Monday, January 16, 2012

Time to Change

It's just a year ago that we decided that one day we would really have to retire! We love our home here and we love running our two gîtes and meeting the lovely people who come to share our little bit of France with us  - but we do need to start preparing for the next, perhaps the last, chapter of our lives.

Our lovely shady terrace at Peyrenègre


So where to next?

Before we left the UK we though we might like to try another region of France for our retirement or even a different country, but when we started to really face up to the passing years we realised that we just don't want to live anywhere else.

So why do we love it here so much?

The weather

Even though I am writing this on a  cold January day the weather really does suit us here. These cold winter days don't last too long and we like the change of seasons. Cosy winter evenings in front of a log fire are appreciated as much as long summer evenings - we just like more of the latter than the former! Even in the depths of winter there is just more light here and days with low grey skies that linger all day are rare. Spring comes early and suddenly and from April through to October we live mostly on the terrace  - there is a field which we look out to from the terrace which has wheat and sunflowers grown in alternate years. I love watching that field through the seasons changing from chocolaty brown to golden or bright yellow and back again. Although summers are long and hot they aren't unbearably so and the swimming pool becomes the star of the show for everyone (I will have been swimming daily from April). So into Autumn when the weather is ideal for long walks again after the heat of the summer - this climate suits us perfectly.

Surrounded by farmland


Friends and Neighbours

This little village with just under 200 inhabitants has been so welcoming. We are very involved in village activities and we have made many friends here. The village is small but is active and the Comité des Fêtes organises events throughout the year. A group of us walk most Friday afternoons and there are weekly gym clubs. We have made good personal friends too and we really can't think that we would have better friends or neighbours if we moved away from here.

One of many  happy meals on our terrace


The pace of life

We love the slower pace of life in the countryside and we have grown used to growing our own ad this is something we want to continue into retirement and perhaps extend our self sufficiency activities! I don't think I ever want to be without my own hens - there's nothing to compare with a truly fresh, orange yolked egg for breakfast - and I love making home made jams and preserves.

Making redcurrant jelly


So where next? - why stay here in the village we love of course  - and to that end we have purchased another property in the village which will one day be our retirement home. The house doesn't have a place name as it is in the village limit and so is just 'Au Bourg' = in the village - we call it 'Kebourg ' (Kevin and Enid au bourg) and it is the story of this property and how we mean to develop it and live in it that this blog is about.



We hope you'll enjoy sharing the journey with us.

A la prochaine!

7 comments:

Fiona said...

I spy sketches at the top,all the best with your wonderful project, keep up the blog so we can follow your exciting journey.

Enid said...

yes we have plans - very exciting.

Little Nell said...

Enid, I can’t believe it’s ten years, but then I look at my own St.Martin’s tenure and see that indeed it was. I enjoyed reading this and look forward to further chapters - good luck!

Enid said...

Time files doesn't it?

Little Nell said...

Filing was what we both did ten years ago :)

Enid said...

Whoops:)

Kendal Cottages said...

Best wishes for a very happy and deserved retirement, Enid and Kevin!