what a week !

The polls, and all reason had said all would be well but after the events of 2016 ( Brexit , Trump) who knew what could happen . It was therefore with not a small measure of  relief that welearnt the very sensible French election system had resulted in a new French president with an actual majority who was not a confirmed fascist.

 ( cartoon in the Rochdale Herald)

Vive la France et vive la republique - and I wish the new president well in all the policies I agree with!

It would have been so ironic if this election had gone the other way as the following day we got another letter about our French citizenship application. We knew already that it had been approved but this letter confirmed it and the date of our French nationality was announced as 24th April 2017 - so we are now officially French / British.

Encore - vive la France et vive la republique!

Next was a short trip to England for a momentous family party. We have two of the most wonderful children you could wish for who are both thankfully  happy and settled now they are grown up. We gave up the idea of grandchildren years ago with both of them being steadfast in their refusal to supply ( and indeed why should they unless they so wish) . However, 6 years ago our son met his soul mate who already had two children aged 6 amd 8 ( or thereabouts) from a previous marriage. They have grown together as a family and last year decided to take the step of our son formally adopting the children. When we heard the final court decision was to be celebrated with a party we of course had to be there - after all its not every day you get to be  mamie and  papy.




It was  a brilliant day, even the Manchester weather played nicely and the sun shone all day, and we were so glad we had made the effort to go . Separation from family is the only drawback of us living abroad but we try not to let it keep us from having significant times together.


So we are now officially grandparents.





A 2 hour delay on our flight home meant we arrived home  yesterday very tired but ready to face some serious gardening.


Catching up on emails I was not so positive about the prospect of another trip to England next week - more family stuff but not quite so celebratory as it will entail emptying my Mum's flat after she moves into an old people's home. It's likely to be an emtional time . Another reminder , if one were needed, to enjoy every minute of your life while you can and don't miss any opportunities to spend time with the people who matter most.

clout casting

The weather here in the Spring is always unpredictable - cool days, days of warm sunshine, weeks of rain , weeks without rain,  cold nights, storms, winds, hail you name it we get it. The locals have always warned against planting tender plants out too soon but this year has been really extreme and certainly the most difficult in the garden since we came here.



Two months ago we had mornings when we ate breakfast outside, in early April we had some days when the temperature got to the high 20's. Jumpers were washed and put away, summer clothes were rediscovered and hung ready. The garden burst into life , the birds were nesting,
the fruit trees were loaded with blossom and things were looking good.

 Then ZAP - several mornings waking to below zero temperatures and catasprophe in the garden.

The fruit trees have now no sign of fruit, each day I find more casualties amongst plants which had been fooled into thinking it was time to put a spurt on. In the greenhouse my seedlings have struggled and many have given up altogether.

So now it is May - hopefully we have seen the last frost, the forecast looks OK for the next week so fingers crossed. I have a second batch of geraniums and more tomato plants all ready to plant out and the potato plants are well above the protection of the soil. Let the summer begin!