Is it a type of shoe?

 

 

What’s it been like in Normandy?                                                                  

Greetings from a mild Normandy, well it is mild now but a month ago it was very cold and the whole of Normandy was knee- deep in snow. We had to dig ourselves out of the drive and then clear branches along the lane that had come down due to the sheer weight of all the snow on them. Whole areas of Normandy were in darkness for many days and people were even stranded overnight on local trains. Our power went out and so did our phone line, which snapped when a branch fell on it and remains unfixed to this day.

I had to fly back to the UK from Rennes (good service by the way and easy to park there). We drove through Normandy which was swathed in snow although the main roads were clear but as we hit Brittany there was not a trace of snow and I breathed a huge sigh of relief as I was not sure if we would make it there.

I left Tim knowing that all he had was the wood burner and a few candles but fortunately the power came back on the next day and he survived to tell the tale with the help of a gas hob and some dried noodles (yes, he is still obsessed with them!).

Peace and quiet

It just reminds us that we live in a remote area which was why we came here, I am currently sitting in front of the fire with a glass of red in complete silence, except for a few birds fighting it out on the bird feeder- those robins can be quite bossy! That is what I love about here, I enjoy the complete silence, I grew up a household of six children so peace and quiet was very rare, and I used to go and hide in the local library.

The pace of life here does still surprise me when I least expect it- I popped into the local shoe repair shop in town (called a Cordonniere here) and said to the man behind the counter cheerfully “ I’m in no rush for them!” to which he replied “I’ll call you when they are ready, it will be the end of January!” January! I’ll be looking to get into my flip flops by then!!

Out and about

I visited Paris with my friends to see the Christmas tree in the Galeries Lafeyette and the Christmas fare at La Défense (which was huge). Paris is always a good idea, any day and any time and I love how I can get on a train and arrive there in less than two hours.

It’s been an odd year with some very sad news with deaths of some close relatives but also with some great news such as the gorgeous wedding of our dear friends Vernon and Dawn and the engagement of our son Ben to the lovely Natalie. It makes you realise that we are becoming the older generation and it is the younger ones who will be the source of joy and reassurance for the future.

 And Meanwhile

 I’m still waiting for boots and my telephone to be fixed but the Christmas tree is up and the local supermachés are filling up with champagne, fois gras and oysters, which are very popular here for Christmas Eve. The French have a big meal on Christmas Eve rather than on Christmas day and they call it Le Réveillon. Did you know that Boxing day is not a bank holiday in France – shocking!

Merry Christmas, keep well and warm and hug your loved ones often.

Here’s to 2025 and all it will hold- let’s hope that includes some wifi!