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Tag Archives: Welsh Terrier

The chickens have been evicted from the Chicken Hilton!!

21 Sunday Oct 2018

Posted by in My family and other furry creatures, The adventures of living life in the French countryside, The continuing adventure

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As some of you know eighteen months ago we bought six chickens (the girlies) and Claude the Cockerel home to live with us. They needed re-homing and for six months they were all really happy. Sadly in the October one of the girlies died and in the spring we believed that we may have rats as the girls stopped laying eggs and some became eggbound, and despite our best efforts another three died. We were left with just two girlies and Claudy boy.

chickens in their posh enclosure

As some of you may know (See a murder in the hen house) one of the chickens was killed by the serial killer  of all things small known as Wiglet…

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I know! How can you not love her? But last month she murdered one of the last remaining girlies, and almost killed Claude, but the boy lived to see another day, so then we were down to two chickens.

As you can see the chickens had a massive enclosure that took up a large part of our garden and they also had half of the old goats shed as their home – it was huge, and poor hubby was trying to squash his many garden acoutriments into one half of the shed whilst two chickens chose where to sleep each night because they had so much room! It just didn’t make sense, and at times Claude and his girly just looked lost.

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So this weekend Hubby set about making them their own retirement home – we thought that the remaining girly was too old to lay eggs but we were wrong (and that will be my next story). So, as you do, on a limited budget, you make use of what you have. Off Hubby went oo his barn and found out some old wood we had ripped out of our kitchen and an old bathroom cupboard we had in our bathroom (no surprises there!) which had legs on it and set about making the chickens a new pied a terre.

Firstly he had to make them safe from said serial killer so he shut the chickens in the Chicken Hilton whilst he built there new enclosure. But Wiglet the Serial Killer leave it? No  would not leave them alone and kept digging to try and get into them! After numerous attempts by hubby to block the door: He locked it, put wire inside it, wire outside of it, put a piece of corrugated iron against it, followed by an old door, all whilst he was trying to get on, he gave up and he caught the serial killer, who is a little bugger, and locked her in the newly built enclosure; so he could get on and build the chickens new house.

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It was a big job to take the old enclosure down as to stop said killer getting to the chickens when they first arrived we had  put huge pine logs against the double fencing, and they had to be moved..

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Along with the fact that the grass had grown through the fencing, effectively pinning the wire to the floor. (She still got through in the end though! Took her seventeen months but she found a weak spot!)

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Hubby did good though and in the end the chickens downsized, as you tend to do when you get older, and moved into a pretty little beach style cottage, placed in the sunshine, with a little plank up into it (easy access for when you get older) and some lovely new hay.

It is fair to say that they are as happy as happy can be in their new home.

We did make a discovery though, the poor girl had not stopped laying, we found broken eggshells in the Chicken Hilton and five eggs that she had hidden under the straw – all an indication of rats!

And that is another story from our adventures of living in rural France!

Have a wonderful weekend folks – remember this is the sequel to the prequel so keep reading in to have hope that things can get better

– makingthisbetter.com

Thanks for all your support and please share my posts and comment when you can, I love the interaction.

Moisy

 

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Change – You’re never the driver..

04 Thursday Oct 2018

Posted by in Change is a coming, The continuing adventure

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Come gather ’round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You’ll be drenched to the bone.
If your time to you
Is worth savin’
Then you better start swimmin’
Or you’ll sink like a stone
For the times they are a-changin’.

Times they are a changing. Bob Dylan

So I said very early on in the year that ‘Times they are a changing’ (to quote Bob Dylan). In fact at the beginning of the year I just found myself playing this song as I wrote at my desk; and change they are in many ways for us, in fact they have in many ways already.

It is fair to say that this adventure has changed so many things for us, but this blog is about all of the things that I didn’t envisage:

Firstly we didn’t envisage getting Harley five years ago, but fate made us change our holiday plans, book a gite with the person who bred him, who in turn contacted us when he needed a new home.

When we moved here with Harley our love affair with Welsh Terriers had begun but didn’t envisage getting ‘The Wiglet’, her other homes failed, or fell through and it was because we were destined to get her.

This in turn led Karen to get Dylan, and write a blog about her antics (Dylan’s Welshie World) which in turn led Karen back to her first love – writing.

As you all know we are changing material things, the gate, the roof, having water. There are other changes in the pipline and they will include, at some point, a new joint blog and again this will change our lives and others. I didn’t envisage any of this when this year started.

