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Category Archives: Friends

Another gate opens, another ship sales from dock, and the crew is getting bigger all the time

14 Thursday Jun 2018

Posted by in Change is a coming, Friends, People, Reflections, The background story, The continuing adventure

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When I first started this blog, I chose the tag-line carefully….

I said in my intro to this blog that I was writing it for all the people who were wondering ‘What if?’ Or, like us, were thinking that there must be more to life than this – and not necessarily material things. who were thinking about making change, about people who were thinking about stepping off the path that we are all led to believe we should follow, and going off into the woods to see what life may hold.

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I have written about serendipity, one of my most favourite words, and something I believe in: A series of events that we were not looking for that add up to make something wonderful.

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I have written about our mini-bus of life, and asked who is on your mini-bus, how many people do you allow on your bus, give them a seat only for them to try and  influence you  to do what they think you should do, often because they want to feel safe in numbers, and need to know what they are doing is right?

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How often? When, in fact, you should not let them influence you at all. How many people have told you that your mad? That you need to keep doing what you are doing even if it is clearly killing you?

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I have had people contact me from all over the world to tell me that I have made them think. Not least when I share my experiences with regard to mental health (I am not going to call them issues, they are not issues they are just another part of the body that sometimes find’s it hard to work with all the shit we are bombarded with!!) Some of those people have made me cry, to know that my words have resonated with them. Some have made me smile when they start to make change.

I have made people laugh and I have made people cry, but most importantly for me I have inspired people. Not least our friend Karen:

I share her blog often, Dylan’s Welshie World. It is a blog about her puppy and her antics, but it is not just a blog about that, it is a blog about how that puppy has changed Karen’s life, how Karen has stepped off that cliff (or fell off! As she said the other day!) at a time when she needed the love that, sometimes, only a dog can bring.

You should read her story it is a young blog , but it will make you laugh out loud and make some others who have been on the hamster wheel for so long ask themselves if they need to make that change too. Karen has been brave, she had to overcome the worry of opening up to the world – but the response she had has been life affirming.

So I have inspired Karen, she has set up her blog after years as a high-flying editor she went back to writing, doubted herself because it had been so long,  until I convinced her and now her blog has become a hit and she is receiving high praise for her writing. – See, she just had to believe and have someone believe in her, of course she could write!! The things we come to believe!! Because we listen to that spin doctor in our head!

A series of events led Karen and I to being back in touch and closer than ever; sadly Karen’s dear mum died, her last remaining brother died a short time after, and, as death does, it started Karen on a path to looking at her life and the career that had defined her. Then a person who she had known for many years and got back in touch with showed that they were not the person that she thought they were all along, and left her at a time when her life was in upheaval. Just as that happened we got back in touch, I had sold a story to one of the Magazines that Karen edited, and, although we had seen each other over the years, I came back into her life at a time when she needed someone who would listen, had been through something similar, and would tell her the truth. In addition my husband makes her laugh all the time, and she needed that.

So Karen came over to see us, fell in love with our dogs (who couldn’t)….

 

Karen returned home with the firm intention of finding a Welsh Terrier puppy. They are hard to get, and there is normally an eighteen month waiting list, but serendipity clearly had a plan for Karen, and she rang a breeder who had just had a little girl puppy rejected because she had a kink in her tail. The breeder  liked Karen, liked the way she talked about the breed and just knew that, although others were waiting, Karen would love this Welshie with all her heart, and she does.

In the September Dyls came home to live with Karen, and the rest, as they say is history…

As Karen came over more and more and fell in love with the serenity of France, it made her think about her life again. No least watching Dylan run free around our garden like a mad thing helped her decide to come to France and spend the summer here and see where life takes her – she is starting to understand that she is not doing the driving!!

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So  today Karen packed up the car with the final bits and bobs, and she is now in France, with Dylan, and on her way to our house. On Saturday she collects the keys for her rental and she will be over here for at least two months, maybe more, who knows what we will find in our house hunt.

