tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244617796587595950.comments2012-05-24T15:02:34.997+02:00Heatherhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12907463384804281417noreply@blogger.comBlogger53125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244617796587595950.post-8172372900437131152011-03-03T01:24:09.895+01:002011-03-03T01:24:09.895+01:00hi, good site very much appreciattedAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244617796587595950.post-44619646846605256792009-09-24T20:41:32.548+02:002009-09-24T20:41:32.548+02:00I&#39;ve really enjoyed it and will miss it too. See you soon xKathhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02226890280904738435noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244617796587595950.post-91177437533635220612009-09-22T17:45:14.670+02:002009-09-22T17:45:14.670+02:00Hope your journey back is smooth and look forward to meeting up soon in england. What has been strange for me, your sister,is that communication has been so much more regular, focussed and we have had a real sense of what your life in france has been. I fear the stay in such a beautiful and peaceful setting may have spoilt you for city life, but the great thing about retirement is you are not tied to any one place. So welcome back to the rain, the changing season and the shops already heaving with Christmas madness. s.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244617796587595950.post-73723438343831597002009-09-03T19:38:50.045+02:002009-09-03T19:38:50.045+02:00great to hear your perceptions now you are coming to the end of your stay. It has been what you set out for, a great adventure. as a sibling back in England it has been strange. The contact this year through your blog and visit has been greater than in recent years. we have also felt an affinity to French village culture. enjoy your last few weeks. S.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244617796587595950.post-64004768496656664192009-07-16T20:44:14.369+02:002009-07-16T20:44:14.369+02:00Sorry to hear that Heather and Rog, I know how fond of her you both were. Hope you are ok xAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244617796587595950.post-91516083450622576442009-07-16T15:45:56.797+02:002009-07-16T15:45:56.797+02:00lovely writing Heather - i ain&#39;t no cat lover but a nice testimony to Cleomartinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08670207608993604407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244617796587595950.post-32665189993512641452009-06-29T18:13:18.027+02:002009-06-29T18:13:18.027+02:00Have just typed this once and it disappeared! Does that mean it will turn up somewhere unintended!?<br />Anyway, it said... that it all sounds idyllic (yes, I know this was just good bits), and that I can&#39;t wait to experience it for myself, especially the gourmet cuisine. Also said that if it&#39;s a beans and custard day when I visit I am going straight home! Oh no... I am anticipating the &quot;annoying vegetarian visitors with cat allergies and manky knees&quot; post....brigittenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244617796587595950.post-74744057225144602302009-06-04T00:29:32.969+02:002009-06-04T00:29:32.969+02:00very moving. I&#39;d not really made the link before, although I was aware of the significance of the date of my birthday.<br /><br />Seeing my grandads picture after reading your thoughts made me feel a mixture of sadness about not knowing him, alongside gratefulness not to have had to live through such terrible times.<br /><br />P.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244617796587595950.post-30590514284132311692009-05-22T15:15:27.706+02:002009-05-22T15:15:27.706+02:00a love entry - touched a cord<br />martinemartinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08670207608993604407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244617796587595950.post-4786836116152819912009-05-21T12:04:58.251+02:002009-05-21T12:04:58.251+02:00Heather<br />Just read your blog on May 8th and found it very moving which isn't something I prone to!<br />love<br />DaveDavehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14817371676902324797noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244617796587595950.post-61647619010942789392009-05-06T23:37:00.000+02:002009-05-06T23:37:00.000+02:00Yes, i was there and it was cold , the rain missled down,the wind blew and we stayed indoors and surveyed the view through the barn window with the log fire burning in the background and Cleo the cat curled up in front of it and refusing to budge.We had flown from Liverpool to find some sun in farthest France and what did we find? Rain, but somehow softer and gentler and more ready to give way to the warmth of the sun when the clouds parted. Oh well, we had travelled far and found beauty and space and tranquility but no sun, what else to do but join Cleo and refuse to budge from the warmth of the log fire! Sibling S.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244617796587595950.post-31328657149049033312009-05-03T20:48:00.000+02:002009-05-03T20:48:00.000+02:00Hello Martine, <br />Thanks for your reply. I had eventually worked it out with some effort and since then have been able to see the gates myself. A beautiful sleepy area of france where the cycle of life is very apparent and nature takes precedence. A humbling notion but'c'est la vie!