are les Anglais irresistable?

As some of you already know I belong to a group that brings ladies of all nationalities together for social occasions, notably lunches, once a month. It started out as a small group of around 20 and has now reached well over 200. It is also spilling into the adjoining departments.

The originators of this group, due to unfortunate circumstances, are now no longer in France.

As it has grown so it has changed, and not necessarily for the better. It seems that it needs to be re-developed. There are lots of ladies advertising their services, asking advice on various things (medical, educational etc.) so the group is now totally different. No longer just a 'place' for meeting new people over lunch.

Change of role?

There was a thread within this group regarding the need for a dentist.

Now things were said in the 'public domain' about this dentist and his wife.

These were opinions that should have been said privately not on an open forum.

Another member and I both said that the things that were said should not have been aired publicly.

For that we were both labelled as 'PC' and 'liberal tree huggers'...

Enough said!

Moving house

2011-09-30T08:58:00.000-07:00

Still no date, so we are people in waiting.

Am slowly going through all the bits that need packing and leaving behind.

Had a look down our capacious barns and what did I find; loads of cardboard boxes slowly falling apart and wrapped contents spilling out.

These boxes contained some of the unwanted possessions, given to our daughter, of a lovely English lady who returned to the UK after re-marrying. Our daughter used to 'do' for her, gardening, cleaning and, most importantly, taking time to listen.

I was horrified to see all these items there, it is, in a way, soul destroying knowing that these were just left.

I have checked through all the boxes and cleaned up the contents, re-wrapped and will take them to our local Emmaus for sale.

Not only do I have these items to check and pack but also the items that our daughter left in her house including baby 'stuff'. Daughter came out for a few days last month and didn't even look in her half finished house.

I am so disappointed in her.

So, as you can imagine I am not happy with the situation and himself just sits there and says 'take it a day at a time, you will get it done'. Harrumph!!

At the moment I am constructing boxes (brought out by son-in-law) and filling and labelling them, one by one.

In about six weeks we should be moved into our new home. I am beginning to feel a little bit stressed and am waking in the early hours with all sorts of things going through my mind.

I know I can get the packing done, after all, this time I am not in full time employment and arranging a move, I have all the time in the world!! Ha!

This 'Old Biddie' is looking forward to this next 'change of life'.

Re-invention

2011-09-20T11:19:00.000-07:00

Recently had my hair done by a very nice English hairdresser, have known her for quite a few years now. She knows my very fine straight hair and the shape of my head so she does a good job of it. God bless her, she is rare!

Our conversation centered around the number of British people that have arrived out here that are offering various services.

Now we are talking various Alternative Therapies and Exercise, ie yoga, tai chi, Zumba classes (the latest craze), stepping etc.

How do we know that these people are fully qualified to instruct others? It is so easy to download a certificate/diploma claiming all sorts of qualifications.

When you go to various classes operated by a French instructor, you have to have a medical certificate and the instructor has to have recognised French qualifications and insurance.

It seems that some of these people (British) do not!

Now this frightens me, not that I am interested in yoga or Zumba, Reiki healing or hot stones down my back etc. But I do worry for those who fork out quite a few euros for something that could do them damage.

We have got used to the dodgy plumbers, builders, electricians, car mechanics, etc. but this is a new ball game.

Now their ladies are re-inventing themselves.

My dear English hairdresser agreed, she is concerned too, not for herself as she knows she has a good established client base but for those that are newbies out here and get sucked into this 'I am British therefore I am good for you' lark.

We also shared our thoughts about the menopause, there seems to be a lot of that going around in our area at the moment!!

End of a chapter?

2011-09-14T07:05:00.000-07:00

Today, we signed the compromis de vente to buy another house!

This is happening very fast, our feet have hardly touched the ground and our heads are spinning from all the paperwork.

We had forgotten how many pages are involved!

The house we have found is in our preferred town. There was a choice of three towns, all of them within 10 minutes of our current house and all of them with all the facilities that we need. We are retaining some leisure land here which is why we did not want to move too far away. And, anyway, himself will still want to continue his Sunday morning French lessons with his amis!

Fortunately for us it is less than a kilometre from the centre of the town, it is set down a little lane between two other houses, the first house fronting the road proper. It has 1000 sq metres of land which has wall, hedge and fence. No gates, will have to buy them or the dog will be disturbing the peace! The terrain is flat and is totally untouched except for the grass and one very tall Christmas Tree.

It is described as a pavilion, built in 1987, with a sous-sol. It has a good sized lounge and good sized fitted kitchen, three bedrooms, bathroom and toilet.There is a nice little terrace off the living room. Not one of the rooms has been decorated. The sous-sol is untouched so we can create living space to our own specifications.

We will have to get out the paint rollers and brushes and maybe paste brushes as well, as the house seems to have been totally ignored. It needs decoration and TLC. The garden is also a blank canvas and I am already taking cuttings and splitting and lifting various plants to put there.

It seems strange that we are on the move again, we are not really inclined to being nomads. I know some people never seem to settle and continually up sticks and find somewhere else to live. We like to have a home, not a house!

2011-09-08T12:39:00.000-07:00

Many things have been happening over the last couple of weeks.

We have eventually signed the compromis de vente and now have until the end of October to find a new home…. Quelle horreur!

We do have a ‘safe house’ we can decamp to if necessary but hope that we will not have to inconvenience our friends that have offered us the opportunity.

We have seen many houses of all shapes and sizes. One that really stands out is a house that has not changed since it was first constructed for a young newlywed couple. The owner of the house, a widow, is now in a ‘maison de retraite’ and her property is for sale.

The décor is amazing, out of the 60’s. The kitchen is ‘fitted’ but all is Formica and the worktops, sink and cooker are all very low, would give himself and me chronic backache! Apparently Mme is tiny in stature. The lounge walls are covered in a beautiful patterned red fabric, which also matches the curtains and three piece suite. None of it has faded, that is the blessing of shutters on the windows! The ceilings as well as walls in the hallway and bedrooms are all papered, amazing (as they say out here, very French)! Even the bathroom has striped ‘flock’ wallpaper on the walls. The house is a perfect time capsule for the 1960’s.

Anyway, in spite of the house being in the absolute perfect location, himself is not happy with it.

So we continued to look.

I forget how many now, seems like too many, but there is a possible this week. Price is right, village is right, size is right, garden in right. And, as a bonus, it is empty so any purchasing will be quick!!!

I think that we may go for this one!

On the home front all is well.

Children are fine and grandchildren have started their new academic year. Grandson no. 2 has just gone up to grammar school. Had a lovely chat with him yesterday evening and I asked his opinion of his teachers. The reply was: ‘moderate’.

Now that is food for thought! Maybe children should give reports on their teachers, not the other way round.

Houses and Grumbles

2011-08-18T11:53:00.000-07:00

Am still looking.

Have seen a very nice house, very nice indeed. In walking distance of supermarket, just on edge of town.

Problem.

Half the garden is given over to tarmac.

Veg plot is not included.

Owner wants to take more of garden for access to veg plot!!

So for us it is no go!!!!

In the meantime:

We have been to the UK for the wedding of a young lady we know. It is her second marriage. It is also her groom’s second marriage. We did attend her first trip up the aisle but did not foresee the problems that arose. Never mind, she has since matured and her new guy is so really nice and suitable for her… may they have many happy years together.

It was a lovely wedding, celebrated in a beautiful, historical, place that has been sanctioned for weddings. The service was very modern and very happy. The registrar was an absolute love! Our dear, youngest, grandson (3 yrs 4 months) was ring-bearer. He was ‘suited (3 piece) and booted’ and looked so absolutely gorgeous he brought smiles to the face and tears to the eyes.

Yes…. I was a proud granny and I think my man was a proud granddad.

We also visited my dear Mum, twice, caught up with my sisters news… did not see my brother (now there is a problem – will talk about it later). Did a little bit of shopping. Himself wanted to buy lots of things but I did have to remind him that we will be moving house so I did not want to have too much on the shelves or in the freezer, and…., we will be in the UK again in November for daughter no 1’s 40th birthday. He sighed a lot and gave me black looks!

Tough, but at the moment I call the shots!!!!

We had a passenger on our way to the UK. A young man, same age as our youngest daughter, in fact he was at school with her. He has his qualifications as a landscape gardner etc. he was charming and also drove part of the way to the ferry.

Now this young man came out a few years ago with his parents in law. The parents in law set up a B&B. Mum in law did not like strangers in her house. B&B is now closed.
Son in law does not speak a lot of French, he has two children that go to schools out here and they obviously are learning the language.

I did suggest that he enquires about the free French courses out here, it should help him with his gardening business.

It also turns out that this particular family also use the services of one of these companies that will buy all the English groceries etc. that you need… I was absolutely gobsmacked!

They move out here, work out here, do not speak the language and get English groceries.

Why?

I know it is not up to me to judge but I could not understand the thinking behind all of this.

I know that they live in an area, around 2 hrs from me, that is saturated with English people. Why come here, why not stay in the UK if it is the English thing that you want!

It really makes me wonder.

Anyway, next week we are back on the house trail…..

More houses!

2011-07-22T11:08:00.000-07:00

Had a look at five houses today.

Very interesting I must say.

One house, on the very edge of a town, so too far for me, was quite a substantial residence that had been converted to downstairs living and and upstairs apartment. The tenants would move if anyone bought. There was a garden - not special at all. It would make a beautiful family house but a lot of work would be needed.

Another one was nice. Two large rooms downstairs, a kitchen, bathroom, another small room and 3 beds upstairs with small room with basin and possibility of creating another bathroom. Owned by an English person who has had some personal difficulties and needs to sell. The grounds (huge) were amazing with the most beautiful specimen trees, a small ornamental fish pond, little lake and stream. A nice property that is in walking distance of the shops.

We then went to another town to look at a 'maison de ville' that needed total renovation. Again a lovely house with ceiling mouldings, arches, typical French kitchen (just a sink!)a basic shower and loo under the stairs... Garden nice but not enough!

We also looked at a house (sous sol) that was large, nice sized rooms, large sous sol but garden, smallish, would need completely fencing, also too far from the town.

The last house we looked at is a little treasure.

An amazing property and himself likes it.

It is just across the road from the bar! The high street, which has everything we need, is just 5 mins walk away. Also the geometre were there today and remeasured everything and it seems that there is more land than first thought.

The house was owned by Madame's grandparents. Grandpere was a clog maker and there are still some of his unfinished clogs, and maybe some tools also, in the wood store! There is also the little area, untouched, where Grandmere did her laundry, including a wood fired boiler! Absolutely amazing.

As I said a little treasure which has been looked after very well by the granddaughter.

Watch this space!

Rain, Wedding, Houses

2011-07-21T10:11:00.001-07:00

Did the wedding, it was a very wet affair I must say.

Friday was fine(ish) – Saturday the heavens opened but there was a dry window in which the ceremony took place in the garden.

The newlyweds had already ‘tied the knot’ in a register office ceremony in the UK so the French ‘affair’ was mainly for the pleasure of their family and friends. It seems that they were quoted mega-euros for the translation of the necessary certificates – hence the two ceremonies.

We arrived for the evening ‘do’. It was wet, the rain continued intermittently throughout the celebrations… but the bride and groom looked very good and really happy. They are a nice couple and I hope that all works well for them.

It was also nice to catch up with the ‘usual suspects’ and to meet new members of the ‘set’.

Have been to look at a couple of houses today, in the rain, which has been very persistent.

I don’t know if they have the same thoughts and feelings about St. Swithin out here as they do in England, it seems he has expanded into France for the time being for the comfort of all the English ex-pat population.

Anyway, these houses, one went on the agents books this morning so we thought it would be nice to have a look and see.

Yes, very nice for a small French couple. Their kitchen would fit into mine 5 times and their lounge/diner is absolutely miniscule. A very nice house, but not for us.

The second one we looked at is a nice house, well at least I think so (himself got bad vibes,) but it is right on the edge of the town and needed a lot of work. A new roof and definitely a new kitchen are needed, I thought the heart of the home was in the kitchen – not necessarily out here, God knows how these French wives cope with rustling up all their culinary delights!

Both kitchens were absolutely abysmal especially as I have got used to an airy and spacious one where I have room to prepare almost anything (even cutting up pigs!).

Back to the drawing board tomorrow when we have four to look at, two with two different agents and as far as I am concerned, two of them look fairly good!

A House Sold and Three Weddings

2011-07-13T09:55:00.000-07:00

We have sold our house! Now there is a turn up for the books.

The purchaser is French!

Got to find a new house in the next few weeks!

Oh my – haven’t done this in a while, scary. A new chapter in our lives

We are not going back to Blighty, but are hoping to move to a town or village with essentials close by so that my man can still have his Sunday French lessons with his copains a la petit maison avec ancien four.

We have had a look around and nothing at the moment takes our fancy within our price range.

I have loads of stuff to pack away but nothing to pack it in! Thank heavens the kids are out in a couple of weeks, they will be bringing strong packing boxes and bubble wrap.

Have contacted agencies – will keep you all posted on what we find!

If we don’t find anything in the next 3 months then we have a bolthole to go to courtesy of a dear friend.

In the meantime we are sorting ourselves out for the French wedding of an English couple. The grooms parents live out here and they (the family) thought it would be nice to marry in France!

Now this is the second (English) wedding out here this year that we will be attending, the first was in April.

Have found a lovely gift for this couple and also for the next couple whose nuptials we will be off to the UK for in August.

At one time, when one was contemplating a gift for newlyweds, one looked at a wedding list and bought things like, crockery (Wedgewood), cutlery (Sheffield silver), linen (Irish), towels (Turkish) etc. you know, the essentials as they were ‘setting up home together’. Gifting was easy!

Nowadays it seems that couples have all the essentials (from either divorce or Ikea) so it is a case of getting something that will either be on display or consigned to the back of a cupboard to be re-packed and given as a gift to someone else.

The three weddings that we either have and are attending this year are all couples that have been married before, they are in either their 30’s, 40’s or 50’s, have children by their previous spouses and have been living together as man and wife before tying the knot.

Is this a trend?

I know that they have all the essentials for living but I don’t know their tastes in décor etc. so my solution is a very easy one…..

I buy clear, modern, contempary glassware for displaying flowers that will suit any décor, I hope! And I know of a fantastic place where you can find such glassware at a very reasonable price!! Hopefully it will be on display and not consigned to the back of any cupboards.

Soapbox

2011-07-09T02:58:00.000-07:00

Just an observation.

Oh my God I am on my soap box again!!

We have been here 10 years now, when we arrived there were very few British people around our department.

Nowadays our ‘neck of the woods’ seem to be teeming with them.

Through a local (although expanding) organisation I see that there are well meaning ladies who are organizing charity events throughout the year. There are ‘tea party’ this, ‘auction’ that, coffee mornings, book sales etc. etc… All these events seem to be targeted for the British population. Flyers are mainly printed only in English whether they be given out by hand or posted online or in supermarkets etc. Yes, I do know of a couple of worthwhile causes that do their flyers in French first and English second but they are a rarity.

Well done I say, but I have to ask the question: why are so many of them fundraising for British charities?

Surely charity should begin at home, i.e., in the country in which you are living (and yes I do have my ‘pet’ charities in the UK.)

I came out here with my husband to live in France and to ‘live’ France. We are not here to exist within an English community. We are not anti English; after all we are English, but want to enjoy our life in the French community. If we get to meet English people that we can get on with then all well and good but when we encounter English that are really ‘in your face’ we can do without them, a case of would I want to be friends with them in the UK? If no then forget it!

I am probably repeating myself but I find on our local Anglo-info website there are many newcomers asking where they can find English speaking this and that (doctors, dentists, vets, notaries, accountants etc.) wondering where they can find English builders, carpenters, plumbers, where are the schools that take English pupils etc will my 5 or 10 or 15 yr old settle in as they don’t want to move out here etc… don’t these people do their homework? From my experience, children adjust far quicker than their parents.

These are the people who seem to create the English cliques that exist out here. Also word has filtered through that many do not bother learn the ‘polite’ basics of the language and are rude to shop assistants, never greeting with a “bonjour” or finishing with a “merci”, “bon journee”, “après midi” etc. always expecting at least one of the staff to speak English. Oh we remember some of the dreadful 'gaffes'that we made when we first arrived. At least it gave us all a laugh and we were given encouragement, help and a boost to our linguistic confidence.

It is not what I came here for. And I suspect that many of these go back after two or three years because they could not cope with the change.

And it seems that a lot of the ‘newbie’ English are not too happy with being either ‘shunned’ by their French neighbours or they find them too nosy; you know, asking about their former lives, their families, their health, their income – whether they are working and what at, why they are here etc. etc.. Of course they are going to be curious about these strangers who come to live in their country. If the ‘newbies’ don’t like it then they should give as little information as they want and continue to be regarded with ‘Gallic suspicion’.

Personally I love it, I love to chat and find about people that you are in close proximity to. I don’t have the English ‘reserve’ and I find that it is a good way to bond.

Ah well, that is the nature of the human race…

2011-06-23T13:37:00.000-07:00

Now this is really strange.

No soon do I post that it would be nice to be in a town and have neighbours to natter to than a lady I know who works out here in one of our Pays has posted that a new network is underway – a nattering network. This is where people volunteer to visit lonely people for a ‘natter’. No work, cooking, cleaning etc., is involved. Just to sit and have a chat and a cuppa with a lonely person.

Coincidence?

I recently saw on TV under the series ‘Secret Millionaire’ a lady, Susan Stone, who is a life coach, she was very enthusiastic, so much so that I thought it would be good to get to know more about her.

Good old Google.

I found her and read about her.

Amazing how she changed her life around so I bought her book and started to read.

It is how to change your life for the better, and I had read the part of positive thinking and hey presto, there I am thinking I could do with someone to come and look at the house and some company apart from himself.

We then got a call from a Dear Friend that we haven’t seen for many months. She needed a place to stay for a few days.

Oh, someone to have a good natter with.

I could not believe it.

Coincidence?

We caught up with all our news… you know, husbands, recipes, husbands, pets, husbands, politics, husbands catching up on gossip, husbands, other peoples husbands, our husbands etc… Good fun, lots of laughs – some tears, but soft shoulders to cry on.

We also had a viewing for the house, at least one agent is working for us.

Coincidence?

I will go back to Sue Stones book and re-read and put more positive vibes out there into the ether.

I would like my man to do the same….

Now, talking about my man. Hmmm.

I gave him a bit of a talking to last week, the morning of the day that our D F arrived. I looked at the bank balance and flipped (again). I was angry about our situation. For heavens sake we should be enjoying our retirement and not counting the pennies. Or at least I should.

When my man reached 65 he stated ‘I have worked all my life for this, why should I do any more, it is time for me to rest!’ That was 3 years ago.

Well last week I spelled it out and I just hate to get angry. (OK he is recovering from surgery and just loves to relate to all and sundry a blow by blow account of what went on. But, life still goes on, he is part of it not just sitting on the edge watching it go by whilst everyone says ‘poor thing’.)

He has had more than three years sitting on his laurels being retired whilst I slogged my guts out running the B&B and the house, my God I am retired too and longer than him! It is time he got off his butt and did a bit of maintenance around the house etc. etc. I also said that he should have been harder on our daughter and her partner as they just walked away from a situation which has created a problem for us, and I also reminded him that his mother and father were always too lenient on him and his brother as they would shove money in their hands instead of guiding them in the way of finances which is what he (my man) would do behind my back with at least one of our daughters. He sat with his head in his hands and I just said it is pointless burying the truth and just face up to what is happening.

We either sink or swim and I would like his support in sorting it all out.

We have to confront what is happening, especially with our daughter. I am fed up with being ‘bad cop’ and him being mute.

He will have to back me up and do the ‘bad cop’ role for a change.

I will think positively and smile.

Dear God, I pray that it works. Amen

Well that's got it off my chest!!

2011-06-14T10:24:00.000-07:00

I read other peoples blogs and I find them interesting and inspiring.

My blog is about me and my little life in my little part of France.

Not a lot happens here apart from my husband and his health, the children, the grandchildren, the dog, the cats, the garden and the local wildlife. I have a couple of neighbours. A really nice divorced French guy and English couple who keep themselves to themselves. I am also a member of an association for ladies who meet up maybe once a month or whenever for lunch and a chat. I may make some comments about some of them but not many…

We do not live in the village or on the edge of the village. We are out in the countryside and it is too far for us to walk into the village, which is very, very quiet except when the children go to and return from school.

There is the Mairie of course. We have two doctors and a nurse. There is a Pharmacy and a Boulangerie. The Boucherie has shut and he now just does the local markets. There is the Coiffeuse and a Garage, a nice little 4 roomed hotel with restaurant and also a restaurant under new ownership that now has 3 B&B rooms.

And we must not forget the Bar which also doubles as newsagent and post office. The Tabac/Presse closed their doors around 4 years ago and La Poste 3 years ago.

Our village is one of 4 that make up a commune of 4 villages that ‘fused’ in 1973 – there are a total of around 2500 inhabitants in the 4 villages. The mayor of our village is the ‘head honcho’ of the 4 villages, the others having their own ‘minor’ mayors who ‘bow’ to ‘M. le Maire’. M. le Maire was elected 3 years ago, he was a reluctant candidate who came into play at the very last minute and was voted in. The alternatives, well – best not said.

Since 2008, there have been subtle changes in the commune. It seems that M. le Maire is being progressive and is working well for the commune. There seems to be more happening, not a lot, but more. The staff in the Mairie’s office seem to be happier; there is an ‘air’ about them. Hard to put a finger on it but something is changing.

Shame that I want to move, will probably hear about changes second hand.

I want to be in a town, not on the edge of a village that is trying to grow up. I want to be in a town where I can take my shopping trolley (heaven forbid but it is looming in my mind), walk into a mini-market and buy some potatoes, carrots and a newspaper, get to know the Boulanger, the Boucher and the Poissonier instead of asking my husband to drive me into town. I want to be in a town where I know I have some English friends and where I can also make some new French friends. I want to be in a town that I know has a doctor, nurse and good social centre and also where they have events throughout the year. I know which town it is. It is not too far from here and everything a woman needs, well maybe, is all in one street.

Hopefully I will have a couple of nice neighbours to chat over coffee with. I have been told that in this particular town that the locals are nosy. It seems that they like to know who they are dealing with. Information about family, health etc seem to be required by them. I don’t mind as I could always conceal or bend the truth.

I must admit that I do miss having a good natter be it either in English or French. If I am not sure of many French expressions I am sure I can learn whilst having a good natter.

And I am talking about a good ‘natter’ not ‘gossip’.

I think that when we came here and opened up our Chambres d’hote we forgot about truly integrating with our French neighbours. We got on with opening up and taking in business, looking after the garden, growing and preserving fruit/veg etc. etc. Yes, we had a couple of neighbours but then when one died and his wife sold up to English then things changed, the French (language) came second. I did get a lot of input from our French guests and it was absolute fun but now that we have retired and closed the Chambres d’hote things have changed. I need to communicate more and being in the middle of, almost, nowhere then that proves difficult.

I don’t want a lot do I?

I think it is going to be a long haul to sell this property.

Now that the French government are in the process of introducing a new tax on non-resident home owners it seems that maybe a lot of properties will be coming on the market. Maybe people will ‘panic’ sell – if they do then there just won’t be the buyers. It is all still in the pipeline and if and when it is all decided and the law is passed then it won’t come into force for another year or so. From what I have read it will be a minimum amount of tax anyway.

It will be interesting as I am sure that there are those in the U.K. that have their nice little holiday homes out here who pay their fonciere etc. declare the minimum but don’t declare on the private lettings that they make to their friends, friends of friends etc. it is not only the French taxman that is being diddled but the English taxman as well.

We will wait and see.

2011-06-08T11:47:00.000-07:00

Again, I feel like writing things.

I must be feeling better, I have all sorts of things going through my mind which need to be put down, not in the veterinary sense I might add!

Weather has changed. The heat of the last few weeks has gone - along with the lethargy. Maybe the heat was the cause, I don’t know, but I do feel better.

Himself is on the mend. Yes, he does huff and puff and give a groan when he rises from his favourite place on the settee. He is eating a little more, but also he is drinking more!

Now, my man has a blood sugar problem. Our lovely Dr. D. told him he must take care of his sugar intake. She also told him, a few months ago, that ‘un verre de vin’ each evening should be enough, Hah!

He needed to see the doc this week for a prescription renewal. She asked if he was on a regime for his blood sugar. Now, my man, being who he is avoided the question. Maybe he should have been a politician. He told her that he had been in hospital and had been on a limited diet….. It seems that she did not press the case! Another blood test in August – we will see.

As you can imagine when he told me I just flipped… I am sure you now know what I am like! My response was, ‘so why didn’t you tell her that I am trying to feed you the right stuff and that you undo all I am doing!!!’ No reply. (he is now helping himself to some ice cream)

We have a friend who lives locally. He is in his 50’s, a very nice guy. A little overweight but also has a blood sugar problem – hmm, should I be saying type 2 diabetes? Talking with him recently he admitted that he will not do a sensible diet, he would rather take the tablets prescribed.

He was brought up on an unhealthy diet as his mother would not, or even could not, cook. Pie, chips and baked beans was his basic diet when young and then he went into the army and had their culinary delights. He has eaten at ours, a good, tasty, nutritious menu and he said ‘yes, it was very enjoyable but given a choice I would eat pie, chips and beans. He admitted that he knew what he was doing to his body was wrong but - he knows his preferences…. His wife just raised her eyebrows!