Then I think of the sprititual changes that this journey would take us on: That I would read the Tao, then read it to Rich, and Karen, although at times  she does still have  ‘Tao Light Thursday and No Tao Friday’! The belief that we have got from reading that philosophy has changed our lives in the physical world, we stepped off that cliff and believed that the things we needed would come to us and they have. We understand that where there is good there is bad and vica versa but to not focus on the bad – see the good in the simplest things (Autumn and all it’s glory as I write this.) and be greatful for what you have each day because there is no point worrying about what you cannot change, and you may not have another day so just enjoy what you’ve got.

In addition, in fairness, I rarely make hard and fast plans, because I know from all the books I read that the best laid plans will never work out because you are not doing the driving.

When I first moved over here I started to write this blog which in turn led to my writing my book. It  was always my intention to share our experiences with others because people need help when they find themselves where we were once, especially those with a strong persobality like my own, boy it is hard to harness the wild horses in your brain some times!  But over the last month I finished reading Deepak Chopra, ‘The Seven Spiritual laws of Success’ and I took my lead from the end of the book and decided to serialise my book and get it out there. I realsied that, as Deepak Chopra says, I would be doing something that I was put here to do, something that I love (writing) and  in that  I would be helping people at the same time.

I realised that I could not wait forever for the book to be published when there were people out there who needed to read it, because it would help them cope, help them  know that they are not alone, help them know that they can get through it, and help them know that life can get better. So I have started to blog it; and the reaction has been overwhelming. Thank you all.

I know from the reaction in over less than two days that this is likely to change our lives again -not least the reassurance that I have given to my husband because he worries that I will leave him one day. (Yes, even now!) But the difference is that now when I reassure him it works and he is then fine and comforted.

I knew that I was taking a chance, that some would judge, but as I always say my dear late mother was right when she said ‘if they’re judging you they’re leaving some other poor bugger alone!’ I started to write because of my breakdown, I was sick of biting my tongue, I wanted to say what I wanted to say and, as with everything, I know that I have to step of the cliff and take that chance.

What does that have to do with having an adventure in France – everything – I have freedom now. I started to write this blog – which gave me the confidence to write my book, and in turn the confidence to serialise it in another blog; I started to read books that made you think outside of the box, to understand and believe that, much as we think we are, we are not doing the driving where our lives are concerned, and although it took a lot of lessons we are now seeing the benefits of that belief.

I would not have done any of this if we had not moved to France, stepped off the hamster wheel and see where life took us.

Who knows what is coming next – autumn……..

Moisy

If you want to read my other blog then it is called making this better @makingthisbetter.com But be warned, there is a possibility of tears and strong emotion.

Thank again

Moisy

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Mists, mellowness, and memories…

22 Wednesday Aug 2018

Posted by in Change is a coming, Reflections, The continuing adventure, The seasons

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I was inspired to write this post because when we woke this morning, after a really hot, close night, this was the view that greeted us. The whole of the valley and the fields in front of our house were shrouded in mist, autumn is letting us know that she is on her way.

It made me smile because it was as if a full stop was being put behind the summer of fun and nature was saying that times they are a changing (to quote Bob Dylan!) We cannot hold on to anything forever and the sooner we accept that the easier out lives will become; because no matter how tight we hold on life will take it from us in the end; we have to go with the flow.

As I wandered around the garden signs of autumn were everywhere, and it all seemed really poignant as I was here on my own today. There was the pool discarded and unloved (although I hope we get to have another dip on the hot autumn days)

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The swingseat, on the leaning cherry sad and forlorn, with the cherry appearing to weep tears with it’s leaves..

 

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And discarded dog toys and the beloved mop head, now laying sad and unloved…

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The hydrangeas and clematis are having a last hurrah as the mists rejuvinate them; and they stand as a reminder that life goes on, embrace it……

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I have two sad puppies who have sulked all day because their naughty little compadre is not here with them, and some very relieved cats!

But here is to the future, thank you all for your excitement at what is to come, here is to the new season. Let’s embrace these times ‘of mists and mellow fruitfulness’……

 

Moisy

 

 

The Long Hot Summer just passed us by…..

21 Tuesday Aug 2018

Posted by in Change is a coming, My home, People, The continuing adventure, The good life, The seasons

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Almost ten weeks ago (all but two days) Karen and Dylly Dyls arrived for the summer. It has been a spur of the moment decision made after Karen returned to England in April and decided that she did not want to be surrounded by buildings and people, with roofs on the skyline, any more; she decided that she needed space, and the plan was hatched for her to come to France for the summer and see what life showed her.

