Newsletter from Plaigne, Dec. 2006

Isabelle having a quiet moment

Isawitch

Witchray

Well, it’s Christmas again. I hope this letter finds you all well. I’m rather late getting this one typed and out. So busy. Got so many projects on the go. Must learn to focus, I think, to become more efficient.

On to our news……

GC got his Bac and is now at university, but he’s not enjoying it that much and is looking to find another course. He lives in Toulouse, in an apartment, during the week and comes home at the weekends, with his washing, of course! He drives a very nice, silver VW Golf which he bought with his savings from working at Siemens this year, before taking time out to study for his Bac.

GC and Benj visited England with 2 French friends, Cedric and Romain. They stayed at Westminster University and visited London for a few days and then they descended upon their grandparents, Dennis & Enid (thank you). They enjoyed seeing family. Apparently, Broadstairs is -400°! Went there on the wrong day, obviously!

David, Ben, Jn & Ray do tennis. Yes, Ray has started training and she plays very well for someone so young. (In fact, anything that Ray tries her hand at seems to be a success; she really is a ray in the monde). Her trainer is Ben. He went to do the next level of training to continue to be a tennis trainer, for which he gets paid. Benj passed his driving test and now drives the old girl (Renault 21 which we inherited from Jo & Trevor when they moved back to England).

Two sets of friends moved in early summer. John & Liz returned to Huntingdon and J & T moved back to Dorchester. J & T left their cats, Koffee & Coco with us. They both grew into big, cuddly pussycats, but unfortunately, this Xmas Day, Verity found Coco dead in the pool. He is still there as he is frozen in. David has put a cover over him. Rather upsetting for us. I miss Coco’s morning welcome and cuddles, poor darling.

D & V are continuing with piano lessons. It’s so lovely to hear them playing. We have a piano and two keyboards around the house and it often seems like it doesn’t matter where you go in the house, but you hear music. Wonderful. They both sing with me in the choir and do some drama with me. We’ve all been in various things this year. Ray was very cross that she hadn’t been included in the spectacle in April “as you know that I sing well, Mummy” (this is very true). She sang very well, along with a little boy called Oli, at our Plaigne Xmas evening. Us females were all involved in a sketch too.

We went to Argelès again with the caravan, and the girls. I took the girls back home, half way through, as they had some farm work to do. The boys had had parties etc in our absence and I didn’t report back to David when I got back to the camping. I wanted to finish my hol in peace!
GC went camping on the Med coast too. Benj is going on hols, in the mountains, this Saturday. Loves snowboarding and has fingers crossed that there will be enough snow (it’s rather late in coming this year). David & Benj both love skiing.

Cousin Stephen & Deb came to visit us with Sam & Rachel. It was lovely to see them and we enjoyed their company so much that we joined them in the Alps, at Deb & Nigel’s house (thanks D & N). It was wonderful to have breakfast on the patio with the sun shining on the snowy mountain tops. Inspiring and refreshing experience.

Seven is a magical number and our number seven is a belle. Isa is still quite small, but due to the fact that she doesn’t seem to stop eating, she’s quite a little podgy poo at the moment. She is and has a real character. She bosses us about all the time. I can confirm that there is nothing wrong with her voice box. She is so loud! We thought that perhaps she might be a bit deaf, but no, she is just LOUD. Perhaps she thinks that she has to be loud to compete with everyone else. She is extremely mischievous and cannot be left alone for one minute. I don’t know where she gets it from, but if looks could kill, there would be many people dropping down around her! When GC teases her, she gives him what can only be described as the evil eye.

We enjoyed receiving our guests, new and repeat visitors. I set up a website for the gites. Take a look at www.sdpgitesinfrance.bravehost.com

For those of you who haven’t let me know their e-mail address, you can send us an e-mail at: pritchard.geoffrey@libertysurf.fr

Love to you all and here’s to a successful 2007 full of abundance in every sense,
Sarah & Co

p.s. If you have time, browse the rest of my blog, especially "Remember." If you've got adsl the video will load much quicker for you than us out of the way country folk on dial-up.