So I wonder if my husband is following that course….. He has had more years of my cooking than his mothers yet he still resists the healthy stuff.. I know he likes the tastes and textures of healthy foods – but he still wants to indulge in the wrong stuff….

My thoughts now are, if you want to shorten your life get on with it…. You are an adult and responsible for your own health, it is not my responsibility.

Am I being an uncaring wife or a sensible woman?

2011-06-06T14:51:00.000-07:00

So Mr. Ryan Giggs has had an alleged affair with his brother’s wife.

So Mr. Wayne Rooney has had an alleged hair transplant.

So a British celebrity has had his name exposed allegedly in the Irish press.

So I have been down to the vegetable patch and really dug some potatoes.

So I have really swept, vacuumed and mopped.

Oh what a world we live in.

There are adulterers throughout the world, there are vain young men with more money than sense that would like to have a full head of hair and there are those who would like to keep their lives secret.

Makes one wonder.

Footballer loves his ladies, whether they are married or not and whether he is married or not - at least he allegedly is keeping it in the family.

Man loses hair – male pattern baldness – genetic problem – let’s rectify by transplanting – live with what you have got or not!

Play away from home and be found out – if you don’t want to embarrass your children then don’t do it!

We all need vegetables and to live in clean surroundings. Would rather live my life than theirs - at least it is real.

Curry and Friends

2011-06-04T16:04:00.000-07:00

Curry went down a treat tonight!

Drool away if you dare!

Starters: Vegetarian Samosas and Spicy Prawns, with a yoghurt mint dip….

Main course: Pork Dopiaza, Sag Aloo, Rajma Dal and Basmati Rice… with Cucumber Raita and Tomato/Onion/Coriander chutney

Dessert: Spiced Peaches with vanilla ice cream

All accompanied with wine (Lidl !), intelligent conversation, silly conversation and lots of laughter, especially as we were watching the finals of Britain’s Got Talent (Hah!).

This evening I cooked for two couples who have been constant in our lives for the past 8 years. We do not see them often as they do not live too close but, as I have said, they are constant. This is what I call friendship. We can count our total friends out here on maybe, two or three hands, we have many acquaintances and people that we know but our friends are select and small in number – reliable and caring and constant.

These friends are in our age group and, like us, have seen those that come to La Belle France and then go elsewhere because they could not cope.

We can talk about old films, television programmes, rock stars, politicians etc. without getting blank looks.

We can laugh about the past, present and future.

We can discuss our pets, children, aching bones, prospective by-passes, types of coffins (just in case!) current medication etc..

We can compare our grandchildren and their schooling, their teachers and teaching methods, how our elderly parents are coping and whether one should bend over when you have a little wind!

We can laugh about the E-mail jokes that pass between us that are now related to either the past, elderly health or even our demise.

What joy!

Thank you J & D, L & C you brought some sunshine into our lives this evening.

2011-06-02T11:43:00.000-07:00

Yes, I did feel lousy yesterday.

I feel better today, woke early, 7.30 (far too early for me), if it had been 8.30 then yes, no problems so I shut my eyes and buried myself under the duvet and woke around 9.00.

I have a couple of ‘new age’ books and had a look in them last night. I saw that if you wear a blue stone around your neck/throat, at the 5th chakra then it will help with emotions, sleep, and a myriad of other things, I can’t remember which. I knew that I had bought a heart shaped blue gemstone pendant many years ago. Oh what the hell, find a chain, root around and find the pendant and put it on and see what happens.

I found the stone, found a chain and put them around my neck.

I slept well.

Today I had a close look at the gemstone, it is Lapis Lazuli, which I had totally forgotten about. Now this is a special stone and it, as they say, ‘did what it says on the tin!’

I do feel better today, had a moment this afternoon when I began to ‘wobble’ but on the whole I seem happier in myself.

I will persist, maybe crystals are the answer, I don’t know. There is something in it I am sure, along with various therapies including acupuncture, acupressure, reflexology, reiki, angels (?), meridians, etc. all of which are abounding in this particular department at the moment (especially as practiced by non-French residents!).

There is a ‘pamper’ day being organized locally. I saw the ‘ad’ and it says “Fred Smith Renovations” “Pamper and Rejuvenation Day” – (I have changed the names of course) but what I want to know – will the said “Fred Smith’s Renovations” be in charge of the pampering and rejuvenation? My mind boggles.

Cooking more tomorrow for Saturday’s curry.

2011-06-01T12:05:00.000-07:00

Am going through a bad patch again. I think that I have a darkness that creeps up and embraces me. How on earth do I explain.

I was fine when I woke up this morning. Prepared my shopping list, we have friends for dinner Saturday night and I am making a curry, so off we went to the supermarche to get some bits and start preparing today. They did not have all the necessary that I needed, sometimes they have them on the shelves and sometimes they don’t and this was one of the don’t times.

Bugger, will have to go to bigger town instead of small town. Bugger, am trying to economise but will still have to use more diesel….

Anyway, himself was pushing the trolley, slowly, I just parked him in an aisle and said ‘Wait there, I will shoot off and get what I need’. He did just that. It was much quicker for me than having him trundling behind me and complaining. I did suggest that he wait in the car – I got a black look! Also seems that he was a little bit deaf, turns out he had water in his ear from his shower earlier so I was getting a lot of ‘what?’

Grrrrr.

We eventually arrived home and found members of the ‘God Squad’ at the door, well at least two of them, and hey, not American! They come later on in the year…

‘Hello’ said the taller guy (English), ‘we came last year, do you remember?’

I wanted to say ‘Hell yes, and I told you I wasn’t interested so kindly F*** O** and don’t bother me again!!”

But, I said, with my best Christian attitude, ‘Oh yes, I remember, thank you for coming to visit again but I am really not interested, I do have my Catholic God and my husband is still an atheist, we do wish you well with you ministry, good bye and have a good day!’

I couldn’t believe that I could get such a sentence out in one hit!

(I have been reading Susan Howatch lately, lots of religion!)

He smiled (the English one) and said ‘thank you, have a good day’ and, with his little French companion, left the premises.

My dear husband didn’t get a word in and just looked, well, amazed.

I went indoors and gave the dog a ‘telling off’ – “why didn’t you growl and show them that you are a proper guard dog?” He just smiled and wagged his tail. Continuity from the hound at least.

I unpacked the shopping, don’t want himself doing weights yet, sorted it all into its relevant places, freezer, fridge, pantry shelves etc. and then, well, I just wanted to go and hide away, in a corner, and not come out until I felt better. This feeling suddenly descended on me, I don’t know why, it just happened, so on and off all day, since shopping, I have felt like crap.

I had lunch (pigged out on a pizza) had half an hour catching up with emails etc. then scrubbed our bathroom and then came down to make some Samosas for the weekend (first time making these). Throughout this process from catching up on emails, cleaning bathroom and preparing recipe I was streaming tears… I kept it hidden from himself as he cannot fathom a woman’s emotions, never has, never will. He had his feet up and was taking his afternoon siesta.

Thought I would give it a go and try to make the planned curry as authentic as possible. I have a stock of whole spices and now grind my own as I need them, garlic and ginger is readily available but have a problem finding green chillis and mango chutney at the moment.

I will be making milder curries for the weekend as I do not want to upset a delicate alimentary canal!

Was originally going to make a Pork Vindaloo but have toned it down to a Pork Dopiaza. Either way it will be tasty!!

I seem to be going from me, to curry, to emotions….

There is a lot of negativity in this house. I do my best to be positive but it is always negated by ‘shhhh, you know who’.

The animals are positive. Jensen, is happy, bouncy (a bit of a Tigger really) and gives off such positive emotions.

Bisto is a truly erotic cat, if that is the right word, he is sensual especially when he winds himself around my legs, like a pole dancer, in the morning, during mid-day, the afternoon and evening etc. purring and gazing up at me with his lovely green eyes.

Bisto oozes love! (Hmmm, I wonder who he used to be?)

I am sure that the negativity is bringing me down. I try my best and I have explained to himself that he needs to be more positive in his thinking.

‘Yes’ he says.

End of conversation.

2011-05-30T11:26:00.000-07:00

It is three days since he has seen M. le Chirurgien, (I just cannot get my English tongue around that word!) at our local wonderful hospital. M. le Chirurgien said that my man is OK, he is healing well and if there is any problem to come back and see him. Yes, fine, the nurse also said the same, ‘call me if there is a problem.’

So after the consultation we went to Lidl for a cheap shop (at the mo the bank balance is low and we have to budget again (Grrrrr)). Anyway, we bought stuff at discount (?) price and came home. I said I would bring the shopping in….. so what does he do? The manly stuff and brings in two heavy bags. I am not a weak female, I am capable of carrying a few kilos of shopping into the house…. Grrrr. He will not listen to me.

How on earth did he think I managed before. I am not weak. I am able to lift weights and carry them distances (albeit short), so I have had to shout at him a lot. “Noooo, put that down!!!” “I can do it” he said. “Don’t you dare try to lift that!” I say, “don’t worry, I can cope with it.” But he still insisted on bringing the two bags into the house.

He then sat down and said “I shouldn’t have done that!”

I growled!

Then I say “Maybe one day you will have to look after me and write the shopping list, sort, wash, dry and iron the laundry, change the bed linen, plan and cook the meals, sweep, vacuum and mop the floors, polish and dust the furniture, wash the windows, weed the garden (by the house), change the beds, clean the bathrooms, sort the finances, fill out the tax returns etc…..” He sat and looked at me and said nothing!!! I am able to cope with many things… Sod the vegetable patch, take me to the supermarket! Give me someone to cut the grass…. I can cope with growing flowers and also herbs for culinary uses.

He is healing. Slowly.

He and I have been married since St Valentines Day 1970… Long time!!

We had known each other for three years before getting married….. Long time!!!

Now, since 1967 my dear husband has, to my recollection, had a few surgical interventions. He had an operation on his wrist, he had surgery on his parotid gland which was furred up like a kettle, then he had another 4 operations relating to the same thing. His Piles needed sorting as well! Then he had problems with his neck (could have been paralyzed from neck down!). Prior to me knowing him he also had surgery on his knee/leg… and so it goes on. He enjoys ill health!

Me? I do not do ill people!!!!

I do not have empathy or sympathy… so when he coughs or sneezes I turn away. I know he can be a bit of a drama queen and will exaggerate his illnesses but I do not have time or patience for it.

Am I a bad person?

On a lighter note, our eldest daughter did the three peaks challenge in 23 hours 35 minutes this weekend, including injury time for one of the climbers. Bless her and her husband. Didn’t they do well??

What will they want to conquer next?

2011-05-27T13:10:00.000-07:00

It is now quinze jours since my man’s surgical intervention, not a ‘fortnight’ in France but quinze jours. He has been home for huit jours not a week. Oh what fun playing with the oral differences between the two languages.

Anyway, he has been home since Thursday 19th May. He is fine. He is sore. He has had the attention of our local infirmieres who arrived every other day to check his wounds and change his dressings. God Bless those two lovely ladies who ministered to his needs.

I know this sounds a little ‘off the wall’ but that is me. He was happy for the attention and I was happy for them to minister to him. I could not do it; I am not in their league and really appreciate the nursing profession. All nurses deserve recognition; I know what they go through when they train for their craft and what they are faced with when they qualify.

My older sister achieved her State Registered Nurse qualification in 1966. I went through the trauma with her, reading her text books (some of which were a bit yeuk) helping her with her revision, listening to her hates and loves in training, giving a shoulder for the tears and joining the celebration when she passed… She made the grade with a lot of hard work, passed her SRN exam first go and is now still working, on a part time basis, in the nursing profession. Our youngest daughter is working to the same goal, albeit at an older age and with other qualifications. It seemed to be simpler 40+ years ago but nowadays it seems to be the ‘degrees’ not the instinct and empathy that counts.

He had a visit to the surgeon this morning who checked his wounds and pronounced him fit and well. It appears that his appendix was 'plus grand' and the abscess 'grand'. With my man it is never simple. Stitches were removed and he was discharged from the hospital and advised to return only if there was a problem. Hooray!!!

Anyway, the upshot of this is that I have told himself tonight that he will get fit and will listen to me and eat what I feed him because I want him fit. I explained that although we have been married for 40+ years and that we have our differences I still love him and that I want him to be fit and well (he did smile at that!). And also, for the extended holiday that I am planning for next year he will need to be fit. He sat and nodded and agreed. He does not need to lift a finger (ha! par for the course, comme d’habitude) I will sort it all out.

Whether I have the stamina or not to keep this up I don’t know, we will see.

The dog is happy that his master is home. The cats are happy that he is home. Our neighbour is glad to see him home as well as our assorted French and English friends.

I am cooking bland food for us both. He did say ‘you don’t need to eat the same as me’. Ha, why cook two separate meals… So I am on a bland diet as well. (Bah!) Never mind it won’t be long before he can take a little bit of spice! I have arranged a curry night for friends in huit jours, he had better be able to cope with it!

At the moment, weather-wise, it is hot, sometimes too hot, and sunny although the wind has been a bit on the chilly side. There are already water restrictions for the farmers. It won’t be long before the restrictions affect the general members of the public. It has been a very dry winter and there has been next to no rain falling. The river has been low all winter and I think it is now about three years since it has ‘broken’ its banks. We have a flood meadow that hasn’t been under water for a long time. The lack of rain has been quite frightening, the grass is brown already. It does not bode well, three years of drought is not good.

Bites and Appendices

2011-05-14T10:02:00.000-07:00

It all started Wednesday morning, no I tell a lie, before then.

We went away to a lovely little fishing port on the Vendee coast for a weeks break in a friends apartment. With permission we took the dog as the apartment was ground floor and had a lovely little fenced garden.

The apartment overlooked the port which had grown over the past 20+ years into a fantastic harbour with moorings for millions of Euros of yachts of all sizes. Oh yes it had changed somewhat since our last visit there.

We had a nice restful time, the dog enjoyed his first visit to the seaside and was absolutely joyous running free on the sand and ploughing into the waves and over and over again. Totally in his element!

On our last day/night, something bit my ankle - twice. It wasn't too bad, didn't itch or anything. We came home Saturday and ankle was OK but I took the precaution of slathering it with hydrocortisone. Ankle fine Sunday. Sunday night and Monday during the day my foot became more and more swollen. Off to docs on Tuesday and she said just keep it clean and carry on with what you are doing (antiseptic spray and hydrocortisone). Well, Wednesday morning, after a very painful night, I hobbled down to the kitchen and found the cast of Antz 2 on the kitchen floor. I couldn't believe the amount of the little blighters swarming all over the place.

Then himself came through:

"I've been sick" "Oh God I've got such a pain in my belly".

I felt his head, no temperature.

"Are you OK, how's your ankle?" he said.

"Yes I am fine, I had a xxxx night, it itches like xxxxxxx and these bloody ants are everywhere!"

"I think it was that spinach and cream thing you did last night"

"No, that was OK, maybe you just have trapped wind, If you were younger and female I would say it is ovaries". (boy was I in a mood!)

Black look!

Have a little toast" I said, he did and it promptly came back.

Our doctor does not work on Wednesday as she has a young son and children only go to school here half day on Wednesday. A bit like shops and banks were in the UK many, many moons ago.

So himself goes back to bed for the day and I proceeded committing fourmicide and dealt with all those delightful and industrious insects.

I kept a check on him during the day. Still no temperature but a lot of pain.

Thursday am he went to doc and she said "appendicite" gave him a letter with instructions to go to Urgences (Casualty/ER.)

I do not drive!

I packed a bag for him and called some friends who quickly came over and took us to our local Hopital.

The Triage nurse took all our details and then the put my man on a bed in a room then wired him up for for ECG (beaucoup de poil!), tried to get a line in for blood test and drip and then waited for our local Hopital's version of Dr Ross. He was absolutely charming but did not speak a word of English. c'est pas grave! We understood when he said 'gaz'.

But 'gaz' it was not.

When the surgeon went into his gut on Thursday morning he found a large abscess on his appendix. Poor guy, no wonder he was in such pain. His gall bladder is OK though!

It is now Saturday evening. I have been in to see him, courtesy of another friend, and have also spoken with him. I should be able to get to see him again tomorrow and with a bit of luck will find out when he is coming home.

My bites have cleared up but still have some bruising on my foot and two nasty scabs!!

The ants have been totally exterminated in spite of Disney thinking they are cute!

I am now looking forward to the post-operative care I will have to give. I am not cut out for nursing, never have been and never will be. And he knows....

Wheat and Chaff

2011-04-18T05:44:00.000-07:00

Daughter no.1 has come to stay for a week with her two delightful children.

I just said that I needed to sort the Wheat from the Chaff, and she decided to come out and help me sort! In the house it isn't too bad as I have periodically gone through from room to room.

So, starting with minor things like kitchen drawers and pantry and working her way up to the big barn she has worked like a Trojan, ploughing through all the accumulated things that had been put aside, especially in the 'Barn'!

The 'Barn' is our French version of the 'Garden Shed', completely out of my jurisdiction and whenever I have taken a glimpse inside it seemed to have less space. Is it a case of for every cubic inch there is a cubic foot to fill it, like a sort of TARDIS? When Daughter no.1 headed in that direction, with her father in tow he began to get an anxiety attack. Himself has been beside himself, 'What is happening? Why is it happening? Where is all my stuff going?' etc. etc.

Daughter no.1 observed 'He is a bit of a drama queen nowadays!'

He does not argue with Daughter no.1 as she is one of lifes efficient organisers and will tell him to sit and say yea or nay to whatever she wishes to throw out. If he says no she checks with me and I say yes. He has had to concede and attached the trailer to the car and took two trips of the 'stuff' to the local dechetterie for proper disposal... we now have heaps of space in the barn and we can actually see the walls! hmmm I wonder how long it will take to fill up again....

Our dear Jensen has been in the wars, in a manner of speaking. At the end of March he had what seemed to be an abcess burst on his chest. Took him to our lovely vet and she cleaned it out, prescribed a course of antibiotics and an antiseptic spray. It was healing nicely and then opened up again.. Back to the vets, in for surgery and they opened him up and found a large cyst. Poor boy, 3" scar, 7 stitches, and another long course of antibiotics plus painkiller. Talk about placid at the moment, he just wants to sleep all day! Anyway, on day 2 after coming home he ripped the dressing off and took out the top two stitches, so back to the vet for staples and a 'lampshade' collar. He has another checkup at end of this week and we are hoping it will be the end of it. From what I can see the scar is healing nicely. Am so glad that this has happened out here, dread to think of the costs in the UK!!

We are going away beginning of May for a week at the Vendee coast, then we are off to the UK in August for a wedding as well as the trip for Daughter no.1's birthday.

This is all therapy for Himself, just trying to bring him out of the dark place he has been all winter... hope it works.

2011-03-09T15:03:00.000-08:00

Time for a little update, it might be a little or a lot, we will see how it pans out.

Being English I like some English products… for example, PG Tips, Branston Pickle, Bisto (Aaaah!) gravy powder (forget the granules, they are a waste of space!) and also OXO cubes, there are many French products that I absolutely adore but there are the essentials that my man and I were brought up on and we (read He) cannot do without.

The other night I used an OXO cube in my gravy and I noticed that it is slightly smaller, not a lot just a little bit, about 10/15% methinks…. They have made the cube into the shape of an X. I cannot comment on the price of the said item as I did not take notice when I bought them, but I am sure, am absolutely convinced, that the price went up as the size went down.

The quality of the product has not changed at all and I am glad to say it still gives the same satisfactory flavour to my culinary experiments.

Oh yes, it is gripe time…

The hound, our dear boy, has just been to the ‘poodle’ parlour for a haircut. He was in an absolutely abysmal state. His hair was around 6” long and was in need of a good ‘wash, trim and brush up’. He was picking up all sorts of mud and grass and had God knows what was living or growing in his coat, he definitely picks up more in the winter than summer! I would comb and brush him daily but as soon as he went out he came back looking worse than ever… So off to Toutou Bain Douche, of which there are many in La Belle France, (Poodle country you know!).

Big mistake… I will not go back and complain, she will only flap her hands and say ‘desolee’…He will never darken her doors again and she will never take her tondeuse or perfumes to his coat again. She has made the most abysmal job of clipping and trimming and he came back to us smelling of the most disgusting antiseptic/perfume… I just won’t recommend her to my canine owning friends. I have had to tidy up the work she has done. Maybe I will invest in some canine clippers and do him myself… or take him back to the delightful Beatrice in a few weeks. She was absolutely brilliant with him when he had his first trim.

Spring is in the air:

Primroses and Snowdrops are up, daffodils are just opening, loads of white and purple violets are showing their faces to the sun, buds are popping and my Sweet Almond tree is in flower…Everything is looking good!

I am doing my best to update our living accommodation by filling holes, painting, tiling, prettying things up. I sometimes think I am flogging a dead horse as I am not getting a lot of input or help from Himself. He will not do any DIY. At the moment it is all up to me and I am pissed off with it. Yes he has done a little in the kitchen, heights that I cannot reach as I get wobbly when I am too high up a ladder, I have a balance problem with my ears which puts me at a disadvantage. I am also trying, when the weather is dry, to make the garden look more inviting. First impressions count and I just have to convince Himself that we need to keep it tidy. His answer is ‘weedkiller’. Mine is, ‘weeds die and leave a mess and they still need to be taken out.’ He then sulks! So I have been over-stretching my spine by bending and raking out the weeds in the patio and path (both look good now) and tidying up the edges of the path as well as planting and transplanting various plants/bulbs to make it look all the more inviting.

We have some hens and they are a bit like the late, great, Houdini, they are all ‘Hendinis’ and can escape through any gap or get over the wall that runs round ½ of their pen, via a very handy roof, and then they vandalise my borders. Oh yes, I know they are looking for something to supplement their diet but, my poor daffodils, they have been ‘chickenated’ and any other perennial plants that are coming up are now raked up on the surface and dying.

Eventually, after I had ‘really’ lost my rag and used a lot of swear words ( the ‘eff’ word came into the equation more than once along with ‘you don’t give a toss’ etc…and I hate to shout!) Himself has eventually found another secure place for the hens so that they do not destroy all the work I have been putting in. At last, I can improve without it being wrecked!

We have had a couple look at the property with regard to running a B&B. The whole property was too big for them! The wife kept asking me ‘how do people find you?’ After the first time I was lost for an answer… We are just off a trunk road, clients find us with no problem at all and most have G.P.S. anyway. Our Immobilier just kept smiling in his Gallic way, and saying ‘you could put a pool and terrace there’ ’you do not need to buy all of it’ etc… I haven’t had any feedback from him as yet. I have decided that I will keep each Immo informed about the others without mentioning any names… just to keep them on the ball. I am restless and need to move!!

My dear Mum has reached 90 yrs old and is still as happy as can be, and no she is not senile, just a happy soul! I am a little bit peeved that I was not able to celebrate with her. When I mention travel to the UK Himself gets a look of panic his face. I do explain that my family and our friends would love to see him. Unfortunately, the majority of his family are no longer with us. There are some cousins that he has never been in touch with and he is not too bothered about contacting them. He would be amazed to see how his grandchildren have grown and they would dearly love to see him. Our no.1 daughter will be 40 at the end of the year and I have told him that he will be going to the UK to help her celebrate along with her husband and friends who have all reached the same age… He is still trying to get his head around it! And, not only that, he has to get his head around a trip to Central America the beginning of next year!! Ha ha, plans are underway!

r

2011-02-10T12:59:00.000-08:00

The ex-pat-re-invented Brits are having a field-day in my neck of the woods at the moment.

There is so much going on it is a job to know where to start.

A female friend of mine, not close, has been ripped off by one our mutual ‘friends’.

The event evolved thus:

My friend works as an agent for an Immobilier.

She posted on that 'wonderful social networking' site that she had found a fantastic property with loads of potential for cost of ‘next to nothing’.

Hmmmm… Bad move, silly girl.

Our ‘mutual friend’ made enquiries as she had sold her house and was living in rental accommodation.

The ‘mutual friend’ then went to another Immobilier who knew of the property and made an offer and is now in the process of purchasing the house.

The friend of mine is now well out of pocket on commission on the sale and she is not happy!

There is now very bad feeling between the two.

Not only that, but the husband of the ‘mutual friend’ helped the husband of the friend in his capacity as a builder/renovator (yes, another Brit in France doing properties up etc…) and took advantage of the husbands good nature and borrowed equipment and promptly broke/ruined/stole the aforesaid equipment. The husband of the ‘mutual friend’ is the sort of person who argues with his fists not his tongue so is best avoided!

Now it was not my friend that told me this but her husband, oh does he love a gossip. Gladdens my heart that a man can confide!!

And now, me in my capacity of being an older woman: you know, a bit of a granny, sympathetic, gives a bit of advice, easy listener, don’t gossip with everyone etc. gets to hear of this.

I do sometimes get people confide in me, I don’t ask them to, but they do and I cannot believe, in my Christian mind that people will do what they do. It absolutely amazes me. Where are their morals or are they born without them?

There are obviously things that I would not dream of repeating to a soul but sometimes there are things that need to be said…namely, why do so many English/British people prey on their own kind????

Just an aside, why on earth do some parents put their children on ‘The Worlds Strictest Parents’ programme. From what I have seen it is the parents that need to be educated not their children!!!