We have a new member of our family, two in fact, and she helps me in the same way as I help her. We are both straight talkers, and so alike, whoever is driving this bus knows what they are doing!! Not only that Karen loves my husband and his mix of madness, and vulnerability at times.

But it does not end there…. In August Jen, another old friend who we have all got close to again over the past year, is coming over for another adventure, travelling on her own, something she has not done for some time! Who knows where life will lead her; and then there is my other dear friend Mary, who has been inspired to sell her home in Herne Bay and go to pastures new in the countryside of England and take that chance. She says I have inspired her, and for that I am truly honored.

So over these last three years, I have read the Tao, learnt to let my ego go, to still be kind (even to arseholes! Oops!).

I have learnt to unlearn all that I had learnt – that material things are not important, and often make you unhappier, to not plan way in advance – you only have this moment that is all you are guaranteed; I have learnt to laugh in the face of adversity, to know that you can survive even when that spin doctor tells you that you can’t. Of course you can you wake up tomorrow and you are still alive! I know the people that count are sitting on my mini-bus and that all the others, whilst of course allowed to have an opinion, are not the ones whose opinions count where I am concerned.

I am thankful every day.

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I have read others stories as part of my book research, and my heart has broken all over again for those people, and I have learnt to just be me, and happy in my own skin.

But most importantly I have learnt that I can touch people with my words, from all over the world. Whilst it is an honor to be in the top twenty expat blogs in France, it is the people who I inspire who make me want to do more and more. For that I thank you all…..

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Moisy

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The cats made me do it!

05 Tuesday Jun 2018

Posted by in Friends, My family and other furry creatures, The continuing adventure

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The cats made me do it!

The cats made me do it!
— Read on dylanswelshieworld.com/2018/06/05/the-cats-made-me-do-it/

Another funny, and poignant post about our new member to our Welshie gang. I know a lot of you love Dyls adventure……

The day of mixed culture, and what a mix it was! Part one: Les Anglaise, madness, British eccentricity, Karaoke and, of course, wonderful friends…..

21 Monday May 2018

Posted by in Friends, The continuing adventure, The good life

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So at the start of our adventure on Saturday off we went, chicken parmejano, garlic bread, and two naughty Welshies in hand to our friends house.

The sun was shining, the sky was blue and you could not have had a better day for a garden party to celebrate a royal wedding. The table of food was huge, and typically English, with sausage rolls, Cornish pasties, Sandwiches, scones, Indian Samosas and my Italian dish, like I said, a mix of different cultures, and typically English!

The tables had been set up in the garden, the gazebo was fluttering in the wind (despite being chewed by the hosts puppy!) and the karaoke machine was ready to go.

Add to the mix nine dogs, two of which were our naughty Welshies, and chaos ensued, with Wiglet not only managing to slip her harness but break her lead as well!

The atmosphere was brilliant and we realised how life has led us on this path, sending us hard messages about some people we encounter to make us realise who the good ones were; and they are the good ones, and we are blessed.

So for all my readers from across the world, and I know there are many, and for which I am truly grateful, here is how us Brits have a garden party……,

It was a shame we had to leave early, but as you know from our previous post we were off to a different party, with les Francaise this time, and I am still recovering now! Look out for the next post……

Moisy

Five go mad in France

16 Monday Apr 2018

Posted by in Friends, People, The continuing adventure

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As I sit here this morning in the Spring Sunshine looking out at this view and listening to the birds welcoming spring with their song, I feel both at home and also sad; because the rooms in our house are echoing with the memories of the last week that we have had with three good friends, who I have just waved goodbye to as they start their journey home, leaving the rooms forlorn and empty.

I always feel like this when people leave. Yes, part of our adventure is that we do not see people we used to know often, but, for some, that would have been the case in England; I think what makes it so different out here is that when they leave the distance between us is palpable.

So last week Karen and the Dyls monster arrived

With two other good friends, Jenny, who we had not seen for four years, but who has always been so supportive of our choice to go on this adventure;

and Russell who I had lost touch with for twenty years!!

