Merry Christmas and Newsletter from Plaigne by Sarah Pritchard

Merry Christmas from Sarah Pritchard par Sarah_Pritchard

Christmas 2011 Newsletter from Plaigne

Hello,

I made a little vlog for those of you who are looking at my newsletter online. Thank you for the gifts, cards and greetings. I hope this letter finds you all in good health.

The year seems to have flown by. I’ll give you a brief tour through time from last Christmas to this one.

In March David and Johnathan went to stay with Sue and Ken and did their bathroom for them. I kicked myself later on in the year when I visited Sue and Ken because I forgot to have a look at the bathroom. I guess I was too engrossed in the family history research with Sue.

David and I went to Bordeaux at the end of May. Verity had just completed her work experience in a hotel there. At the same time as collecting Verity I wanted to explore Bordeaux as I hadn’t been there before. The hotel offered free room, breakfast and drinks in the bar for the weekend. It was very close to our 25^th wedding anniversary so that was a lovely treat for us. We enjoyed wonderful weather (I got sunburnt) and Bordeaux is a beautiful city to explore. Here’s a photo I took. I had to wait for the moment the spectrum appeared. I was sure it would, with all that sun and water, and I was not let down.

Later in the year David and Johnathan went to help Nigel in the Alps with some work on the house. Verity, Raymonde, Isabelle and I joined them for the second half of August, along with Deb and Zoe. We had a great time as per usual despite the house being a building site this time. Raymonde and Isabelle always love to see their cousin Zoe. Verity and Johnathan left a day earlier than us and we did a slow journey home, stopping overnight and exploring Montélimar, which is another city well worth discovering.

In September David and I drove to Girona in Spain where I had rented a riverside apartment. We stayed there one night on our own and then the next day we collected Steph and Tom from the airport. The apartment was in the old town; right on the river and we had great views up and down. We all thoroughly enjoyed it. On the return journey David and I visited the Dali Museum and then Collioure, once we got back in France. We like Collioure. We sat on a bench with the old people, looking at the sea and didn’t move til the sun started going down. Then we thought we’d better eat before going home. We had the best pizza I’ve ever eaten, in a restaurant in Argèles. It made an excellent ending to a great long weekend break.

David spent most of October at his mum’s. Raymonde, Isabelle and I flew over and visited for a week, catching up with family and friends, which was rather lovely, and then we visited Ann and Bert’s in London (thank you to Enid, Ann and Bert). Raymonde and Isabelle enjoyed being tourists. The Tower Bridge exhibition was their favourite. We had a bit of an experience on the underground when Isabelle and I got on the train and then turned round to see the train door shut on Raymonde’s fingers, the train starting to move, and David and Raymonde still on the platform. Raymonde pulled her hand out and we eventually met up again at Baker Street.

Everyone was here on Christmas Day and for the New Year celebrations, David, Raymonde, Isabelle and I are going to Bordeaux to spend the long weekend at Verity’s. We’re taking the trailer with some furniture in for her.

We still often have a full house especially at the weekend. I love it when they are all here so that’s fine by me.

Raymonde is still mad about Polly and horses in general. She has made plans for a stable complex and has asked David when he will be finished at the chateau so that he can start on her project! Isabelle is still a fairy and makes lots of fairyland encampments, no matter where she is, indoors or outside.

Demelza is home and works at the clinic and is doing a correspondence course at the same time, to work with small children. In October, she used two weeks of her holidays to do work experience at Belpech School. Raymonde and Isabelle loved having their big sister at school with them. Verity completed her course and was presented with her diploma. We went to the presentation. Demelza came too and confused everyone at first. She had fun telling everyone that she was not Verity. The hotel where Verity did her work experience offered her a contract which she accepted. She has now found an apartment in Bordeaux. She comes to visit when she can and is in contact very often with her twin.

Johnathan decided to upgrade his qualifications. He works for EDF and is also doing a higher apprenticeship and is working towards a professional Bac. He spends some of his time during the week in Bordeaux and some in Pau. At the weekends he is here, along with his washing!

Benjamin is here. He took on a contract with the logistics company where he has worked on and off for the past few years. He travels to Toulouse.

Geoffrey is here or with Alice. He has just completed a course and received an attestation for driving the biggest engine (sounds like Thomas the Tank Engine doesn’t it?) At the moment he is doing the experience part of the training to eventually receive his certificate. This should open up opportunities for him in logistics.

It has been very mild here which pleases me but does not please Raymonde, David and Benjamin who want some snow on the Pyrenees for their skiing and snowboarding.

I have focused on using my writing skills, this year, doing more ghostwriting and I have recently started my own PLR store, but there isn’t much there yet. I am making plans to create the PLR every week of next year to boost up my stock and form a thorough service for my clients. I’m also planning on creating a lot more of my own products. In writing this down I am committing myself.

I will love you and leave you and wish you all the best for the coming year with much success and abundance in every form. Have you made your plans yet? Oh! Don’t forget to find me on Facebook and find my cause, Pritchard family in aid of UNICEF UEP vortex. We did complete a whole vortex this year and I was able to send a cheque to UNICEF, so I would like to say thank you to those of you who participated. Together we make a great difference.

Angel cuddles,

Sarah (& co.)