For Christmas 2019 Olivier gave me a ‘few lines a day’ 5 year diary. The first entry I made on 1st January was that 2020 had a good feel to it. I was very wrong. This year, 2022, has a good feel to it too. I hope that I’m right this time. Olivier’s birthday is on the 22 February, so I’m hoping that this year will be extra special for him.
In October I became officially retired in France and the
UK. I’ve been agreeably surprised by my
pensions. I worked in the UK for 12
years before coming to France. We
celebrated with a long weekend in Bordeaux.
It’s very strange learning how to use my time not governed
by a work schedule. I’ve had to learn
not to feel guilty if I pick up a book in the middle of the morning and just
read! I seem to be so busy doing this and that, inside and outside of the house. I’ve also developed a taste for jigsaw
puzzles. At the moment I’m doing the official jigsaw puzzle of the Queen on her
25th anniversary. Rob brought
it with him when we came to France 37 years ago. It had never been opened. The queen is standing in front of a red
curtain background which is really difficult – makes a change from sky and sea
I suppose.