But, as life does, my mini bus trundled round and Russ got back on board in recent years (take a look at my post ‘The mini bus of life’)

As is always the case with three Welsh Terriers in the garden, with four cats (Tilly has sadly not returned) and six chickens, mayhem ensued. Welsh Terriers are known for their naughtiness and stubbornness so the cats set up a cat flat in our bedroom, and just starting to decamp now. One of the themes of the week was ‘Where’s Dylan?’ Or hearing people say ‘You Cow!’ You just knew that they were talking about the dog!

On arrival the olives, cheese (soft cheese with fig in it, Sheeps cheese, blue cheese, goats cheese, you name it) and of course the wine came out. Much was consumed and we forgot about the spaghetti Bolognese I was going to make and ended up with sausage sandwiches instead!

After a day to recover from the journey they were off on their adventures, sometimes with me in tow. At the beginning of the week we visited the pretty little village of Fontaine Daniel, four of us (sadly Rich was unavailable) and the three Welshies, bundled into a Peugeot; and despite the April rain we were determined….

But eventually the rain turned into a downpour and we decamped to,our local town of Mayenne for some coffee and patisserie

Over the week they went off on their own, with the sat nav and hand drawn maps, depicting how to find the local shops, and visited the pretty town of Lassay-les-Châteaux,

Later in the week, with me in tow we visited the beautiful pilgrimage village of Pontmain with it’s stunning church and stained glass windows. It is said that the Virgin Mary appeared in the village, and stopped the advance of the Prussian forces in 1871.

Then with Rich in tow we took them to the beautiful, and one of my favorite, medieval villages in France, Sainte Suzanne. A fortress village, that is perched high on a hill it is quite stunning, and after a lunch of tornados de boeuf, (a cut of steak) and the obligatory dauphinois potatoes we walked it off with a walk around the village and it’s reinstated medieval gardens.

We have taken them to our hometown of Ambrières-les-Vallées, and after having a drink or two in the bar, returned home to have dancing in the kitchen, copious amounts of food and wine, and huge amounts of laughing.

We have Sat in the garden, as the weather started to get warmer,and watched the Welshies doing zoomies around it, and the time has gone way too fast.

So now I sit here with two exhausted Welshies, who are also sad because the puppy has left, the washing machine is on, the chicken’s are waiting for brunch, and the cats are slowly leaving their flat! This is the normality of life for me; and I am, once again, reminded of how fleeting life is and how blessed I am. Enjoy every moment.

Have a safe journey my friends, the chapter five go mad in France is over……..

Moisy…

Memories, the best gift of all……

01 Monday Jan 2018

Posted by in Friends, My home, People, The continuing adventure

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So they came (for those new to my blog you may want to read my last post) Karen, our dear friend, and now a member of our family, and Tom our darling son who we have not seen for three years.

Tom was his typical narcolepsy boy (as we used to call him as he always fell on asleep when in transit on anything that moved including the back of his Dad’s motorbike once!!) So he said to Karen “put the heating on full and it will make the puppy go to sleep, guess what?

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So Karen entertained herself by shouting “Tom! Tolls” every time they came up to a toll and he had to pay, she had a great time what with that and talking to herself!

I was so excited to see them and when we met them on the bridge in Ambrieres, with the youngest member of the family Dylan the Welshie pup…

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we cried. We cried to see each other again, we cried for time lost. Then we went to the pub!!! (We are English after all!!)

As always the French people of out town welcomed us, welcomed Tom wished him bonne anniversaire for his birthday the next day, and made a fuss of the three welshies in their midst – not least the cutie above.

Then we were off home, where frivolity, drinking and eating took place (after unloading Karen’s Citroen with all the goodies they had brought over from England.)

On Christmas Eve it was Tom’s birthday, so we took him off to a little town near us to look at the Christmas lights. Now France is a Catholic country so little is open on a Sunday but we thought that given some of the bars in our town were open the bar in Ceuce would also be open. But no!! The Boulangerie was open (as always in France bread has to be available it is the law!) but no bars. So we decided to look at the lights that the won had made an effort to put up.

