My goodness – where do I begin to update this blog after a year of silence? First of all I have to say that Simba is still with us, well and happy and it was just an abscess.
I think this will have to be a very brief summery of the year as firstly I can’t remember a lot of it (the joys of aging) and also it would be far too lengthy and tedious to read otherwise. Then I will have to do better in the months to come. A bit like a diet – there’s always tomorrow but before you know it, months have passed and you still haven’t started.

During the early spring I managed to get my veggie plots dug over by friends with a rotavator – very much appreciated and also the play area sown with grass. It now looks quite verdant but during that long hot summer I had visions of having to do it all again. Unfortunately I still have an ongoing problem with thistles and will have to continue spraying for another year at least.

The veggie plots proved very successful and I had bumper crops of runner & French beans, tomatoes, potatoes, beetroot, parsnips, Swiss chard (spinach bolted immediately), and courgettes….. a word of warning – never ever plant 6 courgette plants unless you run a vegetarian restaurant! I was swimming in courgettes, gave away heaps to guests and they still kept coming, in the end I made courgette relish, chutney, conserve, which also sold well so I can’t complain really. The surplus of green tomatoes at the end also made very nice chutney. Another tip to the uninitiated – if you are going to store anything like this in a barn or outbuilding, make sure the pot lids are made of metal or glass. I bought ones with plastic lids - they are not mouse proof and I probably have the best fed mice in the district.


Ian came back in spring and I went to the UK to do the worst job I have ever had to do in my life. Although she had elected to go into a home herself, it is sheer guilt ridden agony to have to pack up your mother’s house and hand her over to the care industry. Seeing her entire life in bin bags and hearing that not even a charity thought her furniture worth having was unbearable. She has settled in now better than I ever thought possible and at least I know she is safe, warm and cared for but I hope I end my days before that destination becomes a necessity for me.

We also went to Dinan for their Medieval Festival and it was absolutely wonderful, we had a great time and the street entertainment was second to none. Wonderful costumes and floats, the market was amazing – can you imagine a UK street market selling real maces, swords, pikes and lances not to mention an astounding range of knives, chain mail, helmets and costumes in general. However all good things come to an end but on returning to where we’d left the car we found an empty space…. And I have to say that that car is not a vehicle one imagines being stolen having seen much better days. A bit dazed we stumbled into the nearest restaurant and asked the owner whom we should contact. He called his wife who spoke perfect English – she drove us to the Police station, explained our problem and it turned out that having filled up just before arriving in Dinan, the way the car was parked up on a kerb – the petrol started leaking out and was noticed by a passer-by. The Police and Fire services had been called as the leak was dangerously close to the boats on the river and they’d towed it away. Considering this all happened on a very narrow street in the middle of a carnival, the police were amazingly pleasant about it and only charged us for the tow not a fine. The good Samaritan who took us there, then drove us to the car pound and was going to wait until the garage owner turned up and only left after we’d assured her that we’d be fine. I have to say that for sheer courtesy, friendliness, helpfulness and good humour I can’t fault the French. They restore my faith in mankind.


We had a good year of bookings, I was lucky in having a couple of long lets off season, one by an English couple waiting for the completion on their French house purchase and the other with my new French neighbours. Ian and I had coveted the house next door from the day the family sold me my longere and we had asked them for first refusal should it ever come on the market. Well when they did, but even without agency fees, we just couldn’t afford it. They asked for €130,000 and the house was certainly worth that but Ian’s cottage wouldn’t have sold for more than €110,000 and we would still have had to find the difference and money for renovating it. So with a heavy heart we had to let it go. It eventually sold to a lovely young family from nearby Plesse, but we watched horror struck as they ripped out the old oak floors to put in under floor heating, and cut down a wonderful old plum and apple tree – c’est la vie. However their renovation work took longer then they anticipated and as they had to vacate their Plesse rental home by the end of October they rented La glycine for a month and eventually moved into their home on 1st December. At least their children are quiet and although they now have the obligatory dog, he doesn’t make his presence felt by barking. I lived in dread of noisy neighbours from hell – hardly the best selling point for tranquil country gite holidays.

Ian had almost continuous work from local expats and didn’t really have the time to restart the work on his extension until December last year, however once he did get stuck in, the progress is great and we have every confidence it’ll be finished in a month or so. He also managed to re-roof my barn on the garden side as it leaked like a sieve. That is something we are planning to get started on this year as soon as he has finished his extension. Other than that, I’m still attending French classes, we now have a very active French/English club in Guemene which holds monthly events and have started a line-dancing group as well. I’ve also joined a patchwork group – more to meet the French than anything else but the craft is a fascinating one I have to admit. I’ve also started swimming twice a week and do a voluntary English class at the local school for the children.

In December both my sons came out to France from Saudi Arabia, one with an American fiancée in tow, Ian’s daughter also joined us from Taiwan – what an international family we are. All are doing really well in their jobs and my eldest married his fiancée in January in Jeddah. Unfortunately it wasn’t what you might call ‘a wedding’ as all it consisted of was an exchange of contracts with her father who also happen to be working out there. However it’s legally binding and the happy couple have just moved into their first new home there. They plan to have a proper ‘do’ elsewhere in the future and I’ll do my best to attend that.


Before they left France, we travelled up to Paris together to meet my son’s future mother-in-law, as she was en-route for Saudi herself. A lovely lady like her daughter, we had a wonderful time in Paris and although usually I hate cities, I loved Paris. Perhaps it was because being January, it was relatively empty and quiet and we were so lucky with the weather. Did the whole tourist bit, open top tour bus, boat along the Seine, Notre Dame, etc.. Wonderful places, we really didn’t have nearly enough time to do it justice and I’ve booked a surprise birthday trip for Ian (28th Feb) for 4 days so we should be able to ‘do’ a bit more of Paris then.

As if in answer to my prayers, I’ve also got another long term booking for Chevrefeuille by a relocating Brit until 27th April so not only extra dosh but also hopefully a Simba sitter on the premises. Just praying he’s not cat phobic or allergic, as I haven’t actually asked him yet.

So as February speeds to an end, we’ve continued our fact finding Sundays out with a trip to Pornichet & La Baule and next Sunday we’re combining pleasure with business by going to Fougeres. In the first instance to see a house a friend is interested in buying and who wants Ian’s professional opinion and also of course to see the city too. It’s all go but very enjoyable. Now I just have to figure out a way to make sure Ian switches off the water heater at his place next Saturday without giving away the Paris plan.

I had some great photos to post here but for some reason although they appear to upload they don't actually appear on my blog - grrrrrr. Any ideas?