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Tag Archives: cats

The fields of gold

31 Tuesday Jul 2018

Posted by in Change is a coming, My home, Reflections, The adventures of living life in the French countryside, The continuing adventure, The seasons

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One of the things that I love about living here is the clarity of the seasons. Surrounded by countryside as we are,  the ever changing fields and trees tell you the season you are in and how quickly those seasons pass.

Live each day…

This year the fields have been sown with barley, eight weeks ago I wrote about the deluge, and the barley was green..

Only a few weeks ago, as we watched the blood moon rise over the fields they were fields of gold that surrounded our house stretching down the valley to the river; it was a sight to see at any time of the day.

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But this hot summer has brought the barley to fruition much sooner than normal and a few weeks ago they were baling the gold up ready for the autumn and winter.

Just another reminder for me that you should live each day and each moment, sieze each moment because then it will be gone.

Something that this summer is reminding me everyday.

So the other evening Rich and I sat in the garden and as the sun started to set the gold bales began to reflect the setting sun and turn the most beautiful shade of red….

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Every morning I have looked out of the window at the sea of hay bales and every day I have counted my blessings.

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Now, today, the farmer is collecting the bales and reminding me that autumn is just around the corner. When I look out of my window tomorrow the view will have changed again.

Remember the only constant is change…

The leaves on the leaning cherry tree in the corner of our garden, now acting as the support for our hammock chair, are starting to turn brown; and, just yesterday, a walnut fell from the tree!! It is as if summer is whispering to us that her work is nearly done.

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My beautiful pointed hydrangea,  are known as Vanilla and fraise (vanilla and strawberry) because as the season moves on they change colour from white to a deep pink, acting as barometers for the season.

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And that is one of the things that I love about living out here, it reminds me, every day to live each moment because the only moment is now.

As I have said before this summer is moving too fast, I know that you have to go with the flow and have been reminded of that more than ever over the past few weeks; watching people who have visited from England put things off because of their ‘plans’,thinking that their plans would come to fruition and what they could have done or eaten at that time was not necessary because they ‘planned’ to do it later.  They have waited only to find that their plans have not come to fruition and they have missed the moment! And then they have moaned!!

It really reminded Rich and I of how much we have changed, we have learnt the importance of going with the flow. In fact yesterday we sat and mapped out what we had ‘planned’ for the week and then laughed because we knew that those plans would change, and they have, in fact they had by yesterday evening.

In the last week I have supported a dear friend whose plans lie in chaos at the moment, because they were clearly not what life intended; and I have tried to help them to remember that they need to go with the flow, that life NEVER works out the way we plan – because we ain’t doing the driving!!

What we need will come, it is when we try to force it that it never does.

So this beautiful summer I have reminded myself to go where life takes me, and to live by my mantra that life will show me the way. We still have much more to come, not least our dear friend Jenny coming to visit on Sunday for ten days; and a small holiday in another part of France to look forward to, four amigoes and three Welshies!! And whilst I am excited and will enjoy every moment, it does not stop me enjoying the moment right here and right now; with the Welshies running around the garden barking at the farmer and my beautiful old cat sleeping in the sunshine.

Twenty two years ago my family and I were going through a very difficult phase in our lives and I will always remember my mum saying “here is to next year, it can’t be as bad as this one.” She died four months later!

Seeing the fields of gold, and then the changes that they went through, and the changes in my garden reminded me of herm whilst I have been writing this post;  it’s title especially has reminded me  of her, the importance of not planning too far ahead; and this beautiful song that always makes me cry…

“Fields Of Gold”

You’ll remember me when the west wind moves
Upon the fields of barley
You’ll forget the sun in his jealous sky
As we walk in fields of goldSo she took her love for to gaze awhile
Upon the fields of barley
In his arms she fell as her hair came down
Among the fields of gold

Will you stay with me, will you be my love
Among the fields of barley
We’ll forget the sun in his jealous sky
As we lie in fields of gold

See the west wind move like a lover so
Upon the fields of barley
Feel her body rise when you kiss her mouth
Among the fields of gold

I never made promises lightly
And there have been some that I’ve broken
But I swear in the days still left
We’ll walk in fields of gold
We’ll walk in fields of gold

Many years have passed since those summer days
Among the fields of barley
See the children run as the sun goes down
Among the fields of gold

You’ll remember me when the west wind moves
Upon the fields of barley
You can tell the sun in his jealous sky
When we walked in fields of gold

Written and performed by the fantastic artist: Sting
Enjoy this day, enjoy this week, enjoy this month, enjoy this summer. Don’t wish a moment away because the only moment you have is now…….