Blues part 2

2011-02-07T12:08:00.000-08:00

Further to January Blues

Interesting day today…

My dear, tame, English hairdresser called to attend to my ‘barnet’ and a damned good job she did too. Bless her, she knows my hair, how it curls on the right and how it curls on the left in spite of it being dead straight, how fine it is and what suits the shape of my head. I did discuss with my man, this morning, the possibility of colour but though – oh no not a good idea! I have a good sprinkling of silver now and in some lights it looks bloody lovely, natural highlights. The thought of losing that to an artificial ‘chestnut’ (best on a nut), ‘burgandy’ (best in a glass) or whatever, I decided against. At the rate my hair grows I would need to ‘touch up’ the roots every 2 weeks which is way out of my remit.

So my hair is now manageable again and with a sprinkling of silver. It was getting a bit wayward as it had not been cut since mid-November last year. I feel so much better, a little glamorous, just need a bit of ‘slap’, to complete the picture.

Not too bad for 64 years old me-thinks…

I was also complimented on how good my ‘body’ looks…… Well!! What does one say??

After my coiffeuse parted, we had a man we had been expecting since, hmmmm who know when – see January Blues, ‘favours’.

He arrived unexpectedly with an explanation as to why he had not been able to come to us to do the work that he had promised early last year and why we were ‘out of the loop’.

He explained how he had been ‘ripped off’ by an English couple out here, as well as the problems he has had with his in-laws and in-laws partners after a death in the family. Oh my God, aren’t some peoples lives complicated??

I am so glad that I have had only one husband and that he has had only one wife (me) and that our parents stuck with each other through ‘sickness and health, richer and poorer, forsaking all others until death do us part, etc’….

Some people out here have such complex relationships in their lives I find it quite unbelievable! I would love to do a ‘straw’ poll with all the people I know in France and see how many of them have families such as ours…. It would be so interesting.

Anyway, we will be getting the work we want doing within the next 2 months – although watch this space….

Am still gathering information on the ex-pat populaton………….there might be a novel in it yet!!

Vehicles

2011-02-04T13:02:00.001-08:00

This is from someone who needs to get it out.....

Eventually we got our new(ish) car. a 1998 Renault Megane Scenic. It is a very nice car too and it gets us from A to B.

In the meantime I have had another birthday. Another one where we were unable to go out and celebrate with a meal. Another promise....

I have decided henceforth that my birthday will be the end of May each year. The end of January does not bode well with me. We always have very cold weather and extra expenses (mainly car) and it is too soon after Christmas. So now it will be the end of May, a better time for a party, maybe a barbeque with friends.

I am still feeling rather fragile. I do not sleep well, waking at all hours of the night, I am tense during the day and prone to tears... Oh my God this sounds awful. I know I am not depressed. I did the depression thing after having our daughters and was absolutely 'out-of-it'.

This is different.

Now, when I was very young, around 2 years old, I was hospitalised for life-saving surgery. My earliest memories are hospital beds, disinfectant (I still hate the smell of Dettol), large green and cream hospital wards and nurses in their high hats (then) blue uniforms and starched aprons. I also had a long spell in 'convalescence'. I remember lots of visits to hospitals and to our G.P. Dr. MacArthur (a lovely guy who passed away when I was around 25). My Mum and Dad always said that I was a 'sensitive' child and I think that it stems from my early years and still applies today. My Mum still worries herself silly about my health! I know that if I can turn off outside influences and try to 'meditate' then I will feel better, but it is difficult.

I need to get away from my life and do something different. Do I go to a Catholic retreat in the UK and rediscover the Church or should I go on an alternative retreat and learn to switch off and meditate. I am curious about the oriental option. I have practised Qi Gong and found it very useful but would like to delve deeper. I am sure a residential course would benefit me enormously, but where to go?? Now this is only short term, just to get myself sorted out before I am committed!

Anyway, enough about me..

The car.

He has been driving for almost 50 years now and is used to the internal combustion engine but not to the modern computer driven version.

Oh joy, 1st day with the car and he could not get it to start in the morning....

He thought the worst, I said 'have a look in the manual.' He tried to find the battery to check it was OK. He 'farted' around for about 45 mins before picking up the manual and checking what was wrong...something to do with it being a 'computer' controlled vehicle with electronic locking system. By then I had had a coffee, swept the floors, loaded the washing machine, got really steamed up etc. etc....

He also needed to change the ownership of the car. Slightly different out here to the UK.

We collected the forms and he asked that I fill them.

NO!

Why not..

Suppose I wasn't here?

But you are.

I have dropped dead what would you do?

Get on with it I suppose.

OK, get on with it and stop relying on me....

I'll take it to the Mairie.

C'est tout...

I do love him though!!!

2011-01-28T10:38:00.000-08:00

Our motor car packed up on Boxing Day 2010.

Himself was going to the dechetterie to dispose of a few bottles, cans and plastic and also pick up a couple of baguettes in the village for lunch. We were expecting some good friends to arrive in an hour or so.

Himself had driven around 300 metres and ‘crunch’ the car stopped! The cam belt had broken…..

In the process of the cam belt breaking the pistons continued their journey and totalled the engine…….

Himself stormed back into the house, steam pouring from his ears and his face purple. He was not happy.

I stood and looked at the purple rage and said ‘calm down, I will phone our friends and ask them to pop into the boulangerie on their way. We will think about the car later!.’

And so from then until now we have had no car. We have a tame mechanic (English I hasten to add) who was in the UK at the time so we had to wait for him to come back to his home and job. He came to look at the motor car. Not good!!! I ordered new cam belts and when he arrived to check the engine etc. it was found that the engine was beyond economical repair!!!

Now this cost us 300 euro! New cam belts and consultation……

And after paying out over 650 euro for our ‘total’ diagnostic on the house, I, as the banker was not very happy!!

So there we are 1,000 euro down! And I thought that I was on top of financial things….

I left a financial headache (in my working life) in the UK and thought that things would be better out here. Noooooo.

In the UK, prior to relocating to France, I was checked for irritable bowel syndrome and ulcers as I was being so very ill all the time (Jeez was that job stressful!). I am having the same symptoms now… For heavens sake, I shouldn’t have this, I should be enjoying retirement and living a relaxed, organic life, but no!

Fortunately, we have some very good friends that have come to our aid… God bless them!

Today we have found a car, via le Bon Coin, we had a look at a couple of cars but one really took our fancy, we also had to deal with a new guy in the bank as our lovely Mme Sourire has since left but jeune Mr Huile is not too bad… shame he doesn’t speak English!

So, in a couple of days we will have a motor car that can get us from A to B… what a joy, and, it is a French car (Renault Megane Scenic) and Himself, as the chauffeur, quite likes it!!

January blues....

2011-01-24T11:10:00.000-08:00

Just something to say,

Am fed up with the ex-pat community here, except for a couple of couples…. I sometimes feel as though I am out of the loop although I am here.

Is suppose it is because I am not a motorist who does coffee mornings or gossip……

I hear a little here and hear a little there…. But am still out of the loop.

I suppose I would like to be included but I do not want to be ‘central’ to all, like some and I hate to appear to be 'nosy'.

I am happy that I have some really wonderful reliable friends (both English as well as French).

I find that our French friends have no axe to grind, they accept us as we are and, it seems, that our very reliable English friends out here are the ones that have only had one marriage partner (usually of many, many years). Now I am not being ‘marriage-ist’ but it seems that those who have had multiple marriages/partners seem to be the ones that are ‘not on the level’, are up for gossip, and putting down and ‘gossiping’ about their ‘friends’. My experience shows that those who have just have had one marriage are the truest friends (there are, though, exceptions to the rule as in most things – and you know who you are!).

I have done favours for people and a good friend has said that she has done the same but then there are those that who do not reciprocate – funnily enough it is in within the same group..

Incidentally I hate American spell check – favour or favor? – I will go for the English and re-educate my computer.. even down to the number of full stops I put!!! Or even exclamation marks, yeah!!!!!

After nearly 10 years here in the country I love, I am inclined to drop acquaintances and just let them get on with their own devices and live my life without them. When I come to think of it, there were very few people in the UK that I would count as ‘good’ reliable friends, I should follow my instincts as I did then.

Although, coming to think of it, what I hear (discreetly) could make a good book!!

Something to think about……

Genealogy

2011-01-21T13:48:00.000-08:00

I mentioned in my last post that I am on the trail of my mothers ancestry.

Now this is proving difficult.

I have been in contact with Barnardo's and also a genealogist in Ireland. I have been given the necessary contact name. I have written to the contact name, twice, and have been waiting for a reply... Oh this is so difficult. It seems that the people who have the information that I need are reluctant to give me the necessary.

My dear sweet Mother gave me an address that was given to her some time ago. It was an address in the county that we lived all our lives. In fact we probably passed the address when we went to the coast for our annual bank holiday trips.

I researched on-line and found the name of the family that lived at the address. Mr Xxxxxxxx was married to Miss Xxxxx - the same maiden name as my mothers....

I researched a bit more and found out that they had 5 children, three sons and two daughters. All of the sons have since passed away and also one of the daughters (aged around 16 yrs) but one sister was still living, unmarried and around my mothers age, some 10 years ago..

I have written to the address (to whom it may concern) asking if they know of any family members of the original family at that address in relation to my mother... I am waiting for a reply.

Bless my Mum, she did say, 'Why didn't I give this address to you years ago?' It seems that my Dad didn't think it would be a good idea to follow up the address when it was first given to Mum.

Had she been able to go to this address 30 years ago, it would have answered a lot of questions that she had.. She is now nearly 90 years old and would still like to know why she was given up to the Nuns..

I am hopeful...

Apart from all of that, things are fine... Need to find a new motor car... ours is dead and only fit to be buried.

Another year another vehicular problem!! (third year methinks!)

Politics.....

Well what a mess! Johnson's wife having an affair...hmmm.

Andy Coulson resigning... hmmm.

Tony Blair and his excuses.... hmmm.

'nuff said - it is the UK after all!!!

2011-01-18T12:33:00.000-08:00

I have been reading the English press of late, yes, the gutter press.

I read of Elton John and his partner having a child.

I read of Nicole Kidman and her husband and ‘gestational carrier’

What is wrong with the world and its babies??

Elton John and David Furnish both ‘contributed’ to their son…. Oh my Goodness, it makes me feel so, well, nauseous…. The pair of them put their ‘contribution’ (one can only guess the procedure!!) into a pot and it was mixed with some-ones ova to create a foetus then put into another female and then allowed to gestate to full term before being ‘born’. And they want to do it again……

I feel for the child and subsequent children. Will he/they ever know his mother or father??

Nicole Kidman and her husband Keith Urban already have a daughter but they have decided this time to use a ‘gestational carrier’ for their second child. What on earth is that????? Do they mean a surrogate mother, do they mean that they combined his sperm with her ova and then implanted into another person??? Confusion reigns…..

I read of Patsy Palmer and her new son….

Patsy Palmer though (Bianca Jackson in Eastenders) has recently had her fourth child. The little boy was born prematurely and is now home with his mum and dad and brothers and sisters. No surrogacy, Patsy bore the child and gave birth naturally and the pictures I have seen make me smile. She looks wonderful, baby is beautiful and there is no hype….

Dear Lord, thank you for some normality.

Now this is dear to me. I am into genealogy in a big way. I have traced my father’s family back to the 16th century, my husbands’ family, paternal and maternal, back to the 18th century but am stuck with my mother’s family. My Mum was taken into care by some Nuns in Ireland when she was around 6 years old. She would love to know the whys and wherefores of this and I am now on the trail. Mum would love to know her history (she is almost 90 yrs old now), and so would I for my children.

This is why I find it so abhorrent that rich celebrities can ‘buy’ infants, through ‘rent-an-ova’, ‘rent-some-sperm’, rent-a-womb or from a third world country.

I have also read of a devoutly Christian couple who run a B&B in Cornwall who only take married couples in double rooms.

A homosexual couple booked to stay at the said B&B, when they arrived the owners refused their booking and turned them away because they were not a married couple.

The ‘visitors’ took the case to court and have now won their case for sexual discrimination.

Now this is a dodgy arena.

I have run a B&B, albeit in France.

Sometime ago I had an enquiry for two couples for two nights. I took the booking, it was for a local wedding. The guests arrived on the day and they were four men!

I was not aware at the time of the booking that it was anything out of the ordinary, they asked for two double rooms, my natural assumption being two heterosexual couples…

Hmmm, I was a little surprised. I could not, though, refuse to accommodate them.

They took their rooms, had their breakfasts, paid their dues and enjoyed their stay.

At no time during their stay was there any problem. They were really nice guys and I would happily accommodate them again.

Now if I had been a ‘devout’ Catholic instead of ‘selective’ Catholic it might have been a different kettle of fish. It would have been a dilemma for me.

I also remember a young woman booking a room and say that her 'companion' would be joining her later. Yes he did. Twice she booked and twice he arrived later. Some time afterwards I found out that her 'companion' had a wife and many children….

You takes your money and makes your choice!!

Oh thank you Pope John XXIII for giving me the options of a diverse religious life.

But, I do have a problem with people who are ‘in your face’ and push their views. I accept all people and their lives but I don’t want, or will not, be browbeaten into accepting the rude and aggressive, be they black or white, straight or gay. They can go jump!!

Right!!

Got that out of my system….

January 2011

2011-01-12T14:39:00.000-08:00

It has been about 5 weeks since my last post.

How are things??

No different.

We did receive a cheque from our insurers - tick box.

We have had credit from France Telecom - tick box.

I became ill Christmas Day - don't tick box.

Car broke down Boxing Day - don't tick box.

Mechanic came with necessary to mend car - seems it may be beyond economical repair - don't tick box.

Mental breakdown on the way - tick box.

Breaking any mirrors 7/8 years ago - don't tick box.

Why is this going on??

I wake with a positive attitude in the morning.. but it soon disappears... hmmm.

I do pray and ask "why is this happening?" but I don't seem to get an answer.

We are wanting to sell our house and from the 1st of January this year it is obligatoire to have a D.P.E. (Diagnostique de Performance Energetique) done, so we had a local company come to do ours along with checking for termites, woodworm, lead, asbestos and insulation - tick box.

It took two guys around 2 hours to check our house (250 sq m) the part conversion next door and our barns. They did the lot in one hit and it saved us 100+ euro. Any further visits will be free. Fine, we have no problem with that at all - tick box.

We received the report, all 35 pages, and when I got to the DPE, well, I flipped!!
They estimated our fioul consumption for just central heating and hot water to be 3 times more than it actually is!! - don't tick box.

I contacted our immobilier who arranged for them to come and told him exactly what I thought about their report. There is a set formulae for these guys to follow, laid down by the government, but their result was way out. If my bills had been the amount they had quoted I would have had the whole lot ripped out and other heating installed.

I am waiting on the outcome of my 'complaint' about their findings... will be interesting I am sure...

Maybe a few boxes will be re-ticked.

2010-12-09T11:56:00.000-08:00

We are now the 9th December. I have been back in La Belle France for a couple of weeks.

It started to snow in the UK as I left, and Normandy all the way to Rouen, was sprinkled with varying depths of snow. I found it really cold. I do not like the cold weather, it makes my joints hurt - not ache, but hurt!

Arrived at our friends home and hubby came to collect me and baggage.

Got home and he had prepared a meal for me - good!!

The next day I started to go through what needed to be done!! (secretary wise!)

Phoned France Telecom and they agreed to refund one months rental and any extra expense I had incurred using my mobile phone providing I sent a copy of the bill with the items highlighted. I did all of that with pleasure...... It even helped improve my French grammar skills..

I am still waiting......

Sent a letter with copy of detailed invoice to Insurance company (bypassing Mme Talon) and am still waiting............

It has been freezing cold here for a few days but then it started to warm up and then we had a lot of rain - the river is looking so healthy I wonder if it will flood..

Dog has been up to his antics. He is only 18 months old and is still a young pup or adolescent. If he sees anything on the move he wants to chase it, trouble is he has (in the past) seen our neighbours chickens moving about and has leapt over their fence and has wanted to play. We have managed to get him away from the chickens without any damage done and kept it under our hats....Oooh, is that a good idea?

So a few days ago the hound decided he would play with the chooks again and our neighbour saw him and chased him off... and then came to see us and let us know what has happened..

Hubby was suitably apologetic and ensured our neighbour that it would never happen again.....

And what happened today? When the hound was being walked this morning he caught sight of a fox! possibly a vixen as it was not a little beast but a larger beast.....

Ah quelle horreur! If this beast decides to take a feast from our neighbours chooks then our dog will get the blame (possibly).

Hm, what action to take - do we let him (our neighbour) know that there is a fox about or keep quiet? We are torn between letting him know and not. Our lovely boy will chase but does not kill - he has caught our chickens but hasn't killed them. Would Mr Sais-tout understand that?

Or am I reading more into this?

Our chickens are not laying at the moment so they are all destined for the pot. Coq au vin, curry, soup etc... poor girls don't know this yet.

2010-12-09T10:35:00.000-08:00

I found the following written on the 14th November, the birthday of Prince Charles and also our eldest daughter:-

Sunday

So far we have been without a telephone line for 1 week, sept jours.

That means we have also been without internet.

We do have a mobile phone but that is only for short local calls.

Our neighbour, who is French, lost his line on Wednesday, two days after we lost ours.

He got his line back on Saturday.

Are we happy?

No, no, no, we are NOT!!

We have no idea about our English neighbours, we don’t speak with them.

Tomorrow I, (you do it better than me) will phone France Telecom and ask them if they have a racist policy (yes, I am joking). I will demand that they repair our line and give us recompense for the week that we have lost.

I will ask my dear French neighbour, who has so generously offered his assistance, to phone them and speak to them with our (my) demands, he is so genuinely ‘good’ he will do this for us.

Hopefully it will result in a success.

And we are still waiting for a cheque from the insurance company (Hah!).

We have also had a lot of rain.

Coming through the ceiling of my laundry room.

Why?

Because around 7 years ago a new roof was put on the hangar attached to the house and guttering was not replaced.

Every rainy season I have said to my other half that the guttering needs to be done – he has said “yes, OK”.

Is this a valid reason for divorce?

And so we (I) have, again, water pouring through the ceiling.

Had an immobilier come to visit. “Can you claim on the insurance?” he asked. ‘Not with ours!’ I thought!

We do have someone who will come and do the guttering, we have all the parts needed, and I just want to get it done!

But he (the builder) is waiting for a weather window.

So am I.

Weather: somewhere warm and sunny, without the hassle of house, and land, and husband; just a place where I can relax and be me. Fat chance!.

Went to a local Amateur Dramatic Society production last night.

Absolutely brilliant! (t’was ‘Allo, Allo!) and we knew some of the cast!

And for a bonus, we ran into some people we had not seen for many months, or even years.

At least they now know that we are still around.

Also met another couple that have been here 5 minutes.

I did so want to sell them a yarn:

“Oh yes, we have been here forever and have bought a chateau and have eight children (three of which are in prison – one being a so gay politician) and had won the lottery which is why we could buy the said chateau which needs millions spending on it to make it liveable as well as our properties in Florida, Spain and Tuscany, have a couple of lovers each, his cutie twenties (helped with the blue pill) and my toy-boy, guru, personal trainer, hmm that is why I look soooo young, and umpteen grandchildren between our five marriages” etc. etc….

Have got to get my man into the storytelling mode, I could follow his lead!!!

What business is it of total strangers as to how long we have been here, how would they react if we asked them loads of personal questions?

It really annoys me – not him – just me. I am a private person and will give out info to those that need to hear – mind you, I am writing a blog (anonymously?) but there are the ‘chosen few’ out there who know who I am.

November 2010 diary

2010-12-01T00:31:00.000-08:00

At the moment I feel that the world is against us.

We have still had no joy from our insurance office in spite of telephoning Mme Talons on a daily basis last week (just 3 days as Monday was a holiday and she does not work on a Friday).

We went to our Bank on the Friday 5th November and spoke with our ‘conseillere’ Mme Sourire who was expressed her disgust with what was happening with our insurers. We explained the predicament we were in what with the extra taxes we have to pay this year on top of dipping into our fioul money to pay the builder. We have no heating in the house at the moment and it is getting colder and colder.

God bless Mme Sourire, she did no more than telephone the insurers and advise that they would be receiving a fax to be put on Mme Talons desk for Monday morning.

At last, someone who is willing to help us sort out this mess.

Mme Sourire said for us to give her a call if we receive nothing within two weeks…..

And so the weekend looked good.

We were invited to a lovely Anniversaire meal with some French friends on Saturday night, had a lovely relaxing Sunday and then…..

Monday morning …. 8th November

We had a violent storm – short and sharp – and it not only gave us a power cut but took out the telephone line…..

I phoned France Telecom helpline via my mobile and got very angry at listening to a 5 minute message repeated very quickly. Now this is costing me money!! Free from a landline – yeah but I don’t have a functioning land line!!

I got angry, very angry and just wanted to speak with someone in a language that I am fluent in and they are also – i.e. English!

I phoned again in the afternoon, when I had calmed down, and eventually spoke to a young woman who confirmed that my line was inactive and that an engineer would call either Tuesday or Wednesday.

By 5.30 Wednesday no one arrived….. Armistice Day on Thursday …..

As I said I feel that the world is against us!

I am writing this Wednesday evening – will finish it on Friday and maybe even post it on Friday!!!

Friday……

Yesterday was Armistice Day. I did remember the fallen in both wars, especially my Grandfather who lost his life on May 16th 1915 in Normandy.

When I was a ‘youngster’ I would, with my family, visit the local War Memorial and leave a poppy on a cross on Remembrance Sunday. My Grandfathers name is inscribed on that war memorial which has a beautiful bronze statue of a soldier.

I would ask my Father if that was a statue of Granddad… he would squeeze my hand and smile…. It makes me sad as my Father never knew his Father – my Father was born in July 1915.

The weather is still foul, very high winds and lots of rain; at least there is water in the river now!

Had a visit from a French Immobilier this morning. He is a guy that we have known a long time and has been selling property all his working life. He arrived and we went through all the necessary regarding the size of the property, what renovation had been done, why we want to sell etc… He is a very charming man and will let us know his valuation next week.

He also mentioned that the 1st house in our little hamlet had been flooded 10 years ago.

Now this is interesting; When our (new) neighbours enquired of Mme (pre purchase) whether the house was ever flooded she said ‘No, never, never, no!’ I have also heard from a French friend as well as one of Mme’s nephews that the house had been flooded in the past. We have been here 9 years and have seen the river rise very quickly and cover the meadow until it looks like a lake – a stunning sight – then drop again. But it has not, apparently, reached the proportions of 10 years ago. Will the weather bring the river up to levels of 10 years ago this winter? It will be interesting to see as we have had no flooding to speak of for 3 years now.

And so, back to the saga of the telephone. It turns out that in our little hamlet all the phones are out, our neighbour Gilles had reported his line went down on Wednesday, two days after ours. I phoned France Telecom just after lunch today (no good phoning during) and spoke to a charming young man who said that our line would be fixed aujourdhui, après-midi….. I verbally confirmed what he had said and ‘Oui Madame, aujourdhui, après-midi’. I thanked him.

Ha!!! He was having a laugh!!!

So it is Friday evening and we have no telephone or internet.

We also have no cheque from the insurance company……………..

Grrrrrrrr.

Gilles telephone line went back on Saturday afternoon. He phoned FT for us and they confirmed that ours would be fixed Monday.

Monday 15th arrived. I phoned FT in the morning to confirm that the line would be fixed. The advisor told me that it was a collective problem and that I would have a line by 6.00 pm.

Wrong!

I have phoned today (Tuesday 16th ) nine days now since losing the line. Spoke again to another guy and guess what – he spoke and understood English!! I explained that I had been promised a line on three separate occasions and that I was still without a telephone line after 9 days.

He will get back to me.

And so the saga continues.

Still no cheque from the insurance company.

Wednesday 17th

Phoned FT again this morning and was told, again, that it is a collective problem, yes I said I know. My neighbour lost his line last Wednesday and it was reinstated on Saturday and I am still waiting since Monday 8th, she paused then said that I must be patient. I said I have been patient, she paused again and apologised saying that it would be fixed soon.

And I am fed up having to update my spell-check to UK English from American English!

I also phoned Mme Talon at the insurance office – there is a letter on the way!

I go to the UK to visit family on Friday and I am travelling with friends rather than solo.

I need the break but would like all these niggles resolved before I leave if not I will be leaving my husband to cope with it all. He is not happy at the prospect as I am the one who manages better with the language.

Thursday 18th
Phoned the English helpline and got through fairly rapidly.

I spoke with a charming young man and explained the sorry saga of my non-functioning telephone line.

At least I wasn’t stumbling through the explanation in my inadequate French and I could understand him perfectly! (hmm I wonder if BT has non-English helplines?)

I asked why it was taking so long and what the problem was. I also explained that my French neighbour lost his line on the Wednesday and that it was restored on the Saturday!

The explanation was that there was a power surge on the Wednesday afternoon that severely damaged the telephone relay equipment. We didn’t have a storm on Wednesday afternoon – if I remember rightly it rained a bit but nothing drastic!

The upshot is that we have to wait another 72 hours (that takes us up to Saturday) and I won’t be here.

The guy I spoke to was very helpful but when push comes to shove it is all out of his hands – he is only the go-between (Hmm, but he did ask me if I had internet connection).

Now I have a theory about this.

