A Room of One’s Own…

 

If you’ve been following the blog since the summer, you’ll know that we’re more than a bit rubbish at prioritising. As long as the weather is holding we work outdoors, cook outdoors, eat outdoors and play outdoors. We even constructed the mezzanine on the terrace to make the most of mild summer evenings and roll out the sleeping bags. And then the first grim days of autumn roll in and we find ourselves moving back into a house that isn’t quite ready to receive us…Why the surprise ? It’s not like we expected the renovation fairies to wave their wands while we were otherwise occupied. And it’s not like we’ve ever done it differently…

Madame Pickles gets festive

Hi Lorraine, Harriet’s mum, aka Madame Pickles here again.

It’s getting near to the Christmas season and I’ve started getting prepared for a British Christmas here in France – and, I confess, reeling at the prospect of a couple of vegans coming to eat. Yes it was me Harry was referring to when she described people rolling their eyes in despair when she announced she was going vegan. I get it, I admire her commitment and concern for the health of her family but (sorry there is a but) things become difficult when you are vegan and living in France, I am being very selfish here, I knew I was going to miss the girlie lunches we’ve had when we’ve been out, nothing grand, an 11 euro meal in one of the local restaurants. These places are brilliant, they cater for working people, you could be sitting with someone booted and suited or someone that’s just come in from the farm, not quite up to their knees in mud but not far short. You have a proper three or even four course meal, wine or cider is usually included with a coffee to finish. How the “Ouvriers” go back to work I do not know, I just want to go home and do nothing for the rest of the afternoon.

Willow Wonder

So when you’ve done your business in the toilet, finished the washing up or had a shower you flush, pull the plug or turn off right? Well, not in this house. For the 6 months we’ve been living here I feel we’ve given our drains a life times worth of thought. We just weren’t flowing right and far too frequently not at all. I’ll spare you the details, we’ve come out the other end (!) and I still can’t express the joy of a shower where someone doesn’t yell, ‘get out, there’s water everywhere….’

tête à tête

Fleece is my new obsession. Price, colours, thickness shipping costs…..and the reason why is hats, us girls have been making hats and lots of them.

We are going to be sending our hats up to the Calais Jungle and hope they will help keep a few heads warm and they will know they were hand made by a gang of women who just want to help. It feels good to be doing something productive. Solidarity. People coming together for a common cause. Girl power!

September Sounds….

Is that swallows I spy a’gathering? 😦

Yeah, gotta face facts, summer really has drawn to a close. And I, like all flaky grasshoppers out there who have somehow made it through the odd season or three, have the fear of winter creeping upon me. There are all sorts of reasons to love the autumn ; mushrooms and chestnuts, apples and walnuts, cider and oh nuts – I bloody hate the cold !