MrM

It's his birthday today.

There is coffee cake.

~ The end ~

Living the Dream

Any dream worth having
is going to involve hard work...

moving to Provence means:
leaving jobs
selling a home
packing up
saying goodbye to friends and family
viewing multiple unsuitable houses
until you find the one with the view...

but when you sit on the terrace
looking out over your own olive grove
and relax in the Provencal sun
all the challenges melt away
and you are living the dream.

A number of my friends
have been making their dreams come true:

Glen and Mary, who have moved to Provence
Rachel, who has found "The House"
Emma, who is making her jewellery business grow
Kim, who has successfully defended her thesis.

You have to be brave to dream
and then work hard
to make your dream become a reality

Their stories are inspirational.

As Kim said to me the day after:
"Wow - it actually happened!"

Many thanks to Glen and Mary
who made us so welcome in their beautiful home.
They are the most generous and thoughtful of hosts.
I am too embarrassed to admit how much I slept.

MissM : update!

MissM
Hello!
I have arrived in Warsaw safely.

MrsM
Hello!
Is your hostel nice?

MissM
Yes!
Have you seen my ticket?

MrsM
What ticket?
Your INTERRAIL ticket!

MissM
Yes!
I can't find it.

MrsM
We will just check your bedroom.

MissM
Thanks!

MrsM
D found it.
In the bin!

MissM
Oh!
What do I do next?

Catching Up

Thank you for all of your messages yesterday...
every single smile reached me
and brought sunshine to my desk.

I am behind with my replies already
so no change there, I'm afraid.

Anyway, where were we?

Well...there were exams
and they finished...
and that's just about the best thing
that I can say about that.

MasterM and MissM came back home
and then went away again.

And then we went to France.

We drove all the way to Provence.
Actually, MrM drove and I sat still.
All the way there and back.
We have discussed this.
Ahem.

Moving swiftly on...

we stayed in a Normandy manor house,
a medieval coaching inn near Chablis
and a selection of chateaux:
deliciously fabulous at one end of the spectrum
and wildly eccentric at the other end.

We ate in all sorts of restaurants
but I think that this was my favourite:
a tiny place in a Provencal village
run by a charming young couple.

The menu was perfect for a hot day in summer
and every detail of the service delightful.

As we sat in the village square
drinking peach kir and talking with our friends
the holiday finally settled upon us.

Lupin Blanc at Revest-des-Brousses

*****

All of the doors in the post yesterday
can be found in Revest-des-Brousses.
It would not take you long.

A Sunlit Space

If you ask me why I write this blog
my answer varies...

sometimes I say
that it is to record details of my life,

sometimes I say
that is an attempt
to capture the sound of the voices
of people I love,

sometimes I say
that it is a way to communicate
with family living all over the world

but I also write for you
because your generous friendship
has made this blog
a sunlit space for me

and if I can make you smile in return
that is a good enough reason.

*****
Note to Anonymous:
My rule of thumb is that if your comment
is unsuitable for my children to read
it gets deleted.

Doing the Knowledge

George Washington and His Family
Edward Savage (1790)

MasterM
Seriously, who is going to know
"Commercial centre of Mongolia (5)?"

MrM
That is easy...Ulan Bator.
Right, what about:
"City midway between Detroit and Chicago (9)"

MasterM
That would be Ohiohioio

MrM
Here is one for you, MrsM:
"Short-tailed oceanic bird (6)
beginning with F.

MasterM
Feline.

MrM
Idiot boy - it says "bird"
and in case you hadn't noticed
cats have long tails.

MrsM
Fulmar.

MrM
Good Heavens, it fits!
You are on a roll...what about:
"Garden feature suitable for alpine plants (7)"

MrsM
Rockery

MasterM
I always wondered what the point of rockeries was.

Now I think I know who will get this one...
"Artificial device used to resolve plot
in an artistic work (4,2,7)"

MissM
Deus ex machina.

A respectful silence falls.

The Golden Cloudland

Today is the end of the long week
of examinations meetings.

It has been very hard this year
and I am so relieved that it is all over.

*****

title from
'The Bronze Horseman'
by Aleksandr Pushkin
translated by Waclaw Lednicki

with thanks to Susan T and Mr. Susan T.

at the airport

MissM
Guess what I did this morning?

MrM
Did you go to the Arena?

MissM
No!
Last night I asked the guy in the restaurant
where I should go on my last morning in Verona
and he said he would take me to Lake Garda...
on his motorbike...
and he did!
And it was really cool.

MrsM
I am so glad you are home.

(just for the record)

The Finalists' Barbecue

1.
The students are in limbo
between exams and results
and their laughter has an anxious edge.

2.
Long tables are covered with white lab roll
and bowls of food beautifully prepared
by the Operations Manager and her Crew.

3.
The student tells me
of his trip to Vietnam.
"It will be the last holiday
I spend with my family."
I think of his mother and I say
"Don't say that - perhaps it won't be."

4.
The academic tells me
of the overnight train journey.
I imagine his two little children
wide awake with excitement
in the sleeper compartment and smile.


5.
The sausages and burgers
are ordered from a local butcher
and are really delicious.

6.
And the team of Physical Geographers
show off their crazy BBQ skillz
and cook everything to perfection.

7.
The Young Academic is recounting
the tale of the Tie of Shame
to the Head of Department elect
who is looking faintly appalled
and wondering what lies ahead in his new role.

8.
The new GeogSoc committee
have contacted me to discuss
the Freshers reception in September.
I tell the ex-President of the GeogSoc
and she laughs
"That's a bit keen -
I didn't think about it until the week before."

9.
Everyone clusters at the top of the Quad
for the traditional photograph.
It will be given to all finalists
on Graduation Day.

10.
The Head of Department
thanks the students
for making it such a good evening
and tells them they are a vintage year.

11.
As I leave the Department
the foyer is still full of students
chatting, laughing,
reluctant to leave.

12.
It is another happy memory,
to take away into the world outside
and keep for a lifetime.

MissM : update

Hi from Verona!
Currently getting a free listen
from a concert in the arena
whilst having supper.

Zucchero is playing
(in case you were wondering...)