Now I love living here, but sometimes things can be weird like the mannequins that were put in in the town (unsure what they had to do with Christmas!) and also all the farm machinery and implements that were displayed with lights around them, mmmmmmmm…… Not sure about those either. Tom thought they were hilarious and weird, and we all thought that they were a little creepy especially the mechanical ones that stopped what they were doing and turned and looked at you. They looked as if some in-breeding had taken place as all the mannequins looked the same apart from the men had beards and the women had breasts!!!

 

I walked around the displays with the words “worst birthday ever…. where did your mum take you for your birthday Tom? To a weird town with mannequins that stared at you and you couldn’t get a drink!!” ringing in my ears. It became one of the catchphrase of the season “worst birthday ever!” And we think we might make it a tradition if he comes next year!

On Christmas day we were invited to our French friend’s and neighbours house for an aperitif at eleven. As always we were made so welcome, and it made me realise how much French I can speak now as I was the translator for all. I think it made Tom feel reassured about our life out here, he could see that they loved us, especially when they hugged me when I became tearful when I tried to thank them for all their help and support. They really are wonderful lovely people and we are blessed.

After consuming three bottles of champagne and cheese aperitif’s we made our way back home to have the biggest dinner in the world (not until 7pm) and open our presents.

It was a different Christmas to any before, Rich and I did not buy each other gifts, we could not afford it and also realised that it did not matter. We have each other, and after all our hard work over the years we cherish what we have.

So we had small gifts for Karen and Tom and they had small gifts for us. Loved ones from England had sent us thoughtful presents, treats for the cats (so I won’t have to buy them) Baileys, Shortbreads, warm socks, and not least a beautiful opulent hamper from Fortnum and Mason’s. It was the kindness and thought that had gone into those presents that meant so much.

But the best gift I received was when my son (who did not want us to move here, and loved our old house by the sea, as I did) stood in our living room and said “It’s good to be home.”

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The time flew too fast with much eating, drinking, giving Tom dirty looks for taking photos of us eating……

 

To sleeping….

 

That puppy was pooped a lot of the time

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The little dogs had such fun, forming a pack very quickly with Harley being alpha, Wiglet being mummy and the baby being told!!

 

The last day came round too fast, we went to Mayenne,our nearest large town, and Tom finally got that birthday drink in a bar (well he had a coffee, we had a drink!) On the last evening we all posed for memories (although they will always be with us)

 

and Tom told me how he loved the house, how it felt warm and cosy despite the mold on the walls and there only being an open fire. I knew why, because our house is full of love, and nothing can buy that.

When the day came for them to leave, Tom off to another adventure in Italy visiting his girlfriend for New Year, Karen and Dilly Dils back to England; I busied myself making them sandwiches for the journey, and we all cried as Karen and the pup left. Then came the time to say farewell to Tom and he hugged me hard and told me how much he missed me, but he knows now that home is still waiting for him, always. It is just in another place.

I sobbed as they went, Rich taking him to Laval for the train and the house seemed empty, as the ghost of Christmas present finally gave his last. I cried my way through the washing up and wiping down, and the dogs sulked on the chairs.

I hope you had a wonderful Christmas also, this one made us realise that Christmas should never be about the presents but about the presence of loved ones, and the memories that are left are all the gifts you need.

Happy New Year, lets hope it holds all you desire, even if you don’t know it yet.

Moisy

 

Visit my Etsy shop petiteFrenchfancies you may find something special

 

A special Christmas….

23 Saturday Dec 2017

Posted by in Friends, People, Reflections, The continuing adventure

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This year is going to be a very very special Christmas for me; our dear friend Karen is coming to stay with her Welshie puppy (three Welsh Terriers, five cats and seven chickens, mayhem will commence!!) But more than that she is bringing my son Tom with her.

Twenty eight years ago I was in labour ( I know terrible timing!) and Tom eventually came into the world the early hours of Christmas Eve. A bouncing 9lb 3oz baby boy.