<br />AnonymousAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244617796587595950.post-70174994326818440572009-05-01T13:06:00.000+02:002009-05-01T13:06:00.000+02:00the non literal jist is "we are already here! and "you will be coming" Great stuff!! martinemartinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08670207608993604407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244617796587595950.post-54576827303329246622009-04-28T22:56:00.000+02:002009-04-28T22:56:00.000+02:00Since the turn of the centuary and coming out as a free spirit i have taken to wearing rose coloured glasses for short periods - usually while I am on my bike riding in between the rush hours - it has the effect of making the countryside more attractive, I think I look cool and reduces the number of insect attacks. It is not half as much fun with out them! Come home and I'll get you both a pair of glasses.glynnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244617796587595950.post-87356374197252752772009-04-28T00:14:00.000+02:002009-04-28T00:14:00.000+02:00I don't understand about the picking the kids up bit - I thought French school dinners were a gourmet experience that no right minded child would want to miss? Denise says the child up the road comes home with the following weeks' menu for perusal en famille! <br />Isn't the reason French people don't go away to the countryside at weekends because most of them live there anyway? (And if they did, they couldn't get home for lunch!)<br />Snake looked quite sweet really.<br />But the centipede/s ... you don't day whether your discovery was singular or plural or very plural... would make all the difference to me. Have you got a new pet or an infestation?brigittenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244617796587595950.post-43888631875023728372009-04-18T19:43:00.000+02:002009-04-18T19:43:00.000+02:00Enjoyed the philosophical look at life in this blog. it emphasises how watching the seasons unfold on a daily basis brings you so much closer to the passage of time and the knowledge that the seasons and life will carry on regardless. Still the rose coloured stuff helps. Am still conjugating french verbs to translate the words full of wisdom on the cemetary gates. i can't get past the literal translation with my very limited French. Can someone help me out?<br />Look forward to seeing them myself soon. your 1st sibling S.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244617796587595950.post-18266970286737688612009-04-11T11:55:00.000+02:002009-04-11T11:55:00.000+02:00glynis claimed that the bike ride idea was an april fool .. i say go for it! but given the idea is to live in france you could be out of the country for a while on that distance!martinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08670207608993604407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244617796587595950.post-13004268915203267362009-04-08T19:34:00.000+02:002009-04-08T19:34:00.000+02:00Hello Heather - wish I was in la R B but waiting on NHS to do their stuff and stop cancelling minor op day jobs means can plan nothing. Their behaviour has completely mucked up our spring building activities, not to mention the thought of actually having to pay £1 for a euro. Your blog keeps us in touch and amused. Not much different to here really, remote corner of Wiltshire, and not liked by townies much, &#39;er indoors for instance. Hope to be there soon though but we are in middle of birtday, funeral, memorial season so may be a few weeks yet. Salaams to all the neighbours. We miss them.<BR/>Andy &amp; TrishAndrewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16965677251341680844noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244617796587595950.post-74805068401000610962009-04-05T18:21:00.000+02:002009-04-05T18:21:00.000+02:00cool dude black - authentic please!martinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08670207608993604407noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244617796587595950.post-29877283564419109742009-04-01T19:03:00.000+02:002009-04-01T19:03:00.000+02:00April fool or not, I can certainly see Rog in a beret. I think the cool dude black for everyday wear, the yellow pompom NEVER, and something in red for high days and holidays, but not sure about the 'knitted'?!Brigittenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244617796587595950.post-76506578616529686722009-04-01T16:42:00.000+02:002009-04-01T16:42:00.000+02:00Too clever by half!Manc in Francehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12907463384804281417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244617796587595950.post-53446886595309114232009-04-01T15:56:00.000+02:002009-04-01T15:56:00.000+02:00April's fool?Jean-Françoishttp://www.nosmeilleuresphotos.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244617796587595950.post-54787199851810156872009-03-27T20:17:00.000+01:002009-03-27T20:17:00.000+01:00I am having a very slow, no distration type of day and thank the Goddess I can now ring up Jo and get a Dutch and German beer in a bar that is open and a curry next door. Your MancinManc spoke of changed cooking and eating experiences, can yous Manc be a bit Franc in Manc-land? apairoteefs and a bit of tree lovin sound bon to me.glynisnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244617796587595950.post-17675981439542949572009-03-26T11:54:00.000+01:002009-03-26T11:54:00.000+01:00Great to hear from you Jo. I'll look forward to reading the article. I need to have positive reasons on the city side too - the 'romantic country' stuff is everywhere and I love cities too - nearly all my friends live there for one very good reason!Manc in Francehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12907463384804281417noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6244617796587595950.post-59539070799783919822009-03-26T10:19:00.000+01:002009-03-26T10:19:00.000+01:00Spring has sprung off to another continent. I'm here in my office, heating on full blast, enormous fleece trapping my body heat, lights blocking out the dark, dim, dreary, dull, damp Ashton Old Road, ready for another day of hassle and hustle in East Manchester. In an attempt not to get sucked into romantic dreams of rural life, I resolved to read Reasons Not to Move to the Country: One Woman's Calamitous Attempt to Live the Rural Dream by Judy Rumbold that was mentioned in Saturday's Guardian. http://www.amazon.co.uk/Reasons-Not-Move-Country-Calamitous/dp/1904977936 Now you've made it all seem so attractive again! Feelings of significance are top! Jo xJonoreply@blogger.com