We lost our line Monday morning due to a storm. I let FT know Monday afternoon and I was told that it would be repaired Wednesday. I think that the Engineer sent to fix the problem possibly caused a greater one by damaging the equipment he was working on. I might be wrong but you never know!

Letter from insurers has not arrived today. Went to the UK on the 19th November.

Arrived back home late on the 29th November, leaving the snow behind in the UK and Normandy.

Whilst I was away my husband dealt with FT and eventually an engineer arrived on Friday 26th, checked the internal phone sockets, checked the connection to the house, checked the line back to the junction box. He then ran a new line through to the house, re-checked the sockets; hey presto! It is fixed!! We can phone out and receive calls again.

Why on earth they couldn’t have done that in the first place I will never know, engineers and the way they work are a mystery to me.

Letter arrived from insurance company, they need an invoice. They have had an invoice but the wrong type. They need a detailed invoice which has now been prepared. I will forward it to them and see what happens next….

Still waiting………soon be Christmas

Families

2010-10-31T15:26:00.001-07:00

2010-10-31T13:37:00.000-07:00

Hmmmm.

It is the end of October - winter is upon us - we have cold rain, violent wind and frost. The leaves are changing their colour and falling from the trees and I keep raking them up and then more fall again.... I am putting the leaves on my border just behind the privet hedge. This is a hedge that I have nurtured over the last 6 years, remembering the advice that my dear Dad had given me about 'rearing' hedges. The hedge is now looking thick and healthy - the advice has worked. God Bless you my dear Dad. (I miss you so much) Oh, can grief last so long??

We are still waiting for the final settlement from the insurance company (they will be rejected in the next couple of months) and we are keeping our finger crossed that we don't go 'tits up' with the bank. Have made a rendezvous with our lovely conseillere who has looked after us for the last 9 years, she has known us and our plans from day one and also knows our situation; she has been an enormous help through all our ups and downs... Mind you, she does not know yet that she will be surpassed when we change our bank for one that is not so heavy on the charges etc...

The last couple of years have been shit... No other word for it.... absolute shit, merde, faeces, bollocks etc... I sometimes think I may be heading for a nervous breakdown (is that the current expression or is it something else nowadays?? 'an acute time-limited reactive disorder' hah!,) No, I am not depressed - I did the depression thing after the birth of daughter no 3. This is different - I get so very, very angry with what is going on and just find myself in 'tears' for no reason - tears of sheer frustration and anger at what is happening in my life.

When I was young my mother used to say that I was 'sensitive' - I know what she means - I am sensitive to situations and others and my 'emotions' get the better of me.

I do not scream and shout or throw things (maybe that would be better!) - I just burst into tears if it (life) becomes too difficult!!

My husband has said that I am a 'control freak' - no I am not - I like an ordered life and someone has to look after that life. If he cannot be bothered to look after our financial/domestic/emotional situation then - well, someone has to. So, therefore, I am in 'control' of it all - not only am I his wife, housekeeper, financial expert, mother of his daughters, but also mother to him as well!!! Can he accept that??? Hmmm I wonder, I have not bothered to ask.

I think that maybe my 'sensitivity' is through the trials I went through as a small child when I was very ill and, according to my Dad, close to death - my first memories are of being in hospital!!

We have a bill, a tax bill, it is for a modification of the 'permis de construire' of the hangar - the house that has been under construction by our daughter - and it is a lot of money that we can ill afford. We did notify our daughter that it was for her to settle. Did we get it sorted straight away? no..... we did not. Her partner (the guy that she has been supporting for the last year) queried it... I do so hope that the transfer comes through in time, the thought of going overdrawn without permission does not appeal to me (we never did in the UK).

Oh dear, this is a bit depressing... I am going through a bad time at the moment and need to get it off my chest.

I love my husband but do not always like him... does that make sense?? He can be a pain in the butt but then I suppose I am felt the same way. We 'bounce' off each other in various ways - a bit of a ballet I suppose that has been going on for the last 40+ years..

Middle daughter has been an absolute gem over the last few weeks. She has had so many problems over the last couple of years and it was so good to have her visit this year. She needed the break having a severely disabled son and husband who could not cope with it. She came for a holiday with her eldest son. Her husband had his daughter and son (Terry who has cerebral palsy, microcephaly, epilepsy + other problems). The first break she has had for a very long time. I used to have a few problems with this daughter and having this time together brought us closer. We talk at least twice a week and we can discuss most things.... We have become very close. I always thought that I was close to daughters no 1 and no 3... wrong!!! Middle daughter has come up trumps over the last few months.

Our daughters have been brought up to be independent young women and are so different in so many ways, yet they are so alike.... Sometimes I cannot understand them yet there are times that their thoughts gel with mine instantly. Am off to the UK in a couple of weeks. Will see how we all get on!!! Mind you, I am really going to see my darling Mum (now 89), I miss her so much!!

Families are so complicated!!

Photo is of me and daughters taken on the Isle of Wight 1981 I think!!

Merde etc.

2010-10-24T12:33:00.000-07:00

I often log onto a particular, and very useful, website – Angloinfo – for my area.

I look at the postings in their general forum, and there are many from people – those who are departing and selling up their homes and possessions, those who want legal advice regarding divorce or child care, those who do not know about registering their motor vehicles (cars or vans) into the French system, those who know nothing about the healthcare system out here and – sadly - those that have no knowledge of the French language and are desperate for an English speaking Doctor, Dentist etc… I do despair.

I am fortunate, in as much, that my man and I did our research before relocating to La Belle France. We had been visiting for many years and we (I) downloaded information, bought books (all sorts about life in France) had language lessons etc. prior to our arrival. But no, we did not do enough research; there were many things that we were not fully aware of. We were on a learning curve after we arrived; and no, it did not peak like some learning curves; for us it was a gentle curve (mind you it was a gentle wave for the first 3 years!

I belong to an association – LIFT – Ladies In France Together – a brilliant idea from a couple of young (non-French) women who were in need of company. They brought women, girls and ladies of all ages and nationalities together for lunches, laughs, sharing, support, and the opportunity to integrate.

And so I return to Angloinfo – There was recently a request from a young mum on their forum for help. She needed to find other young mums so that she was not so alone out here and she made a request: “can someone please help me?”… yes there were many responses but one person stood out alone… and he suggested a ‘blog’ which was tenuously connected to LIFT and referred this poor mum to that ‘blog’…. Poor girl, I do hope that she was not too interested in cooking. I decided to make my post and refer her to the official website for LIFT.

Yes I find it quite disturbing that so many English ex-pat persons out here in La Belle France take it upon themselves to declare themselves as experts on France, the French, their culture, language, food etc. I have had people referred to me for advice in my capacity as an English person who is running a B&B business out here. This is from the local Office de Tourisme who know me and think that I can help the newbies. Yes, I am willing to help those that need it but no way can I declare myself as an expert. All I can say is, you will need to speak to xxx, visit yyy, and then they can give you advice to your situation. So far it has worked.

A couple of years after we arrived our dear son-in-law Kev bought us a copy of ‘A Year In Provence’ with John Thaw and Lindsay Duncan, he thought it would be useful - what a load of cobblers. I have also read Stephen Clarke and his ‘Merde’ version of France….. Blahhh! What a load of merde that is too (so is the X Factor).

Experiment

2010-10-12T06:54:00.000-07:00

Have had a long hard look at our financial situation.

We have had a successful outcome from our insurance company so we are not totally in the mire at the moment, but we have the dreaded fonciere and habitation taxes to pay - we are now in the income bracket for habitation, which we haven't been for the last three years, so that has come as a bit of a shock!

At least himself was up to discussing what we should do.

And so the decision was made to draw just 100 euro a week for our necessary groceries/toiletries/cleaning and what is left at the end of the week will be put in a jar. We are not to use our bank cards!

I have not had to budget like this for a very very long time and I really should have started to do this out here from the beginning, but no, there was too much going on for such discipline.

Should be fun.

First shop was done yesterday and we spent just over 52 euro and purchased enough meat for a couple of weeks, veg for a week as well as dry and tinned goods and, of course, wine.

We should not need to shop until next Monday (fingers crossed).

He is heaps better than he has been in a long time. He has had a change of medication and is now more animated and getting out of his 'shell'. He has been very depressed since being told about his emphysema, I think that maybe he thought that his world was ending, and now this new anti-depressant seems brilliant for him.

I am pleased to see him smiling and thinking for himself again.

The cloud is lifting and it makes me feel a lot better too.

Fibrositis and Husbands

2010-10-06T07:51:00.000-07:00

Tuesday:

My husband is having to think like me,

Today I have a problem with my lower back and am unable to move and do the things that I would normally do during the day. I am a 'Hobble-it'

And he is on a learning curve.

I was sorting laundry for washing… Was taking washed things from machine to put into tumble dryer and I felt this tension happening in the lumbar region of my back.

Now this happened before a couple of years ago and I ended up confined to rest for around 5 days as my back had seized completely... Not good

At least then I had another female in the household to help.

This time I have my husband!!

So what did he do for me..

He prepared lunch (he found some soup that I had made some months ago in the freezer and re-heated it). Yes! Initiative came into play!!

I did have to ask for him to prepare a hot water bottle and find some ibuprofen for me – would he think to ask if I needed – NO.

I also had to ask him to check the tumble dryer to see if the clothes therein were dry and if they were to put the next load in on a different temperature and also to explain how to change the said temperature… he is on a learning curve!!!

Then I had to ask for a refreshed hot water bottle for my back and also if he had checked the second load in the tumble dryer – also to light the fire that I had set yesterday. Also to stock up the said fire some 2 hrs later…… etc….

And I had to remind him to take the dog to the vets for his annual check up and whilst he was out to buy more painkillers.

He found some minced beef in the freezer and decided to make spaghetti bolognaise for our dinner tonight…..

“Where’s the Basil, where do I find the Bay leaves?” etc…… it then came to assessing the amount of pasta… “How much?” he said… I showed him. He decided that it was not enough and added extra…. Typical bloke! I did ask why he asked me and then add more… He just sort of shrugged!

There is a lot in this house that is done…. It just does not happen on its own, someone makes it happen and generally that someone is me! Today he learned some simple everyday things that go on…

In the past we had another young, able, female helping us – she has since departed so if I am incapacitated then he has to do what should be done..

Wednesday:

Had an excellent night sleep, woke with an almost pain free back but was still careful… I thought I would get a little ironing done – not too taxing a task at all. The clothes he had taken out of the tumble dryer yesterday were in a little heap – beautifully creased. No, I know he wouldn’t know to fold the clothes I was expecting them to be creased.

I asked him to get the second load out of the dryer – ‘it’s still wet!’ was the cry I heard… He had depressed every button and the machine tumbled on cold!!!

Am I being cruel letting the world know that he is inept in some things. He is doing his very best for me and making a good job of it, also proving to be a good cook as well! Trouble is he is from a masculine household and had a lovely mum who did everything for him, and for the last 40+ years had a wife (me) who has done the same.

I did a little tidying – very difficult when you are unable to bend and then realised that I was doing too much. Even lifting the kettle for a cup of tea put a strain on my lower back which was beginning to tighten.

I am now ibuprofen’d to the hilt and massaged with Voltarol hoping that the spasm will cease soon. I am missing my freedom.

On a good note:

Our insurance company have decided that they will give us a little more towards the repairs. It looks as though they have calculated around 33% of the original invoice and, added to the 25% already awarded, we get just under 60% in all.... Better than a kick up the **** I suppose. We don’t normally challenge decisions but this time it was so unjust. We will be speaking with other insurance companies and sorting the ‘wheat from the chaff’. At least we now know a lot more – our learning curve is not as steep as it used to be.

Patience part 2

2010-10-02T12:42:00.000-07:00

We have received a letter from the insurance company.....

We are not happy....

We went to their local office Friday afternoon...

Their claims manager has Friday off...................Grrrrrrrrr......

We will go visit next week.

From what we understand - (they say) because our barns are very old 'vetuste' we only get 25% towards any claim......................

So, it costs us 2000 euro for the repair to the roofs and we only get 250 euro....

Are we happy??

Noooooooo.

We are not happy.

I think we should sell the barns for whatever we can for them and let whoever buys them take the brunt of it all.

We are very disappointed with our insurance company.

We made a legitimate claim some 6 yrs ago.

We had a day of extreme weather during April... high winds from the West with hail and rain. It came in powerful gusts. It took out the centre roof of our hangar.. We called our insurance agent and he came to visit.. We made the claim with photos - what was the result? "Sorry but the winds (according to Meteo France) did not exceed 50km per hour that day in your village, it was not a tempest " (ergo no claim)!!

We take out insurance for peace of mind. Haaaaa!!

Once this claim is fully settled we will change our insurers, and check that they will give us 'peace of mind'....

What really comes to mind is: Our house is around 250 years old - if we have to make a large claim for any reason will they pay out???? I lose sleep over this!!

{In the meantime we have gone from one insurance company to another!! (AGF - Allianz)} Makes me sick - changes going on when the customer has no say!!!!

And so Autumn settles upon our part of the world.

Season of mists and mellow fruitfulness!
Close bosom-friend of the maturing sun;
Conspiring with him how to load and bless
With fruit the vines that round the thatch-eaves run;
To bend with apples the mossed cottage-trees,
And fill all fruit with ripeness to the core;
To swell the gourd, and plump the hazel shells
With a sweet kernel; to set budding more,
And still more, later flowers for the bees,
Until they think warm days will never cease,
For Summer has o'erbrimmed their clammy cells.

etc..... (John Keats - Ode to Autumn)

I had to learn the above poem at school - It was a C of E School and as a Catholic I did not have Religious Instruction there, so I was given a poem to learn.... and the first line sticks in my mind - I could not get beyond it.

We have harvested some delicious plump hazelnuts and also chestnuts..... yummy - their clammy cells are well o'erbrimmed!!!!!

Not ALL is bad in La Belle France.....

Photo is of Liquidamber in our garden

(started to edit this posting - computer threw a wobbly so have had to alter text.. grrrr - I am not going to touch it again)

Patience

2010-09-27T12:19:00.001-07:00

The canine visitor has departed....

My cats are now more relaxed......

(I show a picture of one of our cats sitting is upon an insect killer which is upon a microwave oven which is on the top of a refrigerator - she was around 7.5' off the floor.... So very safe!!)

Today I lost a lovely Denby butter dish.... (stressed cat pushed it off the work top at 6.00 this morning - it was totally shattered on the tiled floor)

Never mind, it was only something I had had for many years!!

Have done lots of things in the house and all my plans have been accepted without any problems by himself. Radiator taken off wall (haven't turned it on in 4 years so I considered it redundant!) so I had space to move furniture... It has worked!!! I now have a lounge that looks less cluttered and has more space... wow - all I need now are a couple of large rugs/small carpets...

Have taken the sewing machine out of retirement and am making more cushions, so far they look good.

Bought some lovely curtains many months ago and have to do a little alterations then get the poles re-established and the curtains hung before the winter begins... (It is beginning to get a little bit on the chilly side at the mo).

I just want to make our home look sell-able - is that so wrong??

There are ideas and plans flooding my mind - sometimes too many plans and ideas... I know it will all come together - eventually.

Children are fine... our son in law (married to no. 1 daughter) has recently lost his grand-dad. The funeral was today. Our daughter, in her infinite wisdom, asked their children if they would like to go to their great-grand-dads funeral... Of course, it is a day off school!!!!

Daughters Mum-in-law was absolutely horrified.... Children at a funeral!!! It is not the done thing!! etc. etc. This is the lady who was mortified when she heard that her grandson had seen a pheasant shot by his other grand-dad!... (didn't bother the boy at all!)

Spoke to no. 1 daughter this evening... kids were fine. The adults had red eyes but the little ones were OK. Children accept death easier than adults - why make a mystery of it all?

Am waiting, still, for builder to come visit regarding guttering and other little jobs. He was supposed to come last week.

I am a perpetual lady in waiting.... waiting for a builder, waiting for the insurance company to sort out the claim, waiting to get my little garden sorted outside the kitchen, waiting for the car to be completely mended.... and so it goes on...

Maybe my name should be Patience!!

2010-09-25T14:48:00.000-07:00

I am really getting a bit pissed off with my intermittent connection to the internet. I intend to look something up and what do I get ‘Ooops Google Chrome could not find www.Google.co.uk.’ Or even, ‘service unavailable – error 503’, (mozilla). I managed to get through on Internet Explorer but I could not copy and paste the first three lines of this text….

So I am typing this up on Microsoft Word. Would I do better using another system I ask myself. I hear that Apple have a good system, have even heard of Linux (what is it?) – shall I go with them next?

I like to communicate and at the moment communication via the internet is the best option for me. What did we do 15 or so years ago? Letters, telephone and telegrams followed by visits via car, bus or train ..

We still have to take some branches off a lovely Blue Spruce. This tree is blooming now – it is not a spring bloomer (and I am allergic to conifers) so it will have to go…. Our telephone line is caught up in some of the branches. We have taken out the branches of the Maple that the line ran through, but we are still having connection problems. These trees were planted some 30+ years ago by the previous owners of this house. We have taken out three conifers so far and a weeping willow that was seriously ill. The trees had not been well maintained at all. There was also about 25 Silver Birch competing for space and were extremely tall and spindly. At least they gave us plenty of firewood and some parking space. We have put in some specimen trees more suited to our situation.

Talking of the regular telephone line it is absolutely appalling, there is so much static that conversation is very difficult.

We had a guy come to visit – he is a tree surgeon employed by the local Electrical Company checking the lines and wanting to know who owned which trees where the lines passed through. I think that some of these trees are ours and will need to be pollarded. No great problem – I just hope that when they are cut back our telephone line will be better. I will, though, contact France Telecom afterwards and ask them to come and have a look at our telephone line which is so slack that it is almost touching the ground!

So what has been happening chez moi…

We have been dog sitting for the last week. A delightful dog called Ben – he is a collie of large proportions and rather overweight. His mistress had to go back to the UK for her sick father, and his master had to follow very quickly - Jenson and Ben are pals, mates, hounds that get on. They are both very social and enjoy each others company – they are good for each other. Just one problem though…. We have two cats – Ben chases cats, he chases them with a vengeance.. So we now have two stressed cats. At least the cats can shift under the furniture and out the door, but dear galumphing Ben has to make his way around the furniture, slipping and sliding on the floor, before he can get to the said door, and, by then, the cats have made it up to the third branch on the nearest tree where they sit and taunt the dog, mieow.

I have been making changes in the house. Something that has been needed for a long time and it is working. Moving furniture from one wall to another and what a difference it has made, there is now more light and space. My man was not sure that it would work but he is pleased with the result.

I have many wine glasses of various sizes and quality in a glass fronted cabinet. The cabinet was to be moved, after taking a redundant radiator off the wall, and I took out the 60+ glasses (I didn’t realise that there was so many!) and took them through to the kitchen for washing and polishing and was aware that himself was watching me…. hmm... I found a clean and dry tea-towel and threw it at him. He took the bait and actually dried and polished the glasses…. Result!!!!

Cabinet was cleaned and polished then moved to its new location. The shiny glasses were put back on their shelves. Another cabinet was moved into its place next to the glass cabinet and our lounge was transformed…

I think that I am motivating him a bit more (he is even cooking more often) as I am knuckling down to serious cleaning, clearing bits and bobs etc. – de-junking I suppose. We have bought the necessary to paint the walls in the kitchen – once our canine visitor has returned home then we can pull the stops out and start on the walls. I must admit that Ben is leaving a lot of hair and dust around the place – grrr – it will fill my vacuum cleaner!!)

We do have another immobilier coming to visit in the next week or so…. Got to make the place sellable!!

Religion.....

2010-09-19T12:55:00.000-07:00

Does it really matter whether halal meat is served up to the general public in the UK? I have no problem with it. We have reared sheep and pigs and we have had a travelling butcher who has come and despatched the animals. – a swift ‘knock’ on the skull and then their throats slit and bled…. The animals did not suffer any stress and the meat was absolutely delicious. Years ago people reared their own animals and when they were ready/mature enough to eat then they were despatched the same way…. So why the problem now with something that has been happening for centuries? Is it because it is a ‘Muslim’ way of doing things? – it is also, apparently, a Jewish way, and I am sure it is the way it is happening in various parts of the world without any criticism or protest.

I was baptised into the Roman Catholic faith and was brought up in the Roman Catholic faith (God Bless fathers Donnelly, Moran and O’Sullivan). My mother was Irish Catholic and my Dad C of E. I took my Mothers religion (a bit like Jewish children I suppose). I was quite happy being a Roman Catholic and went to Church on Sunday for Mass before breakfast, Religious instruction in the afternoon and confession on Saturday (whether I had anything to confess or not – “bless me Father for I have sinned”). It was the norm for me.

When I reached my teenage years and Pope John XXIII was elected and started to make radical changes in the church I started to have a re-think. (I suppose now I would be likened to a ‘selective’ Catholic) Yes, I do appreciate and acknowledge the teachings of the Church and hope that I am keeping the Christian attitude to my fellow men (as well as suffering from occasional bouts of Catholic guilt). I abhor the attitude of some of the ‘luvvies’ (atheist, homosexual and some of the ex-Catholic Faith) in England who have decided to deride the Pope and our Church. Yes, there have been lots of problems with some priests and, in the past, some of the nuns in their convents, and it is absolutely abhorrent that the events that have been reported/recorded happened. But to get it into perspective you have had the same in ordinary parochial schools, children homes, etc. No, it is not only in the Catholic Church that this has happened. His Holiness has been elected to an elevated position, and I am sure it was not desired by him and now he is there he has to take the brunt of criticism from the rest of the world (non-Catholic). I applaud his stance in his apology and his also letting the United Kingdom know that their stance towards multi-culturism and the dumbing down of Christianity is wrong… I like to wear my crucifix, as many other do, and proclaim my faith without fear of being ridiculed. Catholics had bad enough press five hundred years ago, so why now? Have I made sense??

My husband and I married in a Catholic Church but my husband did not convert and, incidentally, I did not declare that I would obey, it – was - not – obligatory - then!

Our children are all baptised, but in the Church of England, an easy option I think. I did not pressure them into going to Church, R.C., C of E or otherwise. I thought it would better if it was up to them if they wanted to follow any religion.

Therefore: -

Eldest daughter: - ‘Religion? I am a scientist!’

Middle daughter: - ‘Wiccan’,

Youngest daughter: ‘???? Just live life’

But they are all happy and well adjusted. Ergo; Mum is happy as they are happy in themselves.

And I am still having problem posting on my blog…………………..

I am sure it is to do with the Spruce – IT HAS TO GO!!!!! And after it has gone I will get France Telecom to check the phone line and see it it is ok. Maybe it is a problem with their line……. We will see!! And no..... it is not a religious issue!!!!!

Above picture, taken by me, is a heavenly storm brewing one evening in the West.... perfect for this post!!!

School

2010-09-10T02:14:00.000-07:00

I see that Mr Michael Gove, Minister for Education, has decided it was time to re-introduce Technical Schools. RAB Butler introduced the Education Act in 1944 and, I believe was instrumental in creating a three tier system of education. Secondary, Technical and Grammar Schools. I remember reading about and listening to Mr Butler on the BBC home service and then later seeing him on the Television - in black and white I hasten to add.

I was educated first in a small crowded Infant School housed in beautiful Victorian buildings. I then progressed to a Girls Primary School. This again was housed in a grand house with stunning staircases, beautiful tiled floors, highly polished wood, high windows and set in beautiful walled grounds. I remember an absolutely stunning Monkey Puzzle tree that seemed to touch the sky. There was also a sunken garden where the school put on a summer production of Alice in Wonderland... Super memories of a lovely school with lovely teachers and a very scary Headmistress. I did not pass 11+ exam. I couldn't cope with looking at an exam paper - everything I had learnt just went. This school has since been demolished and exclusive 'executive' housing has been built behind the walls... I was horrified when I saw what they had done!!!

Next school was a 'Secondary Modern School for Girls'. Brand spanking new!! I settled in and plodded on along with my classmates. Had brilliant English, Geography, Science, Domestic Science and French teachers but my Maths teacher was a dragon. I scraped through with my 13+ exam and eventually went to a Technical School. I bet you wondered where all this reminiscing was going!

I had to travel by train to school, along with other children going to the same town that boasted Grammar Schools, Technical Schools and also some 'dead posh' Private Schools. We were a mixed bunch on the train with children from 11 years old up to 18 years old, boys and girls, I am sure a few romances were underway. The train would stop midway and pick up another large group of children, by then the train was almost bursting at the seams, standing room only!

I had three years at the Technical School (Girls only!) and there I learnt Pitmans shorthand, how to type, using a very large manual Imperial typewriter, and also all about 'Commerce', I suppose now it would all be classed as Business Studies. I enjoyed my time there and now a great-niece of mine attends the same school and absolutely loves it too. The school has also gained a good reputation for languages, I remember our French teacher with fondness. If I had stayed at the Secondary School I would have probably become a shop assistant or a hairdresser - not really my cup of tea at all.

Yes, academia for some children, they need it and shouldn't be held back. Practical education for other children, again lots of them need it and if Mr Gove has his way then there will be lots of lads learning lifetime skills which have been lacking in the education system for around a generation. And of course, just education for those that who will never be top of the class or have no aptitude for practical things, but go through life in the background keeping things ticking over. Let's hope that Mr Gove's proposals work..

Insurers and Sorting !!!!