 

 

Moisy  Continue reading →

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The Deluge

11 Monday Jun 2018

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

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Last Friday the weather was beautiful, I spent the afternoon in the garden taking photos for social media, and realising that I couldn’t sell some of my finds, these ones are staying with me.

As we sat into the early evening drinking wine, the wind started to get up and the black clouds rolled in again. The thunder came rumbling down the road, carried by the thick black clouds and in we scooted. The rain came and that was it for the evening.

Saturday morning arrived and it was darker than the gloomiest winter day, literally black! We had been off grid all night and remained that way as we raised the blind, heard the thunder, and saw the lighting striking out from the black clouds, there was torrential rain and a raging torrent that used to be our road.

Forget the winter winds, forget the tornado, or the well drying up, this time there is something to be said for living on a hill!

The black clouds held on all day, rolling in over and over again blowing off into the distance and then rolling back again, they clearly thought that they had forgotten business.

The dogs hurrumped, and sighed and slept, the cats slept, and we cleaned the house.

My poor flowers that on Friday were stunning…

have now been washed away, they are so sodden I cannot dead head them, my beautiful clematis has it’s wonderful heads bowed, and it is fair to say the garden is a tad wet. My glorious honeysuckle that is filling the garden with perfume, is still trying, when you can go out there the smell is beautiful, a smell of summer, a wet one!

Sunday came, and more storms came with it. Pictures started to appear on Facebook of shops in Mayenne, large supermarkets, whose roofs had cracked open and they had to be evacuated, other shops flooded out and attended by the pompiers (fire brigade) who were having to pump them out.

I gave up with my wet washing, decided to be typically English and pegged it out, in the rain, anyway. There is no pollution here, so it will be wet, but it will smell nice. Might have something living in it by the time I get to bring it in, but it will smell nice!

By the evening the sun came out, it is still really hot here despite the rain, just wet! So we took the opportunity to have a vin rouge in the garden for a couple of hours, until the rain came back!

Our poor phone keeps cutting us off mid conversation with people because it has not had a full charge in days, as we are so often off grid!

Today there was a promise of a respite according to the weather forecast. It did not happen and this was our terrace earlier today…

The ironing pile has gone down, odd jobs have been fixed, lawns have not been mowed (are you kidding!) but are still growing, and our kitchen roof, or our tarpaulin since losing it over two years ago, has held up well. Although we have had moments of putting bowls out all over the kitchen, and, as we always do, we have laughed about it, but that is for another blog.

And tonight? Guess what? It’s raining! But we don’t care, because we have each other, our animals, our friends, and, as you know if you read Karen’s post, an exciting summer ahead.

I don’t complain about the weather, to quote Byron Katie, you just have to love what is.

Comfort food tonight homemade sausage roll, with our local butchers sausage meat, chips and beans. You can take the girl out of England………

Moisy

Tinky Tiny Tilly from Tinky Tiny land

03 Tuesday Apr 2018

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

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I have thought about writing this post, because it may make things final, which I don’t want them to be. I have tears in my eyes as I type this, so forgive any typos I cannot see the screen well.

We bought this little bundle of fur home just under six years ago. So so tiny but the toughest of all of our five cats. Daisy, our black and white cat had been bullied by our rag doll cat Diddies ever since we had bought her home six months previously. It was so bad that I had to carry her everywhere with me (they are good friends now!) Then along came Tilly. I had been warned by the person who was trying to home her that she was the naughtiest of the litter, and when we bought this little bundle home we put her on the floor and she literally ran at Diddies screaming, she looked like a devil banshee all mouth and ears; and Diddies turned and ran. Daisy was watching her and marveled at her courage and confidence and from then on they became inseparable; our Black Hand Gang, and Daisy was bullied no more!

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She was not viscous just didn’t want to be handled by children, and she loved cuddles and would lay on my lap most nights being stroked and shouting at me to  stroke her some more.  Always the most vocal of our cats she would sound as if she was shouting Oh! or Yeah! at you as you stroked her, when you asked her a leading question she would say “yeah”.  She was so naughty I caught her hanging from my dress on the washing line as if it was a swing!  She was a prolific hunter.

Always one to find an additional home she decided to adopt our friends and neighbours Jo and Mike, and would saunter into their home on a whim and just look at them and shout as if to say “What are you doing in my house.” If their door was shut she would sit at the window and shout at them until they let her in.

