28 September 2014

When I first started writing this blog, I didn't know anyone else who wrote one. I merely felt the need to record some of my feelings about living in France as an English expat.  Now, 6 years later, it reads like an encyclopaedia of things that went wrong and what we did about them, albeit with Him indoors' unique comments!  I sometimes forget that other people are reading them and am quite shocked when I receive feedback - often from different parts of the world.  On Thursday I heard from an English lady called Amy who said they were house-sitting in France, didn't speak a word of French but had read my blog and found the bit they needed, and could I help them find a chimney sweep? Was only too happy to oblige.  Where we used to live in Tarn et Garonne lives a lady called Val who really helped us when we first arrived. She has a successful blog called tag-on-line.blogspot.fr . She acts as a marvellous link for all who live in the area, giving news of social events and much else, giving any proceeds to charity.  So, for whatever reason you write a blog, it's a great FREE resource. Of course, Him indoors says that's no way to run a business - but he would, wouldn't he?

26th May 2013

Seems I'm a little bit famous. Well, this week anyway. Not only did I appear in the local Gaillac mag but now in the much more glossy 'French Property News', the biggest and best UK guide. It started with a call from Vicky Leigh, the Asst. Editor.  She wanted to do a piece comparing expat bloggers in different parts of France, trawled the web, and found me!
When you think of blogging, you picture someone young, not someone my age. Certainly, the original French founder of the concept, Louis Pouzin, would be amazed. He's rightly receiving the Queen's award for Engineering in June, but who is he?  He's unknown because in the '70s M. Puzin saw that the French government wanted to develop a computer network and suggested his own innovative design - but, typically, they turned him down, calling it 'absurd'! They preferred the now defunct Minitel system. Scroll forward - and the Americans won hands down.  But, at last he's getting the recognition he deserves.
And me?  You can read more on page 42 of the June edition of French Property News - yes, a whole page. Back in the '80s the computer age opened up a whole new world for me, something unimaginable.  Merci beaucoup M. Pouzin.