Because, as we know, life will always show you the way – if  you listen!

And what a summer we have had: from house hunting all over the Pays de Loire, seeing sad lonely houses to grand houses with neighbours that looked as if they should be playing a banjo and sitting on a porch! The house was stunning, neighbours were creepy!

There were houses near stunning villages, with river walks nearbye, and beautiful secret gardens, and Karen came close to making an offer, but none offered this view…..

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Over the months we have all had people visit us to stay; and lessons have been taught; in that sometimes you cannot go back, where people you knew are concerned, and you realise that your life has changed you too much and you no longer have anything in common; or in some cases where people seem to think that you are a hotel, and their tour guide, chief cook and bottle washer, as well as chauffer! (It has to be said, that is the reality of taking an adventure such as this, and I really don’t know why!)

It was definitely a learning curve for Karen, she hasn’t even bought a property here yet, but it taught her what she wants and also how important it is sometimes to just say ‘No!’

We have seen each other every day during this summer of sport what with the World Cup, where Karen and I became football pundits, mainly commenting on if they had recent changes to their hair, or in one case how the England goalie looked better in green rather than yellow!  You should have seen the look on Rich’s face! We took it as an omen when France won, an omen that we were all in the right place and making the right plans.

We have had fields of gold, hay bales of orange and gold, blood red moons, ghostly moons and starry starry nights….

There has been fun in the Swimming pool, with us laying on lilo’s on hot sunny days (too hot sometimes), and I will always have memories of looking up at the blue sky and saying to Karen, “who would have thought thirty five years ago that we would be doing this now! In my garden!”

The dogs have loved the pool, not least our darling Harley, and after nearly losing him last year it was a blessing to see him barking at the side of the pool for  you to splash him. They have been on blow up aeroplanes, dunked and Dylan learnt to swim, as you can see from thr photo it wore her out!

We have had owls hooting at night, bats flying over our heads in the late evening and swallows teaching their young to fly and catch the late afternoon insects. Let us not forget the pink moths, dreaded bitey flies and the toads, one of whom scared the life out of Karen after coming into the kitchen and hiding under a bag

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We have visited Churches, cathedrals, castles, medievil towns and waterfalls, all too numerous to mention.

Aperitifs have been enjoyed, with our French friends,; we have had BBQ’s with friends, liquer coffees, beer, and lots and lots of red wine.

Birthdays have been celebrated…

After Jen joined us we had a holiday within a holiday, and it gave us a reminder of just who your good friends are, those who come along with you for the ride and join in. It helps you know that they are the ones that you need on your mini bus of life…..

Of course we have had the Welshies, zoomies, toys, swimming in the pools, blowing bubbles for them, and sadly sometimes some fights (but they are terriers and they love each other too.)

Right now Wiglet is laying beside me lost, she has wandered round the garden looking for her baby, and huffed and puffed because she knows that this time Auntie Karen and Dylan won’t be back down the road today.

I have not even began on the topic of the vintage furniture, vide greniers, shoe shopping and having to buy a new car – I cannot tell you how pleased I am to finally have a French registered car, we are starting to feel, finally, that we are engaging with the country in which we live, and the country that we love.

But more than anything this summer we have laughed every single day, at each other, with each other, about what we have seen, and we have never judged each other. We have just accepted each other for who we are.

We knew that this summer would be a catalyst for Karen, as it turned out it has been a catalyst for all of us, and if all the plans come together a new adventure will commence. Adventures in adventures, isn’t that what life is all about?

So yes I have cried today, we all have. Tomorrow will be weird because she will not he whizzing down the road with the Dylly monster in the car with her. I know and understand that endings are new beginnings and you have to let go for new adventures to start; but I also know that the next adventure won’t be the same (we may not have old Molly kitten with us, none of our futures are guaranteed). So it us okay to feel that poignancy when something comes to an end.

There is one thing of which I am certain though … I know we are going to have one hell of a ride and it all started with the summer of 2018…….

To good friends, and good times………

Moisy

It’s all going too fast….

25 Wednesday Jul 2018

Posted by in Change is a coming, Friends, The adventures of living life in the French countryside, The continuing adventure, The good life

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It seems like only yesterday that Karen and the pupster Dylly Dyls arrived in France to stay for the long hot summer. But it was six weeks ago this week! And, as Rich said to me only yesterday ” It’s all going too fast!”