When we walked in the door with fish and chips (a common Friday night occurrence) she would smell them from wherever she was and be in the door in minutes to share our fish with her; if you dared to not give her a bit after you had some she would put her paw on your hand to stop you having any more until she had got hers! Jo and Mike loved her so much they asked us to leave her with them when we moved to France; but we couldn’t, she was our baby.

Sadly we lost Milly our fluffball the year after Tilly joined our house so when it came to putting the cats into the cattery we had only four. The man at the cattery fell in love with the ‘Black Hand Gang’, they made him smile every day when he let them out for a play in the run. So much so he let them out for longer.

By this time we had adopted Harley and he and Tilly rubbed along together okay, he is a terrier after all so he did chase her sometimes but never did anything other than make her run. She soon learnt to turn around and front him, making her tail big, but still looking tine, but Harley knew she meant it and would just run past her.

When we moved to France Tilly was in her element, and would spend hours at the edge of the pond of the house we had rented longing to catch a fish; and she did!! She came running across the lawn with this huge fish in her mouth to show us what she had caught, the fish was bigger than her because she always stayed tiny, she had been the runt of the litter, with the most personality.

I remember one morning very early, I was sitting in the sunshine with my cup of tea and over the lawn she came with a mouse in her mouth; when I looked at her and said “I don’t want it!” she looked at me with disgust as if to say “And I caught you breakfast as well, you ungrateful cow!” and spat the mouse out on the lawn.

But Tilly being Tilly she did wander and would sometimes not return for a couple of days. Last year she disappeared a number of times and one time she did not come back for six days; Rich found her running down the drive of the Chateau that is down our lane, where children go for holidays with their schools. She was clearly being spoilt by the kids and probably the staff because she still looked like a kitten, but she still came home after Rich called her.

But the problems started when we adopted Wiglet! She is from hunting stock and decided that Tilly, being the smallest, was prey and she would not leave her. I wrote back in 2015 how our Christmas day was ruined because she nearly killed Tilly who then ran along the open shelving we had then smashing everything in her wake along the way. We bought cupboards after that!

After that Tilly had her camp on top of our fridge, and we have carried her in when she has called us for the past two and a half years; but over the past few months she has wanted to be with her mummy and daddy and wanted to be part of the family. We tried, we put the Welshies to bed at night and called Tilly in for cuddles. She has always been at home when the weather is wet or cold.

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Now we  have not seen Tilly  for a week., and this has been the longest time, and it has been generally wet and chilly; and I have a bad feeling. I reassure myself that she has reveling in living in France, and going off into the woods and across the fields. I suppose you could say,she has had a wonderful life for a cat, and that she has been luckier than most. I tell myself, we tell ourselves, that she is back in the chateau that has just re-opened its’ doors to holiday makers. I imagine her in front of a radiator or fire, or snuggled on someone’s bed saying “Oh!”

But she loves us you see and I know that she would not be able to not come home for any great length of time and I am afraid.

I tell myself that this is life, better to have had a free life, chasing all the wildlife that is out here, safe in the knowledge that she is loved by us. I know that we all go back to whence we came, and as I said recently ‘change is the only constant there is.’ But it does not stop the tears welling up in my eyes, or me looking at her bed on the fridge, or missing her sitting on the island in the kitchen every time we got chicken out!!! It was her entitlement after all!

So come home Tilly, because we love and miss you. But if you cannot then fly free my baby until we meet again, it has been a fantastic adventure with you.

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Mummy

 

 

 

My mornings go like this – life in the French countryside……

13 Tuesday Mar 2018

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

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…..With five cats, two without teeth!! And two mad Welshies…….

Monday: Get woken up by Wiglet the Welshie barking at the neighbours car that she hears every morning, but, for some reason thinks that they are going to kill us so she has to warn us all and wake us up!!

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With no central heating it is essential I pull on socks and slippers, put on fleecy dressing gown and put the heater on in the bedroom. Off I go to make our first cup of tea in the morning. As I enter the living room I ensure that I put the light on, we have shutters so our room is pitch black, and our cats seem to take great delight in murdering as many mice as they can in one night; and there is normally a disemboweled mouse on the floor. I make my way around the dead bodies and into the kitchen to a choir of meowing cats all wanting breakfast – sod the poor mice they are dead after all!!

I put the kettle on first!! Feed the caterwauling cats and then go back in to the late departed mice with my grabber to throw them in the ditch – I am sure something will want to eat them.

I go back into the kitchen to a cacophony of cats calling out for milk and cream. I let the dogs in and feed four of the cats milk and cream (imagine an Iles Flottant) and then have to give it to the Welshies as well.

