Sunday, August 30, 2015

A RETURN TO BLOGGING ?

Many days have passed since I last typed a post here.
It seems that I have "done it all before".
The rhythms of my life go round and round and seem to be more of the same and I can't keep repeating myself here.

We are almost finished with Winter - a season that I love - and it has been quite a cold one especially the nights which are still below 10 degrees C most nights but the days are sunny and warm and there's not much to complain about ( except the lack of rain !).

The wattles are blooming everywhere and so are the grevilleas so there is a hint of Spring in the air.
Most likely we will just jump straight into Summer and forget about Spring. The heat will just hit like a sledge hammer with no time to prepare ourselves.

We are off overseas for a holiday in France in a few days.
Not the usual time for us to go but the wedding in March and visiting rellies from Texas and Wales gave us plenty to do in April and May. It's lovely to connect with family who live so far away and so important to keep those family ties strong. Much easier in these days of Face Book too !

So we are off on Sunday leaving three elderly parents behind with some trepidation.
Five weeks can be a long time when you are 93 , 93 and 94 but they are all doing OK at the moment and we can't put our lives on hold. We too are watching the years pass and know that these overseas jaunts will become more and more difficult and more and more expensive as we stretch our retirement funds !

Three weeks in the South of France !
I was a little concerned that it would be HOT and I hate HOT !
(We get plenty of that here !)
However looking at the temperatures there now, they seem to be cooling down quite quickly
 and 24 -26 C sounds pretty perfect to me.
It seems to an observer from Downunder that the seasons move quite rapidly from one to the next in countries where four distinct seasons are the norm. Here we often seem to jump from Winter to Summer with little in between and I guess when you don't have leaves falling to signify the change, Autumn just means you turn the airconditioning off !

One week in Sarlat-le-Caneda and a final week in Paris.
Sounds great doesn't it ?

Perhaps that will give me something new to post about !!!

Cheers.
at

21 comments:

  1. KathyAugust 30, 2015 at 11:27 PM

    Hi Helsie, nice to have you back. Like you I seem to have lost my way in the blogging world. Your winter sounds pretty perfect. We've had a poor summer here, so I'm dreading the onset of autumn and winter. Cold and grey for 6 months! Enjoy your trip to France. I'm looking forward to your photos when you get back. Kathy xxx

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    1. HelsieAugust 31, 2015 at 8:42 PM

      So nice to hear from you Kathy. We often seemed to mirror holidays in the past, are you planning any trips to France this year? My cousin, who lives near you in Rhuddlan, Wales, often slips across with her caravan to get a last bit of warm weather in
      October.

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  2. Marigold JamAugust 31, 2015 at 12:33 AM

    I had been wondering about you recently so it's good to hear all is well with you. Hope you will have a lovely time in France - Paris is one of my favourite cities and I will look forward to seeing where you go and what you do there as well as the south of France which I don't know too well. It is August Bank Holiday here today so of course it is pouring with rain - we haven't had much summer at all here in the SW and temperatures have rarely got abouve the low 20s but the SE of England has had higher temperatures and less rain I gather. Make sure you pack for all eventualities in Europe you might need woollies as well as macs and maybe sandals and thin things too! Hope the "olds" will continue well whilst you are away.

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    1. HelsieAugust 31, 2015 at 8:45 PM

      Hi Jane, I'm afraid I've just been drifting along - doing not much - rather aimless really. I'm hoping this holiday will shake me up and revitalise me and I'll get my blogging going again. I do miss the communication with my old pals. Hope your family is doing well. Cheers.

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  3. LeishaAugust 31, 2015 at 1:05 AM

    It will be stinking hot Helsie before we know it . Have a wonderful holiday, it sounds just lovely.

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    1. HelsieAugust 31, 2015 at 8:48 PM

      Oh, I know, I know Leisha. I really do dislike Summer though at least now I'm not working out there slaving in a boiling hot classroom ! Now we have solar panels to help with the cost I just flick a switch and my house at least is comfortable. I am REALLY looking forward to this holiday !

