WAKE UP CALL IN FRANCE

Painting the railings blue and laying tarpaulin in the garden to stop the weeds.   I am covered in blue paint, legs cut to pieces by the brambles and mosquito bites.  Its not a sexy look.  The weather in England has been better than in France.   I've had teenagers mini golfing, mountain biking and kayaking, never up before midday, and playing computer games in the afternoon till the early hours.  And they have been wonderful. The cute kitten they met and one of Tom's friends belly flopping into the pool were the high lights - its the simplest things that make the most impact - always.

The fireworks in St Antonin were glorious this year. Amazing, utterly amazing with the full super moon back lighting the festivities.   I've been building book cases,  still need another one, and learning to hoover the pool.    I've had the tuna quiche at the bakery in Najac which I am absolutely sure has something Pringle addictive like in it.  Don't know what but I wouldn't touch quiche at home.

In between painting, gardening, building and cleaning stuff, I'm writing and practicing the yoga and finding walks I'd never known before.   Having been twelve years here, I've had little time to actually explore this place.  I'm waiting for the fountain and am determined to create my pathway and wild flower meadow in the back.    As in I'm going to do it, brambles, mosquitoes and all.  

And when I'm feeling down or lonely, nature always knocks at my door or window (literally). Blue finches tap at the window, and when I open it, fly in and knock themselves out on the window pane as though entertaining me in pantomime fashion. Obviously not, but I open the other window and after taking a brief bow, they fly out.    I saw two wild deer as well in the field next door, spoke to the local farmer Frances who is wonderful and his lovely family.   Its amazing what they can do with cows. I'm sure if he told them to jump, they would.   His cows, I mean, not his family.   And the lady in the market on Sundays in Najac who sells me whole trays of avocados and gives me free melons and apricots which I don't eat - but give to the guests.  And five people have bought my book in the local epicure there.   Cool huh.

I've had my fair share of challenges this year.   Car buggered but I have one here that worked after six years of not being run, and it started up first time. That's Japanese cars for you. None of this German or English muck.

There were a few slugs in the houses. Yes slugs in rural France. Wouldn't believe it would you?  And spiders and webs.  How dare they build webs in places they should not build webs. And they do it so quickly. Would but the builders in France deal with things as effectively as their spiders.    They don't even take two hours off for lunch.

I miss Tom and his friends.  They introduced me to the Inbetweeners assuring me that teenagers do not think or talk like that.  I do hope not.  Its educational.

They are fairly monosyllabic teenagers but when they talk, they talk a lot of sense and in depth. They know the internet but the good stuff.    Its like when I took Tom to Vegas a few years back.   With him I found the decent side of the place, the amusing, colourful, city of lights place.

I understand why teenagers loose themselves in virtual reality.  Its much safer than the real world. And the celebrity role models they're sold are as fake as those in the computer games, manufactured to appear real.   Teenagers know that.

Every time I turn on the BBC News I see some part of the world wanting to blow up another part of the world.   Just hope life doesn't mirror art. Tom's into the Walking Dead.  He says its like Twilight with real problems.