Friday, 6 April 2012

Countdown

Just a few days to go before we head back to France. Apart from a couple of weeks when I feel I want to be in England, when my daughter has her 21st birthday, I will be in France more or less throughout the summer. Mark will be “popping” backwards and forwards, but I will be based....over there.  I am very excited.

This last week in England, has however, been quite busy......

1.    Wedding dress shopping with daughter ( well, Mark’s daughter, but I have part shares) Jodie, the 3 bridesmaids, the bride’s real mother, and 5 week old grandaughter Izzie. It was a bit like a charabanc arriving at each of the wedding dress shops. Anyway......successful outcome.....dress is magnificent. (Wedding in September)

Daughter Jess, supervising 5 week old grandaughter Izzie, while what seemed like dozens of us helped Jodie decide on a wedding dress.

2.    Daughter Jessie, came home from uni. for a week, to write an essay on John Osborne....could have been stressful, but worked out ok...we probably wont look back in anger too much !

Whilst Jess was writing her John Osborne essay, we remembered that my Uncle Kit had written the music for an Osborne musical in the late 50s.....it was a dismal failure.

3.    Dentist appointment....no I cancelled it, too busy and I’m not in pain.

4.    Hairdressers appointment.... vital, hair is now nearly the right shade of orange to spend the rest of the spring in France.

5.    Grandson Liam’s 4th birthday ...... brilliant afternoon playing Sponge Bob fishing game and a matching pirate card game. I have never heard anyone giggle as much as that child. He had a good day.

Liam fishing for Sponge Bob
and still to come......

     6.    Easter Sunday, visitors including grandchildren who will
         require egg hunt.

7.    Bank Holiday Monday family meal, requiring stunning chocolate cake to be adorned with rabbits and chickens and flowers etc etc, so quite a bit of baking and chocolate making planned...... and another egg hunt

8.    Last visit to the gym for months.

9.    Decisions about what to take out to France this trip....must take baking powder, as I still haven’t been able to discover it in any of the supermarkets near Caunes.

10. Packing.... agghhhh.

11. House to be clean and tidy, and able to be left for weeks...plants to be arranged for neighbour to come in and water, keys to be left with the right people.

12. Bid farewell to the crows behind my house....the fledglings will have gone by the time I’m back.
The birthday boy enjoying the card game
Then all I need to do is find my list of things to do when I get to the house in Caunes.....


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18 comments:

  1. Rosemary6 April 2012 at 12:00

    Dear Janice - what a busy time, but lovely too. Very special to be involved in helping choose the wedding dress. I helped my daughter-in-law with her choices and felt very privileged. I never expected to have that pleasure as I have two sons.
    Really looking forward to hearing about your adventures in France when you have unpacked and settled in.

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  2. Janice6 April 2012 at 12:42

    Thanks Rosemary, I am very lucky that my "step" daughter ( I hate the word) is so lovely, and her mother is incredibly generous in that I am allowed to share! We are all very good friends, which made the wedding dress search a lovely outing.

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  3. ArtyZen6 April 2012 at 12:47

    I think your extended family arrangements are wonderful - you are both very lucky and definitely deserving of all the perks it brings.
    I think you will have an excellent time out in France - though I somehow think you might not be alone for very much of this time, even with Mark popping back and forth!
    Busy, busy, busy - then REST!!! Sounds great to me. Axxx

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    1. Janice6 April 2012 at 13:04

      I am incredibly excited about spending a decent length of time in Caunes. I am also sure you are right about the time on my own. Carole and I already have one week planned ! Hope you managed to get some sleep this morning. x

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  4. Kathy6 April 2012 at 12:50

    Gosh, what a busy and exciting time you've been having, Janice. How lovely to have a wedding to look forward to as well as your daughter's 21st birthday.

    What fun to be based in France for the summer, with a return to the UK part-way through to reassure the authorities you haven't taken up residence. :-) I look forward very much to your posts about the experiences.

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    1. Janice6 April 2012 at 13:05

      Thanks Perpetua, hope the snow has subsided, and that you have power ! Yes, I am really looking forward to the next few months. Life is good. Next post will be from France....can't wait. J

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    2. Janice6 April 2012 at 13:08

      Perpetua... have you noticed the little pencils are back ? I haven't changed any settings to try to get them to reappear, so perhaps your campaign has worked. J.

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    3. Kathy6 April 2012 at 13:13

      Yes, they turned up again out of the blue very recently - yesterday or the day before. The Google engineers have obviously done something to earn their pay. :-)

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  5. GaynorB6 April 2012 at 13:32

    Hi Janice,
    Good luck with your last minute preparations and the planned activities. I envy you your extended time in France, but know I have that to look forward to at some time in the future.
    I am content to be in France while Tim travels for work.
    I look forward to reading all about your adventures.
    A wedding and a 21st to look forward to you must be excited.

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    1. Janice6 April 2012 at 14:22

      Thanks Gaynor, yes, the idea of more than just a couple of weeks at a time in France is good. It is something I have looked forward to for a long time, and I intend to appreciate it, every minute. J

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  6. lifeonthecutoff6 April 2012 at 14:06

    How exciting to be part of the wedding planning. I couldn't help but think of all the moments in life you have represented here, Janice; Jodie selecting a wedding dressed while little Izzie is napping nearby with Jess adoring her. That's a picture to pull out many years from now for Izzie. Her first foray into the delightful chaos of wedding dress selection.

    Look at that Liam. What a handsome young lad - and fishing already.

    Packing! Yuck! We're just trying to get ready for three days up north, and that has my head spinning. Moving back and forth between two house would have it rolling on the ground. Enjoy! The best of Easter wishes for you, Janice, and I can't wait to read more about Caunes.

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    1. Janice6 April 2012 at 14:25

      Thanks Penny, it has seemed a very busy week, complicated by a heavy snow fall which hampered travelling. Anyway, that has gone now, all I have left to do is the packing, cleaning and cooking....oh well, next week I shall just sit and enjoy the view from the terrace in Caunes. J.

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  7. Cro Magnon6 April 2012 at 15:30

    Bon Voyage. Thundering like crazy all afternoon here, but all mouth and no trousers!

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    1. Janice6 April 2012 at 16:24

      Thanks... I saw the thundery forecast....still cant wait to get into my garden and check out what is doing well and what will need help. J

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  8. Erica (Irene)8 April 2012 at 15:15

    Sounds like a lot of fun at the Bridal Shop.....Your Chocolate cake sounds amazingly delicious and very decorative.
    So lucky to be going to France....my favourite country. Do you speak French??? We have French-Canadian but a bit different from the real French.
    Have a great Easter with your Family and safe travels.

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    1. Janice8 April 2012 at 16:24

      Hi Erica ( Irene), Happy Easter to you. My French is ok....I've managed every year for the last 20 or so, but that was on "vacation"....being based in France for months at a time may prove a little different. I am hoping to do a little better than just get by, but I dont expect philosophical conversations will happen too often at first !.J

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  9. Ayak8 April 2012 at 16:07

    What a busy time Janice, and how lovely to help with the choosing of the wedding dress. I remember going with my daughter to choose hers and it was so exciting, and of course produced tears for me when she chose THE dress.

    Hope you get all your packing done and safe journey xx

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    1. Janice8 April 2012 at 16:25

      Good afternoon Ayak, hope all is well with you. The dress shopping was great, and the one she chose had us all in tears. Packing is nearly done, and only 2 more sleeps before we go back to France. Janice

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