More Tea Vicar

Anyone that knows me, knows that I am tea mad, if ever there is a party or get together you can usually find me sniffing out the tea making facilities in the kitchen. This christmas I gave a few hints that I would like some christmas tea, I ended up with two types a spiced plum pudding and a The de Noel. They came in such lovely packets that I don't want to open them, but I'm sure curiosity will gret the better of me very soon. I am the same if I receive bubble bath or candles, two of my other favourites, they always look so nice and new I don't want to spoil them by using them eventually I give in and almost feel a little aad that the candle has all gone. Sad I know, I'll just have to put out more hints around birthday time!!

Winter has arrived

For almost 2 weeks now we have been experiencing -10, we normally get this sort of weather in February but Jack Frost has decided to descend upon us early, living in an old stone house is lovely in the summer as it keeps you nice and cool but in the winter it is a different story. My car windscreen has been frozen on the inside for several days now and finally yesterday the radiator cracked no surprise really as these things always happen in the middle of nowhere when you have no mobile and the outside conditions are arctic. I pulled into a side road and made my way to a friends farm which was the nearest to where I had broken down. I have driven that road a hundred times and never passed a car, so I was thinking to myself this is going to be a cold, lonely walk but out of nowhere came a car a very nice french man, who spoke no english offered me a lift to the farm les anglais understanding this part of his conversation I jumped in and offered my mercis, under normal circumstances I probably wouldn't of jumped into a stangers car so willingly but in these temperatures I thought to myself no one is going to be attempting anything that might involve parts of the body being exposed so I considered myself safe on this occasion. He dropped me at the gate of the farm and we bid each other Bonne Fete (happy holidays to you) and it tuned out he worked opposite the farm and knew my friends anyway. I've decided that I am going to take on the guise of a hedgehog each winter and only come out after the thaw, the renovating of the barn always seems harder at this time of year as I really don't want to move from the woodburner for any great length of time. Still I have been reliably informed by him who thinks he must be obeyed that this is the last winter of renovating and we will be finished by the spring. Watch this space !!!

New Forest

Sorry its been a while, but I'm feeling better and thought I'd show you our piccies of our hols

Couldn't believe the shape of this tree when we came across what a brilliant shape ! Back to normality now, renovation has taken over our lives but it will all be worth it in the end. I don't know who made that quote famous but I would like to meet them up a dark alley. It is freezing here at the moment and we haven't got the heating on because we don't want to crack the new plaster, not sure if I can get any more layers of clothing on without falling over. Still it will be spring soon (wishful thinking)

Yum Yum Apple Pie

Its that time of year again, our village is surrounded by walnut trees and as soon as the first winds come they start to drop, off we go bags in hand gathering our freebies that will see us through until next Autumn. We all love walnuts and not only do we eat them as they are but I include them in salads as well. I also have been given a recipe for carrot cake today from one of my favourite bloggers a saucer full of secrets you can visit her over at www.littlewrenhouse.blogspot.com and it includes walnuts much to my delight. My neighbour also came today with a box full of apples so it looks like I am going to be busy tomorrow stewing them ready for the freezer.

I'm so giddy my head is spinning

I know its a line from a song but really my head is spinning, for a couple of years now I have suffered with the symptoms of vertigo. It chooses when to come and when to go, I seem to have no control over it at all. I have noticed it coming on when I am in supermarkets or brightly lit shops, also certain images on tv but the worse bout I have had has been since I have been blogging, too much computer and off it goes again, my reading suffers because I try to avoid concentrating too much and that is a real blow to me as I love books. So I have decided to limit my blogging, I will still try and visit my favs each week but I think I am just going to have to see how it goes. Still mustn't grumble it could be worse as they say. Who says these things, I'm sure some days I couldn't feel any worse but, it does pass so stop moaning and get on with it.

The search is on

I know its only September and here in sunny burgundy its 30 degrees, but I have a request from all you clever bloggers out there. Each year I buy a special christmas tree ornament for my daughters in memory of their father. This year I would like to buy and angel and I am wondering if any of you have anything suitable in your online shops, it would be great to buy something from one of the many blogs I visit as I admire all the wonderful things you make during the year. So over to you to help me in my search.

Rummage Day

There is nothing I like better that a good old rummage, so today was the day we went off to our usual secondhand place called Emmaus which is a charity run by and for the homeless, they have branches all over the world. Sometimes I go there and come away with nothing feeling quite disappointed but yesterday I struck lucky. We arrived early and managed to get 7 pairs of old french shutters for the barn and a couple of little french chairs. I also came away with some enamel pie dishes an old oak rolling pin, a butter dish, several white french cotton sheets and bargain of the day 2 pairs of huge salon curtains which I,ve started washing already. The whole lot cost me 80 euros which I think is about £50.

Thoughtful Gifts

I was reading a blog this morning about how hard it is to find that special present for someone, I think it would be so easy to go out and grab something random off the shelf and think oh that will do, but is not that easy, when I give a present I want it to be liked not chucked in a cupboard and given away after enough time has passed for the school raffle. I think we have all probably been guilty of that. I can think of lots of special things I would like to be given, smelly candles, chocs, lovely writing paper, I would even love a magazine subscription (hope he is reading this) I then thought about gifts people have given me and Bill (pictured above) sprang to mind. I had always liked him when I visited a friends holiday home here in Burgundy, but was told you couldn't buy one as he had been handmade by her uncle Bill. Oh well I thought maybe he who thinks he should be obeyed maybe able to make me one! When my friend sold her house she came to say goodbye and with her came Bill, she thought I would like himand as he loved being on holiday here in France then he should stay. I was over the moon as not only did I love the gift, it was personal to her and she thought of me. I have a lovely place already and waiting for Bill when the barn is finished and I will show him insitu when that happens.

What a Difference a Day Makes

The sun is shining, is this summer? I took the photos of the roses on Monday when the weather was absolutely baking. At last something that resembles a summers day, it has been very poor here in burgundy this summer, although most of my time has been inside this year with the renovation it is nice to look out and see a blue sky while I'm sweeping up my hundreth black sack of wood shavings etc. Well what a difference, to day I have woken to dark skies, pouring rain and a chilly nip in the air and the family wellies lined up yet again. Reading some of your blogs it seems that I am not alone in my four season week, all across england and europe everyone seems to be having similar problems. Oh well musn't complain I have been informed by he who thinks he must be obeyed that we are putting up the bathroom ceiling today so it will not matter what the weather does.

Things in common

I am going to fill these old enamel pots with flowers

just a few of the things I have collected since arriving in france

I have spent nearly all weekend browsing the many lovely blogs out there, I just didn't realise how many people took the time to share with others things that are important to them. I enjoyed looking at all the things you have found whilst rummaging around charity shops and antique fairs and it made me realise how much we all have in common. I too love a bargain, and nothing gives me more pleasure than coming across an old piece of china that I then convince myself I will find a use for. I also see that many of you love home magazines, my biggest indulgence I must admit that and books, sometimes never even read just looked at and loved all the same. I have included a few pics of things I have come across since moving to france and hopefully I will find many more in the future even if I run out of space.

My first blog

Today with a little bit of a struggle I have managed to create this blog, not being completly upto speed with the ways of the computer there may be teething troubles along the way. However I will do my best to keep you entertained with my stories of day to day life in rural France. I take all my inspiration from a fellow blogger who is totally au fait with all things in the blogging world. She runs a wonderful blog over at milesawayinfrance.co.uk, I log on everday and if for some reason she hasn't updated her site I am truly disappointed. Take a peek and let her know your thoughts.