Peace – all is well with the world, lots of lapping, silence, and I get to have my tea.

Tuesday: Wiglet the alarm clock goes off and I get up – see above for slippers, and attire; I make my way down the stairs, cannot get to the door at the bottom because I have two Welshies, and a black and white fluffy cat standing in the way. I give up and go to the loo instead, where the cat proceeds to scratch at the door and shout at me to get out – sometimes I feel like Gerald Durrel, and his mad family in Corfu!

I come out of the loo open the door, put the light on and think eureka no mice!!! Then I tread on something hard that turns out to be a mouses nose!!! Seriously are they not a delicacy?

Said routine in kitchen goes ahead only this time it is joined by Harley deciding that he wants to eat the cat food, and Wiglet deciding that she wants to growl at him!!

I calm everyone down with the Iles Flottant of milk and cream – aaaaaa peace. I light the gas fire, call the snoring husband and have my first cup of tea. I have been up over half an hour now!!

Wednesday: Wiglet is snoring and does not hear the neighbour – hooray!! But she does hear the cats banging about downstairs about five minutes later than normal and proceeds to hare down the stairs with Harley in hot pursuit. I know that the cats just do it to wind her up for all the times she tries to eat them because they know she will get shouted at!!

Harley then realises that the door is shut as always and comes back to bed. That dog is Bag Puss!!

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I get up, put on said attire, lift the blind and say Oh! It is raining how surprising!! Then off I go down the stairs to be greeted by two Welshie arses (and trust me there is nothing better than a Welshie Arse)

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And yes! She is on the table, the dog thinks she is a mountain goat!!

I open the door and follow the normal routine of putting the light on and searching the floor. There are no mice, no noses, no entrails, no tails. Eureka!! I go into kitchen put the kettle on feed the caterwalers

It is like a military operation, the one we adopted with no teeth fights with the others (go figure she has no teeth, but she wants to take tham all on!) so I have to  pick her up, another wants to eats everyone’s treats that are on top so I run round the kitchen moving the dishes, another is so old, bless her, that she is starting to get dementia and shouts at  me even though her food is in front of her, one runs out of the front door with the Welshies, and one is on top of the fridge because one of the Welshies wants  to eat her (guess which Welshie!!!)

I go into the living room light the fire, call husband and notice that one of the cats is now prowling around the sofa. ‘Oh no’ I think, please don’t tell me we have a live mouse. I let the Welshie’s in, sit down with my tea and mayhem ensues. There is a live mouse under the sofa, and now two cats and both of the Weshies are going mad trying to get it. Harley is crying, Wiglet is trying to rip open the back of the sofa, both nearly get electrocuted because they keep knocking a three way extension we have in our plug (French electrics! Don’t get me started!!) The lamp gets knocked off the table, the cat scratches the Welshie who then tries to eat the cat, the chair gets knocked over – another peaceful morning! The cats think fuck it! I am bored now! But,no, not the murderer known as Wiglet the piglet she will not leave it.

So I get dispatched upstairs with a second cup of tea and the two hounds whilst poor husband chases the mouse around the living room, catches it and the mouse lives to see another day. Hooray!!! Trust me we do this  often!!

Thursday: I decide to go back to bed to have my tea, with the Welshies in tow. All is well until I get the chews out, then they begin arguing and barking. After calming them down Sophie the Sofa Loaf (the mad one with no teeth- see the cast- ) who is totally away with the fairies comes up the stairs meowing. God knows why, she knows we have two Welshies, she knows that Harley wants to kill her, but no, up she comes meowing to let them know she is on her way. Off the bed they jump in hot pursuit of the cat, my tea gets spilt, and husband goes back downstairs to make another.

Friday: Dog barks – check – socks on – check – Welshie arses at the bottom of the stairs – check – dead mouse in the living room – check – mouses nose in living room – check. All is well with the world!!

Dogs chase mad cat with no teeth – check – mad cat with no teeth still insists on sitting in front of the fire with the Welshies!! Why?!

Saturday: Check, check check, check!! Oh hold on, we appear to have something under the log burner because diddymandod the cat (don’t ask she is female!!) is peering underneath it as if to say come out little thing I won’t hurt you. She then gets bored and the murderess starts. We are in bed having tea but can hear her banging and crashing around, knocking over the coal bucket, all of the fireside tools, and barking as if that will make it come out!! Harley is bored he has come back to bed with us.

Then we hear the snarl and all is quiet. Rich turns to me ‘She got it then!’ Up she comes and goes to sleep in her bed. When Rich goes down for the second cup of tea there is the poor thing, soaking wet from her spit and dead with a broken neck. At least it didn’t suffer!

