Sunday, June 15, 2014

En route

…or we soon will be. The saga of our poor neglected campervan meant that we had to wait until all was well again before we could safely book our ferry crossing, so it was only at the end of May that we finally knew our departure date. Now, if all goes well, in a week’s time we will be once more ensconced for the summer in our small cottage in Normandy.

Well, I say summer…  As longer-term readers of this blog will know, the weather in southern Normandy is not very different from that in southern Britain. Maybe a degree or two warmer in summer and sometimes a degree or two colder in winter, but it is still recognisably a maritime climate and that means changeable.

Not for us the settled expectation of hot sunshine in summer and freezing temperatures with snow in winter. As the old quip goes, we don’t have climate, we have weather and sometimes it seems as if we experience all four seasons in a single day. This makes packing for a summer stay an interesting conundrum.

Yes, we can reasonably safely pack the swimsuits and leave the snow-boots at home. After that it’s anyone’s guess what the weather will throw at us. We’ve sweltered in September and had the wood-burner glowing and the hot-water bottles toasting our feet in July before now. We’ve had weeks of drought, with every drop of washing water saved for my rapidly shrivelling plants, and weeks of rain, with the grass growing to hayfield level before I get a dry day to cut it.

So with my hand now healed enough for me to get on with the packing, I’d better start sorting the T-shirts and the sweaters, the sandals and the wellingtons, so that whatever the weather, we will at least be appropriately attired. Then we can start looking forward to the journey and to seeing our friends again, to eating different food, speaking a different language, and, in my case at least, worshipping with a different church community.

Who knows? We may even have kittens in the woodshed again….




65 comments:

  1. It sounds like the beginning of a very good book - keep going with this!!
    Safe journey to you and your husband in your good-as-new camper. I look forward to posts from France.

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    1. Or possibly a play, Honora, in which case it could often be a farce. :-) We're lucky in that we both enjoy the preparations and the journey, which is very familiar to us after so many years. Now let's hope the internet is up and running when we arrive....

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  2. Do you leave any basics at the house to avoid packing the kitchen sink in terms of clothes?
    Have a safe journey and I hope that the weather is kind to you...and to your mowing schedule.

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    1. Very few, Helen, as neither of us is a clothes person and we make do with what most people would call an exiguous wardrobe. :-) The campervan can absorb what we take with no difficulty.

      I'm starting to get excited now and am positively looking forward to the mowing - my main summer exercise. :-)

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  3. It sounds like the weather keeps you guessing! Packing would be much easier if all you needed to take were summer clothes, but then it wouldn't be nearly as much of an adventure. Have a safe journey, and I look forward to reading your posts from Normandy!

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    1. It certainly does, Kristie. We'd have to go an awful lot further south to get reliable summer weather every year and neither of us could cope with the resultant temperatures. Normandy suits us both beautifully despite the vagaries of its weather and the journey is usually trouble-free and enjoyable.

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  4. Bon Voyage, Perpetua, and happy travelling with your refreshed camper van. I like that saying re climate/weather, very true. It is a challenge packing to fly to the northern hemisphere and covering all the weather possibilities, I find. Looking forward to hearing of your French adventures.

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    1. Thanks, Patricia. Even the very small campervan looks ready for the off. :-) Weather versus climate has always been a fact of life for all Britons. We rarely get weather that is settled for more than a few days (or possibly a week or two) whether good or bad. You need to travel many miles inland in Europe or northern America to get a more settled continental climate.

      Most of our French adventures are very small, but it's still fun writing about them. :-)

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  5. I am sure you will have an enjoyable summer in France.

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    1. I'm sure you're right, Susan, and I'm looking forward to it.

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  6. I'll have a word with the Normandy good fairies (not ferries), and see to it that your stay is its usual happy one.
    On one condition.
    That you blog (with pictures) for your fan club.
    Blessings.

