We were
involved in cider making from 2008 to 2011 and we are still drinking our cider
now and again as it is an acquired taste, and has to be very cold and you need to be quite
thirsty….. As we emptied the bottles I dutifully cleaned each one and stored them
away just in case, one day, we may make more cider. There is however a tipping
point when you have to make the decision and we had decided that we no longer
need these bottles, and we no longer needed to make cider. I put an advert on Le Bon Coin and for a
whole year I had no interest then Mike saw on Anglo Info advert that a Brit ex
pat in our area was looking for cider bottles……what luck. I was very reluctant
to throw them away, so the cider making brit turned up and took them away and I
am glad they have gone to a good home, and he gave us a bottle of wine in way
of a thank you, so it was a che-ching moment all round.
On that
same morning we welcomed a new Duck to our pond. Once again, on Anglo info, Mike
saw an advert asking if anyone could take in a lonely white and black duck.
Mike asked if I had room for another, and of cause I was delighted. As it
happens the people needing to rehouse their Duck are a couple I knew when I
worked briefly in the Tour business in St Mere Eglise so it was doubly wonderful to make contact
with them again and also give their lonely Duck called Peaches a new home. She
has settled in well and has made me laugh with her antics, one of which is her
love of swimming under water to avoid the man ducks who have fallen hopelessly
in love with her. All is good and joyful out there the pond once again.
Eric and
Gill popped through again on their way to house sit in France. They are quite
committed to come and live in France and we spend many hours chatting about the
whys and where’s and I just hope they make a good start and we have not put
them off. It is a well-known fact that ex
pats can be a tad negative about this journey but I am sure they see through
all of that and appreciate what we have
achieved, knowing what they want out of life.
In the
olden days we might have sat around the fire and read our books, or even sat in front of the TV, but in the
new era of tablets and laptops we sat around the table playing games looking at
houses on line and just surfing and sharing knowledge. I kept asking if everyone
was OK bur everybody seemed very relaxed and happy.
I did
however insist that we had a board game of scrabble and we laughed out loud
when the four first words placed were the same per couple….what are the chances,
we should have run down to the tabac to buy a lotto ticket …what fun.
We had some
beautiful pics from Australia and are always happy to see that our children are
happy. It is the boys summer holidays and they are out and about enjoying their
time off school but they all seem well and the boys are growing so fast that we
can’t keep up but OZ suits them and we
are happy about that x
We have sadly lost a friend this week after a long illness during which Jill fought a good fight until she could no longer. Her treatment was extensive and long, over three years, but now her pain is over. As Expats away from our roots we worry about the care and treatment we might need here in France and it is at times like this that we find confidence and belief that we are in good hands in our chosen lives away from home. We said our final goodbyes to Jill at the little church in Vindefontaine with fond memories of a lovely lady who we sadly knew for such a short time before she fell ill.
This is Jill
with me and Shirley in 2012 at Jill and Tony’s Easter bonnet party. It rained
and what was to be a party in their wood ended up in the house, I remember
being the only bonnet there and I wore it all afternoon, regardless, because I
could, but as usual a good party at Rue
des Fontaines with lots of laughs and plenty to eat and drink.
One of my
dilemmas in old age is teeth……I have a deep set fear of the dentist rummaging about in my head and I have
difficulty hiding this fear when sat in his chair. A year ago my new, young and enthusiastic
dentist said I needed a crown. He gave me a quote and said it will wait 6
months, see you then……. I did not go, and his temporary filling held so I was
happy to ignore his quote. Mike and I had our annual check this week and we
have heard that if you have a dentist pay him with gold coins because they are
impossible to keep if you let the annuals drift and don’t pay up. So we
went in and Mike got the all clear and was congratulated, but when I sat
in the chair I said I did not have the courage to have the crown work and please refill my empty cavity and set
me free………. You have to understand at
this point that in the waiting room there is a sign that says. This clinic no
longer takes new patients. ….. The dentist
then sat down and asked me why we live in France, did we know Brighton and how
come I speak French so well and this went on for perhaps 15 minutes to the
point that I could not understand what the delay was, with a waiting room full
of people sweating away with dental fears. He finally and slowly started work
filled my huge cavity, said, next time it will have to come out and then asked
to see us next year……..I shook his hand,
mine sweaty and trembling , thanked him
with all my heart knowing I had
protected my smile for yet another year….I
hope. Oh by the way that cost us 114 Euro, cheap at the price as we will get 60% back
from the government, so I promise to keep my appointment in 12 months’ time…already
in the diary.
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