Tag Archives: Friends

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

Small steps, can make all the difference – as long as you listen and understand

08 Tuesday May 2018

Posted by in My home, Reflections, The continuing adventure

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A long while ago someone once gave me, at the most difficult time in my life, a good piece of advice; she said “Small steps.” At the time I did not understand her advice, but came to understand it over time, often as I fought against something I could not change, and tried to make things improve quickly, when only time, and small things would make the difference.

It was a lesson that I learnt well, and I am grateful every day for the advice my dear friend Avril gave me.

So fast forward to today, and we said goodbye to the hundred year old door, (see previous post with that title) and a new one has took its place; a set of UPVC French windows (or are they just double windows over here given that we are in France, and, thereby all the windows are French!)

As I said in my previous post we had no choice and had to be practical. We had a new frame built and to tie it in with the rest of the house we painted it blue, but decided to leave the door white to show that the house has stood the test of time and this is its latest addition.

Since having it installed we have had cold and windy rainy days and it has been a joy to stand in front of it and not feel a puff of the wind that was ferociously blowing at our house. The light it allows into my kitchen is fantastic and now when I stand cooking I look out at this…

I love it. But more than anything we finally feel as if we are getting somewhere, achieving and really starting to get our life on track in France. It is a small thing having the door fitted, but it is something that makes us warm and makes us feel empowered.

Another reason for my post was that someone asked me about my recent post, ‘it all depends on how you look at things I suppose’; She asked “how do you know that when bad things happen to you, that it means that life is not telling you to give up.” I asked if by that she meant was life telling us we should go back to England, and she said ‘yes it was.’ My immediate response was to explain that we could not go back even if we considered it (which we are not) because, apart from not particularly liking the way England is now, we would have to rent at our time of life, which would be a nightmare in England with animals, and our money would not last long from our house if we went back.

I have thought about this since then and have surprised myself that I answered her in such a materialistic way. In fact after considering it here is my answer…

When I say life shows you the way, I think it shows you the way and teaches you lessons to enable you to move forward; yes sometimes the lessons are hard but they are ALWAYS about moving forward (although we may not feel that at the time) and never about going backwards, after all what would be the point of that?

I do see life as a journey, my biggest inspiration has been ‘The road less travelled’ by M. Scott Peck, and as you learn things in life those lessons should make you stronger to enable you to keep going, and be able to deal with adversity in the future.

I suppose my friend was saying how do you know life is not telling you to change what you are doing, or where you’re going, and go back to what you know, how do you know life is not telling you that you have made a mistake? Again, what would be the point of that? I believe that if it is, then the lessons will become harder until you listen, but they will always be about moving forward and not back.

Importantly life does not only send you hard lessons, it sends you good things as well, to tell you that you’re on track and need to keep going; and I know from some of the lovely people we have met, and others who are now in our lives that we are on track. I listen to all my lessons not just the hard ones!!

As I said in my previous post it all depends on how you look at things; Do you look at it from a positive angle and ask what can I learn from this to carry on? Or do you look at the negative things to use as an excuse to give up, and go back to what you know? That is not an adventure my friend.

Where there is good there is bad, and where there is bad there is good. Everything goes in a circle, but if you just focus on the bad then that is all you will get because you fail to see the good, or allow it a way in. Negativity begets negative things. If we are being told to give up this adventure then we would not have been able to get the door. I know we will have the roof before the winter, I believe!

I will say this though: When you really want something badly and it does not happen then listen, because life is telling you it is not the right thing for you, no matter how hard it seems that you cannot have it. Something else will come along instead if you just believe and keep the door open…..

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…

Dylly Dyls

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.”

tom it is good to be home

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

Dylan Pooped

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

 

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