Wednesday 17 March 2010

An English Mother's Day

I just loved it!

Mother's Day - of course, but England too. Not that I left because I didn't like it - I was just lost and sad and thought a change of venue would be the answer. It wasn't. Shortly after I came to France my granddaughter was born (back in England) and is proving a link too strong to resist.

Here she is in Lilly's Tea and Coffee House in Wickham...

... we always seem to go there when I'm over and Molly loves going out for coffee or meals and is always very well-behaved. (Well, nearly always - after all she's not quite 3!)

On Mother's Day, Toria, Molly and I went to Jane Austen's House at Chawton, while Molly's Dad had a lovely time at home working on the en-suite. Here she is in the garden...

...with a new doll her Mum bought for her at an NCT sale the day before. Baby Annabell. She loves her.

Everywhere was booked up at lunchtime, but we managed to get some soup and a sandwich at Gilbert White's House in nearby Selborne.

Now are you seeing a pattern here? I've given you three links to places we went to and had a lovely time. You can go out on a Sunday..... and over lunchtime... and there are lots of places to go to. Unfortunately I can't do that in my part of France... and of course, even if I could, I still wouldn't be able to do it with my daughter and granddaughter.

It was just so lovely to feel part of a family again, not just someone to have coffee with and complain about the weather, but someone useful, who can make scones for Molly and knit her bootees for her doll (I'm still working on that one!) To see her growing up and so pleased with things like the doll and a new bike from the same sale...

So it was a great visit and helped me really make my mind up about leaving France and going back to England to live. Just have to sell my property here and find one there near to my daughter. That won't be easy as prices are very high in her area but I can keep looking and hope something will come up in my price bracket.

4 comments:

Elizabethd said...

I totally understand your feelings. Sadly it is very hard to sell property at the moment, though it is worth putting it on the website of French Property News.

Marigold Jam said...

As you already know I am with you on this one and it is so wonderful to be back home again now - I was back in France week before last and had a great time but it was good to come home again afterwards. Good luck with selling the house - it can be done and friends of ours near Angouleme sold theirs failry quickly and we managed to sell ours in less than 3 months so don't believe all those stories of doom and gloom just don't be too optimistic about the price!

val said...

What a joy to read your post, I hope you can sell and buy in the near future and be home with your family. After all, that is what it's all about isn't it? Being together, being useful and being part of a child's life.
Blessings!
Val xx

I LOVE FRANCE said...

Hya
I hope things go to plan for you sometimes there is just no place like home.
I am glad you had a lovely time and that it has made your mind as to what you want to do.