It has flown by, and now Karen has more weeks behind her than she has in front if her where this adventure is concerned. But, as I have found, more often than not, one adventure does lead to another; and I know that this one will be no different.

It has been a jam packed six weeks…..

Starting with the house hunting, from the sad house at the beginning of our search, to the beautiful house in La Manche, a stunning house, but creepy area , and I am sure I could hear the banjo tune from the film ‘Deliverance’ being played in the background when we were there! Needless to say we didn’t buy that one! After visiting about fifteen houses, and sitting down with pen and paper to draw up lists of what needed to be done we learnt a lot about Karen really wanted, and it wasn’t a huge house with huge gardens. The search is on hold for now, but watch this space, I am sure a new adventure will come from it.

As in most of Europe the summer has been hot, and is getting hotter, the pool has been purchased, and lilos have been added. The dogs have been dunked, we have become browner by the day, even my husband’s asbestos legs have gone brown!

For those who have read the featured posts from Dylan’s Welshie world the vet has become our new best friend! But that is not all! We have spent ours chasing her round the garden to get the numerous things she picks up out of her mouth! A resounding noise in our garden is ‘Dylan what have you got in your mouth?!’ One of those things has also been a chickens backside, she has been taught well by Wiglet the huntress!!

She loves a mop that puppy, so now we get her to come to us by using my old mop that was destined for the dechetterie (dump). Those dogs have been bought so many toys but the old mop head it appears is the best!

It’s been a summer of sport, and whilst I am not normally that into football it has been a good World cup this year, with our home country winning, even the puppies got involved.

we have had blood red moons, watched the fields of gold grow tall, sat in the garden into the long hot nights; ate late (as is the culture where we live), laid plans for the future, and decided on the spur of the moment to go on holiday in France to a place none of us have been. More tales to come but a new amigo will be joining us for that little adventure, dogs and all!

We have visited water falls, vide greniers all over the region (like yard sales and boot fairs, but more of a fete feel to them. One of my favourite things in French culture. We have shopped, drank vin rouge and ate lots of cheese! I know that there are many more adventures to come. I am just sad that it is going so fast.

So live each day folks, live each day……

Look out I will try to blog most days for the coming week, so much to tell you, and so much to say I have post whizzing round my head!

Moisy

In the summertime when the weather is hot……

29 Friday Jun 2018

Posted by in Friends, My family and other furry creatures, The adventures of living life in the French countryside, The continuing adventure

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‘You can stretch right up and touch the sky…..’

Mungo Jerry – In the summertime

When the continous balmy days visit us in France it makes the harsh winters, which in themselves can be beautiful, pale into insignificance; after all you cannot have the good without the bad right?!

To be woken each morning to glorious sunshine over the fields of gold that surround our house, to listen to the trees in the breeze through the day and then  watch the moon rise each night over the forest below us, makes me realise over and over again that is the simple things in life that count.

Last night we sat, wine in hand, as a blood red moon rose about the trees in front of us – sadly my photo does not do it justice it was a crimson red which changed the colour of the wheat to a beautiful burnt orange. The bats were flying over our heads, the Welshie’s were at our feet and life was good – life is good. I am blessed.

Since my last blogs the pool has been put up courtesy of my darling husband,

and the puppies have been swimming… in fact we have bought them an inflatable aeroplane and they have had fun sitting on that with Rich pulling them around the pool

The pool has been a Godsend as the temperature has been steadily rising to over thirty degrees. It has a  cover that maintains the heat in the water and yesterday it was a balmy eighty two degrees, the temperature of bathwater; which in itself is lovely; but once you get out the breeze hits you and cools you down. I never thought that we would be sitting in our garden with a wine in hand, after getting out of the pool; and it just reminds me of how much my life has changed; yes there is more to do living in countryside, there are many downsides as well as good (I do find that if you stay away from them it helps!!)  but when I sit in my garden, especially in the evening I know that having the courage to make that move was the best thing we could have done – life is simpler but our life is full.

We have visited new places with Karen including some beautiful waterfalls in a town called Mortain, in La Manche. They cut through the hills surrounding the town in what is believed to be an enchanted forest that was visited by King Arthur and his knights, It was a beautiful tranquil place with the sound of the spring water gushing down.

Despite the heat we also visited the lake at Ferte Mace, a huge park that has been made for the people of the area to enjoy, with a large lake in the centre. We walked it’s three mile circumference with the puppies on Monday, finishing with a hot dog and drink at the little cafe at the side of the lake,  watching the sun sparkling on the water was a simple pleasure that I love to do.

