Twelve Months

That's how long we have been living in France.

Célestine in the autumn.

As this blog entry appears it will be twelve months exactly since we were driving through Rouen on the way to our new home. The only thing I can remember of the drive is worrying about not being in Preuilly when the removal truck arrived with our belongings. The rest is a blur, as is much of the twelve months since. Since then we have learned an awful lot, most of which we have reported in these pages.

The list of fruit trees we were given when we bought
the orchard.

There have been many highlights: the staircase, the chimney, our new back door, and of course Célestine. We are also making new friends, and are developing quite a social life: something which will develop even more once more of the house is habitable and we can find the dining table again.

A crab spider takes a bumblebee in the Icelandic poppies.

Susan is really enjoying having three gardens to play with, and this year hopes to provide most of our fruit and vegetables as well as a pretty garden for us to look at from the apéro terrasse. I am finding project managing the restoration of the house interesting, if challenging and confusing, and the work is starting to show some real results.

A pâtisserie.

We are starting to get some work with the guided tours: Susan is leading a private group on an orchid walk tomorrow afternoon, and we have some work lined up with Célestine, as well. Fitting in earning an income has had to drop down the list of priorities somewhat for this first year though!

Rabbits and chickens at a country fair.

Susan & Simon