I'm feeling ....
|
More to follow....
Unofficial Christian Diaryland Webring!
|
2004-01-19 - 12.03pm previous entry next entry Still in France. I am having a lovely lovely lovely time! I'm quite surprised at how much of a lovely time I'm having, because I thought I was mainly coming there to surprise Mummy, and that I'd like being here and enjoy seeing my parents again but I would miss Neil and home, and not feel totally relaxed. But I am soooo relaxed here this time. I feel like I've been here for aaaages. It's really cold here but the sun came out at last yesterday. Me and Mummy went for a walk in the lanes round the vineyards, all wrapped up against the cold. We saw some nice horses in a little field and I took a photo but I'll have to wait till I'm at my own computer to upload the photo here. I'll try to remember! Anyway, then we met other people in the lanes which was scary! Mummy still feels nervous about meeting people and having to speak French, but she's actually really good at it now. I'm just glad I'm always with someone else who knows French better than I do! That way I can just nod and smile :) I'm such a chicken. I should just step out and try speaking it. I can, but not very well. Anyway so we met these four guys trying out a new mini-tractor thingy with 3 of their dogs running about near them. Two of them are neighbours to my parents, and my mum knew one of them quite well as he lives next door. So they chatted a lot. We saw a wild deer run through the vineyard right next to us, and up into the forest. I only had to kiss cheeks a billion times (it's four in this region - left, right, left, right), and say bonjour and shake hands and things like that. Then after all the lonnnng chatting, which I'm proud to say I mostly understood (but couldn't figure out speech in response!), I had to say bon soir (it was late afternoon) and au revoir, and then we walked home. So that wasn't so bad. I really need to practise instead of being a wuss. There was the most beautiful sunset last night, and the sky was all clear. It's so rural here and there are just vineyards for miles towards the west, and my parents' house is on a slight hill, so you can see to the horizon during a sunset. You can see the semi-circle that's left of the sun as it sits on the horizon, and it's always so huge and dark orange. It's beautiful. There's something about this place that is so relaxed and peaceful. Time slows down and everything. It's so removed from the rush and bustle of modern/city life. I can see why my parents wanted to move here, and I'm so glad they were able to. We have eaten soooo much this weekend! I feel like every time I get slightly peckish I eat again and that's really bad! We get fresh bread from the baker's every morning and have it for breakfast. We've been getting a sweet pastry thingy with some gorgeous filling or other, every day, and we have that mid-morning. Then we have a hot lunch because it's so cold! Then we have tea and something pastry again mid-afternoon, nuts and crisps before dinner, and then like a roast dinner with a cheese course (compulsary in this region!) and a dessert. Groooan!! But it's been so nice. Yesterday I was full after the nuts and crisps, but I stuffed roast dinner in anyway, and then we were all so full that we went up to the room I'm staying in (it's got a TV and DVD/video in it, because my parents have lots of videos/DVDs but they don't get TV channels so that they don't spend their time watching TV here). And we lay on my bed and watched an episode of Fawlty Towers on video and laughed till we cried, just like we used to when I was in my teens, except without my brother here :( But it was so much fun. Then we rolled back downstairs and ate the last of the Christmas pudding with brandy sauce, and then we staggered back upstairs and lay on the bed and watched 2 more Fawlty Towers episodes back-to-back. Ahhhh it was so much fun!! Then we cleaned up, I played games with Paddy, and we all went to bed. This morning I think we have all grown curly tails in the night!! I could hardly eat any breakfast, I feel like I'm still digesting!! Heh. But it's fun once in a while. Today I am going back home which is sad, but it's good too because I get to see Neil and be at home again, which of course I love. And Neil and I are coming back here in February for my birthday, for 9 days - yay!! So that will be lovely, and it's not far off. My Paddy baby is the sweetest little cat. I love him to bits. It's soooo sad without Percy here still. My parents talk about him loads, and his photo is up on the dresser in this room - he was so gorrrrgeous!! Paddy misses him for sure. He acts quite lonely a lot, and needs a lot more attention from us, more games and the like. He and Percy used to play all the time together without us being involved, so he needs to replace that now it's missing. When we leave the table after a meal, my parents still say, "Push your chair in, incase Percy tries to get up on the table." and then they stop and look so sad :( I have been speaking to Neil every day on the phone, which has been nice. He says it's a good thing I'm not there, because he has been going into work for 8 hours or more both days at the weekend, to do his university work on their computer, and he has been working late at night at home as well. He has come down with a nasty cold and sounds awful :( Poor Neil. He was a little bit coldy when I left, and I'm very pleased that I haven't caught it. I'm quite sure I was exposed to it, but I just had a day of feeling slightly hmmm, just in my throat, not actually sore, just..... hmmm. That's all I can describe it as really!! But I am fine, no cold or anything. I am a bit sneezy today, but I usually am after a few days here because of the open log fires (the smoke tends to start my "hay"fever). So I am really pleased. The last virus I had was a throaty thing in Sept. 2002. Which is pretty amazing really, no colds or anything. Except maybe it's partly to do with not really mixing with people that much. Mind you, Neil has brought colds home before and I haven't had them. Hmmm. Thank you Lord for my strong immune system. How LOVELY that is to say, after having had M.E. and a positively mangled immune system! Wow God is awesome. He healed me completely. Well I had better go. My parents are about to go out for bread, though I might stay to cuddle Paddy. My flight is late afternoon and I get into London about 10 minutes after leaving France, due to time changes!! :) I like this time changey thing, for going back to England anyway! It's much earlier getting home this time, I should be getting back to the house around 7 or 8pm. Here's hoping my journey is safe and fine. I prayed a lot last night before falling asleep. Really lots. I prayed a lot about getting pregnant and wanting God to be in control completely - not just about this. I found myself recommitting my life to God and just praying for him to reign in me. I realised afterwards how much I've been needing to recommit to him. Not that I was miles from him or anything before, but my focus had slipped and I was kind of in a rutt over it. I am not sure that things will be any different just because I prayed that last night, because I probably have to actively choose whether to go with myself or God on daily issues. I prayed that he'd help me always choose him though. I love my God. Will write again when I'm home! :) |
Recent entries..... Cameron's first anniversary - 2004-09-24 |
 |