The Friday before last we had a very scary incident when we were nearly stampeded by cows, after Princess Wiglet (trust me butter would melt!) decided that she would take exception to a cow that was staring at her and try and bite it’s nose of a cow whilst we were cooking a BBQ at Karen’s house! It really was frightening as the other cows came running over because they felt under threat from our three and started to push at the fence; and they were big cows! So we had to herd the dogs up and get them indoors quickly to try and make the cows disperse. You’ve gotta love a Welshie!!

We have had a busy few weeks since Karen arrived with the house hunting and pool buying, which has also included copious amounts of tea and coffee (and, of course, wine!). But it is now time to get down to business with regard to the future; and work. I have been busy with my Etsy shop, and also building my profile on Pininterest (175K unique views and counting!!) You may want to check me out I am under moisfrenchadventure (no surprises there then!) I have various boards from flowers to angels, and from hares to moons; but there are of course boards showing off my taste in furniture and all things rustic so if you fancy some inspiration then pay them a visit I have ready made mood boards set up for you. …..

Moongazing Hare by Lisa Parker

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From bedrooms to kitchens, these simple and rustic rooms inspire.

In addition I must get on with another edit of my book!

But it has been a wondeful few weeks, what with the summer of sport that we are having and  our friend, and what we consider family member, here with us, we have had some fun and laughed lots, mainly at poor Rich with his malapropisms – for example he is on a Facebook site called Biteyface (it’s about dogs) which he informed me yesterday is called bit e face!!!! Poor Rich I think his life his harder now he is with two writers all the time, who just roar with laughter at what he comes out with!

Despite the things we have to do it will not be all work and the fun is just going to get better because we have our old friends and neighbours arriving on Monday. I cannot wait to see them, three years is a long time to not see someone who you saw on a daily basis for twelve years!!  I know that they will join the fun.

Have I made any more of you think about making that change and stepping into the unknown?

Look out there are new posts coming……

Moisy

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‘…….We’re always happy
Life’s for livin’ yeah, that’s our philosophy’
In the summertime. Mungo Jerry

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

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

 

 

 

A winter’s walk in France….

15 Monday Jan 2018

Posted by in Reflections, The continuing adventure, The seasons

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Sitting posing for once

As I have encouraged others over the past few days to get out there and enjoy each season  last weekend we decided to do the same, and take the Welshie’s for a walk around our town and get some photographs to share with you all.

As it turned out we picked the best day because it was extremely cold but dry. Yesterday Ambrieres, and especially us high on the hill, was shrouded in thick freezing fog all day which can add to the bleakness when you live in such a remote country setting;

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and today we have a hooley blowing! So I am busy writing and Rich is busy sorting out little inside jobs, and as I look out of the window and contemplate winding the blinds down early I notice that even the chickens have took themselves to bed!!

This winter here has been very very wet, not as cold as previous winters but, as I may have said before, so wet we have mold everywhere!! The river Mayenne has burst its banks in the town of Mayenne and the river that runs through Ambrieres ‘The Varenne’ has also overflowed onto the grassy banks.

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The pretty little weir is now a raging torrent

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And if you look closely you can see the remnants of a tree trunk that has been stuck on it since the ferocious winds just before Christmas.

As always here, nature looks so beautiful whilst reminding us that she can also be so deadly and that, although man generally does not think it, we are really nothing at all!!

I love the river. When we first found Ambrieres, on a rainy day one August whilst we were on holiday, I fell in love with its beauty despite the rain; from the weir and river

to the pretty little stone cottages that cascade down the hill towards the weir with their lovely tiered gardens ………

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You never know I may live in one of these in the future when I get old and downsize!!! What a view, you would never tire of it!

 

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So on Saturday we found a little road that led down to some stone houses and cottages right by the rivers edge, a small hamlet where the houses had  had pretty walled gardens with the river running up to their edge ..

 

But for me, it is the colours in France, with the old stone buildings and slate roofs; so many different shades of grey; and our stunning Marie building (The mayor’s) cut into the slate rock imposing looking over the beautiful Varenne is no exception..

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As we made our way back to our car and the darkness was drawing in we saw a sign of hope for things to come, the pretty little catkins blowing in the cold wind never giving up

It was good to come home after that and snuggle in front of the fire for the evening, small things are the most important of all.

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I am blessed.

Moisy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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