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    1. Much appreciated, Ray. I'm sure they'll listen and do as you ask.. :-) The condition is not an onerous one and will be willingly fulfilled as long as Orange Internet behaves itself, which is not a foregone conclusion, I'm afraid.

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  7. Have a lovely journey! At least you know the camper van is now in fine fettle and ready for the off and that you are not likely to be dropping your belongings out of the bottom of it as you make your way cross country! Glad to hear the hands are on the mend too. Take care and look forward to hearing from you when you arrive in France. Axxx

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    1. Thanks, Annie. The campervan is in fact in much better fettle and more ready for the journey than I am at this precise moment! The right hand is fine now, but the left still surprisingly tender under pressure which means I'm packing with care. Off into town now for some last-minute shopping, then it's the final countdown. :-)

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  8. Good news that your hand has healed, and that the journey is now a reality. Enjoy your time in France and be gentle with the little campervan that has served you so well for holidays:)
    Safe journey Perpetua.

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    1. Thanks, Shirley. The right is fine and the left well enough for me to use it for packing, so I'm going round in ever-decreasing circles. :-) The little campervan has had a great deal of attention lavished on it since we realised our neglect and we will never be careless of its welfare again.

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  9. I am new to your blog so enjoyed reading your back posts of your cottage and the kittens. I love your tiny cottage it is enchanting and I am looking forward to reading more of your Normandy adventures. Bon Voyage.

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    1. Thanks, Elaine, and welcome to my blog. I'm glad you're enjoying it. We're both passionately fond of our little cottage and are still working on it after 11 years, though the really hard labour is just about finished - thank goodness. :-)

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  10. I'd so love a cottage in France. Friends of ours have one and it would be so great to take ourselves off for the summer especially as John is now retired. However it took years of nagging to even get our Campervan so I've no hope of a cottage.....yet. I'm so glad your hand is better and that your Campervan is all shipshape and ready to go. Have a wonderful time and look forward to hearing more. Patricia x

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    1. I totally understand your longing, Patricia, as I shared it for years. Slowly, slowly, catchee monkey worked in my case and the campervan was an important step along the way. :-) Who knows what might happen in the future...? You'd be very welcome to do what friends of ours have done in the past and park your campervan in our French garden while you explore the area. :-)

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    2. Ah thank you so much for your offer, it's a lovely gesture and much appreciated :-))

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  11. Dear Perpetua,
    So pleased to hear that the adventure is about to begin. That your hand is getting better.
    I understand what its like to be getting the motorhome ready! Its like getting the yacht ready for a long sail. Always exciting.
    At the moment here in Portugal, the weather is beautiful . I hope that you have good weather for the drive.
    looking forward to seeing the little cottage again. Its so lovely.
    have a good week.
    will be following your trip.
    val xxx

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    1. Thanks, Val. It's all starting to happen in a rush here. DH constantly pushes me to start the preparations early, but I seem to work better under pressure nowadays and will be very busy for the next few days, but I'll enjoy every minute of it.

      We've had a few very pleasant days recently, but the sun has disappeared again, though it's still mild. You know what British weather is like. :-) DH would prefer it not to be too hot when travelling as the van doesn't have climate control and can get very warm, which doesn't suit him. There's a reason we're in Normandy rather than Portugal. :-)

      I promise to show you more photos of the cottage once we're settled....

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  12. It is good news that your little campervan is now road worthy again Perpetua and also I am very pleased to learn that your hand is healing well.
    Safe travels, bon voyage, and hear from you again when you have arrived.

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    1. Thanks, Rosemary. We're very pleased with the mechanic's work and the campervan should be good for years now. I'm still having to be careful with my hand when packing, but at least I can now get on with it and our departure date is rapidly approaching.

      Safe journey to you too and I look forward to your Paris posts.

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  13. Hello Perpetua,

    This post has all the promise of a summer holiday long anticipated with pleasure and soon to be realised. Yes, we can almost taste the delicious French breakfasts, lunches and dinners. We can smell the new mown grass and hear the singing of birds which will greet you in Normandy. Perfect!