Sunday: Lets have tea in bed again, and lets shut the door so that the mad cat cannot get in! Let’s just relax. Bang!!! The guns from the hunters go off and the Wiglet is off barking……….

Seriously though do the mice not realise that we have five cats and two Welshies?!!!

Who doesn’t know that when we go to bed the cats get the cards, brandy and cigars out and play poker; and the silly mice are the aperitif!!

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And, yes, we are mad, we love animals so much we try to save the mice as well!!! Imagine… I have only told you about the mornings!!!

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

Time flies when you are having fun!

17 Sunday Dec 2017

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

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For quite some time I have been meaning to write a blog about living simply in the countryside and how busy you are just surviving. But guess what? I haven’t had time because I have been busy surviving!!!

But now I have the moment I thought that I would give you an idea of what it would be like for you if you, too, chose to live in a ‘rural idyll’ with not a lot of funds, or realistically if that is another way to put it!

Firstly since my last post to you all I can confirm that our beautiful boy Harley is doing well and back to tormenting his sister with regard to chews and toys!! Chaos really does reign supreme in this house and we are blessed. So this has added to my routine because he has had to have numerous medications administered, kine (physio) three times a day because his back legs get stiff and lot’s of watching because he is a Welsh Terrier who thinks he is invincible – as most of them do!

Would I change any of this – not for the world and when he snuggles up to me at night and I have a Welsh Terrier under my arm (another on my head!) and a glass of wine the world is good……..

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As you may know we have also started up a fledgling business making and selling rustic wooden stars and hearts  via my Etsy Shop so I have been busy, as chief designer and decorator, embellishing them for the people across the world who have bought them. I just hope that they like them….

 

A wonderful way to work though, and I am loving my Etsy shop petiteFrenchfancies, it is doing well for a fledgling and I continue to promote and build on it everyday – thank God for all the computer skills that I have learnt over the years.

But despite all of this when you live a rural life you really do ‘live’ life; especially if you have five cats, two Welshies, and seven chickens!! Let me give you an example:

I got up the other day and as is often the case, there was a half eaten mouse waiting on the mat, one of my cats does not like to eat the noses so she leaves them for us for breakfast – bless her. So  I went into the kitchen, fed the cats, put the kettle on, let the dogs out, cleaned up the mouse, opened the blinds, and let the dogs back in. Wiglet (ever the hunter) even thought butter wouldn’t melt to look at her..

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proceeded to wiggle around the kitchen (remember I have not had a cup of tea yet!) I thought to myself ‘There is a mouse in here’ as I turned around. Then I heart what sounded like a dogs toy and I turned back to find her with a dead (whole) mouse in her mouth! ‘Oh well, I thought, at least it had a quick death!’ (I always try to look at the bright side!) So I cleaned the mouse up and eventually sat down for my first cup of tea.

As I drink my tea I promote petiteFrenchfancies (see link at bottom of page) and put pictures on Instagram, twitter, Facebook.

But work does not end there , our only form of heating is our wood burner so my morning goes like this …..clean out the wood burner, load the wood burner, light the wood burner. Rich cuts logs in the barn and brings them round and we load the log cupboard up with logs – carrying them in in old carrier bags because you have to be able to shut the door behind you or you will just be defeating the object.

Then you load the wood burner again…

Clean the kitchen – living in such a rural area and given the dead mouse every day I wash my kitchen down, every day! Unload the dishwasher, load the dishwasher, make some of my wonderful garlic and parsley mix (which I like to have in the fridge as I add it to so many recipes now!) Put washing in, feed the chickens, feed the dogs, feed the cats (again).

Load the wood burner…..

By now it is mid-day so because electric is cheaper, I run around and put the electric heaters on around the house for two hours.

Then I sit down to paint stars, paint hearts, embellish them.

Load the wood burner…..

Make lunch – I have made up some lovely recipes for soup now so look out for them and made a delicious Tomato soup last week.

Load the wood burner …..

Book postage for items sold on Etsy shop. Pack up items for courier.

Load the wood burner!!!

I think you get the picture! Would I change it? Not in a million years!

I will be blogging all week leading up to Christmas folks – thanks for staying with me there are some good posts to come and some seasonal as well.

As always please share; and if you want to take a look at my shop the link is below or just type in petiteFrenchfancies and up she will come. I have just opened a 40% sale so you may find something vintage you like….

 

Moisy

http://www.etsy.com/shop/PetiteFrenchfancies