After that I spent every Christmas with him, despite my later divorce, Tom always spent Christmas with me (or at least part of it when girlfriends came on the scene.) But since moving here I have not seen Tom, in fact it was three years ago when we celebrated our last Christmas in England that I last saw him.

So today, as I know they have boarded the train, I find my eyes filling with tears because I am going to see my son, and I cannot wait. I don’t need any other present, he should just get out of the car with a big bow around him.

For those who have followed my blog for some time you will know that whilst I love Christmas I also believe that it is also a time of excess and at times crassness. It is as if people are drugged by the hype and hysteria fed to them and have lost site of what Christmas is meant to be about: a time for reflection, kindness and consideration.

I have come to realise, since living a frugal adventure and reading the Tao, that money and things do not buy you happiness, love and the actions of others do. So my Christmas is going to be all about being with people we love, Rich and I have not bought each other presents – we had our hair cut instead – and we will tie bows around our heads on Christmas morning and then untie them and shout surprise!!

We do have handmade gifts, and some of my Etsy shop cherished finds to give as gifts but more than anything the gifts to each other will be good food, for me cooking for others, chicken Kiev tonight, tandoori chicken tomorrow (as requested by Tom), playing on the Wii, watching the television, playing board games, going for walks with all the puppies in the beautiful countryside that surrounds us, drinking and dancing, talking to each other; and looking at Harley and all the others and counting our blessings.

Happy Christmas everyone; please say a prayer for those who are alone at Christmas, and those whose lives are difficult at this time (sadly illness and death still happen at Christmas time) and understand that, sometimes, not everyone is happy at this time.

Have a mellow, reflective Christmas one and all – look around and count your blessings, trust me they will not be material things.

Moisy xx

A wonderful time was had by all.

25 Friday Aug 2017

Posted by in Friends, People, The continuing adventure

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I am sorry I have not posted, but, in some ways, we have been en vacances, or felt like we have.

As you all know I have my mini bus of life that only holds fourteen people, but normally has four seats spare. (See my post the Mini Bus of life.) Well recently a really good friend, Karen,  from my misspent youth got back on my mini bus. We used to holiday together all the time and for quite a few years we spent most of our time together, frightening the boys in our home town (because we both have very strong personalities and they could not handle us!! No change there then!!!)

But as life does we both got off each other’s mini buses because life took us in different directions. I moved to the Midlands and married my first husband, had a child, followed careers in managerial roles. She flew! She followed the career path that she had chosen in journalism to eventually become an Editor for some high flying magazines and then Editorial Director over a number of publications. We did meet up from time to time, she was still friends with my sister and she came to both my weddings (one as a bridesmaid in a lovely eighties ensemble) the other as a guest when I married Rich. But as life does, at a time when she had lost loved ones in different ways, and made some huge life changing choices my mini bus trundled round and she got back on, for support and advice from experiences I have had in life. But I have also got back on her mini bus, and she is supporting me, with her skills, with regard to my book.

We persuaded her that she should come to France, after making some life changing decisions, and after some life changing things had happened to her to which she had no control over. We said that she should  sit in the vast space that surrounds us and reflect, and to meet the naughty Welshie pups before she finally made a choice about the longed for dog that she could now finally have, because she would be able to spend time with it, and get home before doggie daycare closed.

And what fun we had. It was as if we had gone back in time, even though we were now over thirty years older (but not looking it of course darling!) We drank copious (and trust me I mean copious!) amounts of wine, played old soul music, from Luther, (too many to list!) the Floaters, Float on, Dorothy Moore Misty Blue to our favourite “When the world turns blue” by Merry Clayton. (A massive thanks to the Wonderful Russell Smith for that and knowing what I always love!) God we have such taste in music!

We sat in the kitchen, danced in the kitchen, got pissed in the kitchen, and had a wonderful time. In fact we spent so much time in the kitchen (whilst I cooked the food, just call me the Witchy poo cook now!) the two bar stools we had were not enough, So I thought to myself I would be really clever and buy a smaller stool in the sales so that we could all sit in the kitchen. Sadly it was so small it became known as the naughty school and we all had to take turns to sit on it!