2010-08-29T09:31:00.000-07:00

We suffered roof damage to our barns and also lost a wall during the storm of the 27/28th February 2010. We had the repairs completed by our builder and submitted the 'facture' to our insurers. At last it is done and we can sit back and relax a bit. No.....no way!! We received a cheque from our insurers in final settlement of the 'facture'. "WHAT the EFFF!" was my man's response when he opened the letter from our insurer, they had decided to pay just 25% of the total cost of repairs..... Hmm...

They had already refused to pay for severe damage to a 'hangar' some 7 years ago that lost its roof during a very bizarre day of high winds, hail, rain, sunshine etc. repeating itself. Apparently that day, according to the Meteo, the wind in our village did not exceed 50km per hour. In the village no, we are on the edge of the village and on a hill!! At that time we were not savvy about damage/mayors/insurers out here. We found out later, much later, that if we had had a letter from our Mayor to send to our insurers giving details about the bizarre weather we would have been OK. As you can well imagine we were well p'd off with the insurers and took the hangar off the policy.

Since we have gained more knowledge about things out here we decided to take the bull by the horns and went into town to see our lovely lady insurance agent (who does not speak a word of English). We explained the situation. She looked at the cheque, looked at our dossier, looked at my copies of paperwork from the quantity surveyor, who had been looking at lots of damaged/destroyed properties in our neck of the woods for the 5 months prior to seeing ours, looked at the paperwork and the cheque again. OK!! She will contact the quantity surveyor and get copies of his report and then contact the insurers. "Look after the cheque you have received and I will either telephone or send you a letter" she said... We wait with baited breath - as does our builder...

I have over the last couple of weeks been doing a 'daily sort out'.. Sorting the 'stuff' that has been accumulated over the past few years. I didn't realise that there was so much 'stuff' and the awful thing is that it is 'stuff' that I have accumulated. His 'stuff' is in the Barn. When the time comes it will be up to Him to sort out his 'stuff' - I dread to think what I might find! It seems to me that the larger the space to store 'stuff' then the more 'stuff' is acquired. It seems to breed!!!!

I used to have a small cupboard, and a drawer, in the UK where the 'stuff' was stowed, so when it came to relocating to La Belle France it was easy to 'sort out'. Pas de probleme!! His 'stuff' in a 9' x 12' shed in the garden was not properly 'sorted' and for weeks/months/years afterwards He groaned and griped about what was left behind. Pas ma probleme!!

I didn't realise we had so many books; romances, thrillers, sci-fi, fantasy etc. as well as historical, cookery, DIY, reference, language and just easy reading. The books are now sorted into those that I would love to read again, those that He would love to read again, those that we definitely need to keep and those that must to go. They have then been sub-sorted into author/title and then into different bookcases in different parts of the house. It seems to be OK, at the moment.

"I should have been a librarian!" she shouts!!!

I have always liked to keep my hands occupied, it could be knitting, crochet, embroidery, tapestry, drawing, painting etc.. so I have a stack of 'crafty' things lurking about the place. Many of the 'crafts' that I had started were stowed away when daughter and granddaughter arrived (2006). I know from past experience what small girls can get up to when you are not looking and I did not want things unpicked, unraveled etc.

I have now found what I had started. At the moment I am finishing/completing a crochet tablecloth. It is a glorious design that I found out here in a publication in 1990. I only have to do one other motif and it will be finished. When that is done I will try to finish the cross-stitch picture that I started 4 years ago for our eldest daughter and then maybe try to finish the embroidery that my mother gave me to finish and I also have a tapestry cushion cover and a Mabel Lucy Atwell cross-stitch, the list goes on.... I also want to start knitting again - I see such awful garments out here and would rather make my own. I can sew so that will also be on the agenda - maybe next year.. After all, I do have plenty of time now.

At our local Social Centre they have 'Ateliers Adultes' - I will go to the Vendredi - cafe, tricot, broderie, crochet... and improve my French as well as complete some of my projects. I am really looking forward to it!! Will also (if He can stand it) go to the Franglais session on a Weds evening.

It is just us two now. We do not have to worry about family here or clients... We can do what we want, when we want!!

Friends, Curry and Darts, Hindi

2010-08-27T12:51:00.000-07:00

There I was typing away, on the 'big' computer and my text was coming up in Hindi.... What on earth????

I seem to have acquired an extra button in the blog toolbar on the 'big' computer, but not on this one, my laptop. A language icon has appeared to the right of 'remove formatting from selection' button and it only gave Asian languages and as I was typing it picked up Hindi.... Lord knows how this icon appeared but it did. I must admit it first gave me a 'turn' then a laugh..

Now - my blog must be done only on the laptop.... remember...

Last night we had a curry night. Curry and Darts night. A glorious night.

We have some friends that arrived in La Belle France the same year as we did. They bought a delightful holiday home and have been spending the last 9 years updating and improving, twice a year, spring and autumn. We met them in 2001 in Mr Brico. We were newbies out here as well. I heard this ladies voice from down the sanitary aisle asking 'how do you say plumber in French?' and a male voice reply 'I don't know!'. My man and I looked at each other and decided it was time to intervene (although, I must stress, we don't always do that!). I made my way to the lady in distress and said to her 'plombier!' Well, we got on like house on fire, chatting away in the aisle about English DIY in France. Meanwhile her husband and mine had got together. Her man said to mine 'Blimey, I didn't realise my wife's French was that good!' after seeing her and me chatting away. My man's response? 'That's my wife she's talking to.'

And there began a good and lasting friendship starting in Mr Brico.

They came and saw our pile before any works had been started and we saw theirs in the same sort of state.

It is strange how friendships develop. We have a good relationship with them, we are not in each others pockets but are close. We have shared stories about our daughters (they have two) and grandchildren, as well as mutual ups and downs over the past few years. It is an absolute delight to see them - there is a good and healthy continuity in our relationship.

And so for two days I was preparing for a curry night. One guest vegetarian, one coeliac (Gluten Free) and one 'mild curries only please'. It was an absolute doddle. Sag Aloo, Rajma Dahl, Uble Chaval, Korma Murgh, Rasedar Sabzi. (Spinach & Potatoes, Red Kidney Bean with Ginger & Chilli, Plain Basmati Rice, Chicken Korma, and Mixed Vegetable Curry). Followed by my special Fruit salad (laced with alcohol!)

The evening went like a dream, our guests had a lot in common - all of them being involved in the scouting movement, and four of them from the same area in the UK! The darts matches ended up a draw... Everyone Happy!! The meal went down a treat and not a scrap was left.... Result!!

I don't do this sort of entertaining that often but sometimes I feel the need - I am sure that most women know what I mean.....

Next special meal - I will be trying oriental, courtesy of a couple of lovely Chinese/Australian girls I know.... Just watch this space...

Children and Trouspinette

2010-08-23T09:03:00.000-07:00

We have had our middle daughter and her eldest son to stay with us.

Middle daughter is going through a bad patch at the moment and needed a well earned break.

Her son, our 1st grandchild, is in the pre-teen stage. He is a lovely boy, very bright and is into Greek, Roman and Egyptian history/mythology. Good with computers and also very keep on Astronomy. But, whilst here his favourite phrase was "I'm boooored." He was forbidden to go on the computer as the weather was absolutely superb so we arranged many trips out for him, and his mum. My hubby could just about keep up with all that was going on.

There is a 'Forest of Adventure' fairly close to us. You are harnessed and can make your way through the tree tops on fine rope ladders and also slide down ropes etc... The boy loved it, his mum avoided it at all costs and Granddad did half the course... I didn't go to that one. They also did a visit to the local Ostrich Farm where they have also created a maze out of maize!

We also did Puy du Fou - still my favourite - it is a long time since they had been there and they absolutely loved it. At last they boy forgot his boredom. We also managed to fit time for the beach and also a day with some friends... I know that our daughter went home feeling chilled out and relaxed and that our Grandson had a good time with us. He hopes that he can now come out to stay on his own in the future and stay all summer. He is learning French at school but says he is only learning 'words' at the moment. Hmm - I wonder. We now Skype each other all the time... Love it!!

We also celebrated our friends 75th birthday. He is amazing for his age. His family were there, of course, as well as many of his friends. We had a lovely evening in a beautiful setting by the river that runs past their mill.

The new owner of our local restaurant has been to visit for afternoon tea and we had a wonderful 'getting to know each other' chat. She is an absolute treasure and we got on very well. She is a devotee of 'Ginger Nut' biscuits which she loves to dunk! She also partook of some of my 'Coing' Aperitif. She called it Trouspinette. This sent me on a websearch. It seems that originally Trouspinette was a Vendeen aperitif 'fait a la maison'. The recipe, it seems, could include any fruit or nut, so the delicious stuff that we have been making under various names is all Trouspinette.

Spelling

2010-08-15T13:12:00.000-07:00

At school I was not only encouraged to spell correctly but to also apply a proper grammatical construction to my sentences. This I did, reluctantly, but my teachers persisted until I got it right.

When I left school I became a secretary. I needed to pull on the knowledge that I had gained from my English teachers especially when my boss dictated a letter and then asked me to “Pad it out a bit.”. I thank them wholeheartedly.

Not long before having my first child I worked for a publisher, typesetting with a Olympia Golf-Ball typewriter, and also proof-reading, which I do automatically nowadays. It has become a most annoying habit as I find errors in newspapers, magazines and books and feel that whoever proofs should be moved to another department!

Why am I writing about spelling and grammar? Simply because I see so many absolutely appalling mistakes written by my countrymen and women on various forums etc. (or is it ‘ect’ as so often used?) Am I wrong with my spellings?

There are so many examples, I recently saw someone advertising an antique chesterdrawers for sale ‘hmmm’ what can that be?

I have seen the word definitely often spelled with an ‘a’ for the second ‘i’ – could it be to do with regional accents? No, I don’t think so, another word I spotted today was religion spelt with an ‘e’ for the second ‘i’ in a response to an article in a national daily newspaper.

I know that there is ‘text’ speak which is being used a lot nowadays – a modern shorthand that is not a lot different to a system used many years ago.

And so it goes on. I encouraged my own children to pay attention to their written work at school and I hope that they are doing the same for their children.

Oh yes, there is always spell-check on the computer but it is usually ‘American’ English spell-check so I have to add words for the correct ‘English’ English spelling. I wonder if the children in English schools who do their homework on computers submit their work to their teachers with ‘American’ English spellings and whether their teachers correct the work to ‘English’ English. Food for thought methinks.

I remember a company I worked for had an employee with the surname of Murray – spell-check always changed him to Murky!!

Acer and Internet

2010-08-15T13:02:00.000-07:00

We have a Maple in the garden, sorry, not just one but three Maples. I do not know the names of them, just that they are Acer ‘something’. Two are absolutely stunning with dark red leaves. At the moment they are housing the families of Wood Pigeons – I don’t really have a problem with that at all but they do leave some ‘cr*p’ on the car…..

The other Maple has pale green leaves (see picture), not exactly Maple shaped, but we have been told by a superb French tree surgeon out here that it is an 'Acer’.

I think that this particular ‘Acer’ is causing me some problems….

I remember reading some time ago that anyone out here in ‘La Belle France’ has a responsibility to maintain trees that could interfere with either overhead Electrical or Telephone lines. The maintenance being keeping the branches and foliage clear of the cables….

Well, this particular tree has not been ‘maintained’ for around 3 years and as you can imagine the branches are very well developed. I did suggest to my ‘other half’ the beginning of this year that maybe the branches should be cut back… What was the response? “No, it is OK for now!”. (Also, looking at the tree it had been severely cut back prior to our purchase of the property so that tells a tale!!!!)

And so the branches have grown and are well populated with leaves, sparrows etc… I do not mind the leaves or the birds but I do mind the fact that the telephone line runs through the tree and we keep getting problems with the internet…. Lots of problems with the internet!

My theory is that if there is slight movement (via the wind maybe) it will interrupt the signal we are getting (bearing in mind we are the end of the line!) and knock out the internet (briefly) through the modem in spite of the fact that the modem’s lights are all on. Once the signal is 'upset' then we lose internet connection. And I do not want to get France Telecom involved in this!!!!

I am having the devils own job of getting an 'instant' connection at the moment. I have to constantly ‘refresh’ to get a page up – and this is on not only Google Chrome but also Internet Explorer and through Mozilla Firefox… And it is happening on not only the main computer but also the laptop and my iPod.

I am not an unintelligent woman, I do read up on things and keep up to date and don’t like it when ‘he’ sighs and looks at me with the though of “what the ‘f’ does she know, she is a woman after all!” And no, he does not think it is anything to do with the tree……

He has agreed to lop some of the branches from the tree… fingers crossed!!

And I am amazed that I am able to post this................

Mid July 2010

2010-07-25T12:12:00.000-07:00

An eventful week, well for me it was!

Brilliant visitors last weekend, that is what it makes it all worth while. I am glad that I have done what I have, it has broadened my horizons so very much. Would love to continue with this but changes must be made.

Saw a young stag in the lane, absolutely incredible. He had two tines on his antlers so he was still a young beast, and drat, I did not have my camera with me. Also saw a mum partridge with ten youngsters in tow. My man saw two mum partridges last week with twenty babies... It is superb to know that in spite of problems that are happening in the UK that the wildlife is thriving out here - in spite of Chasseurs!!! Our department are making all sorts of laws protecting the flora as well as the fauna here... heavy fines if you do not comply!!

Thursday we made a visit to some friends that we have not seen for a few weeks, had a lovely lunch and caught up with so many things. He celebrates his 75th birthday next month and I look at him and think he does no way look his age. Maybe it is because he is a Buddhist and has a very laid back attitude to life. We are really looking forward to his birthday party!!

Friday we had a Ladies Lunch. One that I had organised, first time for me I must add. One of our local village restaurants has new owners. Previous owners had been there for 30 years and were desperate to sell up and retire! Under their ownership he was the chef and created superb meals, traditional for the area, such as anguilles et ortie (eels with nettles) etc. But after all that time things were getting a bit 'tired', especially the decor.

The new owners have re-decorated and introduced an incredible menu. They have an English chef for lunch menu and he is an absolute darling! We had been in for lunch one day and had a long chat with the Patron and Madame. She is very much the Anglophile and said that yes she would love to have the Ladies for lunch one Friday. She also has plans for an English evening with, maybe, Roast Beef & Yorkshire puddings or Fish and Chips... and an English musician (of which there are many!)

And so the 'Lunch of the Month' was organised. At first it seemed that there would only be around 6 of us, then the numbers increased and by Thursday it was up to eighteen! I was absolutely delighted that so many girls would attend. All arrived but one dropped out, 17 though was not too bad! Madame created a menu to suit not only fish lovers but meat eaters as well, and she threw in an extra cheese course!

All the ladies were very impressed with the ambiance and meal. For me success!! My local restaurant is now on the list of preferred places to eat... The Patron and Madame are delighted that they have been introduced to other diners from further afield.

We were invited to a Barbecue to celebrate the retirement of a French friend. He is a chasseur that has hunted in our locality for many, many years. We have known him and his wife since we moved here in 2001. We have never, ever, done a French version Barbecue before.... hmmm how do they do it? They have been to many of ours....

Comments were made about my bruising! We did say that my Man did not 'clock me' and that it was due to a fall... Whether we were believed or not I don't know - they saw the bruises on my forearm and shoulder as well as my face (they have almost faded). I did say that if he had then he would have had a knife in the chest, hmmm they laughed not sure if I meant it!

(I must admit though that I still get a lot of neurological pain from my cheek - I think it will persist for some time as the cheek bone is bruised as well as the flesh!)

We left with our neighbour and proceeded to another friends for aperitifs.. 1st drink of the night! We sat and chatted, as best we could, they do not make allowances for us being English! We then left in convoy to the Barbecue site. The chasseur has a lake and land a few kilometres from us. It was a stunning area with has a vegetable patch, poultry and geese, fruit trees, a mobile home and ancient BBQ overlooking his lake with fish for catching and eating!!

There were more Aperitifs (fait a la maison) with nibbles, followed by many salads then a course of barbecued meat and beans (from the potager) and then dessert. There were also discussions about the Asian Hornets, various masculine 'things' which were an embarrassment to some ladies, politics, food, holidays etc..... My head was hurting from too much French!!! But it was a brilliant evening. Himself, though, did not cope too well. He began to flag quite early and we left before he passed out!!!! (Not through alcohol - he just was not too good!)

And so, my last week has been good for me at least....

Next week builder arrives to start doing the repairs to the storm damages from February storm, what fun!!

Photo is taken at the top of the lane.... Sunflowers again this year - stunning!

Picasa

2010-07-16T12:47:00.000-07:00

It looks to be a wonderful tool I must say and will happily put some of my photos on-line. There are of course those that will be only available to friends and family.

A brilliant application with all sorts of things to improve or change your pictures. I like the 'soften focus' effect which can highlight the subject of the photo... it is very easy to use!!

See attached ..... it works very well as it cuts out the dodgy bits of the picture!!

Bruises

2010-07-16T07:49:00.001-07:00

I fell out of bed last Sunday night! Oooh er, silly thing to do.

Some ex-work colleagues stopped by on their way further south. We last saw them around 8 years ago in the UK, such a long time, so we had plenty of news to catch up on. They arrived late afternoon and we had planned a barbecue, eating out of doors in the summer is so much nicer than being indoors - not only that but himself does the cooking!

We wined, chatted, wined then dined and chatted more and then, I think wined some more..... Bad move!

I think we were all a bit 'squiffy' by bedtime, I know I was. I had cut right back on alcohol and this 'party' went straight to my head.

I think I must have been wanting to get out of bed and pushed myself up with my left hand. Trouble is the hand was on the edge of the mattress and down I went... I have a beautiful bruise on my forearm, another on my shoulder and a stunning one on the side of my face. What a mess!

My doctor suggested I have an x-ray to check that my cheekbone wasn't fractured. Fortunately it is OK....

Because I was feeling so rough we missed the celebrations for the Fete Nationale in our local town but heard them here, miles away, the fireworks are usually absolutely spectacular.

So 5 days later here I am sporting a multicoloured cheek, shoulder and forearm. Should last for another couple of weeks, and I am definitely going to be more careful in the future with what I am drinking.

I have eventually taken some pics of the boy with his new haircut, but would he pose for me, no, not until today!

10th July 2010

2010-07-15T11:04:00.000-07:00

No modem, again!!

The dog had his first appointment at the Boite a Toutou – his first professional shampoo and haircut. What a difference it has made! He is Top Hat and Bow Tie and now looks absolutely fantastic, but also smaller and totally different. Beatrice has cut his coat short, about 3/4 inch in length. She has trimmed the hair on his ears, beard and muzzle to the same length. His eyebrows are now neat and tidy, so facially, he looks a bit like a trimmed 'terrier'. She has also trimmed his tail so it looks really neat. Such a difference!!

The weather has been far too hot at the moment and he was suffering with the heat, not only that but picking up all sorts of nasty things in his coat. I would spend hours combing him out and then having to do it all again after he had been out of doors. We took a visit to Toutou yesterday (9th) and had a little chat with the owner. She was absolutely lovely and booked the boy in for this morning (8.00 am – early for my man!). She was absolutely delighted with him and he was as good as gold. When he was collected Mme was working on another pooch and our boy was just resting on the floor waiting for his Papa.

Another canine milestone, it is amazing how good he is. He loves people, young and old and is very social with other canine species. We cannot believe how lucky we have been.

The weather is still very warm but on Thursday 8th we had the most horrendous storm arrive in the evening. It started, I suppose, around 6.30 pm. The clouds had started to gather and there were a lot of rumbles going on in the sky. That was the day that I was looking forward to as there would be an opportunity to see the International Space Station overhead later on. I was a bit put out by the pending storm to say the least.

I decided to unplug the modem – just in case! And sat, and read, and waited – the night arrived along with lots of clouds and more thunder and lots of lightning. I kept taking a peek outside and around 10.30 spied a gap in the clouds with stars. Hmmm maybe I would be lucky!

The thunder and lightning continued and I kept a check on the sky. Just after 11.00 pm the ISS passed overhead heading in the direction of WNW to ESE…. Absolutely perfect. The window in the clouds stayed open long enough for me to witness this wonderful thing.

We went to bed not long after and the storm continued throughout the night. I think it eventually blew itself out around 6.30 am…. It was the most ghastly of nights, there was a couple of times I thought that we would be shaken out of our bed. The power was knocked out briefly at 2.00 am when the storm was overhead. The noise was horrendous…

Friday morning woke nice and clear but the air was still very heavy. There was no damage done, well at least not in our neck of the woods.

Plugged the modem in, went online during the day. No problems at all. Then in the evening a little – just a couple of drops – of liquid was spilt on it….. Drat!!!! No modem again…. Don’t know what my internet providers will say about it.. Oh well will see.

Did another trip to Puy du Fou on Thursday. Brilliant as usual. The shows that we have been to see before have been updated to include other things, absolutely fabulous. I still find it an absolutely amazing place to visit.

Ennui

2010-07-05T11:57:00.000-07:00

Ennui: listlessness and dissatisfaction resulting from lack of interest or boredom.

That is my situation at the moment.

Life is not, or does not seem to be, offering what I need. In fact, I don't really know what I need at this time.

I occasionally get these moments in time and am going thought one of these moments right now!

I do not know what the trigger is or was.

Is it to do with 'biorhythms', weather (hot & muggy), hormones (are mine still ticking?) or just being here? Not too much analysing please, it can only confuse. But I do really feel 'out of sorts' as they say.

I found a haematite bracelet that I have had for many years and thought that I would wear it today. I put it on my right wrist - it felt too heavy to wear so I changed it to the left and it is sitting comfortably without any effort. I have some other crystal bracelets that need repair - will do so and then see if they will help my well-being.

It is no use me trying to explain to himself. He hasn't a clue about these things at all. Is he the cause of my 'ennui'?

I will get over this, have done before and will do in the future..

Vegetables versus Weeds

2010-07-01T11:27:00.001-07:00

Rose fairly early this morning, had breakfast and then went and did a bit of weeding and hoeing before it got too warm. Just did a little bit around the Aubergines, French Beans and Sweetcorn (love corn on the cob - just cannot buy it reasonable out here). Will do the same tomorrow and gradually work my way down the garden.

Whilst weeding I found, what I think is, Purslane growing in the garden. Having a read up in my Encyclopaedia of Herbs and Herb Growing, I know it is full of vitamin C and has been used for centuries either cooked or in salads. I just need to confirm that it is the said plant! There is an English lady out here who has a cookery Blog and I thought that maybe she could help with this plant late last year. She hadn't a clue! Oh well.. never mind! My man went to the pharmacy this morning to renew his prescription and I suggested that he took a sample of the plant with him just to check that it is comestible - he forgot! I will have a word with my 'wise' neighbour, who found the most wonderful bolets growing around my spruce last autumn, and see if he knows.... failing that back to the pharmacy. Out here it is not what you know but who! We have lots of Fat Hen growing and there is also a plant that a Greek born friend said that his mum would harvest and cook like spinach. I don't know the name of that one at all. What I am thinking is just let the weeds take over and we eat them instead of growing veg. I will avoid the deadly nightshade though!

I have found a website devoted to all things naturalistic in France (www.planetepassion.eu). I love wild flowers (weeds included), birds and wild animals. I suppose it is to do with the way I was brought up. They (planetepassion) have a posting showing how to grow potatoes successfully above ground. You put your seed potatoes on the ground and cover them with straw... simple. Obviously the last sentence is a potted version but it seems as though it works well. Maybe I can get himself to try it next year. If the hay used will keep the weeds down then all to the good!!

If I see a butterfly or bug that I do not know then I try to find out what it is, when I was a child my Dad answered the questions. When our daughters were young and they asked a questions that I did not know the answer to I researched it so that I had an answer for them. I acquired a library full of reference books in order to help them! (Thank you Readers Digest!). The books are now distributed between our children so that they can pass on the 'knowledge'. A few years ago we had a nocturnal visitor into our house. My husband thought that it was a bat as it was flapping around in a blind panic, but it was a moth with a 5 inch wingspan, absolutely beautiful and amazing. I did an internet search and found a website via Google France and sent them a (poor) photo of the moth. The website was www.leps.it an italian website devoted to butterflies and moths. Absolutely amazing, they identified the moth as a Giant Peacock Moth (female) and wished me well in La Belle France.

So I think I will use planetepassion just to satisfy my curiosity with anything natural in La Belle France along with these other wonderful websites that I have found, and of course, my neighbour!

At the moment it is 'Soldes' in France, nearly everyone I know is off to find a bargain, me NO! I don't think that there is anything that I need. I have the furniture, linen and clothes that we need. What I would like to find though is the elusive woven, and cool, cotton clothes for the summer. Do you think I can find them reasonably priced? No!! There are plenty of knitted (jersey) cotton garments about but very few woven cotton. My body needs to breath! So I will need to find patterns (if they are suitable) and then the fabric to make the said clothes. Grrr I don't mind sewing at all, although it is a long time since I have done so. I think the last actual clothes that I made were for pre-teen daughters and that was a long time ago!! I just cannot imagine my dear man trying to pin hems for me!!

We have our middle daughter and her son, our first grandson - now 12 yrs old, coming to visit at the end of the month. We are really looking forward to seeing them. Our daughter has been going through a rough time over the last couple of years and for her this will be a well earned break. Our grandson has also been through this trying time as well and, we feel, is growing up too quickly due to familial circumstances. Plans are being made for trips to various places and other delights for them and for our grandson to enjoy his childhood a little longer. It will be so very good for us all.

