Hi guys, haven’t blogged for too long for which I apologise. I’ve been a busy sausage.

Kitchen is pretty much built except for the tall larder unit, I need an extra body to finish it but the hubs is in the UK this week so it will have to wait until he returns.

We’ve bought a French car, that in essence was relatively easy, but as with all things it seems, there’s always something. We have an airbag warning light that keeps coming on, meaning it’s failed it’s test. This is at the expense of the garage so not all bad, but every time we have to take it for fixing / retesting it’s a 2 hour round trip, so not exactly convenient. Why the garage allowed us to take it away before this issue was resolved I really don’t know, but touch wood it’ll be resolved next week.

I have put on my big girl pants and driven it once,to the supermarket, with hubs as Goose to my Maverick. I didn’t much enjoy it, but it was far better than I thought it would be. It’s the biggest car I’ve ever driven, everything is the wrong way round, the roads are narrow and you either pass nothing (great) or convoys of logging trucks (which make me wee a bit). The French also drive like it’s their last day on earth, just doing the speed limit to me feels terrifying, but I have to be braver. I need to be able to get around and be less isolated.

We’ve arranged to buy some lovely furniture from some friends of Le Mama and Le Papa that are downsizing. 2 double wardrobes, one single wardrobe, some old ladders, a writing bureau, and some other bits. Will be great for next door, as we can properly start to decorate when the rewire has finished.

Hubs has driven our U.K. car back to Blighty to sell it, although sadly until this morning, the V5 document was still here in France with me……I’m taking responsibility for this, I told him it was in the log book when it was something else, but it’s posted now and on its way.

I got to put the Christmas tree up which always makes me happy, Freya has only chomped one decoration so far so I’ll take that as a result. She does keep looking at it as if it’s food…. it’s the loveliest real tree I’ve ever had, from our local garden centre. Twinkly lights on, wood-burner lit, just lovely!

The front door lock decided to break yesterday which was perfect! Fortunately with time and patience from Le Papa it’s now working again and fingers crossed it stays that way. At least it wouldn’t lock, rather than unlock. Wouldn’t have been great to be locked out with the dogs.

I’ve finished redecorating the toilet (not literally – just the room that it’s in) with left over paint, wallpaper and wood stain. I’ve even put up the very first thing we bought for our French house about 2.1/2 years ago, a Victorian loo roll holder. I’m easily pleased. Was a fiddly horrid job, that involved cling filming the toilet, because I’m really messy, 2 sets of stepladders and various contortions to get to the wall behind the loo, and working with your face an inch away from a red hot lightbulb. Was not fun.

Today I had the best time making wreathes with Le Mama. The sun was out, so a pleasant walk to cut evergreen and densely berried holly, mistletoe from one of our apple trees, and lovely glossy bay leaves. We used the outdoor table and it was quite warm in the sun. We were both pretty pleased with our efforts. I’ve made my own for a few years now, but usually used materials from the local florist wholesaler. Everything used today came from the garden or 5 minutes walk away, absolutely love that!

Given my grey roots have progressed to regularly being mistaken for Paul Hollywood, and the only person I trust with my hair is in Leeds, I’ve braved a home colour, which I applied this afternoon. Tomorrow I shall unveil my “Mango” coloured hair to the world. How very exciting! Or I may look like Nicola Sturgeon….

Our rewire is due to commence next week, and that won’t be finished until January, so there will be much moving of boxes around next door to give him space to work. We’re hoping EDF will turn up on the 10th to change us over from three phase to mono-phase but who knows with them, place your bets now!

Lastly, on what would have been Walt’s birthday today , it’s just over a week now until Disneyland Paris squuuuuueeee! Excited much?! I last visited over 20 years ago and it was my first ever view of the castle from Main Street which makes me cry every time. I’ve since done Orlando 3 times, and that’s my happy place, my favourite on this earth, but I cannot wait to see how the Paris park has changed, and to see the best fireworks and projections, in the world! So, I’ll raise a glass to Walt tonight, a pioneer, a visionary, a dreamer. A man who’s imagination shaped my childhood and beyond with stories woven with happiness and loss, music and magic, good and evil, resilience and kindness to animals, although I’m still disappointed bluebirds have never come to fold my sheets.

So until next time my friends, have courage, and be kind.

TTFN xx