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  4. carol in cairnsAugust 31, 2015 at 3:33 AM

    Enjoy your holiday Helen. I am sure you will have heaps of photos from Tony to share.

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    1. HelsieAugust 31, 2015 at 8:50 PM

      Thanks Carol, sorry I haven't been commenting much. I hope this holiday will give me a bit of a shakeup and get me back into blogging. I do miss the communication with blogging mates.

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  5. busybusybeejayAugust 31, 2015 at 6:22 AM

    I havn't blogged for months either.I don't feel I have much to say that would interest anyone.
    I am soooo jealous of you going to Sarlat.It is one of our favourite places and Paris too.We were in Paris in January but holidays are on hold for us at the moment as C has some health problems and can become very ill,very quickly.It has scared us.So ,you make the most of travelling and really enjoy your French break.I am sure the Oldies will be fine.Barbara

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    1. HelsieAugust 31, 2015 at 8:53 PM

      I know just how you feel Barbara though perhaps I would be interested in what you say even if it was only what you had for dinner and what you did with your day. I don't know about you but I feel like I'm in a bit of a rut and it is easy not to bother. I plan to remedy that !( so get ready to hear what we had for dinner and other boring bits of information about our life !!!)

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  6. Yorkshire PuddingAugust 31, 2015 at 10:20 AM

    Ooo-la-la! Vous allez a la France avec Monsieur Tony! I hope you have a lovely time. Our next door neighbours have just returned from a week in Nice. They said it was nice in NIce! Sorry to hear you have found it difficult to come up with fresh things to blog about as I always enjoy reading your blog Helen. look after yourself and if any Frenchmen pinch your posterior whack 'em with a stale baguette!

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    1. HelsieAugust 31, 2015 at 8:56 PM

      I admire the way you always have something to post about YP. I just need to shake myself up a bit a find a few things to talk about, a lot of it is laziness and not being bothered but I must say I miss the communicating with blogging mates. I will try to do better and this trip might get me going again
      I hope ! Cheers !

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  7. LeeSeptember 2, 2015 at 5:54 AM

    Helsie...have a wonderful trip. Enjoy it to your utmost. I look forward to seeing a pictorial record of your travels. :)

    I'm sorry to see winter go....fortunately, though, for now it's still nice and cool up here on the mountain. I prefer our "winter" to summer....I like the cooler temps...not too fond of all that sweating...oops...I should be a lady...perspiring that summer causes! :)

    Safe trip, Helsie. Take care...and have a ball...and a baguette or two! :)

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    1. HelsieSeptember 3, 2015 at 9:52 PM

      Thanks Lee, it seems we'll be able to extend our cooler weather for a while anyway.
      I'm hoping the blogging bug will return while I'm away. It usually does when there's new exciting stuff to talk about !

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  8. Jan BlawatSeptember 3, 2015 at 9:24 AM

    Helsie, I've been in the same blogging rut, or maybe it's just a place in our lives where we feel like we've done it all before. Cue Peggy Lee..."Is That All There Is?" She goes on to sing, "...then let's keep dancing, let's bring out the booze and have a ball...if that's all there is." I'll forego the booze and wait happily to read about your vacation. Another person's joy suits me just fine, hope to see photos of you dancing around France.

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  9. KateSeptember 3, 2015 at 1:58 PM

    I too am really looking forward to your downunder, downtoearth view of your French holiday! Hope you have a super time!

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  10. HelsieSeptember 3, 2015 at 9:55 PM

    Thanks Kate. I'm all packed ( and yes, the 8 short sleeved tops and 5 long sleeved ones all fitted in just fine !!). Just have to clean the house and I'm - we're - off on Sunday.

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  11. LorrieSeptember 4, 2015 at 5:21 PM

    Have a wonderful trip, Helsie. France at this time of year should be beautiful. Will you see the wine harvest?

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  12. HelsieSeptember 5, 2015 at 2:02 AM

    Hope so Lorrie. Only one more sleep !

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  13. snoopydogknitsSeptember 6, 2015 at 8:35 AM

    Hello there! Lovely to see you back again. Hope your trip goes well. You'll have plenty of great pics to show us!! :-) Ros

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