A snapshot of 2023
A few of my favourite 2023 sky moments – same day different hours.
Happy New Year/Bonne Année
Welcome 2024. We got up to watch the sunrise today only to find clouds and general grey all around, but no rain for now. All the week I have been in bed ill the sun has shone – so much to do in the garden but sometimes there is little you can do about that.
2023 has had its share of ups and downs as I am sure is the case for everyone. We have had flat tyres, a major leak, too little water, too much water, pool problems and the heartbreak of losing one of our rescue cats. We have also had lots of lovely visits from family and friends, enjoyed the pool and visited some great places and even better vineyards, as well as finding some great bits and pieces in brocantes and made mountains of marmalade! The house has progressed a bit, probably more than we realise and we do now have the best oven ever.
Here are a few of my favourite memories:
First and foremost Raoul, one of our Siamese twins disappeared in January, never to be seen again. Heart-breaking and awful to not know what happened to him. A number of neighbours’ cats went missing at around the same time, so who knows. He was gorgeous and handsome and still missed. Although our time with him was all too brief, he left his paw prints on our life, and in my case teeth marks forever imprinted on my finger!
The skies continue to mesmerise me each day, whether it is cloudy, sunny, grey or blue or anywhere in between. The view from our terrace is both the same and different each day. I plan this year to try to photograph the same view at the same time each month – maybe sunrise.
Our garden has been a source of joy and frustration this year. Trees have sadly died and now been felled, so we have no shortage of firewood. The fruit trees that remain had a bumper crop of fruit, so we are not short of jam and chutney. The potager made a little progress but now needs a major overhaul. Courgettes, cherry tomatoes and rhubarb did really well.
The weather has done everything as you would expect in a year – snow, frost, fog, rain, sun and more with temperatures from -10°C to over 40°C. We enjoyed the luxury of our pool during the summer, as did our guests, and I managed to swim a kilometre a number of times – my swimming goal this year.
The rescue menagerie continue to rule the house and are always (well mostly) my favourites.
We have done some wonderful things, too many to mention but including visiting Luxembourg on the way to Belgium to see some friends, exploring locally, discovering new vineyards and revisiting ones we love already. We went on a wine walk in November – great fun, and we managed to catch the Van Gogh immersive experience in Toulouse – fabulous. We have discovered new foods, eaten plenty of old favourites and delicious patisseries, but most of all enjoyed the seasonality of local markets.
My highlight this year was walking part of the Camino de Santiago for my 60th birthday. A wonderful week of long walks by the coast, as we took the Camino del Norte along the north Spanish coast. Being by the sea is my place and I was there when I turned 60. The whole thing was such a great and liberating experience – breathtaking scenery, fresh air and lots of exercise, good friends, good food and good wine – what more could you want. The next stage is already being planned for April this year hopefully.
2024 will see the return of regular posts – I know I keep promising this. You never know I might just manage it this time. Fortnightly updates on 15th and 30th of each month (apart from February of course) will be interspersed with recipes and renovation. Places to visit, wine and some French things are also back on the agenda and more.
We look forward to sharing our continuing adventures living in rural SW France and renovating our lovely old French house in 2024, as well as the occasional coffee and chocolatine.
A bientôt
Ali xx
