Sunday 30 August 2015

Summer 2015 is Ending.

We're coming to end of our Summer here in Brittany, and my couple of months off work has gone so quickly. We've had lovely visits from lovely family, and spent time together - walks with Arthur the dog, and a few days (admittedly too few....) sitting outside enjoying the sun, and the peace.

It hasn't been a great Summer, weatherwise, but it has been nice to be home, and I feel quite relaxed and prepared for my return to work next week.

Ironically, Craig has been very busy while I have been home. We try to plan that while I am here, we relax a little more, but Craig has been trading/bartering work, and can't really afford to decline, as he needs help in return. This has meant that I have had several days on my own. It's an unusual situation for me, but I have made the most of it. I can understand though that for Craig being on his own, for weeks at a time it's a different kettle of fish. Especially when the weather is poor, and the days are short.

Now that the decision has been made to return to the UK - at some point - we've met up with several other families who have decided to make a move onwards too. Our near neighbours shocked us with the news that they are to return too, and in fact, made the decision, and have actually gone, in the space of a couple of weeks !! Another couple are moving to be nearer children and grandchildren, to the Nantes area of France. So, our small community is changing ......I wish everyone luck in their future homes.

What have we achieved while I have been home this time - well, we have made changes to plans for the house. Choosing finishes for ourselves, is different to choosing finishes to 'sell' the property for example. We were going to put a window in the back of the house, to bring more light into the kitchen, but it's a lot of work, and won't necessarily increase the value, so it's one idea that has been shelved. Of course, a new owner could choose to do it, and we have got permission, so it wouldn't be too hard to renew that, as it has been agreed at some point.

There are lots of things I will miss from here - the peace, and the quiet roads for example. Although, saying that, the road outside the house can be very busy at harvest time. Tractors, with trailers and combine harvesters travelling past, in some cases as late as 11.30pm. It is something that we accept of course, as we appreciate that the farmers need to get the crops in, within a small window of opportunity. Other times, we don't see a car go past all day !

Customer service is strange here too. I think we have got used to the standards of the UK - and it is very rare to find it here. Craig had a problem with his nail gun, and after a lot of investigation, we discovered that it was easier to take it back to the UK, and get it repaired/serviced there. Here, we would have had to SEND it - yes, you read that right - to a depot in Southern France, where they would deal with it, at an unknown price, within an unknown time frame. The English repairers could give us a cost and a time frame immediately ! Which would you choose ???

Well, we've started to stock up on materials to keep Craig busy while I am away - we will complete this exercise in the next few days of course, and with food for him too. I have made copious amounts of cake to keep his sweet tooth at bay, and he has fuel for the fires, and gas for cooking. All that is left for me to do, is to get the washing, ironing and cleaning up to date. I try to leave the house as clean as I can, so that he can concentrate on other things.

Au Revoir for now, Bientot, until my next trip home x


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