One or two people, JJ for instance have suggested I could combine some of the items on my Wish List. She suggested wearing high heels while doing a Triathlon!!!!!! Someone else suggested wearing some of the clothes seen at my local market and joining the musicians, with or without high heels. I thought of learning to dance while wearing skis but that might prove very dangerous for a lot of people. I could of course wear high heels whilst visiting Venice but I may not manage much sight-seeing.
Any suggestions will be given serious consideration!!!!!! In the meantime I am desperately trying to get back to my wip, it is proving difficult to get into any sort of routine. There are far too many distractions here, including the odd trip to the local drinking establishments, all in the interest of meeting people of course, plus we just had to see what the local race course is like. Not bad by the way and we had a few winners. And then there is the DIY we have nearly got a new en-suite bathroom [just one or two tiny tiny leaks!!!!] and the bedroom will be ready to move into soon. That just leaves the rest of the house and summer is coming. Oh well mustn't rush these things.
Must be nearly time for a glass of wine then I can give my wip my "full attention". Well maybe not today maybe tomorrow!!!!!!! Me procrastinate no surely not.
Tuesday, 20 May 2008
Wednesday, 23 April 2008
Ten things I want to do before the next big 0!
Not an original idea but one that I borrowed from Caroline (of "in search of Adam" fame) read it here who in turn borrowed it from "40 things to do before I'm 40."read it here. So as I have another biggy coming up in three years I thought I would give myself a wish list. I don 't want to be greedy so just 10 things I want to do before the next big one.
Oh and I'm not telling you how old maybe I will when I make it!!!
1 Finish my novel and get it published. This one is maybe too easy but I thought I should include it!!!!!!!
2 Try cross-country skiing. We are only about 1 hour from the Pyrenees so that shouldn't be too difficult to achieve.
3 Visit Venice.
4 Wear high heels again. I seem to have lived in wellies for the past 15 years and it has played havoc with my feet. But I haven't worn wellies for 6 weeks now so it's looking more hopeful.
5 Join a Salsa band. This may be a bit trickier as I have no rhythm and I'm tone deaf but they might let me have a triangle or a tambourine!!!
6 Learn to dance. Proper dancing such as latin american jive etc.
7 See an Ashes tour in Australia or the Cricket World cup somewhere exotic. Now I don't like long flights as I am Claustrophobic but I reckon some tranquilisers such as I gave the dogs should do the trick, in fact I've got a few tablets left so that's okay.
8 Go to the Super League Grand Final between the Leeds Rhinos and anybody else. Obviously I need Leeds to help with this one.
9 Do a Triathlon. Just a short one, I already run, I cycle a bit in the summer and I swim but only breaststroke. But hey I only want to finish I don't expect to win.
10 This one is for my eyes only but I may tell all when I reach the big one!!!!
So there it is my wish list for the next three years. Now all I need is some cooperation from the OH and for me to stop procrastinating and they should all be possible. I will try and put a short list in my sidebar to keep you up to date as to how I am getting on. So wish me luck and if you want leave your wish list.
Oh and I'm not telling you how old maybe I will when I make it!!!
1 Finish my novel and get it published. This one is maybe too easy but I thought I should include it!!!!!!!
2 Try cross-country skiing. We are only about 1 hour from the Pyrenees so that shouldn't be too difficult to achieve.
3 Visit Venice.
4 Wear high heels again. I seem to have lived in wellies for the past 15 years and it has played havoc with my feet. But I haven't worn wellies for 6 weeks now so it's looking more hopeful.
5 Join a Salsa band. This may be a bit trickier as I have no rhythm and I'm tone deaf but they might let me have a triangle or a tambourine!!!
6 Learn to dance. Proper dancing such as latin american jive etc.
7 See an Ashes tour in Australia or the Cricket World cup somewhere exotic. Now I don't like long flights as I am Claustrophobic but I reckon some tranquilisers such as I gave the dogs should do the trick, in fact I've got a few tablets left so that's okay.
8 Go to the Super League Grand Final between the Leeds Rhinos and anybody else. Obviously I need Leeds to help with this one.
9 Do a Triathlon. Just a short one, I already run, I cycle a bit in the summer and I swim but only breaststroke. But hey I only want to finish I don't expect to win.
10 This one is for my eyes only but I may tell all when I reach the big one!!!!
So there it is my wish list for the next three years. Now all I need is some cooperation from the OH and for me to stop procrastinating and they should all be possible. I will try and put a short list in my sidebar to keep you up to date as to how I am getting on. So wish me luck and if you want leave your wish list.
Wednesday, 16 April 2008
Sunday Market
As promised here are some photos I took last Sunday. One of the musicians is sporting a fine example of a mullet and the stalls are all in addition to the usual wonderful selection of fresh fruit and veg, flowers, cheeses, charcuterie, wines, hardware goods, more conventional clothes and shoes and much more. It really is a fabulous Market that runs throughout the year although it is obviously much busier in the summer months.
