27th March 2016

Clocks went forward today.....
As expected, the viewers last week did not make an offer, so our place remains for sale.  And still the whole world tells me You cannot be serious. You want to leave the South of France and return to rainy old England?  My response would be Ask Tom Hanks in Castaway. He found himself in a peaceful, tropical place with constant sunshine and all the fish and coconuts he could eat. The garden of Eden you might say, yet did he want to stay there? Why on earth would he want to return to a place jam-packed with people, elbowing his way through his stressful, daily life?  The important word there is life.  That was where his family were, where he was born, the people who speak his language and understand where he comes from, his humour, his culture and what makes him tick. Also it's where you would want to be remembered by all who follow you in life.  So, the quest continues.  Hopefully it won't take too long.
.....Ask the clocks and Tom Hanks:  time and tide wait for no man.

12 October 2014

A few days ago a couple arrived at our front gate. 'Is your house for sale?'  Eh?  Well, not exactly, but...where did you hear that?  'A neighbour told us.'  Oh.  'Could we come round this afternoon and have a look.' S'pose so.  Frantic rush round to make the place presentable. Head in a spin.  1500h a car arrives and out climbs the couple together with the neighbours with the chickens at the back of our garden!  (For those with a long memory, the ones where Bruno jumped over the fence and attacked their chickens).  I should pause here. Did you ever see that film Castaway with Tom Hanks? Life casts him away from home in a lovely sunny place with all the coconuts he can eat. He adapts for a while, enjoying the sunshine, but eventually starts to build a liferaft. Why would you want to leave such a sunny place, family might say, before they return to their lives back home? Back to reality. Him indoors currently needs treatment that is only available in France, and exchange rates mean the price offered will only buy an apartment in the UK, and what to do with the 2 dogs. Nothing comes easy.