What goes around comes around, a phrase never more true than when it refers to my life it seems.
I’m safely back in France again, less than 40 miles away from where I used to live and in a very familiar rural locale. Here there’s a sense of timeless peace that oozes up from the soil. A geological pace of life that makes you realise how trivial many of our cares are in the grand scheme of things. There is also a sense of a great wrong now almost made right. I’m back where for some reason I feel like I belong.
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| Part of the new back garden. Gotta love the Creuse. It’ll be nice to see some snow again too. Never had any when we were on the Welsh coast. |
The move itself involved a sixteen hour drive and the separate services of a Romanian removal specialist who I kept calling Bogdan, (even though I’m pretty sure that wasn’t his name). Everything seems to have arrived intact but it wouldn’t be me or indeed France without at least one mini disaster so on the first day we had a major flood when I turned the water on, the wife fell down the stairs, and the cat did a runner.*
On the plus side we have internet, of sorts, TV, walls, floors, and furniture - so a definite improvement on the first time around.
The new chez broom has seven bedrooms and I’ve already marked down one for a dedicated gaming and modelling space. I’m thinking of using kitchen cabinets and a 6 x 4 tabletop for a gaming surface, perhaps with the whole shebang on castors, but I’m not sure about the height of the thing overall. Might be nice not to have to lean over something at regular kitchen table height for extended periods of time.
Anywhooo… just thought I’d throw this post out there, in order to see if the internet here will allow it. Might still be a little while before any gaming takes place I suspect. Next week is all about dealing with officialdom so we’ll see how damned calm I remain then! Lol.
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| Kiki the wonder cat would like a word about the “unpleasantness” that occurred upon her arrival. Toodleooh for now mes amis. |
* Turned back up eventually and now keeps waking me up at 4 in the morning to remind me how annoyed she was.
Progress! Good to see the move behind you and settling in beginning to take shape.
ReplyDeleteHi Jonathan’ it’s been a stressful few weeks but things are finally beginning to settle down now. Looking forward to moving into the main house and setting up my games room.
DeleteLooks and sounds like an idyllic location, JBM, and I am glad Kiki decided to make the best of a bad job and return to the fold.
ReplyDeleteThanks Keith, she’s a bit of a princess and will have to get used to living a more rustic existence I think. No place for a tiara out here!
DeleteThe plan is splendidly progressing, even if Kiki does protest. I once heard (probably an old wives tale) that putting sardine oil or butter on a cats paws when arriving at the new home, stops them straying off - not sure about that, it would play hell with carpets! My portable / collapsable table is set at 40” high to prevent bending and back strain etc.
ReplyDeleteIf I tried putting anything like that on her paws she’d definitely make her displeasure known. Good info on board height though I’ll see how 40” looks in real life before committing.
DeleteGood to see you made it in one piece. That’s an envy-inducing garden.
ReplyDeleteWasn’t Kiki one of the the French cats on Hector’s House?
Chris/Nundanket
Hi Chris - yeah I thought it was the cat from Hectors House but it turned out that Kiki was the frog and Zaza was the cat!
DeleteAh yes. Getting that wrong has made me a great big, grumpy old Hector.
DeleteHector's House, now that takes me back to my childhood!
DeleteGreat that you arrived safe and sound and feel settled already due to the feel of the place. Lucky old you! We'll just have to put a brave face on things back here in Blighty. I have a wargaming friend who has a place in the Creuse IIRC and is due to move out there full-time this year I believe, so you might be able to have a ready made opponent on your doorstep. I'll try and find out where exactly he lives if it's of interest to you.
ReplyDeleteHi Steve, meeting another gamer in the Creuse would be brilliant, I’ve all but given up finding anyone in France let alone my department! Please pass on my details. Keep a stiff upper lip over there!
DeleteLife wouldn’t be worth living without a few mishaps along the way! At least that’s what some idiot said. Glad you appear to have found home and that you already have plans for a spare room. The garden looks awesome - gazebo and table in the garden for summer events no doubt. Enjoy the new life
ReplyDeleteThanks Graham, I think we’ve probably missed the best of the weather this year, but I’ve big plans for the garden in 2023 - assuming I can slot it in around the gaming and painting backlog.
DeleteGlad you have made it JBM. Can you just sneak into the main house and stake out the wargames room? I am sure they will understand. 😊
ReplyDeleteBad luck with the plumbing. Maybe for the best that the wife fell down the stairs and the cat ran off and not the opposite 😁
Lovely looking garden - I always think you need to give yourself 3 months after a move before you really start to enjoy yourself. Get all the moving problems out of the way a settle down. I am sure it will be fabulous.
