Winter
2004
A very happy new year from all of us, from the other side of The Channel.
'hope you all had a great Christmas. Thank you to those of you who sent us
photos and updates of your own. We love reading them and the boys particularly
enjoy seeing your photos, so please keep them coming.
When I wrote last back in November the boys and I were just about to go back
to England for a trip. We had a lovely time. It was quite strange really as
I sat in various sitting rooms with different friends or family drinking tea
and catching up, it felt as if I'd never left! It's comforting to think that
things change but also stay the same!
New years eve was a busy day as usual as it is Conor's 5th Birthday. We travelled north to Cherbourg to a fantastic aquarium and submarine centre. Conor, Archie and their friend Erwan enjoyed pressing lots of buttons and even took turns driving a submarine (computer program) Erwan is the grandson of the previous owner of our farm, who now runs the bar in the village. Marie has become a good friend. She gently corrects my french whilst I enjoy a coffee with her. She has introduced us to many of her friends in the village and sometimes it can take several minutes to reach the bar after the customary four (!) kisses for everyone. Even the boys now understand the french way and will accept anyone saying "bisous" and kissing them on the cheek!
Before Christmas Conor took part in the Schools' 'Spectacle de Noel' which as French schools have nothing to do with religion turned out to be the little ones taking part in a play to the story of Peter and the wolf (Pierre et le loup) Conor was one of the hunters (chasseurs) and despite not looking at the audience (150 villagers and parents) and appearing terrified he says he really enjoyed it which for one who is shy in most strange situations was a real surprise.
Archie has started at school now. He's three In January but no, he still isn't really out of nappies but the maitresse (teacher) has made an exception and allowed him to start wearing pull-ups. Hopefully he'll see all the others and learn that way. This week he has triumphed in producing two wee-wees on the loo so far!
Well, Simon's on his way to Le havre for his first business trip to England
of 2005, so if you see a blue renault trafic van with French number plates
hurtling passed you in Surrey, West Sussex or London it's probably him.
Love to you all and best wishes for a happy and healthy 2005.
As for Christmas, Simon and I have agreed that it was our best yet. Our first in France, having made both English and French friends, with Simon's parents here and to top it off the snow on Christmas day. It was just perfect. I'm sure many of you had snow aswell.
For us it began snowing as we were
eating our Christmas lunch and for two little boys and two big kids (me and
Simon) it was just magical. I just couldn't stop grinning. It settled but
it wasn't very thick. Mind you, that wasn't enough to stop us trying to sledge
in one of our fields on boxing day even after it had started melting!. Having
lived mostly in Surrey and West Sussex we didn't have a sledge and had to
rely on our friends Martin and Barbara who originate from the north of England
to bring theirs, along with their three kids of course!
We have yet another addition to our family. We heard of a litter of puppies that needed homes so we went and chose a labrador/lurcher cross. He is completely bonkers and has eaten the TV remote, a pen and the boys space hopper already. He's great with the cats, he ignores them (but eats their food) Mind you it did take three days before the cats would come back in the house after he arrived! We have named him "Pierre" We wanted a French name and Conor came up with Pierre after his 'Peter and the wolf' play and it really suits him. Already after only a few days here he is becoming Simon's dog. He'll poke his paw around the door of Simon's workshop and will sleep under Simon's workbench on the blankets that he uses to protect the antique furniture when it's being transported in the van!
We enjoyed a lovely New Years Eve at our friends party. Archie had his first ever taste of Karaoke! He would only sing "Twinkle, Twinkle little star" but he sang it lots and lots of times! It was quite interesting to watch as all of us who live here permanently celebrating as the French new year arrived and all the brits holidaying over here only sang Auld Lang syne as the UK new year arrived to the chimes of Big Ben.
