A WALK ON THE BEACH

After a bit of a frost last night, the day has turned out absolutely magnificent, one could imagine being in September or April! Brilliant sunshine, skies of a blue that almost hurt one's eyes, and a temperature of somewhere in the region of 13, with no wind at all.

I went to the gym for nearly an hour mid morning, then took Oslo straight to the beach at Kerleven (pronounced Kerleeveene) next to La Forêt Fouesnant. I forgot my camera unfortunately to prove how lovely it was. I was wearing just a T-shirt and a light jacket and I was quite warm. We strolled at the water's edge for an hour, Oslo paddling in and out of the water, while I picked up nearly a kilo of cockles for my lunch tomorrow, a few interesting shells (a piece of a large sea urchin) and pieces of sea glass. Heaven!

Wish you were here!

On the Move

Funny time to be writing, as I have removal men all around me and packing cases in heaps and towers in every room. But I've been told not to worry and let them get on with it, so I'm sitting in a corner while it all happens.

I think this must be the worst experience of all my life! I sat in my bath last night, before going to supper with Jean-Luc and Marylou, who are kindly feeding me most of the time now, thinking "Why am I doing this? What ever got into me?"

The house echoes and resonates with every step and every word spoken. It's as if I'd never lived here. It's not the same place. My bedroom is the only room that has any semblance of comfort and order although all the bookshelves are empty and the bits and pieces gone. It's warm outside, especially for October, but the house seems cold. I can't light a fire, they've stacked cases in the middle of the sitting room in front of the fireplace.

We are Friday. They started yesterday afternoon, and arrived at 7h00 this morning to pack all day. I shall have to get through the weekend like this, then Monday they are coming at 7h00 to load a lorry. I shall speed up to Finistere Monday afternoon to clean the house before furniture is unloaded. Not long to go. It's just a rotten week. In a month or so I shan't even remember it, but I hope I recollect enought to remind me not to move again in a hurry!

We have had some splended weather. When I went up to Brittany last week, it was simply beautiful and hot, one could have been on the Cote d'Azur. I had a big smile on my face as I drove up and drew near to my destination, I thought "I'm not just going on holiday, I'm going to LIVE here". The countryside was wonderful. The house was not fit to sleep in when I got there, so I gave the van der Plaetsen's a ring and they gave me a bed for the night. I unloaded all the plants and stuff I had in the car, and since I didn't want to disturb them for dinner because they had family there, I drove to Audierne via Douarnenez along the coast. It was quite lovely. I wanted to eat at the Roi Gradlon where Mike and Mum stay when they go to Audierne, but it was Friday evening and a weekend of grandes marees so the place was stuffed with Parisiens and other "foreigners" who had come up especially for the peche a pied. They had no room for me to eat, so I went across the parking lot to a little shacky place just above the break water where they do moules and things. There were quite a few people, I ate on the terrasse although it was a bit chilly, and to be different didn't have moules but palourdes and a brochette d'agneau frites. I should have had moules! It wasn't bad but not fantastic, not expensive either, and I had the sea crashing against the rocks just beneath and the sun setting over the Baie d'Audierne. Not bad.

The last of the summer wine...

Last guests, last trips to the dump, last journey up to Quimper before accompanying the removal van, last of the sun or so it seems, it's getting very chilly.

My chickens and the duck went yesterday. People are so nice, the baker in Verdes (from whom I never ever buy bread but who tutoies me and calls me Caroline) sent her brother to catch them up with no help from me and take them off to his place. The barn is very silent...

I must go round looking for stray eggs so that they don't go rotten and surprise the Parisiens should they step on them!

The curtains have come down in my bedroom and bathroom and gone to the cleaners.

I've come to an agreement with the removal people and am not so worried about not having enough room in their truck.

So things are falling into place, and I can even take time out to write my blog.

The sun coming through the sitting room window this morning cast a lovely shadow from the bouddha on my mantelpiece. I didn't add sepia or anything, it was just like that.