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From aboard the ferry

Hello everyone

Very late this week – sorry this is becoming bad habit! I have been travelling – more on that shortly. The last week has sped by in a complete rush as I decided to return to the UK to see family. My eldest son was due to return to university in the UK but has postponed his return until November.

Early one misty morning, in spite of some trepidation (I have got used to low Covid numbers in France, living in the countryside and am possibly becoming some kind of recluse) in a moment of decisiveness I booked my ferry crossing! I requested a list from my younger son of the things he would like transporting and started the process of booking tests, listing the various paperwork that was required, etc. Alex (my younger son) returned to the UK a year ago but had to fly due to a lockdown in France, so could only take what he could carry. Actually he ended up flying business class as this gives you extra luggage and worked out a better deal than a cheaper airline with all the add-on costs of luggage, etc! Even so there was a limit both weight-wise and capacity-wise as to how much he could carry!

The run up to my departure day was busy trying to get work done, catch up on laundry and generally fit in shopping, etc as I was driving, so Max and Johnnie will be car free for the week. This is not that practical in the countryside but some nice neighbours have offered him the use of their car, should he need it. We even managed to fit in tea at some friends and a game of petanque but I had to miss my swim.

Another spectacular storm hit us in the Tarn on Saturday night, with thunder so loud I thought the house had split in two, or a huge tree had crashed onto the tower. I am not being melodramatic at all – it was unbelievably ear-piercingly loud. The cats and dog were all scared, so after more mopping up (water through the roof again) and a good check around the house, witnessing 360 degree constant lightening as we went, we ended up with 4 cats on the bed all looking for reassurance, and a dog who would have liked that but is not allowed. Not that fair really but he does weigh 46kg to the cats’ combined weight of about 14kg!

Monday morning saw a hive of activity packing the car with a wide variety of goodies including music equipment, a saxophone, guitar, keyboard stand and mountains of books and records (or vinyls as I think I should call them now!), plus wine for mother and son of course. It’s a long way up and down the drive with loads for the car. Anyway job done, snacks prepared and off I set, for the first leg of my journey. I was so busy I completely forgot to take any photos!

Each time I do this journey, driving about three quarters of the length of France I am amazed at the variety of landscapes and the vastness of the country. I passed so many interesting looking and sounding places. At one point I spotted the most fascinating grand old château – completely derelict, the roof devoid of tiles, trees poking out of outhouse doors. It always seems so sad to see such beautiful houses, whether large or small, abandoned, past lives forgotten, unwanted, left to nature, gradually taken over by plants. Later in the journey I passed through a village, shops and restaurants now empty, quiet. Perhaps once a thriving busy place, now many people long gone. Maybe people will move back and breathe new life into this village.

6 hours later and I arrived at Château du Loir (a place not a château) to stay with an old university friend for a very welcome break to the journey and bed for the night – enormously kind of them and much appreciated. We had a lovely evening with so much to catch up on. I took quite a shine to their dog Otto – so tiny with a deep love of tummy tickles. A much more practical sized dog than the lovely Bear.

Another 3 hour drive the next morning took me to Dieppe and onto the Dieppe-Newhaven ferry, parked squeezed between towering lorries, having successfully passed through passport and customs with all the necessary paperwork. Sitting on the deck leaving France for the first time in over a year felt quite strange.

I wrote this out on the ferry deck as it was sunny and the air was salty fresh, with just seagulls and a coffee for company! A great spot for a temporary office.

I also love watching the sea. I grew up on the South coast and miss living by the sea. A walk along a beach in any weather is so therapeutic, so it is a treat to watch the waves and gaze across the openness at the shimmering expanse of water. It made me stop and think about those so desperate for a better life that they risk everything to get into a tiny boat to try to cross the sea to the UK. Bravery does not begin to describe this. The Channel is vast, inhospitable for a little dinghy and must be terrifying, particularly when you see the size of some of the ships.

So UK here I come. A busy week seeing my mother and also going to Manchester to see Alex, assuming there is some fuel to be had! There are so many people I would like to catch up with but this visit I need to spend time with my mother and son, with a quick trip to see a friend who is undergoing chemotherapy.  I haven’t been back since July 2020, when I popped over very briefly to pick my eldest son up. I hope to return in November with a bit more time on my hands. So if I don’t see you – sorry – next time.

If you are hoping to catch more of the saga of life in the Tarn, I will be back there soon and back to renovating. This week and next will be tales of visiting the UK as a non-resident!

Have a great week everyone

A bientôt


Ali xx

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