Have updated my profile picture. Again it is of Clematis Jackmanii - again beautiful this year and we have more and more bloom. The picture has not been digitally enhanced in any way, the sky was that colour that morning... Absolutely superb, I love it!

Puy du Fou

2010-06-29T11:21:00.001-07:00

Oh the Hill of Fools... went there this afternoon hoping to catch the 'Gladiator' experience and what happened? they changed the times. c'est pas grave, we went to see the Mousquetaire de Richelieu instead. At least it was under cover and not in the sunshine, what a wonderful experience. Totally different to what we expected but, nevertheless, very accomplished. d'Artagnan and his cohorts along with Cyrano de Bergerac and the Duc de Richelieu strutting their stuff.. Costumes, lighting and special effects were fantastic!

We also watched 'les grandes eau' a brilliant musical/fountain experience. Loved it but my camera did not!!!! It would not take a single picture... Probably too much sunshine. Grrr, will have to see it again and see if I can take a good picture. I am so glad that we took the option of a season ticket this year, just drive up there for a couple of hours of 'chill out' it works and is doing himself so much good, he comes home really relaxed, best therapy in the world at the moment!!

Have been in contact with someone today who I have not seen for absolutely ages. It is quite strange, her husband, I think, used to be an immobillier, whether he is or not I don't know. She needed some equipment that I happened to have but it was not for her but for a friend. These friends have a mill on a river a few kilometres north of us and, about 5 yrs ago, I accommodated in my B&B a couple who were looking to buy out here, that stayed with them for around a fortnight, but they stayed with us for longer. The couple that own the mill had, I believe, a little contretemps with some neighbours (apparently a lawyer?) down river regarding ownership of 'part' said river. I am looking forward to meeting them (mill owners) when the equipment is returned. Curiosity is my thing, I am intrigued!!!!!

Am I so awful observing the ex-patriot community on the sidelines... I hear so many things and am embarrassed at being English and seeing what the English are up to. I hate being in the supermarket during the summer months and hearing those that have their holiday homes out here, or even those staying in an English owned gite, who are 'slagging' off the French... Why the **** are they here if they don't like it?? It really annoys me.

At least I see that more people are selling up and going back. There is a nice modern house just outside the village that is now up for sale. The price that is being asked is just astronomical. I know the house and the original French owners. It was around 85,000 euro 5 yrs ago. A lovely house with land and a lake. It was bought by an English guy at probably less than asking price. He lived there three years and after a few improvements sold it via ebay and shot off to who knows where (the tax-man and gendarmerie would love to know). This house is now on the market, via its English owners, for 3 times as much.... Is it worth it? NO!!

Oh dear, I am on a run aren't I. But then, that is what is happening out here.

I have some lovely English friends out here that love the country and are here for the duration. They embrace the whole French 'thing'. They are learning the language and prefer to go to French gatherings and ignore the ex-pat thing.

Maybe 'the hill of fools' is where a lot of the ex-pat community should be sent!!

birthdays

2010-06-28T11:38:00.001-07:00

We celebrated my Dear Man's birthday on Saturday night with a Barbecue. An annual event that has been happening over the last thirty plus years (BBQ that is). In the UK we used to invite the nearest neighbours (that way they had no reason to complain about the music and revelry that went on into the early hours) as well as family and friends. We were never let down by the weather in the UK and never here!

So last weekend we invited our group of French friends as well as some English friends. There were a couple that we had invited that had never been to one of our 'gatherings' before and they brought the in-laws. The in-laws were worried about spending an evening with a lot of English people. They were in for a pleasant surprise as there were only four English there including us out of the 16 people! Unfortunately there were others both French and English, that could not come due to other commitments, it would have been great if they had.

Three young children, 2, 4, and 8 yrs came with their mama and mamie. They got on famously and Jensen was as good as gold, especially letting the youngest drape his arms over his back and walk with him. We couldn't have wished for a better behaved dog. All in all it was a good evening. The weather was fine, the food was good, the wine flowed but nobody got drunk (except for the birthday boy). A very restrained party indeed compared to ones in the past!!!

The weather has been gorgeous over the past couple of weeks, am spending a lot of time indoors, just taking a little time outside during the day as I do not want to get sunburn. Early morning and evenings are fine, so far all is OK!

Veg are growing, so are the weeds! We have had some new potatoes, delicious!! Peas have pods with peas that need to plump up and the carrots are coming along, beans need some water. There is a water restriction going on at the moment as well so we are being very careful. Helicopters come over and you don't know whether they are checking or not!!!

The grass is looking very dry and that weird line of brown that comes up parallel to the house is showing, I am sure there was a wall there sometime ago - for another building or not who can tell!! Do I call in Tony Robinson? Er, I think not....

There is a glut of cherries this year, so I have taken some and made (experimental) cherry aperitif - if it works we will see. I bottled it today and it seems a little 'raw' but after a few months it should improve. I made a cherry 'liqueur' seven years ago - I found the recipe on the internet and thought I would give it a go. It was made with yellow cherries which were growing in abundance. The tree has since been felled as it just died back!! This particular liqueur was a bit 'sheech' on the teeth when it was new. Now it is so mellow and delicious - but strong! So I have hopes for the stuff I have bottled today. Got to try and keep it for a long, long time.

I have nothing to say about the football!!

The dog needs a haircut, do I try it myself of get a professional??

The photo above is of one of our cherry trees, it's first proper flowering and fruiting. I hung some old cd's in the tree to keep the birds off and it worked, lots of cherries - yummy.

We had a pair of magpies nest in the top of a very high poplar tree (around 65ft). It was amazing to see the nest being blown around by the wind - a good 4 metre from side to side. They produced 3 youngsters!!! Wonderful to watch them try to get height on their first outing... But they did not go for my cherries!!!!

Retirement

2010-06-24T14:07:00.000-07:00

I have just seen on the BBC news a report about the French marching and striking because of the proposals to increase the retirement age from 60 years to 62 years. We also discussed this problem with our plumber last week and he is thrilled to bits that he will reach the magic age of 60 before the new law is implemented.

In this area of France, a lovely, healthy, rural area I hasten to add, the elderly live in excess of 80 years, many well into their 90's (probably down to the daily nip of eau de vie, fait a la maison!). You only have to look at the weekly obits in the local newspaper. So these wonderful elderly people have had 20+ years of the state taking care of them with a very healthy pension but there isn't the money going into the coffers to pay for it and as the elderly population increases because of the wonderful healthcare, preventative medicine being to the fore, more money is needed. We have some wonderful French friends who raise their eyebrows in amazement when we tell them that in England ladies retire at 60 years and men at 65 years. "c'est vrai??, zut!!" "Oh oui, c'est vrai", we tell them. They shake their heads in wonderment!!

I have had some guys stay in the gite this week, one of them has finished early, why? Greve he said... hmm I didn't enquire any more but he will be back he said.... They find it very easy to down tools and strike out here!!

Last weeks budget in the UK was very harsh, but then it needs to be. The previous government had left a huge financial deficit that needs to be rectified. I remember this happening before and having to 'tighten our belts' in the the 70's. It was very hard as we also had three small children and only one income. We had a mortgage and the interest rate rose to 15%, yes it was difficult but we managed. People in the UK who have had it fairly easy over the past few years with a lifestyle beyond their means will have to adjust to a leaner lifestyle. We did not have holidays abroad, gym membership, huge tv's and obviously there were no computers or similar then but luxuries were just not entertained. We even gave up going to the pub on a weekend!! A vist to the cinema was an absolute treat, the theatre was never ever thought about...

We grew to appreciate a better life once the children were older and I was able to return to the workplace, until then the children, and keeping a roof over our head, were the most important part of our lives. Their future was paramount, we had had our past and our future (retirement!) was put on hold. Oh I do sound a bit old fashioned but then that was how we were brought up.

Speaking with our daughters they will cope with the changes, they are all grafters and know how to economise as well. I think that a lot of their friends are of the same 'ilk'. I haven't heard anyone I know complain about the new measures so maybe the journalists are just having a 'field day' reporting the most negative side of the budget.

Summer solstice and all that

2010-06-23T13:41:00.000-07:00

I did not celebrate the summer solstice but no doubt my middle daughter did, she who professes to be a 'wiccan', did no doubt light some candles and perform a ceremony of sorts - me, I don't know what she does, but she does it! And I did not ask her! Amazingly enough, my dear man has over the last 40+ years that I have know him has done the countdown to the 'longest day' in the solar calendar, or the summer solstice, (21st June) but, this year, has not done so... I wonder why? The girls and I always used to try to pip him to the post, starting at the beginning of June and doing a countdown for him, and, as you can imagine, a lot of laughter ensued. This year though, totally different. Hmmm. He seems to have lost the plot.

We now have some reasonably good weather. Veg are growing along with the weeds, or is it weeds along with veg? Potatoes are good this year, loads in every root! Peas and beans are coming along as well as the sweetcorn and aubergines. We have chillis, tomatoes and cucumber in the poly-tunnel which will suit us just fine. We wont be growing tomatoes for bottling this year and I have given up on the soft fruit. I just cannot be bothered any more. I have done it for too many years and just want a break. When I work it out it is not really cost effective any more. It is nice to freeze. bottle and make preserves and chutneys etc. but if you are not using what you preserve then what is the point? There is too much for us to do!

There seems to be a glut of cherries this year and our dear French neighbour has offered to us the fruit from his trees. Wonderful. I have used a kilo of cherries and am in the process of steeping them in sweet white wine and eau de vie. I do so hope that the resulting liquor will be a delight! So far it smells absolutely wonderful! It also looks like I will have another good crop of quince this year - more 'coing' aperitif - last years is yummy! There will also be wild plums and sloes as well - now that is preserving!!

We are not taking Wwoofers this year simply because it works out as un-cost efficient (for us that is). I did enjoy having them here with us over the last couple of years but when push comes to shove we still have to pay for their food and the cleaning up of their rooms, or whatever accommodation, afterwards. There is also the extra laundry and water costs!! So this year, fewer veg, more weeds, less preserving at the end of the season. After all, we are only needing to grow for two not for a family and B&B guests, or pigs or sheep!

I am glad that my man has 'seen the light' and is now slowing down and just doing what is necessary. We do have a man we can call on to do some 'heavy' work for us and we get on with him quite well. There is just too much for my man to do and I am not that physically fit either (damned arthritis!).

Have been watching the World Cup football, not that I really like it but he does. It is good to see that England have eventually got somewhere. I was beginning to doubt their talent. From what I have seen and read they seem to be more interested in money than the game! Of course I might be wrong (but I think not!). France just lost the plot completely - unbelievable - as one of our French friends has said 'disastre!!'

Whoever wins the World Cup will rightfully deserve it I am sure. In another couple of years it will be the Olympics in London - Oh my! Will England be able to cope with it when you see the level of debt that the current government has inherited??

Three of my grandchildren are 'judo-ists' and recently they took part in a local competition. The two newest (aged 10 and 6) at the 'game' won silver (10 yrs) and gold (6 yrs) and the one that had been playing longer won bronze against players some 3 years older and playing at county level (she did say "but I am only 8" when the others were 11yrs old). Maybe these youngsters (of my children) will be representing England in 2016 or 2020. It would be wonderful!!

World Cup Football

2010-06-18T13:20:00.001-07:00

At the moment the Football World Cup in being played in South Africa. Very good for the South Africans, not good for some of the teams.

Being English, I should be an England Team supporter, and living in France I should also support the French Team. Well I have watched/listened to the commentary on both of England's matches and also on the one the French have played.

From what I have seen my young grandchildren and their primary school mates could have played better than these overpaid professional footballers.

I can't see the English team improving at all. They failed dismally in their game against America, an up and coming team by all accounts, and tonight's match against Algeria - well, what can one say? Capello should have taken some of the 'better' players off and given some others a chance to play for England instead of leaving them sitting on the benches. England were useless! France lost their game against a lesser team much to their disappointment, and mine. I hasten to add that I am not a football fan so there will not be too much from me over the next couple of weeks. Give me a good game of rugby any day.

Of course I have the Wimbledon fortnight to look forward to - a chance to sit and listen to the gentle sounds of the ball going from racquet to racquet and the murmuring from the crowd in centre court, very soporific.

Have had another visit to Puy du Fou today, warm and overcast with just a small threat of rain. Just took in one show, brilliant. Will be going again next week, weather permitting, to take in another couple of shows. It is so nice living so close and it is such a beautiful place. From our first visit 9 years ago they have made so many changes. I believe that it has been in operation for around 32 years now and it goes from strength to strength - I believe they have had in excess of 10 million visitors and bearing in mind that they are only open for 6 months of the year it isn't bad at all.

Corking

2010-06-08T11:41:00.000-07:00

Had some wine with dinner tonight. I asked my man to open the bottle for me. I have this wonderful gadget called a 'wine tap' for opening bottles. It does work, for me that is! This particular bottle of wine, a reasonably priced Chardonnay, has a short cork - compound cork that is. I should have handed my man a regular corkscrew but no he used the 'wine tap' - the upshot is that the cork, at the base, broke into little bits, and so my first glass of wine was sprinkled with tiny floating bits of cork. Never mind it went down well.

There has been talk out here of vintners using metal screw caps on their bottles instead of corks, oh what will the sommeliers do? Arrive at the table with the white cloth wrapped around the bottle and then proceed to unscrew a cap - Oh no!! We have to gently take the blade of the corkscrew around the neck of the bottle and lifting the top of the foil before inserting the screw into the cork and gently prising the said cork out of the bottle. We cannot have the uninitiated just screwing a cap off a bottle of Montrachet or Chateauneuf de Pape or whatever - heaven forbid!! Centuries of tradition gone in a matter of seconds, and what are they doing using plastic corks let alone screw caps!!

I have had some lovely wines out here, I don't go for the overpriced ones at all. Our tastes have matured and we have sourced some really nice, drinkable (too drinkable sometimes) wines at acceptable prices. We have yet to go to some of the vineyards, they are not that common in our locality - I need to get himself out for a 'wine' trip and find something decent...

We have become addicted to Channel 4's series of 'Come Dine With Me' - it is the funniest programme we have seen in such a long while. One week there was a guy who created a dinner for the other contestants in that weeks slot. He was a wine buff - and a lawyer to boot!! He was so pretentious about the wines that were offered at the dinners provided by the other contestants yet at his own dinner party he only provided one bottle of wine for the five of them. He did not win!! We just sat and chuckled through the whole experience..

My man has made some Epine this week - his first attempt - whether it will cut the mustard or not I don't know... fingers crossed for him.

I must admit that the quince aperitif I made last year is tasting really good. I still have a few bottles left. I might have to hide them as the longer they are kept the better they are.

I am sounding quite alcoholic..... but am not - decidedly - I have cut down got weight to lose....

Short term memory loss!!

2010-06-04T11:09:00.000-07:00

We had a lovely conversation at dinner this evening and also a good laugh, and do you know what? neither of us can remember what it was about!! Is there hope for us I ask myself. My thought at the time of this lovely conversation was that it would make a good Blog subject... Oh dear! It will come to me in time I am sure but at the moment - well!!

This week has been wet, very cold with wind from the north and now it is very hot and sunny, apparently it is changing again - we will see! So during the dry days we have cleared weeds, which grew overnight, mowed and generally tidied.

And so over the last few days we have seen a Lib/Dem MP lose his Treasury position in the new coalition cabinet because he had not disclosed that he had a £40,000 expenses claim that is related to his accommodation and homosexual relationship with another man. Why on earth he thought that the general populace would be offended by the fact that he has a 'gay' relationship is beyond me - my goodness, when you look back at some of the Lib/Dem histories then his is within the bounds. I cannot understand some of these men at times.... It seems to me that men have the problems, there is very little scandal attached to women in parliament - it is the men that queer the pitch (if you can excuse the expression!).

We have also had the most dreadful news about the Israeli attack on a peace convoy to Gaza. As far as I am concerned the Israelis should be grateful that they were given some land to settle in 1948 and let the Palestinians live in peace. When push comes to shove they are all, invariably Arab. It is tribe against tribe which has been going on for centuries.

BP are having a tough time of it as well. I heard a guy from BP talking on the TV when the leak first started. The platform boasts the BP sign but - the platform, pipes, employees etc... are all owned by other (American?) companies, so why are BP being penalised and slated by the press? I wonder....

There has also been the awful tragedy in Cumbria. A man, who was obviously in a total mental derangement, killed so many people including his brother.... Oh life is so cruel, I pray for them all.

My little corner of the world is calm, peaceful and unaffected by the outside world. I sit and ponder.

I have started painting doors and door frames. These are the ones that have been put off for the past 3 years.... So far it is looking good and I am enjoying the excercise, I hope to finish within the next month! Himself, well he detests decorating, if I mention the 'd' word he breaks out in a sweat and starts to hyperventilate. So I do it and just ask that he takes care of the bits I can't reach. I don't do ladders, I get vertigo - even up a high ladder!

Years ago when the children were in infant and primary school I went fruit picking. There were very tall apple trees. I could only go halfway up the ladder, I could not go to the top (these are ladders that start of wide at the bottom and narrow at the top). My 'boss' he would go to the top of the tree (around 5 metres)and balance on the tiny top step of the ladder. I felt ill!! So, I don't do high stuff on ladders - I will go so far on household steps and no further. I must admit he is good as he appreciates my 'height' problem. I do suffer with tinnitus and have had a couple of bouts of 'Menieres' and been quite ill, so there is definitely an ear/balance problem with me. At the moment it is quite nice that I can lay on my right side and not hear a thing from the left which is the most affected ear. I don't hear the sparrows chirruping in the morning or the crickets at night. I know that I will eventually go totally deaf in that ear and I am quite prepared for it.

The above picture is of dog daisies in the garden, I have also put a picture of the white wisteria I have in the garden, it is the 2nd time it has flowered and was absolutely beautiful, it is a shame that it finished. I have also been taking pics of plants and shrubs as they flower so more to come.

One week on

2010-05-31T09:49:00.001-07:00

What an awful week, weather wise that is. From stunning, hot days and stuffy evenings and nights we have gone back to winter! It has rained and rained, temperature dropped, and the weeds have grown and the grass is almost knee high again. Our farmer neighbour has said that it will be dry and sunny again in a couple of days. Merci! My knees, elbows and ankles have been 'popping' all the while it has been damp. Will be glad when it is dry again, so much better for me.

Tax forms are all filled and sent to Hotel des Finances. Not too difficult for us at all. I know that there are some who have all sorts of income from different sources and need the advice of accountants etc... I think that we are the only people we know that have a straight forward tax return. It was the same in the UK.

Am getting on with more decorating, slowly the house is taking on a new look. Got to make it acceptable to me let alone a prospective buyer!! When we first came here we concentrated on the getting the B&B half of the house up to scratch and left our own accommodation to be done 'as and when'. Well, 'as and when' is here so that is what I am working on now. I don't mind decorating at all, in fact I find it very therapeutic taking a paint roller to a wall or door. My man has given me 'carte blanche' when it comes to decorating (he even signed a document and was happy to do so!) so colours etc. are all up to me. Slowly but surely, between cleaning, doing bathrooms, changing beds, doing the laundry, ironing, baking, cooking lunch/dinner, sorting tax return, balancing bank statement etc. I am finding time to decorate as well as calling the children and grandchildren, getting in touch with other family members in the UK and friends out here in La Belle France. I do find a little time to check out bookings for the B&B and do my bit for ITA France (Admin) and more genealogy..

I have recently received a copy of David Hockney's book 'Secret Knowledge', what a wonderful book it is. I have always liked Hockney's works and he has been on English television recently and I have made a concerted effort to see the programmes. I find him a refreshing and open person and would dearly love to meet him, whether I will or not is another matter (I find him inspiring). His book is about his research into how the masters were able to create such accurate, almost photographic, pictures. It was with lenses. Caravaggio and others created some absolute masterpieces without preparatory drawings! Me, I sketch away and try to create something that will be appreciated, but they just put it on canvas - incredible. David Hockney wondered how and why they managed to do this and his book is his journey into discovering the how and why. I find the ingenuity used absolutely amazing. For me it is a book to re-read and when I visit museums or galleries I will look closer, just to see.

Yesterday we had some good friends come for lunch, we have not seen them for many, many months. What absolute pleasure it was to see them. I have a couple of favourite recipes that I know will go down well for lunch so they came to the fore. Baked eggs with creamy leeks followed by Moroccan lamb (the last of the mutton) and raspberry brulee for dessert. Food was thoroughly enjoyed, much wine was drunk and a lot of conversation and laughs took place. It was a delightful day! We brought our friends up to date with our news and they brought us up to date with theirs... Very interesting it was too!!

I have been invited to join some other groups - the total now is seven............ I have declined on all.. Am I being a bit of a ?

Maybe I should start a group 'Ex-pats- who don't want to belong to Ex-pat groups' group' - Nuff said!!!

Surviving the dream

2010-05-24T08:08:00.000-07:00

What brilliant weather we are having at the moment, it is so very, very warm, this morning 26 degrees celsius in the shade. Too warm for me and it is only May. We are apparently going to have some wet and stormy weather arriving from tomorrow. We will see, although generally Meteo France are pretty accurate.

Hubby is fine, and so is the dog. In fact both are quite calm and happy at the moment, I must be doing something right. The car is now mended. The new tyres are on, the new power steering pump is fixed, all it needs is a bit of valeting! We have been to Puy du Fou and bought our season tickets and we took in one show, will only go during the week, the weekends and Wednesdays will be a bit busy up there I think with youngsters out of school!!

After waiting a couple of weeks to hear from the last estate agent I decided to email him to see whether he would be adding our property to his portfolio. He sent a very nice reply saying that he would not be taking us on. I don't like the fact that he didn't have the courtesy to contact me and let me know that he would not be putting the house on. I feel that it was very rude of him. Don't think I will contact him again.

Obviously I was brought up with better standards than him.. I have found that there are a lot of Britaniques in the area who carry a 'holier than thou' attitude around with them (and a lot of them are professional men). There are a couple of chaps I have met ages ago and both, it appears, were lawyers in the UK. I didn't ask them what they did before coming to La Belle France, they volunteered the information in the course of conversation. When I find people doing that I ignore the 'fact' that they give me as it is of no interest or importance to me. In a social situation I like people for who they are and not what they 'did' or 'do'. There are some really nice people I have met out here, quite a diverse crowd who I am really fond of from all parts of the UK. There are also those that I would not give the time of day to - it would be the same in the UK, you either get on with neighbours or work colleagues or you don't!

I remember being invited, a few years ago, to a young English girls (womans) birthday. I said that I would make her a cake. I did, it was a very nice chocolate and meringue confection that took ages to make and was absolutely delicious. A recent acquaintance at the party said to me "I'm surprised you made her a cake, she is a cook you know." I zipped my lips..Hrrrmph, I had been married x number of years and had been cooking longer than the birthday girl had been around. This person had no idea of my past at all, for all she knew I could have been a cookery teacher/writer etc..... I just smiled and said that it was a pleasure to make Xxxx a cake as I love to make cakes. What is it with the British abroad? I do sometimes wonder....

Mr Saistout moved in next door, he is 'living the dream' with his partner (who we rarely see), growing vegetables, keeping poultry and planting hedges right on the boundary line, not registering his vehicles and they are not working... Early retirees - methinks they will come unstuck in the near future, Mr Sanscolle eventuellement.

There is also Mme Je-sais-tous-les-gens-importants... well - we won't go there. Also Mme Coiffeuse (cash only please) and Mme Estheticienne. These people have all appeared in the last 5 years and feel that they could do me a service.... I don't want it!! It is not what I came here for.

I belong to a couple of associations here, one related to tourism and the other is a ladies group. I don't ask for this but I have recently been invited to join all sorts of 'France' related groups, things like 'Surviving France', 'France - the Dream' etc. etc. I think so far that there have been 5 I've been invited to join in the last couple of weeks. Are these sites set up for and by insecure people? I don't want to get dragged into the 'I'm an anglo ex-pat got to discuss it all with other anglo ex-pats' lifestyle out here, it is not what I came here for.

For us, we are 'surviving' France and we are not 'living the dream'(or the nightmare!) but are living our lives here, enjoying our retirement (when health and car lets us). It is what we came here for. Am I being a bit cynical about the other British living here (in my neighbourhood)?

I have found another immobilier, a French girl, absolutely delightful and she had, again, different ideas to the others. She suggested splitting the entire property up into two lots.... whether it would work or not I don't know. If we do sell the barns as a separate entity God knows what we will do with all the stuff stored in them! Maybe have a 'garage' sale and make a bit extra.. We will see

Hung Parliament

2010-05-07T07:52:00.000-07:00

Whenever I hear the expression 'Hung Parliament' I have a mental picture of Members of Parliament strung up in a row by their necks. Am I the only person that sees them thus?

I wrote the first sentence a few days ago. We now have a new government in the UK, Mr Cameron and Mr Clegg. It will be interesting to follow their effect over the next few weeks or months.

At last it is all done and dusted. We can all get on with our lives and hope that all works out for the good.

Here we have had rain, thunderstorms, lightning, power cuts, high winds and sunshine, typical weather this time of year. Ha! la Belle France, sunshine all the way - I think not. With the warmth and the wet the veg are growing - so are the weeds!! Extra work in the garden for we two pensioners ho hum. At least my Man is well and coping with it. He did have a little set back but he went to our 'Medecin' and she sorted him out with another large prescription of remedies. Nipped in the bud this time I am glad to say.

