NOT LONG NOW.......

I'm continuing to grapple with posting directly in Blogger, which I find frustrating because it does unexpected things with the pictures and the spacing all the time. 

However, we're getting through winter very well here so far.  We've had only a dusting of snow whereas by this time last year we had had several heavy falls and there were more to come.  You're not out of the woods in Derbyshire until the end of March and I remember having heavy snow in April in the past (although that's not common).

 

The other day I noticed that some things I bought in the supermarket had a sell by date well into February.  This cheered me up no end!  It means that it will soon be February and then before we know it, it will be March, which is Spring in my book.

 

  

 

That means that our return to France is not far away, only eight weeks.  Brexit Britain is a toxic place to be.  Everybody everywhere seems to be talking about it.  Personally I am Brexited out.

Yesterday the burglar alarm service engineer came and even he was talking about it.  I was unsurprised but saddened to find that his reasons for voting to leave the EU, and his blind faith that it will all work out in the end, are all based on the lies and false promises peddled by the Leave Campaign.  He thinks that "no deal" will be the same as "no change" and that it's all just the same as the Millennium Bug - a big fuss about nothing.

 

So it seems that this year, more than ever, we can't wait to get back to France.  Having said that, we are settling really well into our new house in the UK.  With all the major and disruptive renovations done and therefore no workmen to work around, we are pottering on with the remainder at our own, slow pace.  It's quite enjoyable.  

Hugo is getting two long walks a day, which is good for all of us.  Daisy spends most of her time trying to sneak up on the squirrels that tease her by running along the fence at the back of the garden.  We are balancing the DIY with actually enjoying ourselves.  We think that once we've finished this phase of work that will be it until next winter when we tackle the little upstairs bathroom. 

The pictures in this post are just ones that I had ready and I'm feeling too lazy too find and process new ones.  They do however illustrate some of the things we love most about our little corner of France, the lovely walks and views, the restaurants, the food and the doors!

2018 IN PICTURES.

Late to the party as so often these days……my round up of pictures to show what we did in 2018. 

Finding ourselves back in the UK in January, we enjoyed walks with our puppy Hugo who was then just six months old.

The house was still undergoing renovation when the time came for his “little operation”.  One of Nick’s old t-shirts served to prevent him from biting the stitches in his tummy.

February was a dreary month.  Hugo and Daisy enjoyed their first experience of playing in the snow and we toiled away with the house decorating.

In March we returned to France where Hugo soon settled into his new garden and new routine.  We went out and about, visiting old haunts and settling back into our French way of life. 

Daisy just took up where she left off six months before.

In April we caught up with friends in the village.

Hugo made a new friend, Dora the English setter.

The garden burst into flower.

Special visitors came to stay.

With the visitors came the opportunity for becoming tourists all over again.

In May Hugo loved the warm weather but was in need of a haircut.

Nick taught himself the art of dog grooming. 

We went on holiday – Daisy to the cattery and the rest of us to the Dordogne.

June was hot.  The garden flourished.

Dora came to play.

More visitors in July and more châteaux to visit.

The fields were full of sunflowers and the rapeseed was harvested.

For the whole of August we all returned to the UK to supervise the garden work.

Back to France in September with another special guest and more châteax to visit.

The weather remained HOT and our Indian summer began.

October was glorious.  Long, lazy and warm days and many long walks around all our old favourite places.

The annual food and art festival in the next village was brilliant as always, all the better for amazing weather.

Back to the UK for the winter, kicking off in November with Dad’s birthday.

A last few days in France to put the garden to bed and leave the house ready for winter.

In December we became tourists at home, visiting Hardwick Hall to see the Christmas decorations.  Then decorating our own Christmas cake.

We saw the old year out and let the new year in with dinner at home.

So that was that!  It’s 2019 already and we’re busy planning our trips to France for the year ahead.  In the meantime, while we’re biding our time in the UK there will be some posts to catch up on!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!