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In fact Harley wouldn’t get off it!

We sat in the garden late into the evening until it got too chilly (Autumn has started to kick in early) listening to the owls hooting and the woodpecker tap tap tapping away.

We celebrated a birthday and an anniversary, were invited to aperitifs in friends garden with champagne, red wine caviar, and nuts but all wonderful. Karen met my mad friend Jan, (all meant with affection as she knows because it is her madness that I love.) She felt her goodness as much as we do.

We went out into Mayenne for moules and frites, and for us it has to be moules bleu, with blue cheese added to the traditional sauce. It was a lovely sunny evening which we started with some rose wine in the sun.

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We ate loads of donuts (pink for Rich) too many crisps, but we had to have something to soak up the wine!! In fact on her first day here we went to the supermarche and all we bought were snacks, crisps, wine and donuts. The Anglaise huh!

Karen fell in love with the Welshies, the lovely mellow Harley, and the naughty Wiglet; who managed to bite the nose of a boxer dog in the Mayenne before it, or it’s owner even realised. The dog was so busy growling at Harley he totally underestimated the little Wiglet who just side stepped and had a quick nip. It was hilarious and no dogs were injured in this process, although maybe the boxers pride because it looked at her as if to say “You cow!” But as you can see he underestimated her because she does look as if butter wouldn’t melt!image

Karen walked them, cuddled them, and spent time with them playing with them when we were out of the house and they fell in love with her; they both took it in turn to sleep with her and they impacted on her so much she has decided that this is the dog she is going to get, the much anticipated dog will be a Welshie,and she won’t regret it. They did a good job our dogs!

 

On the day before she left we visited a beautiful place near Mayenne called Fontaine Daniel, It is a small medieval town, originated from a cistern monastery. Karen fell in love and so did we, we stopped for coffee with this view

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Which was then obscured by this view!

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We all felt a little sad that it was coming to an end, and it was a poignant afternoon. But we hit the wine when we got home and all felt better then!

We have laughed, we have cried together, we have reminisced, talked about spiritual things, and psychology, and all agreed that we have all come to realise that when it comes to the mini bus of life, trust me someone else is doing the driving, and you need to let go and go with the flow. We even brought out the old photos; but more than anything we have realised that we missed each other, that we have always had so much in common, and that made us both cry; and now it will even be our dogs.

When the time came for her to leave we did not want her to go, and she did not want to go, and even though we have a reputation for being hard at times, we both cried, and so did Rich (I love my husband!)

The dogs were miserable, so much so that Harley took to a cardboard box and would not get out to say goodbye.

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Rich even had to carry him in after she had left so we could leave the house

He was so upset that he stayed in it for hours. Wiglet just took to the chair and they both moped for the whole day, looking out for her to come back.

When we came home that evening the house seemed strange, Karen was not sitting in the garden, or putting the kettle on. Everything seemed poignant, the three empty wine glassed waiting to be washed up, the empty wine bottle on every table in the garden!! The empty bedroom,  getting up the next morning and not seeing her sitting in the early morning sun in the garden with her cup of coffee. And we have missed her.

When you have a new life as we have, although my may love it, when people leave after such a wonderful time it makes you sad and leaves a whole for a while. So come back soon Karen, with the Welshie in tow (OMG it will be mayhem in the Mayenne!) and this time bring Russel Smith back he can be the D.J!

Thanks for a wonderful time our friend.

Moisy xxx

 

 

A birthday full of thoughtfulness, love and simple things

26 Thursday Jan 2017

Posted by in Friends, The adventures of living life in the French countryside, The continuing adventure

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Yesterday was my birthday, and what a wonderful birthday I had. Full of simple things, kindness and thoughtfulness, from both new friends in France and loved ones in England.

i started my day travelling home from house sitting at a friends house. It’s freezing cold, and the first greetings of the day were from the chickens at our friends house, the girlies and Claude, as I call them.