Not only has my Man had problems but also Jensen. Poor pup, he has a knack of finding all sorts of rubbish to ingest. He has also been plagued with intestinal worms... Not nice at all. We bought a remedy from the pharmacy, wrong move according to the vet. He went for the 'strong' option and also prescribed some antibiotics, gave him three jabs in his shoulder and also a laxative.... Poor boy! The following day (Saturday) he could barely move. The site of the injections was swollen and hot and had obviously affected his muscles in his shoulder. Sunday though, wow - he was back to normal. He would come up to me and give me a nudge, then he would indicate with a nod of his head to go outside. Then find his ball and drop it at my feet. "come on Mum, give it a kick! Please!!" Yes he is fine now, still has a little swelling in his shoulder but it is not stopping his play. At least if my Man is not well he can tell me so I understand but with a dog it is so difficult.

Car is on the mend at last. It turns out that our local garagiste told my Man that if he swapped the tyres on the front wheels that it would stop the 'wobble' that I have been experiencing. My Man thought that he didn't know what he was talking about. So, after a bit of a heated discussion (known as a row!) today, he changed them over.... Now the car drives without a wobble..... Hmmmmm 'nuff said. There is still work to be done on the car - I will be so glad when it is finished - I have plans!!! watch this space.

2010-05-03T11:51:00.001-07:00

We are getting closer and closer to the general election in the UK. Strangely enough I was having a chat with a friend from Mauritius on Saturday evening and she said that the same is happening in her home country. They also follow the 'Westminster' example of government to the letter. I will have a look and see the outcome of their elections as well as the UK's. I wonder what will happen in the UK. So far, from what I have heard and seen, it seems that the Labour party days are outnumbered. I am so sad for the UK, the country I love has changed so much over the last few years... Will it ever be the same, who can tell?

The month of May has started with clouds.... lots of clouds, which are welcome. My man had planted seeds in the potager but did not bother to water them in - I think he was waiting for nature to take over which it has eventually done!! We now have peas showing their first shoots after a few drops of rain - goody, nothing like fresh garden peas. Love them!!

Am going to get underway with further decorating in the house, it really needs to be done. The last time it was decorated must have been 7 years ago and there is a lot of it to do, thank heavens for Magnolia paint!! There is so much to do but I would rather be putting paint on canvas or board rather than walls and ceilings. I have so many ideas flowing through my mind and would like to concentrate on those ideas than the reality of life. Ho hum..... maybe later.

Garden is looking pretty reasonable. Bulbs have finished and now seeds and the perennials are making their mark. Boy does the grass grow quickly, just finished mowing and it has grown another half an inch! Such a time consuming chore but it has to be done otherwise we are waist hight in grass in no time at all. I have had to cut back really hard some shrubs that were affected by the long cold winter but they are now throwing out new shoots and coming on very well. Clematis are fine but one has to go as it is truly dead in spite of all efforts to get it going again! Will have to find a temporary replacement, maybe a canary creeper to take up the space. I have a small pomegranate shrub that I grew from seed in a pot, it looks as though I might have lost that as well. I keep having a look as it shows its leaves later than other plants, I am keeping my fingers crossed.

Immobilier

2010-05-01T08:56:00.000-07:00

Had an estate agent visit last week. He was recommended by someone in the village who sold through him at the end of last year. I had heard of him as having a good reputation and as one who sources houses for buyers, not buyers for houses, so we thought we would try him out.

What a strange visit I must say, well, compared to the last two agents that I had look at our home - but then - we are all different and have our own ways.

He arrived at the time he stated after lunch. We explained our situation and the reasons for selling. He then asked for proof of ownership of the property. I had already found the 'house file' and had it at the ready. He checked the documents, remarking on the number of the 'sellers' children and lack of their signatures on the papers. We explained that they were represented by the original selling agents.... OK! I then told him that we had made other 'purchases' and also some 'sales' regarding the land. Out comes folder no 2, then no 3 and then no 4 and 5. And so he sits and calculates the amount of land. Lots of pluses some minuses and voila - a grand total. This took absolutely ages because after the 1st addition of land and then the 1st little sale of land the numbers changed. By the end of this mathematical exercise he did not really know where he was.

He then took a look at the house and also the partly completed one next door. He again seems to have got confused. We carefully explained the situation with the house next door and he seemed to think that it was to be finished and let as a holiday home. 'So how much income do you generate from the gite?' he said. 'What?' we said. 'It is a house.' 'But as a gite how much?' I just picked a figure out of the air and gave it to him. 'I know of people selling their gite properties with incomes in excess of £50,000 per year. What!! was our 'mental' response. We said hmmmm. and left it at that. He took a few photos and then left saying he would get in touch. He didn't even go and have a look at our barns...

The first agent that came to us was a bubbly French woman. She knew her stuff and enthused all the time. She is confident for us and also said that she can check with the Cadastre plans to check our land measurements.

The second agent was an English representative of a French firm. He was fine and could also see the potential of what is here. He also said he could check with the Cadastre plans as well.

So what was with no 3 then???

Nowt so queer as folk.

Pic above is the river....

Oh dear!

2010-04-30T05:52:00.001-07:00

As you may know I have three daughters....

Today my man has been shocked by a photo of our middle girl.

A few years ago she came home sporting her first tattoo and navel piercing. OK it was a young woman thing. A discreet little tattoo on her buttock (a dolphin). Yes it was acceptable. Then came the tattoo on the shoulder, her 'star' sign, again a discreet unobtrusive decoration. Then she had a pentacle placed on her breast. Then her daughters name and then her youngest sons name on her arms. Then all sorts around her navel. She has also had 'dermal anchors' attached to her skin... By the time I had heard the latest I was feeling a bit on the queasy side - well she is, after all, nearly 40 years old - and surely enough is enough! But noooo!

So today on dear old FB there she is with the newest tattoo. It is in the middle of her back between her shoulder blades and must be 6" diameter. It is a ying/yang symbol with her eldest child's name and his date of birth...... Admittedly she did say she was going to have one done with his name..... but!

Her Dad just shook his head. I don't think that he realised just how far she was going with 'decorating' her body.

What next??

Cake!!

2010-04-29T11:35:00.001-07:00

New hinges are fitted....

And this is the result...

An evenly cooked cake....

That tastes so very good....

I am so pleased - no BURNT bits

Newbies and Friends

2010-04-26T07:13:00.000-07:00

I took the picture on the right on Friday last, I was taking a walk with my Dear Friend and Jensen. The farmer had brought the cows, calves and the bull down the lane on Wednesday. It is always a pleasure to see the new life and their innate curiosity about the world. Papa bull is a huge lumbering creature that looks fondly at his offspring, as well as their mama's! He seems a gentle soul but - when push comes to shove - he is a bull!! There are other calves even younger than the one in the picture they are kept close to the boss's house on the farm. It wont be long before they will be put to pasture nearer us. I do so love to see them all.

The fruit trees have masses of blossom this year and there has, thankfully, been no sign of a frost. It looks as though we may escape that this year and have a plentiful harvest later on. The birds are busy creating their nests and on our walk Friday I saw where the nightingale was keeping himself hidden. He was teasing us with snatches of his repertoire. I have only seen pictures of them in books and to see him for the 1st time was a pleasure. Yes, they are dull little birds but their song makes up for his lack of physical beauty. The Golden Oriole has arrived and he is just beginning to make tentative calls from his niche by the river. Would love to see him though - patience will out.

My DF arrived late on Wednesday, not too late I hasten to add, she was able to find a flight into la Belle France and then train/coach to our neck of the woods. Poor girl was exhausted after 2 days of travelling. We started to catch up on all news on the Thursday, what a pleasure hearing how things were in her quarter, and lovely to be able to chat! (Men just do not do chat!!) Since her arrival the time has flown, we have done so much! and that is without going anywhere. We did try out our local restaurant Friday night. It is under new ownership. The previous owners, that we became great friends with, retired after 30+ years and moved away. The restaurant now is so very different. Newly decorated and a new menu. Benoit would cook traditional fare, 'ortie et anguille' was one of his specials - he did a fantastic confit de canard and his steak dishes were tender and tasty. The house wine they kept in the cellar was delicious and very drinkable.

The new menu is very 'nouvelle cuisine'. My dear man looked through the menu, looked through again then uttered the cry "They don't do steak and chips!". "Oh dear darling, you will have to choose something else." "Hmm" was the response. After we had eventually placed our order the waitress brought us an 'amuse guele' - a tasty salsa with guacamole served in little glasses - delicious!! Both he and I settled on a 'pinceau de crab' served on an oblong plate with dots of balsamic vinegar and a streak of something green, followed by 'souris d'agneau' with tagliatelle then 'fromage' and 'nougat ice cream' for dessert... Our DF had 'duo de salmon' again on a decorated plate, 'filet de cabilleaud' then 'creme brulee au fleur d'oranger' We chose a lovely crisp and fruity Muscadet and superb Saumur Champigny. Neither wines were too heavy for the food. In all a very attractive and delicious menu with super service. Will go there again - but not too soon. It is one I will definitely recommend - they are not open every evening just Friday and Saturday but they do a lunch menu.

DF took the opportunity to avail herself of my kitchen and cooked a lightly spiced chicken dish for us Saturday evening - it was yummy, will try it myself sometime - must get the recipe - Sunday we had our friends A&L round for Lunch. They brought their collie with them. Jensen and Collie are great mates and the pair of them just played, ate, drank loads of water, rested, and started all over again. They were just fine and there was plenty of room for them. The guys were having a drink at the 'bar' with French friends (all men - no ladies - a Sunday ritual) We girls chatted away as I prepared and cooked our last leg of mutton with roast veg, carrots and broccoli. I also made baked eggs with creamed leeks as a starter - so easy and delicious, and a raspberry brulee for dessert. It turns out that our friends had visited the restaurant Friday lunchtime and they thoroughly recommended the menu served - and at 10.50 euro a head very good value. Also in the course of our conversation heard some gossip about our mayor. No doubt we will hear if it is true or not in due course, but as they say - there's no smoke without fire. Lunch was a lazy affair lasting well into the afternoon. It was a super way to relax, just us grown-ups doing our thing. After A&L left us another couple, R&J, who we only see twice a year, turned up. They have a holiday home out here and come in spring and autumn. Again it was tea and coffee for all. We first met in 2001 and hit it off straight away and I think that because we only see them for a short time each year that it is keeping our friendship fresh. We spent a couple of hours catching up on each others news and will be seeing them again next week (for food - he is an ex-chef!). Am so looking forward to it.

It seems that my blog getting a bit foody... I wonder what a psychologist would make of that!!

I now have new hinges on my oven doors. J fitted them today without too much hassle. The first was the worst as is normal for any such exercise. Tomorrow it will be baking without, I hope, lopsided results. (more foody thoughts!)

Hot Air

2010-04-17T07:22:00.000-07:00

We have got the car back, it still needs some work but at least it is now driveable. So some of the waiting is over.

I am pleased that we are unaffected by the volcano in Iceland, it is mother nature at her best, or worst, just showing what she is capable of. I heard an Icelandic guy on the TV saying that the last time this particular volcano blew its top it continued to spew out for around 2 years. What will the airlines do if it continues thus. At the moment it is only seriously affecting countries in northern Europe because of the wind direction I suppose that once those winds change then the air should become safe again. I would not like to be in the shoes of the meteorological guys at the moment - their predictions for future weather changes (are there any?) might be wrong. The skies here though are very quiet.......

On Thursday night there was a first time political debate on the TV. I sat and watched it. I thought that it should be my duty, not that I vote any more, so that I could get an opinion on who should be the best man to 'run' the country.

This is how I saw it:-

Hmmm, it was quite interesting to see how they responded to the 'set' questions. There was no surprise for these three men, nothing out of the ordinary, and they had their stock answers ready. It was so completely staged. None of them were stumped for an answer and all had just 2 minutess or less to answer 'the question' when it was posed. Mr Brown had been primed 'obviously' to make little jibes at Mr Cameron. There was that awful, telling, leery smile on his face - like a child 'gotcha!' when he has got one up on his classmate. I think he was secretly counting 'strikes' for every little jibe. Mr Cameron though put up and ignored it and did his best to answer - to me he looked nervous and tense. Young Mr Clegg, who Mr Brown agreed with a lot, "I agree with Nick" , seemed very assured and confident and gave clear answers but towards the end 'tripped' a little over his words. There were a lot of 'statistics' and 'facts' quoted by all three of them which were not exactly true - whether it was off the cuff or memory problems I don't know. Mr Brown was very inaccurate with his figures. According to the polls Mr Clegg came out on top and Mr Brown at the bottom. It was interesting and I think I will watch the next one as this first one was, I think, a trial run...

Weather is absolutely stunning, cannot fault it. It is a little chilly in the morning and evening but the days are glorious. Have just heard the tree frog, so soon - does it bode a good summer? Gardening is underway and we are taking on a guy to help Jeff with the 'heavy' stuff, just a couple of hours a week. His breathing gets laboured if he does too much so now is just doing 'petit par petit' keeping it all under control.

Noisy skies

2010-04-12T07:45:00.000-07:00

And I am not talking birds singing, they are an absolute pleasure to listen to morning and evening. I am talking about low flying military jets. I believe they are known as MiGS - whatever they are they are noisy, they fly low - just topping the trees and I am sure only a few feet from the top of our house. They swoop into our lives with no warning and disappear without a trace - just leaving their noise echoing around the valley. It is the season of flying practice and this is the 2nd day that they have interrupted our peace and quiet. Yes I know that they need to get their flying hours in and in this area there is the river which is used as a guide.

The farmers beasts have been allocated their fields and these young cows and heifers are disturbed by the noise. Jensen ignores the noise of the aeroplanes but he does not like to see cows around. 'What is that large white thing moving about over there?' is the impression I get from him when he growls and barks at sight of them.

We are without motor car at the moment. Well our own that is, one of its wheels fell off last Friday and we are having to hire a car until ours in mended. Always this time of year, when I think I have got extra in the bank, the wretched car 'breaks' somewhere. So new bearings on the wheel, plus 2 new tyres and it needs a new power steering pump. Me, I am not happy with this motor, never have been. Next one will be French not American - spares will be cheaper for a start.

Garden tidying is well underway, the weather has been so good for gardening and I do like to get my hands in the soil.

Daughters in the UK are fine, so are the grandchildren. Georges is starting at a nursery, it is hard to believe that he is nearly 2 years old.

We are waiting on an insurance claim for damage caused to our barns by the tempest on 28th February.

It is only the 2nd time we have made a claim. The first time was in April 2005, we had strange weather one day - it was bright and sunny then high gusts of wind followed by hailstorms. This pattern happened four or five times during the day. The gusts of wind were very powerful and they took out the centre section of the roof of a large hangar. We called our insurance man who came and took photos then filled in the claim form. They refused to pay out because the 'Meteo' declared that wind speed did not exceed 50k in the village which is their nearest point of reference. We are about 5k outside the village! . The building is not insured now and the roof continues to fall down, bit by bit.

And so we wait. I am also waiting for hinges for my oven doors, a new data cable for my digital camera as well as the car to be fixed....

Hoopoe

2010-04-08T09:28:00.000-07:00

We have a Hoopoe living in the locale. I first saw it around 10 days ago. It flew up from the garden, over the wall and gone! This morning though, just after 8 am there it was outside our kitchen. Absolutely stunning! It was making its way up the edge of the lane poking its long beak into the ground looking for grubs etc. It was difficult to get a good photo of it. A regular camera with a good lens would have done the job but that camera is packed away and probably needs new batteries. A digital camera is fine but you cannot beat a decent SLR (ours are Pentax).

Yesterday my man went to the local Polyclinic to have a scan done on his chest. Off we 'toddled' (in a friends car as ours is so unreliable at the moment, more of that later!) and arrived there are around 2.30 pm. The Polyclinic is HUGE and was completed around 12 months ago (that is, all consultants had moved in!). We found our way to the 'scanner suite', booked in and waited - brought a book with me - and we waited and waited. Eventually, around 3.15 my man was taken in and 'scanned'. We waited and waited and then we were called through - scan results were ready. Off now to see the consultant!! Down the corridor we went (Kandinsky was the favoured artist there - it was Matisse near the scannner) and found the consultants offices. Again, we waited and waited - I didn't bother getting the book out (Dune by Frank Herbert - haven't read it for around 40 yrs!). It must have been 5 pm when we saw the consultant, and his prognosis. "Monsieur, eet ees Emphysema, anozer radio een seeks monz." He also said that my man is doing fine and just needs to keep up with his walking - he should improve but will never be 100% ever again.

And so my husband has to adjust to this situation. We have and have had friends with Emphysema. He now knows that he should have listened to the health professionals when he first had his bout of 'bronchite' and was told to quit the tobacco... At least he is not smoking and he smells so much better. So do his clothes and our home.

At the moment April is being very kind to us. The weather has been superb since Tuesday (guests arrived for the apartment and brought the sunshine with them). I have been busy in the garden outside the house clearing 'dead' bits and cutting back the shrubs that were affected by the cold and windy winter. I have the feeling that those plants needed the incentive to get moving!

As I am typing at 7pm I am listening to a Black Tailed Redstart in the garden, we also have a Chaffinch competing with his song. It won't be long before we hear the Golden Oriole down by the river giving us the benefit of his call. I have seen a cuckoo and heard it today. I love this time of year, everything coming alive. There is a Great White Egret the other side of the river, it has been there all winter. They are normally in the South of France and I might just contact the local Ornithological group and let them know that it is here, I am sure they would be interested. Again I have to thank my Dad for this interest....

Easter come and gone

2010-04-06T14:18:00.000-07:00

Strange weekend I must admit. Saturday came and went, weather again was appalling. Did not do too much in the house, just cleaning and laundry and cooking.... what a boring life. Jeff has been having a few minor health probs... mainly coughing and breathlessness which is worrying. He is doing a little too much I think.

He has started on the step to the bathroom. This 'step' was covered in beige carpet, in fact the bathroom (this is our bathroom) had beige carpet. I hated it - with a vengeance. Before we bought this house it was owned by a French family as a holiday home so the bathroom was used, maybe, only 8 weeks out of 52 (Easter/Summer/Christmas).

So, this carpet didn't get any wear to speak of - until we arrived. The carpet in the bathroom was ripped up and thrown out and a nice vinyl flooring put down instead. But, the step was still covered- for 7 years!! Well 6 weeks ago it was ripped out and there was rough boards and glue left behind.. This needed changing and me, being the person I am, wanted it done asap. Jeff has now started to create a new step for me... he has cut the boards to put down and has come to a stand still. He is not sure how to proceed. I dare not make any suggestions as I am a female and do not know about such things so I stay 'shtum'.

The weather improved for the better and yesterday, Easter Monday, we had some friends come to us for lunch. I cooked shoulder of mutton and it was delicious. We ate well and drank much and the conversation flowed like a gentle stream. We enjoyed ourselves and hoped that our friends did as well.

Today the sun has been our friend and I achieved a lot in the garden. There were some plants that suffered severely during the winter and had to be taken out. I have cleared pots and space for some lively geraniums, I love the 'electric' pink and red, am not too fond of orange colours. I just cannot wait for them to come into full bloom and fill the garden with colour.

The clematis, except for the one, are making strides with their growth. Jackmanii is my favourite with its beautiful large blooms. Each year it is stronger and stronger. I have a Ville de Lyon which has been a bit tardy but looks as though it will be better this year. My purple Wisteria is a mass of bud and will be superb in a few weeks, again that has taken time to settle and learn to live in its own little plot. Can't wait for the flowers and their sweet perfume...

Good Friday

2010-04-02T12:46:00.000-07:00

So here I was, trying to get onto my blog site and I get the following error message:- bX-kghhiz… so I try to find out what it means. Oh yes; As you can imagine there is not a single reference to it on the World Wide Web. That means, no matter how hard I try, I cannot update my blog.

Never mind, I have a plan, a cunning plan… I type up what I want to say on ‘word’ and copy and paste later on…. I have done this many a time. You cannot fool me (Ha ha).

Seriously though, today has been crap, utter crap. The weather is absolutely appalling, it makes me feel physically ill. I just cannot cope with the wind! I woke this morning feeling unwell. I slept well (apart from himself having a lively dream in the early hours!) but once I was up and about I just wanted to hide away from the world until all was better. I found myself in tears for no reason at all… I am so sure that it is to do with the weather – not really SAD syndrome – I can cope with grey days but cannot cope with the violent winds that we are getting… It must be to do with equilibrium. I don’t know if anyone had done research into this but I do know that the wind affects me (and I am not talking about too many beans!!).

Today I was supposed to be going to a lunch with the LIFT ladies, I pulled out as I felt so ‘unright’ I don’t think I could have coped with sitting there listening to the chatter and gossip going on. J said that I should go, “It would give you someone to talk to” he said. I replied, “Oh yes, but what do I talk about, I have nothing to talk about!” “ Hmm” he said. “OK” was my response, “there will be girls there that live a long way away who have there own little groups and have there own ‘gossip’, I don’t know what is going on, am I to sit there like a lemon? I like to have interesting conversation, not to listen about where to get a good haircut or buy cheap clothes, or who is doing what with whoever, see others drink too much wine and end up maudling!” He then shut up!!

So today I continued to put ‘crepi’ on my walls, this time in the little couloir between the kitchen and the B&B lounge. I didn’t realise that I had not finished decorating that small part of the house… It is now half done. Other half tomorrow (it is looking good!).

I will also need to get some paint for the doors and varnish/gloss paint for the door frames. There is a lot more to do than I realised. Mind you, I had budgeted for this (albeit 3 years ago!) and am just getting round to do it.

And so the weather continued wet and extremely windy… The river rose a couple of feet, and I felt more and more unhappy. I don’t think this is a depression, I went through that years ago after having my children. I only suffer like this when the weather is extremely windy… never had this in the UK. All I can say is, roll on summer and let me find a buyer for this house so that I can move to a sheltered place.

No hot cross buns in this house, it does not feel like Easter weekend, I suppose it is because it is not so hyped up as in the UK. I might have friends round for either Sunday or Monday. It is still open..

Poisson d'Avril

2010-04-01T08:02:00.000-07:00

All Fools Day, but no fooling in this house today.

I woke this morning feeling good, sun was shining, saw first Swallow of the year yesterday and first Cuckoo of the year today. Daffs are glorious, got loads of little wild white violets poking their heads through the grass and some fantastic deep purple ones that came out from the UK...

The Japonicas (chaenomeles) that I grew from seeds from my parents aged plant are now putting out their first flower buds - only taken them 5 years but then they were confined to small pots for 3 of them. Hopefully they will excel themselves. My little almond tree is covered in blossom. Last year I allowed it just one nut, this year I will thin them out again. Better for the tree whilst it is young apparently. There are loads of bud on the pear trees and it looks as though their will be plenty of peaches and plums. Not too sure about the apples just yet, some buds are showing. Should get some good quince again (more lovely aperitif this year I hope!)

I have 'done' the archway. I undercoated the plaster, two coats as it dried so very quickly, and then one coat of 'crepi' which is a lightly textured paint. It looks very good indeed, now I just need to do the walls and the window reveals! Ho hum, once I start I must finish...

I also made a cake this morning, a Farmhouse Fruit Cake, very nice and an easy recipe. Trouble is I am having a problem with my oven, and it looked a bit overcooked when it came out. The doors do not shut properly (I have two ovens - one fan and one conventional) so the heat goes a bit haywire. I have ordered new hinges and am just waiting on them. Hopefully future cakes will be good..

Have dug leeks and am going to have them this evening with fish and mashed potatoes. Yummy.

Forthcoming elections

2010-03-30T11:32:00.000-07:00

I have just watched the channel 4 news, and saw Mr A. Blair giving a speech (or part of) in Trimdon, County Durham. I know County Durham, my mother in law was born and bred in County Durham and I have visited there on many an occasion, and on my visits I did not see a foreign face. (But I love Durham Cathedral - I am sure that St Cuthbert is turning in his grave!)

One of the region's most colourful legends involves the Hartlepool monkey. During the Napoleonic wars around 1805, a French boat was shipwrecked on the beach. The only survivor - a monkey - was presumed to be a French spy, questioned, and hung by the fishermen. This makes me wonder, of course....

Mr Blair is, or was? MP for Sedgefield, County Durham, and thinking about it... there are not many coloured people in that neck of the woods or not many Eastern Europeans. Unless of course someone knows more than me! Could they tell a monkey from a (suspect) politician?

In the S.E of the UK there are gangs of children (mainly black or asian or muslim) killing other children (mainly black or asian or muslim) - with knives.

South of The Wash there are Eastern Europeans possessing other people homes, moving in and changing locks and keeping owners out. There are Eastern Europeans taking Swans, Ducks, Carp etc. from Rivers and Lakes....The list is endless.... Is it happening in the North of the UK and Scotland.. I wish I knew, I do not hear!

That is my thoughts on the UK at the moment.

New Modem

2010-03-29T07:11:00.000-07:00

The new modem arrived this morning, I hope that it will last a very long time. I can't be doing with the hassle of sending broken ones and receiving new ones. Time consuming and frustrating.