Tuesday, 8 April 2008
Settling in.
Thanks to all who have welcomed me back to the blogging world, it's good to be back. It hardly seems possible but we have been here over 4 weeks already!! So it really is time to stop my favourite past-time of PROCRASTINATION and start blogging and more importantly writing again. I have been sitting at my laptop for the past hour messing around, deleting e-mails, checking out other websites, you know how it goes, anything to avoid actually doing anything remotely connected with blogging or writing. Anyway I have finally run out of things to distract me so here goes: blog number two in our new house.
A few words about where we came from and where we are now. We had been living in the Poitou-Charentes region of France for the past 18 years, sheepfarming, hence the title of the blog!! Our farm was completely isolated which suited us very well, but eventually we decided that we were ready for a bit more life without having to drive 30/40 minutes. So now we have moved to the Aude departement, we have settled in a large village about 40 minutes south of Carcassonne. What a contrast!!! We are only about an hour from the Pyrenees and the Med and so not far from Spain either. We are looking forward to wine buying trips across the border.
We are within walking distance of 3 BARS plus all the other shops etc, but we are on the edge of the village and manage to have found a really tranquil setting. The house requires a lot of work including a extension to provide a new kitchen, but we enjoy a challenge and have already started on the top bedroom. In the meantime we are fairly cramped compared to what we had before, lots of boxes will not be opened for some time and we have a lot of furniture in store, where it will stay until the extension is ready.
Luckily the village provides ample distractions for when we get fed up with DIY. Every Sunday morning there is a huge Market with people pouring in from miles around. Market stalls selling everything you can imagine plus quite a few selling the unimaginable. The village and surrounding area has a large hippy population which means the Market is very 'colourful'!!!! I have never seen so many mullets, on the young and not so young!!!! I have suggested the OH grows his hair so that he can blend in . We shall also look out our Indian cotton dresses[for me] and shirts[for him] plus anything else from the dressing up box. It does however give me an incredible range of characters that I can draw on for my wip. I always have my notebook handy when we stop for a beer or two, all in the name of research of course. I will take some photos of the more colourful stalls to give an idea what it's like here.
It looks like we are in for a tough life here but hey we'll do our best to cope!!!! More Sheep stories will appear from time to time along with updates on life amongst the Beautiful People.
A few words about where we came from and where we are now. We had been living in the Poitou-Charentes region of France for the past 18 years, sheepfarming, hence the title of the blog!! Our farm was completely isolated which suited us very well, but eventually we decided that we were ready for a bit more life without having to drive 30/40 minutes. So now we have moved to the Aude departement, we have settled in a large village about 40 minutes south of Carcassonne. What a contrast!!! We are only about an hour from the Pyrenees and the Med and so not far from Spain either. We are looking forward to wine buying trips across the border.
We are within walking distance of 3 BARS plus all the other shops etc, but we are on the edge of the village and manage to have found a really tranquil setting. The house requires a lot of work including a extension to provide a new kitchen, but we enjoy a challenge and have already started on the top bedroom. In the meantime we are fairly cramped compared to what we had before, lots of boxes will not be opened for some time and we have a lot of furniture in store, where it will stay until the extension is ready.
Luckily the village provides ample distractions for when we get fed up with DIY. Every Sunday morning there is a huge Market with people pouring in from miles around. Market stalls selling everything you can imagine plus quite a few selling the unimaginable. The village and surrounding area has a large hippy population which means the Market is very 'colourful'!!!! I have never seen so many mullets, on the young and not so young!!!! I have suggested the OH grows his hair so that he can blend in . We shall also look out our Indian cotton dresses[for me] and shirts[for him] plus anything else from the dressing up box. It does however give me an incredible range of characters that I can draw on for my wip. I always have my notebook handy when we stop for a beer or two, all in the name of research of course. I will take some photos of the more colourful stalls to give an idea what it's like here.
It looks like we are in for a tough life here but hey we'll do our best to cope!!!! More Sheep stories will appear from time to time along with updates on life amongst the Beautiful People.
Wednesday, 26 March 2008
MOVING WAS HELL!!!!!!!
First of all thankyou to everyone who left encouraging comments.
It proved far worse than I could have imagined. Having spent nearly two years with our farm up for sale I thought I would be so relieved to be moving that it wouldn't matter how stressful it was. I had intended to do progress blogs but there was never enough time or energy, the timescale of just 6 weeks to pack up our farm was far too short and it descended rapidly into a frantic race against the clock. The last couple of weeks were a complete nightmare and we were only saved by an extra week before completion.
The OH did 5 round trips of 1200 km with loads of furniture and boxes, I don't know how he did it. We finally moved on the 7th March. The OH was driving the 4x4 plus a trailer load full of so many odds and ends, he also had the two dogs whom I had tranquilized as they are very poor travellers. I was driving our toyota MR2 also filled with more odds and ends, plus I had the cat, also tranquilized, in a cat box and our two goldfish, in a plastic bag in a plastic container!! In the event the OH arrived before me as I had to make several stops to squeeze the cat back into her box and to stop the water slopping out of the goldfish bag!!!!!!