    Safe travelling and Happy Holidays!

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    1. Hello, Jane and Lance. You paint an idyllic picture in your lovely comment, though the reality may be a bit more down-to-earth, what with chasing out the spiders and clearing their winter's work and deciding which bit of wall-painting to get on with next. :-) Three months is too long to be thought of as a holiday, so there will be plenty of work intermingled with the relaxation and social enjoyment.

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  14. Will the geraniums be travelling with you this year, as usual? Have a really good time in your no.3 home - we'll miss you here, though. Mustn't wifh the time away - it goes fast enough (too fast) as it is - but looking forward to your return in September. Love to you both, & prayers for safe travelliing.

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    1. Oops - I thought I'd proof-read more carefully! 'wish', of course, not 'wifh'!!

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    2. They will indeed. Helva, though I've taken a lot of cuttings over the winter so they won't be as leggy and woody as last year. I've got some more perennials for the border too, once I've rediscovered it under the weeds.

      Loved your misprint - very 17th century. :-)

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  15. Hari Om
    Oh wonderful, on the move again... the beauty of taking your own mobility is, of course, that you CAN pack for all eventualities. Glad to hear the healing going well and oh I do hope there might be tales of kittens to follow!!! YAM xx

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    1. We can and we do, Yam. You should see the tools DH thinks necessary for his summer's work. :-) Yes, my hand is healing and I can use it reasonably well now, so am getting on with the packing. As for the kittens, we live in hope....

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  16. Enjoy all the time in your holidays. Have a happy holidays!

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    1. Thanks, WW. we alsop very much enjoy our time in France, whatever the weather.

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  17. I have the same decisions to make when I come to the UK in the summer. :)

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    1. I bet you do, Sarah. :-) You never know whether you're going to freeze, fry or float....

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  18. I presume this was the intended post before your ups & downs, Perpetua :-) May your hand continue to heal, may you travel safely & may the internet work so you can write & post some French posts.

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    1. With some tweaking, Ricky. It's a shame to let a good post go to waste. :-) Thanks for the good wishes, all of which are much appreciated and needed - especially the internet. DH is having the collywobbles at the moment....

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  19. I hope you have a safe trip and a very enjoyable and relaxing summer in Normandy. I'm looking forward to your posts from there, I know very little about Normandy and would enjoy seeing and reading about your life there.

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    1. Thanks, Jennifer. We always enjoy our time there, though it isn't always relaxing, especially when we get going on a project, as the renovation still isn't finished. But the end is in sight.... :-)

      If you want to know a bit more about Normandy before I start posting again, you could click on France in my labels section in the sidebar and all my past posts on the subject will come up for you.

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  20. Sounds like a positive home from home experience. I hope you have a wonderful French summer Perpetua :)

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    1. that's always been the idea, Annie. We're there too long to think of it as a holiday and certainly feel at home there. Just crossing my fingers for good weather for the village fete and other outdoor activities....

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  21. Bon Voyage! I look forward to hearing of your adventures in Normandy. May you have sunshine and warmth..... currently we have mist.....ah the joys of a maritime climate as you say!

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    1. Thanks, Sian. I gather it's been rather nice there recently, though whether that will last until we arrive is another matter. :-) Very still and humid here, but no mist at the moment. I do hope yours clears soon. Chilly stuff, mist....

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  22. After the - slightly scary - hail episode the weather seems to have settled down. Mostly warm and sunny. So here's hoping we don't have any more 'vigilence orange' bulletins and all stays fine for your village fete. :-)

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    1. oops typo --should be 'vigilance orange' of course.

