France fourth impressin

I said to Ana, it's weird today I felt like I had butterflies in my stomach as we were driving into Aix, she said she felt like I was looking at everything for the first time with my eyes wide open. And you know what.. I am, I've finally realised who I am, what I want and where I am heading and that with the strength in me that I've come to understand I know I'm going to start really jetting ahead with my life.

I finally closed all the chapters in my life that were holding me back and I'm so excited about what the future holds, if any of this can make sense at all to you. I guess being away from all my normal daily troubles and stresses has made me see clearly from afar. So hello world, I'm back. (you must think I'm right nut!)

The Mistral blew it's icy wind upon us yesterday, making us feel chilled to the bone but did not deter us from zipping around and checking out the villages around the Luberon. I do like the country , it's peaceful and moves at it's own pace. I told Ana I have to go back to NZ to see it again, to see how I feel, if it still captivates me like it did a couple of years ago, and then I'l make my final decision... When you decide to do something and start the wheel turning everything seems to fall into place.
Two more days to enjoy total freedom, here's looking at ya. Sante DX

France third impression

After walking the dogs (Ana has two) for an hour along the small french roads which meandered around some vinyards, we came back and flaked out, it's so damn hot! Popped off after two to go into town and have a coffee and do even more shopping.. not me, Ana, I just got this lovely charm bracelet with little angles of Puyvert dangling sweetly from it. We have to time ourselves because like Spain the shops close till 3 in the afternoon! Oh what is a shopaholic to do!

We went a little mad at the butchers as I opened my big mouth and said I felt like sausages, (yes yes I know I don't look like one... arghhh old joke!) so we've got one of each! god knows how two women are going to plough through it all! The question is whether I have the energy to bbq them tonight or will just saute them in olive oil, which is abundant in this place, there are olive trees everywhere!

I'll be sadly leaving France on the 16th, Ana is determined to make me change my mind about moving to NZ and to France instead, she's already started to ply me with links for residency applications! he he he...

Am having my first glass of rose as I'm typing this, and hoping yet again that my jet lag won't get the best of me, I mean I do enjoy sitting out on the patio looking at the stars at 4 am, but it's hell on the energy levels. My mother called me from the Uk and told me I was pathetic for having my lag this long.. my mum is one tough bird.

as you can see from the pic well past the blurry bits.. we did the sausages! Dx

France second impression

I've just come back from yet another lovely chilled out lunch in Lourmarin, which is the village we're staying in, lovely pretty little restaurant on top of those old buildings, it has romantic red and white curtains hanging to give everyone some form of privacy, creeping vines with black berries snaking across the top of the trellis, soft music being piped in and loungy benches with thick fat cushions to sit on, we needed the hair of the dog today after last night's over the top drinking session due to the departure of another friend who had been visiting as well, and surprisingly they made really tasty bloody Marys!

The rose wines here are the speciality of the region, I normally am not a big rose fan, but I must say they are very very good, turning into a lush? why I do NOT beg to differ!

Hmm one does assume that the french are an arrogant bunch, but I've noticed here how polite they are. When you get into a lift they say bonjour, when you get out they say, Au revoir, when you go to cafe to order it always hello, thank you and have a good day when you leave, I was told that they are more receptive to foreigners when you attempt to speak in French to them first.. a point that has been proven , I tried.. heh heh . jusqu'à la prochaine fois
Dx

France first impression

I'm in France baby! Wow what an incredible place. So dreamy, so romantic, so FRENCH! he he!

The french though, whom one presumes are arrogant are actually very polite people. I'm staying with my dearest friend is in Aix en Provence in the south, and it's HOT!! I've brought too much winter gear, thank god I had also brought some light stuff as I've been sweating it out.. (ok ok we glisten we don't sweat!)

Ana has a pool and we've been hanging out by it for the last couple of days, lazing away, watching the dogs sniff around the herb plants, lavender growing wildly around the garden, the smell of thyme wafts through the air, butterflies drifting from the pine trees, the cones spread out as if magically arranged. "Ddddd... " she croons to me. "yeah?" I say. "vino?" she inquires. "um.. why not" I say, she was right about the Rose wines from this region, they are absoluely scrumptious.

I trundle into her cute French cottage that she's just bought, and get the glasses and a bottle of Wine, I'm having a quiet chuckle to myself as the wine is also organic.. heh heh! We had hit the grocery store earlier on and stocked up on wines, cheeses, cold cuts, and olives.. mmmm the olives were just so delicious. I meander back to the pool the dogs trotting around me, they look as if they are smiling, and who could deny that expression, what was there not to smile about.

I was going through a bit of jet lag, and was waking up in the wee hours of the morning. This morning at 4 am, it was still dark , and rather than disturb Ana, I walked out quietly onto the patio and sat under a sky full of very bright stars, with a cool breeze gently playing around me. I looked at the distant Mountains from where we are in Puyvert. I was playing some of my music from my lap top quietly and I thought what an extraordinary day, so beautiful, so peaceful.

