We’ve been back in Yorkshire for 2 weeks now, and are busy
planning the next visit to the house in France. People have warned us that
splitting living between 2 places means we’ll never quite feel at home in
either place..... I just hope we can make it work. Watching the weather
forecast for Carcassonne, while avoiding puddles in Hebden Bridge has had me
wishing I was there at the moment...there is so much I want to do in the
garden. I want to explore the abbey, not as a tourist, but as someone who lives
close to it. I want to have a better understanding of the Cathars, I want to
practice my French....not with Mark, for fun, but for real. I want to watch
French TV, and actually understand what is happening in the build up to the
elections next spring ( and discover French soaps !).
However, seeing Jess twice last week as she came home to do
some work on a couple of essays, meeting her in Manchester later this week to
see Arctic Monkeys, having lunch with a Sharon, from ward 4c, on Wednesday, Matt, Sarah,
Dexter and Clark coming for tea on Thursday, coffee with Carole on Friday, and
spending nearly a whole day with Liam...feeding ducks, collecting autumn
leaves, playing traffic jams with the toy cars underneath the pew in the back
room..... none of these things can be done, when we’re a 2 hour flight away.
Even though it actually takes less time to get to the house in France than it
does to drive down to London......all these very important people wont be able
to pop in for coffee, or make spur of the moment decisions to call in for a
natter.
“Home” still feels like here in Yorkshire..... but I am
hoping so much that home will become wherever we are when we are there. I want
Jess and Jodie and Sarah ( and their men ! ) to feel they can hop on a flight
and come for a few days, not just a long time planned prearranged “holiday”.
It is all a bit confusing, but incredibly exciting...... I
am very hopeful.....all will be well.
Matt, Clark & Dexter with Mark,earlier this week.
Early days yet, Janice - you'll feel at home in both places once your roots have taken in France as well. A bit of gardening should sort that out!
ReplyDeleteAnd I am quite sure that enough of your lovely family will be more than happy to call on you in France - though it will take a bit more organising than popping in to your Hebden Bridge home.
Speaking of where, I have had two new Spanish 'students' this week - from Hebden Bridge! Small world - you may even know them - David and Maria? They're back in the UK now but come out to their place here as often as they can.
Axxx
Hi Janice,
ReplyDeleteBeing a nosey-parker I followed the link from your comment on Annie's blog and here I am. I just want to reassure you that you really CAN feel at home in more than one place. My DH and I do this in not one but two other locations (we're retired, with oodles of time) and thoroughly enjoy the stimulus of different settings. We have friends in each place and after living like this since I retired 4 years ago now feel at home as soon as we've unpacked! Looking forward to reading more about your big adventure - the house looks super.