I have always wanted pendant lights over my island in my kitchen. I wanted them in my last house, but couldn’t have them and they are something I have dreamed of. When we moved here and built the kitchen, with my island, I had the perfect opportunity, I had an island, and beams and I have nagged Rich for the last year. I had the pendants, old enamel ones.  I had bought them in France three years ago at a Vide Grenier, whilst I was on holiday. I knew I would use them one day!

The night before my birthday I had been watching Charlie Luxton, building the dream, and soooooo envied the woman with her pendant lights over her island. “I wonder, I thought, I could  emotionally blackmail Rich into putting my lights up as my birthday present?”

So off I went in my smart car, and fifty minutes later arrived  home to these two looking at me  through the fence wagging their whole bodies because they were soooooo pleased to see mummy.

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In I went, and the was my darling husband, ironing clean bedding for me, off I went, chittle chortling (that means chattering away) and then I saw them, with a note attached, saying “to my darling wife, couldn’t afford to buy you a present, so I did these for you instead.”

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I couldn’t believe it, I cried!! He had spent a whole day putting these up.

Then the French class starting arriving, my lovely French teacher bought some cakes, my beautiful friend Jan bought me presents and a card, and our fresh lesson was fun.

After they left I opened my cards, and a present from my dear friend, Trish, who had remembered I had left my fairy door behind, and so she sent me these.

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I’ve put them on my window frames, so the fairies can let themselves in now!

And most importantly  I opened my cards, and I had a beautiful card from my son, telling me he would see me soon. I had many more, including so many wishes on Facebook, including  a lovely e card.

i then had my hair cut, and for the first time in a long time it feels like my hair. A big thank you to my new hairdresser, it helped to make my day.

Off  we went to the English butcher (see we ave found the English butcher even though he was not lost!) for some lamb chops and sausages, and a walk around the local town Gorron, and a coffee.

My day was finished off by a quick drink with my mad, and wonderful, friend, and a catch up with people on the phone.

A big thank you to everyone, you really, really, made , my day. I am very lucky, it’s the small  things.

Please share folks and thanks for reading

moisy

 

 

 

 

 

Friends visits, exciting times

30 Monday May 2016

Posted by in Friends, The continuing adventure

≈ 4 Comments

So my friend Nicky is coming to stay with us for a few days, with her two teenage daughters Georgia May Loolly (she’s 16 this year so she’ll kill me for that, but I think it’s funny!), and Amber Bamber, who I think is more interested in the dogs than us if she was honest, they have been to the spa to get themselves ready.

I have been friends with Nic for twenty-nine years, a frightening amount of time that makes me feel old, and we have been through many times, good and bad, together. I haven’t seen her for over a year, and I am very excited to see them.

Nic has been through a tough time this year, sadly her mum died earlier in the year, and I  hope that coming here and just being in close touch with nature, and enjoying the really simple life,  will replenish her reserves and help her adapt to the crap that life dishes out to you at times (all part of it’s rich tapestry). When we lose someone we love I do believe that it is one of the times where, for good mental health, we should stop and reflect on our lives, because whether we want it to be or not it is a time of change.

So here is to a wonderful five days, whatever the weather; a few (that may be a slight lie) glasses of red wine, and lots and lots of chilling with my friend.

Cheers

Moisy

Friends

15 Saturday Aug 2015

Posted by in Friends

≈ 1 Comment

We said goodbye to our good friends Mary and Den on Wednesday, after 10 days of hard work. I think that they need a holiday to get over this one!

A special thanks to Den for his plumbing skills, we now have him to thank for our new shower, isolation taps and fitting our new kitchen sink that they brought brought over from England after taking delivery last month for me. The picture below shows how wonderful it looks.

A another thanks to Mary for shopping for me, bringing over the biggest food parcel I have ever seen, right down to a kebab she brought especially for Rich.

When they return next time it will be to enjoy where we are have a rest, and listen to the owls in the early evening with a glass of vin rouge. Also perhaps take in a château or two.

Thank you both

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Mois