Hello once again.

We arrived safely and haven’t stopped since! Our furniture has been held up but is due tommorrow. I am now using a computer without Broadband and with a French keyboard…both annoying but I am getting used to it.

Unfortunately, my initial buzz on arriving was tainted by the rumour and subsequent confirmation that there are outline plans  afoot to construct a huge golf course and 800 habitations in our commune. On checking the plans at the Mairie, it would appear, that if all was approved, we at Beauregard would have housing on three sides. So, I have arrived to find that I am now a NIMBY! Not sure what the French is for that yet. But, it is early days and we are hopeful that it will come to nothing.

Mum and Dad are pleased and relieved that we are finally here. It is strange to be part of a big family again but we haven’t had any niggles or arguments yet. The kids are settling in well, swimming, climbing trees, helping Grandan with all of the jobs, cooking with Nana and generally letting off steam. School is another month away so we are still enjoying our holiday.

Time to wrap-up. It’s taken hours to download just two pictures…..

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 Well, the moment has finally arrived where I am writing my last blog entry here in the UK.

I am surrounded by boxes, bags and mayhem. I have a permanent knot in my stomach and can’t quite decide if it is exhileration and excitement or just plain fear! I think it is a mixture of all three….plus some others too!

So, until I get my computer rigged up in France, I shall be concentrating my efforts on last minute packing, tip trips and saying my goodbyes.

Time to switch off and I’ll return once we have embarked on our new French life!!

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Is it true that everyone has at least one book to write?

I for one, wouldn’t have a clue where to start, but it would appear France is as good a starting point as any! For example, Peter Mayle, Helena Frith-Powell, that Colin Firth/Darcy fella in Love Actually, to name a few.

But here is a useful article by Samantha David in The Guardian, that outlines how to go about it. It seems that the number one pre-requisite is a sense of humour! 

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I booked the tickets for our out-bound journey through Ryanair today and although the flights have gone up and then down to a very reasonable price, I can’t help feeling a little hood-winked!

The online order form is such that if you don’t want insurance, you are told to select from the drop-down menu. The drop-down menu is not easy to find! I then found it and chose the appropriate ‘no insurance required’ choice and clicked. Only when I get to the end and have completed, do I find that I needed to do that with each person….seems pretty obvious now, but it is not at all clear on the form. It would appear that there is no way of going back to amend choices made earlier on, unless I am really stupid and missing something , somewhere. So, Diddy and myself now have insurance, whether we want it or not!

I am also smarting at the baggage selection, even without baggage, I am charged £2 for ‘priority’ boarding…there seemed to be no other option. So now The Boy can go on before me and Diddy to select our seats.

I am especially annoyed as I have been through this before and vowed I would double check everything first, but even with prior knowledge, it is a process that seems to be deliberately complicated and misleading.

The flights may be cheap but the add-ons just keep rising!

Here is a breakdown of the flight expenses:

• £29.97   Flights (cheap as chips!)
• £80.20  Taxes, fees and charges…including credit card fee
• £11.40   Aviation/WCHR levy…whatever that is!
• £10        Insurance
• £131.57  Total paid

See what I mean…hoodwinked!

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I had wobbly moment number 2 today….handing in aforementioned letter to the school secretary!

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I knew it had to happen eventually, but I had my first wobbly moment last week.

With a firm date in mind now, I thought it would be a good idea to start some draft letters. I began with Mr Filby, the flute teacher, moved onto Gwendoline from French club, next onto Brown Owl and was doing really well. But not long into the letter for school, I could feel prickles in my eyes and a lump in my throat. I had to walk away from it for a few hours!

Just putting into words the definate date of departure was bad enough…it’s been a long time coming; but then writing my thanks and appreciation was just too much! I realised what a great little school we have been part of for 3 years. I found it a really difficult letter to write in fact.

I shall really miss the teachers, I shall miss the mums, I shall miss the children that I have seen grow up over the years, I shall miss the social events, such as the Christmas Fayre, the Summer Fete etc and the little extras that come with a lovely pro-active school.

But, all in all, I can’t/mustn’t dwell…..decisions have been made and life moves on. I am moving onto another chapter that will be our future memories. But I am grateful for the memories that we will have from this school.

I’ll be off again in a minute if I keep this up!

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Ok, I’m back now, ready to roll! Lots has happened, so bear with me as I update you all!

We had a great time in the Lakes. Diddy and The Boy spent a few days with Daddy in Cheshire, which meant I managed to grab a few lie-ins! Yep, in bed until 9:30 one morning! Elsie Marley…eat your heart out!

There has been dissapointment however with the house sale. Our buyer, who is a cash buyer, has had her buyer drop out, which means the house of cards has collapsed. So after surveys and searches we are back to square one. The agent has suggested we just re-market the property and not hang around for her. So I have spent today clearing up again. We will all have to start being clean and tidy again….never easy with two kids…not mine anyway!

But the good news is that we are going anyway. We figured that even though a buyer wouldn’t be difficult to find, the paraphernalia that goes with it will maybe put completion back until September. Not ideal when there are children to start at school and settle in.

Billy Jenkins has been booked for the 4th July, 4 weeks tomorrow and we will more than likely fly out, either the Thursday or a few days later….yikes!! Better get my act together!

Plum and Peter go on Friday but had a shock when the gearbox went on the car…..£1,600 worth of gearbox! Must have been all the rip-snorting I’ve been doing in it around Barnet!

Good thing is that I am now over my rabbit-in-the-head- lights blip and have started on my lists again. Hoorah!

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Please do not abandon hope! I am not ignoring you, I have not given up totally on Beauregard The Blog…I’m just, well, away!

Yep, we are away for a week  in the Lake District for half-term. Lots of fresh air and sheep and so far, no rain! What more could we want?!

See you soon…..I shall leave you with the view from my bedroom.

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It has been a while since I wrote anything in Beauregard the Blog and for that I apologise! I seem to have dried up. I can’t really blame it on a hectic week as it’s been fairly quiet here….boring and pedestrian almost. Maybe that’s the problem….

Actually, one problem has been WordPress. I seem to have a bug which, when I go to save my post, deletes it. Very annoying the first time it happens, infuriating when it happens again and again…….

A few things of note have happened.

Plum has now officially finished work and is currently on a three week countdown on leaving for France. It must be very strange for her, she has worked within the same industry for 20 odd years….since she left school in fact. I don’t think the full impact has hit her yet….it will!

The house was surveyed a week ago and we are awaiting further news. This house selling is an odd phenomenon…it’s all go one minute and things happen at the speed of light, it then grinds to a halt and there’s nothing can be done! It’s quite frustrating as I am unable to plan much until I have the completion date. Seeing as contracts haven’t yet been exchanged, I have no idea when that may be.

Still, at least I am now able to start writing lists….even that eluded me for a while. I have lists for everything, even list ideas for more lists! Is list making a woman-thing? Or is it just me? I can’t deny, it does help. I have even tried MindMaps…..I’ll give most things a go, but I always come back to my scraps of paper in the end. There’s something very comforting and steadying about a list in the midst of turmoil and chaos! And you can’t beat the feeling when you get to cross something off….lovely!

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There are times when I worry about our future in France (quite a few times, as it happens!) Our adventure is not for the faint hearted.  Will I make a success of the gite business? Will I make enough money to live on? Will we starve? Will my children be walking barefoot to school in Winter?

Here though, is an article packed with relevant information on advertising and marketing that I may find useful in the future.

Mental note: Remember to keep hold of the cardboard packing boxes as valuable advertising space. Could be useful in the future…..

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