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    2. Why can't these keyboards learn to spell? ;-) Glad to hear the weather is better for you now. You really don/'t want many hailstones like the ones you showed us. Our fete isn't until the last Sunday in July, so plenty of time for the weather to do almost anything it likes. in the meantime. :-)

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  23. I'm a little shocked that its once again "off to Normandy" time! How can that be. Already? Blessings for a wonderful restful and peace-filled time, and of course I hope the weather goes easy on you. :-) It sounds like you'll be more than prepared for whatever comes your way. Now I must ask. Who is the artist behind that wonderful "Kittens in the Woodshed?" I tried to read the name at the bottom and couldn't decipher. I think it's just wonderful! Thank you for taking me along with you to France. I'm going to look forward to all you have to tell. :-)

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    1. I know, Debra, where has the past year gone? It seems no time at all since we packed up to come home, yet so much has happened in the intervening months. I'm not sure our summer will be always restful as we have some work we want to finish on the house and then there's the mowing, but it will be fun. :-)

      The artist is my next-to-youngest sister, who sometimes comments on here as PolkaDot. I did a post back in March showing some of her teenage drawings: http://perpetually-in-transit.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/budding-talent.html. This is one of two watercolours she did while staying with us a few years ago. The other is of the house and I love them both.

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  24. You are a rolling stone P. Enjoy your journey.

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    1. Thanks, we will. :-) You're not exactly rooted in one spot yourself. ;-)

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  25. We hope you have a lovely summer and that the good old campervan will serve you faithfully for many more years to come.

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    1. Thanks, PolkaDot and likewise. The van has been thoroughly mended and the underside thoroughly sprayed with protective oil by the garage, so it should be good for years now.

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  26. Dear Perpetua, you know that you always have my focused attention when I see a link for kittens in the woodshed! Or a photo. Or a video of "Simon Says!" Yes, I'm a true feline lover.

    I've never been to Normandy and know only about DDay and the Normandy beaches. The beginning of the end for the Third Reich. But I so enjoy your postings each year from there. You surely are "perpetually-in-transit!!!!" Peace.

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    1. I thought that would catch your eye, Dee. :-) We're looking forward to finding out whether the kittens from past years are still around as adult cats and whether there will be any new kittens this year.

      Normandy is beautiful and quite varied. We're right down in the south west of the region, some distance from the landing beaches. Our area is very green, tranquil and deeply rural and we love it there.

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  27. Have a safe trip and a lovely summer break whatever the elements.

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    1. Thanks, Molly. We always manage to enjoy ourselves and we've had some dreadful weather at times as well as some really beautiful periods.

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  28. Do you leave no clothes behind in France? Or Scotland? Although the idea of a summer cottage in France is a very appealing one I’d hate to have to do the packing each time.

    Have a safe journey and a great time in Normandy. Go easy on the Calvados and the cream!

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    1. If i did that I'd have nothing to wear in Wales! DH and I are so not clothes people that we have very few at any one time. We only visit France once a year and i just don't want to leave clothes where I can't get at them if necessary. The packing isn't usually a problem as we're very used to it by now, but I've been a bit hindered this time.

      The journey is always pleasant and we're really looking forward to arriving. Calvados and cream will of course be on the menu, but not too often. :-)

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  29. Sounds much like Minnesota, honestly. Yes, yes, of course it's summer -- but that doesn't mean you couldn't find a use for socks or sweaters!

    Pearl

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    1. Why do you think I knit so many socks, Pearl? I think your summers are probably hotter at their peak, but you still know all about unseasonal weather from what I read in your posts. -)

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  30. Have a wonderful and amazing trip!! It shall be epic. I look forward to reading more of your posts when you return :)

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    1. Thanks, OE, and welcome to my blog. It will be hopefully be a lovely trip as it always has been. However you won't need to wait for posts until I get back as I blog from wherever i happen to be. :-)

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  31. I thought I had commented on this post but obviously not. Maybe I'm getting confused now that you're on Facebook, I comment on there and think I've done it here. Anyway, I wonder if you are back in Normandy by now, having stopped off for your visits on the way. Hope it was a pleasant journey xxx

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    1. Yes, meeting in two places can get confusing, Ayak. :-) We're still in the UK at our son'r, but will be leaving this morning for the ferry and will sleep in our French beds tonight.

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