All is well on the home front. We are starting to get things organised in the house. Himself is becoming a bit more pro-active and realises that if we are going to get interest in this pile then it must look appealing to all comers. There are just the 'little' bits that need doing, nothing major and we need to get some paint for the walls. I am happy with a paint roller, brilliant exercise, good for the back, shoulders and arms (I think and hope!). Got some stuff to put round the arched doorway to the kitchen as well as the kitchen walls, have prepared today and will start tomorrow (peut etre).

Have done odds and ends in the garden, weather permitting. We are getting little annoying showers, turning up when least expected and making us retreat to shelter.

Jensen is being better behaved at the moment, hope it lasts.

Have noticed the seasonal arrival of various birds. There is a Hoopoe lurking about near the barns, we have both seen it with its distinctive colour and flight. The Black tailed Redstarts have arrived this last week - no sign of the swallows or the Golden Oriole yet. They are a little late. We have had a Great White Egret around all winter which is a little unusual as they are normally in the southern parts of France. (I wonder where it sheltered during the cold.) Also spotted down the river, and in one of the ponds in the lane, a Little Grebe, I couldn't believe it at first. I have the most comprehensive book on European birds, a brilliant buy which is well used out here!

My love of all nature stems from my Father. He had a wonderful patient way of explaining things and enjoyed passing on his knowledge. I think that, as a boy, he would escape from his home (and his stepfather) and discover the world for himself. He would show how to grow plants, how to take cuttings and even showed me how to make a graft between host plant and new cutting (on an apple tree). I used to follow him about as a young child just listening to him and watching closely. There is a lot though that I have probably forgotten and I sometimes wish he was still around for more advice. He used to work at a sand and gravel quarry when I was small. It was also a magnet for all wildfowl and eventually became a wildfowl reserve. We would go there on weekends for picnics in the summer and count the different varieties of ducks and geese and try to spot other birds... Halcyon days!!

Exploding Modems

2010-03-29T07:05:00.000-07:00

26/3/2010. And so today I am writing my blog in Microsoft word as my modem blew up! (I have a friend who knows exactly how I feel as hers sometimes do the same as well!) We have had some very high winds over the last 4 or 5 days… the weather has been coming up from the Atlantic with rain and storms. It has been appalling, but the cloud structures have been absolutely amazing!

Well, this morning everything was fine until around 12.15 when there was the most almighty clap of thunder and flash of lightning. Our power went out. Jeff went through to check the fuse board and re-set it. It was after the re-setting that we realised that smoke was coming from the modem (which arrived with us just 2 weeks ago after the last one failed!). I phoned our interned provider and let them know that it had been blown up. The guy at the other end of the line had quite a chuckle when I explained what had happened, and so I am now waiting for a new modem.

When I think that 15 years ago I would not have had such problems… This will be posted once the new modem has arrived and been installed!!

Oh the joys of living in the countryside.

But this week has not been good.

Jensen had the opportunity to catch one of our hens. A lovely Copper Maran. A really lovely hen that was just coming into lay after such a cold spell. This particular hen had a habit of getting out of the chicken run. On more than one occasion Jensen had caught her but then we had caught him and put her back safely. This time we didn’t. So we are down to 11 hens instead of 12.

Then yesterday he caught Peu Peu, our dear little bantam. He had caught her before and we had intervened before any damage was done. Not yesterday though.

Both the Maran and Peu Peu died of shock! We, as you can imagine, are not at all happy with Jensen. Jeff went absolutely ‘ape’. Jensen has been chastised but whether it will make any difference or not, I do not know. It seems to be in his nature to chase, catch and play. Yesterday morning Jeff was walking Jensen and they came across a ‘buck’ hare. Fortunately the dog was on a lead, if he had been loose he would have chased the hare for miles (and the hunting season has ended).

On a better note: Last weekend our granddaughter Charlotte was in a Judo competition. Bless her, she won a Bronze medal and certificate of distinction. She has, apparently, learned some moves out here in France that are not know in the UK. If she plays her cards (and moves) right, she may be in the 2016 or 2020 Olympic Games if she continues the way she is.

And tonight the wind continues to howl down the chimney. I find it very disturbing, it unsettles me. A friend (of a scientific background) told me that ballerinas cannot stand on their points when it is windy, the air pressure is upset – even in buildings. I can well understand that!!

I have been trying to get things organised in the garden. I have three large Phormium and they were severely affected by the prolonged cold weather. These wonderful plants were originally one small version! Boy, have they taken out here! The plants are absolutely enormous. I have cut them back and pulled out all the dead leaves. They really need splitting and re-planting. Whether I get round to doing it or not is another matter. I found a website which explains how to use Phormiums, from making mats to using the seeds (dried) for a drink!! But no, I am not a Maori and do not have the necessary equipment to do the aforesaid..

I just need to get the garden looking good, it is the first thing that any visitor sees and makes an initial impression. The house, interior, is fine, I just need to get the outside sorted. I seem to have lost a lovely clematis. This particular one is related to clematis Montana – it has white blooms (in April) and is evergreen. This last winter it lost all its ‘life’. I think it has suffered over the cold spell. Looks like I might have to replace it. I have some lovely little delicate wild white violets showing their faces in the lawn. I do not want to use ‘weed and feed’ as it will kill them. There are also some crocuses poking their heads through. I do so love to see the beginning of a new year growing and showing their faces…

In the lane there are Celandines and Primroses. The Early Purple Orchids are showing their speckled leaves. There are also so many other delicate little wild flowers coming to life. I had a guest a few years ago that was into botany. She came in April and was absolutely amazed to see the variety of wild flowers in our lane. It re-kindled her interest. I do so hope that it lasted.

I love this time of year – BUT I HATE THE WIND!!!

technology

2010-03-18T15:54:00.000-07:00

I have acquired an ipod touch.... a wonderful gadget on which I can store all my beloved music and also check emails etc.... It would have been wonderful all those years ago when I was learning the art of communication at school whilst during a course on shorthand and typing so that I could become the most efficient secretary ever... I do love this modern technology it suits my demeanour!! Just imagine, learning to touch a screen (minute to boot!) and create words to send to the rest of the world, instead I learnt how to touch type on a 'sit up and beg' Imperial manual typewriter. I developed muscles on my fingers and discovered how far my little fingers could stretch so that I could type a letter!! There was no 'spell check' and carbon copies were 'carbon copies' Tippex was forbidden and, if an error was made, we had to use an eraser (carefully I might add)to make your correction. I learnt to type, in rhythm with the rest of the class, to the 'William Tell Overture' Dum de dum, dum de dum, dum de dum dum dum, etc.... I cannot now listen to this lovely music without my fingers going into overdrive and wanting to type out 'now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of the party' or 'the quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog'

And so I am getting to grips with my ipod touch. My son-in-law set it up for me last month and in doing so he downloaded from this computer some photographs. Amongst these photos are a lot of another son-in-law and his fishing photos. I do not want lots of photos of fish it is not me at all. So I have tried to get these photos off my ipod and I cannot for the life of me find out how to remove them. I have looked through the manual and I cannot find out how... So I have contacted s-i-l no.1 and he is looking into it for me. If he cannot find out how then I will be contacting Apple to see how to do it. Watch this space!!

Today a gentleman from a local electrical supplier came out and fitted a new satellite dish. Ours went awol on the night of the 28th Feb and was found in various pieces in our little hamlet. I have not missed the television, there are plenty of other things to occupy my mind. So we are now connected to the UK again and all the purile programmes that are pumped out. Mind you, he also fixed the faulty cable from the tv antenna so, if necessary, we can always watch some decent french tv.. vive la france!!

Weather has been very good, daffs etc. are out and I have even seen a Brimstone butterfly in this last week. Wonderful, I think that the winter is now over and done with. My husband is so much better. He has been clearing felled (by the tempest) trees.

We have acquired an 'electric' collar for training Jensen. He is still continuing to chase and catch poultry and cats as well as chasing moving vehicles. We need to stop him and this is a last resort. So far he is responding (just one shock) and we hope that we will only have to use it another couple of times (fingers crossed).

Spring or not just yet

2010-03-16T16:18:00.000-07:00

The last few days have been absolutely glorious. Early morning there is a fine mist covering the meadow and river and beyond that the world disappears... The nights are generally cloudless which means that there is inevitably a frost in the morning, so beautiful to see but so cold.

We have been clearing the debris left from the storm (xynthia) of the 28th Feb. I am so glad that I was is in the UK and only witnessed the edge of it. Here the damage was not too bad but on the Atlantic coast it was so very bad. The Ile de Re was cut into three parts by the storm!!! There are hundreds of hectares of farmland in the Vendee that cannot be farmed for at least 5 years because of salt intake due to the flooding.... Oyster and mussel beds have been destroyed. The devastation is unbelievable.. The problems we have suffered here are minimal in comparison.

We are fine, my man has been walking the dog at least once a day and is going further up the lane. He is looking so much better and his demeanour has changed as well. Now this is the man I know and love.... I think we have reached a change for the better.

We are clearing out all the rubbish, not only damage from the storm but also stuff that has been hanging around for some time. After many months in the doldrums my husband is becoming pro-active instead of pro-inactive..... what a difference medication can make!!!! I think also that knowing of what is wrong with himself has made a difference. He knows that he has a specific condition and that his time is not limited but that he has a condition that he has to live with. His mind is relieved!! Does that make sense??

A local estate agent got wind (somehow) that we have put our property on the market. So I got a phone call this morning from their English rep. And so he came to visit... 1st impression I got was that he was a 'negative' person.... ie: "lots of work running a B&B" (only if you want a lot of work!). We shall see how this pans out!!!

I say this is almost spring... not until 20th March according to the calendar!! I have seen a brimstone butterfly and my almond tree blossom is beginning to open (1 nut last year). My daffodils are ready to break their buds and the snowdrops are just finishing (thought that I had lost them). In the lane the celandines and primroses are looking very happy... At least they seem to be unaffected by climate changes and rely solely on the length of the day, or so it seems.

I do so love this place and the changes throughout the year, I will miss it enormously if and when we move.

Home

2010-03-05T13:06:00.000-08:00

I am home, yes I had my break from la Belle France and my ailing husband...

Arrived in the UK early evening, son-in-law and daughter shared the driving (I navigated!) We travelled through sunshine, rain and snow before reaching Calais (no illegals in sight I hasten to add!) in good time and caught an earlier ferry to Dover. Arrived at daughters picking up fish and chips en route (yummy!). Sunday was a 'chilling' day. Both youngest and middle daughters turned up with their offspring, so I had the pleasure of all of my 7 grandchildren under one roof for an afternoon. Got a superb picture of Thomas, Alex and Georges together, brilliant!!! Young Terry was still getting over surgery and looked quite poorly. The girls (my daughters) had a furious row (comme d'habitude) which diffused quickly once middle daughter left. Sometimes I do despair.

On Monday went for optician check - the 1st in years I hasten to add - and a quick look around the local town. Oh so different to here in rural France. Lots of young unemployed guys around during the day - wasn't like that 10 years ago. I find that the traffic is horrendous and so much pollution. I do so love the South East of the UK but is has become so, well, busy .

Tuesday I went to see my dear sweet Mother, she will be 89 years old next week. We had a lovely quiet time together. I am trying to get my family history together but when it comes to Mum it is difficult. You may gather from the previous sentence that she was born in 1921, yes it is true but she was born in Ireland and then brought up in a convent. There are records missing and I am having problems finding more about her family.... Am on the case though.

Dear Mum, she is losing her hearing... My older sister takes her to see the audiologist.
He says "hello Mrs W..., I understand you have a problem with your hearing".
Mum replies, "Pardon?",
Consultant says "you have a problem with your hearing!",
Mum says "Pardon?",
Consultant moves his chair closer and looks Mum squarely in the face and says "Mrs. W... you have a hearing problem?".
Mum says " Oh yes, I do!" and then she gives one of her lovely chuckles.....
I can just picture this.

So now Mum is up for hearing aids that will cut the disturbing noises and give her clarity of hearing. It will make it so much better for me when phoning her - I will not have to shout down the phone "Mum, it's me Patsy, Mum are you there?" etc...).

It was so good to see her again, it is just once a year. She is on her own, rambling around in a big house with a big garden to contend with. As she said to me "I am not moving, no way, this is my home, the only proper home I have known." Mum and Dad moved in when I was 2 weeks old on the 14th February 1947.. I moved out on the 14th February 1970, the day I got married......

Did a lovely carvery lunch on Tuesday with Mum, Big Sis, Little Sis and Sister-in-Law. Oh would so like to do it again soon. It snowed as well!!!!

On the Weds I went to stay with a dear friend (of 30+ yrs) who lost her husband last year. It was a super afternoon and evening. We had so much to talk about. She has moved into a superb little house in a local village not too far from my Brother and Sister-in-Law. Went and had lunch with their daughter on the Thurs and Vicki and Kath joined us. It was an absolute delight. I haven't seen Karen for ages, she is an absolute darling and has her own business making unique cards for all occasions www.crumblecards.co.uk

Thurs and Fri stayed with Vicki and then off to Kaths for Sat Sun and Mon. Dear Georges was poorly and cried a lot. I slept on Ians Fishing bed (chronic back ache!).
Met up with some young mums that I have known for some time. Was lovely to see them after such a long time. By Tuesday I was ready to come back.

I had been phoning Jeff daily - he was not abandoned at all. I needed to check on him, just to hear him. If there was any problem I would have changed flights etc just to get back and see if he was OK.

Took Ryanair flight from Stansted to Poitiers. What a lovely trip, weather was clear, a nice companion in the next seat, and it was not a lumpy flight at all. I think I could do it again no probs. I would like to become a seasoned traveller - I could cope with it..

When Kathy dropped me off at the airport she said, "Mum, would you like me to come in with you?" I chuckled "I am sure I can cope". She left me to my own devices... It was so easy.

So I arrived home to a hale and hearty husband.

Jeff went to see the pneumologist on the 1st March. A friend went with him, just to sit in on the consultation in case he missed anything said. Consultant was pleased that the smoking had been stopped and after examination confirmed that he had COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) which I had already looked up and thought was the problem. So now my dear husband and life long partner (43 years!!!!) must now reconsider his lifestyle. It is an 'affectation longe duree', he will never get better and may get 5% or 10% improvement in his lungs. He has been told to walk at least 3k a day. To the top of our lane and back is 2k and he does that twice a day walking the dog so he is on the right track at last. A friend of Vickis is a physiotherapist and she suggests blowing up balloons to improve his lung function. I have also suggested that he goes to the local pool a couple of times a week so he can swim which will also help... I just want him to survive for as long as possible.

2010-02-19T12:28:00.001-08:00

Tomorrow I go to the UK. With my daughter, son in law and grandchildren....
I Have been put on a 'guilt trip ' by my husband....
So what do I do?
Yes, I know that he has problems with his lungs.... it has been years of smoking non-filtered cigarettes and also working in the paper making industry with cellulose fibres creating problems, again with his lungs. He has been told over the past few years that he needed to stop smoking and to take a healthier lifestyle. Did he listen??? no of course not - what did they know (the professionals that is!).
What pisses me off the most is the fact that it is the day that my family arrive to visit that he becomes 'ill' it is almost as though he has planned it all and that he does not want me to go away and leave him.....
I have brought in friends and neighbours to keep a check on him.
Today we went to see the 'other' doctor in the village (ours is on half term hols) and he has come up with an alternative treatment for his problem.
So, this early evening our local nurse arrives and gives my dear man injections (in the buttocks!) of cortisone and antibiotics. Poor man, he has to have this for another 4 days...
This morning, after daughter and son-in-law go to shop for essentials, he says to me "I don't think you should go"...... well - I hit the roof!!! I have arranged visits to family and friends in the UK as well as my return flight... did I want to change all of that - lose money and disappoint people NO WAY!!!!! ....
The upshot was, I told him was that he was totally selfish and that he should stop thinking of himself and look after himself and think of others for a change.... I also said 'thats it - give me a guilt trip - thank you very much but it is time that your started to think for yourself!!! etc. etc.' and that I did not want to listen to him or talk to him any more...... Oh - how I hate arguments and having to shout at him but today I had to - and what do I get??? a pathetic look...Grrrrrrrrrrrrrr.
So - I go to the UK for a nice break. Yes he will be looked after - not by me though- but by the nurse and neighbours and friends.

I went to Turkey 18 months ago with a friend. He was given 6 months notice that I was going and all plans were discussed. I also spent time in the UK with family... What did I get when home.....grief, yes grief. I asked him about it the other week and what was the response "I felt abandoned".... WHAT? . I came home.. He was not taken out in a car and left at the side of the road. I phoned him every day. I let him know what was going on. ABANDONED? .... No way.... What is the matter with the man??? Does he have a separation issue? is it pre-alzhemiers? or is he just a ****?

Oh, I know I am going on a bit.. it was our 40th wedding anniversary at the weekend. We got married on 14th Feb 1970 - it would have been nice to celebrate this special day but no.... he has no sense of celebration. When I mentioned our 25th anniversary (some 18 months before) he said "what's the point?". Why should I expect anything more for our 40th? I would love to travel, take a cruise or whatever, just to say that we are still together after all this time (we started seeing each other January 1967). We have become inextricably linked through all this time and I cannot imagine life without him. I think he feels the same and he relies on me for everything. The thought of starting a life with someone else is really unthinkable.... I would just like for him to think about us and celebrate the time we have...... Maybe in the future, who can tell.

I will catch up after my sojourn in the UK. Will be so wonderful to see little Georges, oh how I miss that boy, and of course my other grandchildren and my siblings and mum. Hopefully I will feel better after the break....

February

2010-02-02T13:40:00.000-08:00

I have had another birthday, oh my... I should be feeling old but I do not! When I was young (pre-teen) twenty was the age to aspire to. In my teens thirty was old!!. When I arrived at the age of forty I felt that I was at 'my age' ..... I have passed the menopause (Pause of men I ask myself!) and am feeling fine. In myself I am me - in my body I am 63... so what? I was talking to a dear friend of the telephone the other day - she is 10 years older than me - she is still working in London, three days a week, and what did she say "Oh Pat, I don't believe that I am nearly 73!". Age is all in the press - not in the mind!!

So, I am feeling fine and well....but

Today I learned that an acquaintance (I won't say she is a friend but I do know her) has an incurable cancer, I don't know what but it started as a lump on her neck. The prognosis is that she only has 3 - 6 months, no more can be done for her. The cancer was discovered last year. What can one do or say - she is only mid 50's and should have many years ahead. We were together at a mutual friends who had an open day for their mill - and it was her 50th birthday - must have been about 4/5 years ago, last time I saw her must have been around 18 months ago. I feel for her and her husband.

Weather is absolute 'crap' at the moment. We went to friends on Saturday night for a meal (in my honour) we left around 1.30am - the car was frozen solid! Eventually we 'defrosted' the locks of the doors and got the engine going to defrost the interior. It was so very, very cold. We got home around 2.00am and the thermometer showed -7c. One of our friends confirmed on Sunday morning that the temperature, when he got home from an event at 3.00am, was still -7c.

Jensen went to our friends with us, he was introduced to their collie Ben and they got on like house on fire. He is becoming a very social animal and all that he has met, human and canine, get on with him. Hoo rah!

Things are looking up! have got apartment bookings for the year - even for this month. I am so pleased.

dogs, cats, cakes and things

2010-01-27T07:43:00.000-08:00

Monday: Jensen and Bisto went to the vets early morning. No food the night before, poor chaps they were starving by the morning. Yes, they were off to be castrated... we think it is a sensible decision, they are not stud animals, just pets, and we do not believe in letting animals just produce offspring for the sake of it. So they poor guys were left with our very capable vet and we collected them in the evening. The cat was fine, just a little bit wobbly (almost walking sideways!) and absolutely famished. Jensen was a little weak and in pain. We were given painkillers and antibiotics for him but not to start until Tuesday. We had a 10% discount on the cats operation - probably because it was a 'bulk' order.. I said to the vet it is just as well that their little 'bits' didn't grow back - she laughed and appreciated the joke. He wasn't given a protective collar and we didn't think to ask for one - wish we had. He spent all evening licking at the wound - we nearly went and cut up a bucket to put over his head but didn't. Tuesday morning he went back to the vets to collect a collar and to check the wound. Wound was fine and collar was put on.

So now we have a young pup tearing around the house crashing into all and sundry - Jeff and I have little bruises all the way up our legs from this wretched thing on Jensen. Bisto is fine. They both go back next week to have their 'staples' removed. Hopefully they will forget all the trauma.

Have been on a cake making spree just lately, last week a farmhouse fruit cake and my first attempt at brownies (an unmitigated disaster!). The fruitcake is a recipe I have been doing for many years and it works very well and is very light and tasty - I do like a rich fruit cake but it is difficult to find the right ingredients out here.
Today I have tried an easy french recipe for carrot cake, it is in the oven as I type and it is smelling and looking good. Taking a little longer to cook than the recipe says. I hope it works out OK - if it does then I will try it again and then post the recipe.

Will post some recipes on this blog as some are so easy and tasty. Many I have found out here and I seem to have more time to cook - trouble is I am becoming rounder..... c'est pas grave.

no heading

2010-01-21T12:08:00.000-08:00

Terry is fine, operation a success, he will be back with his mum and siblings tomorrow. I am so pleased that it has worked out well. There was a small problem that has been resolved. Thank you National Health Service in the UK, thank you for helping my grandson in his time of need.

Have also heard today, via Kathy, that Charlotte does not go to French lessons in her school as she knows more than the teacher! Now there's a first!!! Kathy will need to speak to a teacher in a higher school regarding Charlotte keeping up with her adopted language.

Spoke to little Georges on the webcam. Oh bless, he remembered us, called me Maman and his granddad ga-ga...(what he used to call him here!). So lovely to see him, he is growing so quickly. Will be back in the UK end of Feb to see them all. Can't wait.

Grandchildren

2010-01-18T10:20:00.000-08:00

Today, my grandson Terry is in hospital having surgery. He is having his 'hips' broken and reset. One of his hips is totally dislocated the other is partially dislocated. Terry is five and a half years old. He has cerebral palsy, he also has micro-cephaly and epilepsy. Poor little chap has many problems and his mother is doing a fantastic job of caring for him. She also has a son, Tom, who was twelve years old on Saturday, a brilliant young lad who has a time-consuming interest in both mythology and astrology, and also a daughter, Tasha, who is 7 years. The father of both Terry and Tasha is not in the family equation, there is a divorce in progress - irreconcilable differences as well as mental cruelty (him).
I know that my daughter is going through all sorts of emotions at the moment. I have suggested that she starts a blog, progressing her life with Terry. She has been through a lot since he was born, but then she is the one to chronicle his life and hers. I am not in the same country and only know as much as I am told.
In spite of my children being grown-ups and living hundreds of miles away from them I still worry myself about them and their lives.... Once a mother, always a mother.....

Ruby or Emerald

2010-01-13T11:54:00.000-08:00

I wept when I saw the news this morning, such devastation and loss of life in Haiti - it is unbelievable that this world could wreak such havoc in such a small country. There have been another couple of earthquakes in America - California and Carolina? Is the earth having a tremendous upsurge? There are also 'earth/weather' problems in the far east as well - not widely reported. The Earth is growing. expanding, changing. We have all this news about climate change and global warming and then the scientists are proclaiming that we are embarking on a mini ice-age.... Just don't put scientists and computer predictions together - they create alarming scenarios for Joe Public to become paranoid about..

We have had reports of pandemics from SARS virus to Swine Flu - all down to the Pharmacutical companies that are producing the 'cures' for these illnesses. Again it is 'scientists' (read pharm companies!) and computer programmes which are as good as the programmer that wrote it!

I know I am sitting cosy in my little part of France, with my local radio, log fire, English TV (boring), but I am still part of this wonderful world and am dismayed at the news that I read. Is it all bad news or is there some wonderful, bring a smile to your face and happiness to your heart news out there?

I read of people in their middle age that have spent £100,000.00 over the last 25 years on IVF treatment to have their own children and who have eventually had egg and sperm donors to create their children...... Why on earth didn't they adopt when they were younger. They are now 46 (her) and 56 years old.... In 10 years time, if they are still with us, they will be old and their children still pre-teen, plus the children were born tiny and probably have 'prem baby' problems.....

I read of a 106 year old woman who has been moved from the care home that she was happily living in to another place.... why? because the home is being closed through budget cuts.

I read of young disenfranchised muslims living on benefits and knocking the UK - the country that they were born in....

Oh am I sounding too depressive? Probably I am. I think I will stop reading the news....

On a lighter note though. This year we celebrate our 40th wedding anniversary. In the UK it is Ruby - in France it is Emerald - Ruby or Emerald or Both!!!!!

Possible changes???

2010-01-05T09:36:00.000-08:00

So far 2010 has been interesting. The weather has been absolutely freezing - so very, very cold. I do feel for the infirm and elderly, especially in the UK... Just hope that this cold spell ends soon. Come to La Belle France for the sunshine - oh yes, we have the sunshine but a bitter North wind. Brrrrrr. come on summer!

Had a quiet weekend, just getting on with life, cooking, cleaning, walking dog, collecting firewood for the woodburner (an absolute godsend!.

Had a visit from an Estate Agent yesterday. She is very impressed with the complete property. She has now put us on her books at a very competitive price - one that we are pleased with. She is off to the UK to a property show tomorrow, I just hope that she is not stopped by this weather.

So, we must now pull our fingers out and complete the decorating etc. that needs doing. And, of course, look further afield for another dream home..... Yes, possible changes!