But it was such a relief to finally arrive here, never mind the fact that until we get the extension built half of our furniture is stored in a garage, and half of our belongings will have to stay in boxes until we can get some serious decorating finished, plus a bathroom or two.
We are now back on line and have somewhere to sit and watch tele, and I have just about enough room in the kitchen to rustle up reasonable meals. The wine racks are full and we have already been taking advantage of the fact that we can now walk to a bar or three for a bit of company if we feel like it. And the complete novelty of being able to walk to the boulangerie for a baguette or the little supermarche for just about anything. The dogs are settling in well as is the cat, all very new for them too.
It has taken me this long to feel able to write a few words for my blog, lack of sleep and the stress of moving left me physically and emotionally exhausted. But I am getting back to normal and will be trying to catch up with all my favourite bloggers, not an easy task but I will do my best as I have missed them.
I intend to carry on with my farming tales but also hope to give progress reports on the work we are doing to our house. All we need now is for the weather to improve, we did not expect snow but that is what we have had over the past few days, and it has been cold. So roll on the sunny days when we can throw open the doors and spend lots of time outside. Now it's time for a glass of wine, so cheers to you all.
It proved far worse than I could have imagined. Having spent nearly two years with our farm up for sale I thought I would be so relieved to be moving that it wouldn't matter how stressful it was. I had intended to do progress blogs but there was never enough time or energy, the timescale of just 6 weeks to pack up our farm was far too short and it descended rapidly into a frantic race against the clock. The last couple of weeks were a complete nightmare and we were only saved by an extra week before completion.
The OH did 5 round trips of 1200 km with loads of furniture and boxes, I don't know how he did it. We finally moved on the 7th March. The OH was driving the 4x4 plus a trailer load full of so many odds and ends, he also had the two dogs whom I had tranquilized as they are very poor travellers. I was driving our toyota MR2 also filled with more odds and ends, plus I had the cat, also tranquilized, in a cat box and our two goldfish, in a plastic bag in a plastic container!! In the event the OH arrived before me as I had to make several stops to squeeze the cat back into her box and to stop the water slopping out of the goldfish bag!!!!!!
But it was such a relief to finally arrive here, never mind the fact that until we get the extension built half of our furniture is stored in a garage, and half of our belongings will have to stay in boxes until we can get some serious decorating finished, plus a bathroom or two.
We are now back on line and have somewhere to sit and watch tele, and I have just about enough room in the kitchen to rustle up reasonable meals. The wine racks are full and we have already been taking advantage of the fact that we can now walk to a bar or three for a bit of company if we feel like it. And the complete novelty of being able to walk to the boulangerie for a baguette or the little supermarche for just about anything. The dogs are settling in well as is the cat, all very new for them too.
It has taken me this long to feel able to write a few words for my blog, lack of sleep and the stress of moving left me physically and emotionally exhausted. But I am getting back to normal and will be trying to catch up with all my favourite bloggers, not an easy task but I will do my best as I have missed them.
I intend to carry on with my farming tales but also hope to give progress reports on the work we are doing to our house. All we need now is for the weather to improve, we did not expect snow but that is what we have had over the past few days, and it has been cold. So roll on the sunny days when we can throw open the doors and spend lots of time outside. Now it's time for a glass of wine, so cheers to you all.
Wednesday, 16 January 2008
On The Move!!!
Firstly I would like to wish all visitors and fellow bloggers a happy and creative New Year.
Fleur and Tigger have no idea of what the New Year is going to bring and I would guess they don't really care. Life is good for them.
After last years disappointment when the sale of our farm fell through it now looks as if we have genuine buyers. We signed the Compromis de Vente [provisional contract] last Saturday morning and we are due to sign the Acte de Vente on the 28th February. That gives us 6 weeks to pack up everything and move to our house in the Aude region of France. OH BLOODY HELL !!!!!!!
Never mind it won't give me too much time to worry about it all. The OH has gone off this morning with the first trailer load of garden equipment plus a car load of spare duvets, curtains towels etc, and so it begins. So much to do and so little time to do it all.
In between I shall try and keep up my blog and my wip as we have started a new race this year and I am determined to finish the first draft [ this year atleast].
We are looking forward to starting a new chapter but it is going to be quite a wrench to leave some very good friends behind, and we have been very happy in this house for the past 17 years but all things move on and now it is time for us to move on.
Look out for progress reports and signs of impending madness as the time flies by.
Sunday, 23 December 2007
Oh dear it's Christmas!!!
Well there is no such thing as a free lunch and they had fun while it lasted.Wishing all fellow bloggers and readers a very Happy Christmas and a creative New Year.
Normal blogging will resume in January.
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