Yesterday I was in Aix and had a walk around the little town, the people are very friendly, it's got beautiful old cobblestone streets winding in and out of these pink/sandy stone buildings, with those typically french cafe's that we sat in to have a cafe creme, and had lunch near one of their many fountains, the food was manifique. I was enchanted by the way the french women spoke with their hands, and the many different ways they shrug to express themselves.

I hoping to go see an art exhibition in a cave,sounds interesting. Tomorrow I shall go to one of the markets, am really looking forward to it.....

The return of the mac

Has it really been since July that I've not posted a blog? Wow.. Have I been distracted or what? (what do you mean or what?) Ok lets bring this up to speed, as the posts are going to look like they're allover the the place once I start with all the stories I've been hiding in my little lappie..(lap top to those of you who aren't quite sure).
Right, I've been to France and back, I've had my final last ditch, no holds barred, lets do this properly, we're going to see if we have a future together with A..... and it was a total nose dive into "uh huh I should have SO not gone there", but it did make me realise a few things, one of them being that I was a lot stronger that I thought, that I can take the knocks and dust myself off and try again.

I loved France it was a perfect experience, and opened my heart and mind and said "what ever happens I'll just go with the flow". The French men sure have perfected flirting into an art form... if you want an ego boost, that's the place to go!
Coming back was a physical and mental let down, I thought perhaps because I needed to get away that I'd be back and life would go on with less stress, but Nooo, I've realised that it really is time to go, face the big blue yonder and just do it.

The end of the year is here, so many changes are brewing, I can feel and smell it in the air, much is afoot. I am excited, scared, curious, happy but most importantly grateful for this extraordinary life I lead. Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you Thank you!!!
Oooo heh heh, I can't hardly wait!
Dx

Slowly coming back

Woke up today pretty early in the morning, god knows why as it's the weekend and I usually want to lie in as any normal sane person would... However , something had to disturb my slumber. Mind out of the gutter please, it was noise, specifically children squabbling. They must have gotten pretty scared when I wrenched my door open and glared at them.. horrible mum that I am.. and gave them the evil eye. Through gritted teeth, I gave them a few stern words in my best and lowest growl. However a few minutes later the noise level was maxed up again. I'm obviously not as scary as I think I am!

Well I had a lovely evening the night before, I had gone to a Jacuzzi party, and before anyone starts to make salacious remarks, it was completely above board OK. I was invited over for a BBQ. The pool and jacuzzi are part and parcel of most condos. We were invited to hang out in the jacuzzi after appertisers, much to my consternation , as I most assuredly did not want anyone to see my ah.. one pack, but I was outvoted and all eight of us had to do with what we had. My dinner partner for the night had earlier texted me and said, "Now I only have 6 hours to get fit and acquire a six pax...hah!"

It was a lovely balmy night and the water was just right. Being in the water relaxed everyone and put all of us in great spirits. I thought to myself as I was floating along in the jacuzzi (it was a fairly large one) this is the most relaxed I've felt in ages, and lets face it, I've been pretty stressed out.

It's amazing what a few little words of encouragement and well wishes do to your mindset, I find that I'm in a happy mood today, even with the lack of sleep, more focused on what I need to do and can do. I've made some positive steps towards realizing my dreams and goals and that gives me the biggest buzz.

Ayurvedic

I finally dragged my butt down to the Ayurvedic centre on James' advice and got treated for the cough, and a whole host of other things I didn't realise were part of the symptoms (insanity was not one of them.. yet). After a two weeks course of the most disgusting medicine I had to drink, I really was not looking forward to more 'poo juice', as a friend of mine put it to me bluntly.

When I came back from my trip to Sarawak, I went back for more torture on the taste buds, which I needed like a hole in the head. I'd been playing host and driver and shopping partner and, and, and the list is endless, to my mother who had come down for a 3 week visit. Now I can hear the groans, but honestly I was happy she came down,.. really... no really! No kidding! I needed someone to take care of me, and who better then your own mum. The clucking, nagging, questioning was nothing compared to the favourite meals cooked, and cups of tea in bed.

However I laughed out loud when I came home one night and she was waiting up for me! I hadn't had that treatment for a long time and it brought back so many memories! It was sweet of her, waiting for her adult daughter in the wee hours of the morning! made me feel 16 again!

Ok ok so she did push me a little to go back to the ayurvedic centre before she left.. (.how do they manage to make you feel like a 10 year old again?....)

So anyways I've gone back to the centre and I am on a 21 day course of oil massages, baths and rice scrub... nothing to complain about... and the medicine isn't too yucky....the oil in the nose and ears a bit freaky, but anything in the name of detoxifying. The after effect is that you feel really tired, and tend to fall asleep early in the day. Trying to answer e mails is an effort, hell thinking of answering the e mails is tiring! The fact that I'm writing is somewhat of a mini miracle zzzzzzzzzzzzzz..............hmmffnn....zz... snork.........