Hi Ben. You might be right mate. It’s only the wife’s Irish passport that allows me to live here. I’d be buggered if she ran off. The next week might be a bit vexatious since it’ll involve interactions with the immovable edifice of french officialdom. Won’t be so chilled then!
DeleteBonjour Mon Ami,
ReplyDeleteGlad you have all arrived more or less intact and I hope the Memsahib was not too damaged in the fall! That is a view an a half and I can just picture you wearing a cravat, sipping some vin rouge with a Gaulois on the go whilst Edith Piaf regrets nothing in the background…. For Kiki read Duchess from the Aristocats and remember, you are nobody until you have held in disdain by a cat for whatever reason!
Take care old chap and continue plotting the gaming room - I shall expect an invite in due course and so will be measured for my cravat in due course.
All the best,
DC
Hi David, yeah the current Mrs Brooms dignity suffered more than anything. She’s well enough to be issuing orders now, so things can’t be too bad. Lol. Maybe you could pop out in the summer? I reckon it’d be about an eight hour drive for you or maybe a cheap flight into Limoges and I could pick you up. Something to think about for sure.
DeleteMay your new home welcome you with warmth and happy memories yet to be had. 😀
ReplyDeleteStew, you have the soul of a poet.
DeleteAnd the body of a marshmallow. 😀
DeleteGood to hear that you are now safely ensconced in your lovely new home JBM…
ReplyDeleteKiki was probably just spending some time checking out the garden for cute little creatures to ‘visit’ later.
With seven bedrooms you could have a painting room and a gaming room.
All the best. Aly
Yeah Aly, the creature “visiting” has already begun. As for the use of the bedrooms the current Mrs Broom has already allocated herself a craft room (she’s an Olympic grade crochet, knitting, weaving, sewing maester - with a serious wool addiction). I’ll be fighting her for space even in this place.
DeleteThe title could describe the political situation over here right now JBM, you have done well to escape. I believe it's actually a quote from the time of the ECW? Good to read that you have landed safely.. All the very best to you both.
ReplyDeleteLee. .
Thanks Lee, everything’s going fine so far!
DeleteGlad to hear you've made it across safely and the dedicated room sounds good, I'm with Norm, my table is more like bench height so I don't do my back in, well anymore than it already is!
ReplyDeleteBest Iain
Hi Iain, I think you and Norm are definitely onto something - my backs not what it used to be, so I’ll be copying you both if I can!
DeleteGlad the move went well - it can be very stressful. As a military guy I have moved every 18-24 months for 3 decades. It never really gets easier... Anyway, I hope your model treasures are undamaged and that you get your games room setup soon!
ReplyDeleteThanks Paul. Man that’s some moving around. Very difficult to put down any kind of roots with that degree of dislocation, eh? None of the boxes of toys that came off the truck rattled too badly when I put them in storage - but I haven’t dared take a peek inside them as yet!
DeleteCongratulations on surviving your move! And the Fun of contemplating your new possibilities. My table is about 6' X 4' (survived many moves, since my childhood, including across the Pacific Ocean) I added folding legs to it, from a big box hardware store, decades ago. Then hit the sweet spot when I put 7 or 8 inch bed risers under the legs. Perfect height for aging backs and a wonderful view when sitting down. (Bonus is that standard TV tray tables fit under it to hold all of the stuff you don't want on the table, which really drives me crazy. Plus they're a good safe place for drinks.) And, yeah, my table has a 1 by 3 three inch railing for my long dreamed of old school Featherstone sand table. And we've always had cats . . .
ReplyDelete~ Tom T
Hi Tom, across the pacific eh…man that was some move then! Makes my journey across the channel look a bit weedy by comparison. Lol. Good idea having extra room for drinks etc, I’m a bit of a table nazi - cant stand clutter or drinks amongst the troops. The juries still out on the sand table idea. I’m attracted and repulsed in equal measure at the moment. I think Alys comment about litter trays (on the next post) may be influencing the outcome. Cheers for taking the time to comment!
DeleteI read somewhere that the ideal table height for an average height human is 39 inches, so 40 inches sounds about right. My modular table is built to sit on top of banqueting tables so comes in at roughly that height. Glad to hear you are quartered safe out there. I’m looking forward to more anecdotes about rural French life.
ReplyDeleteYeah I tried standing up against a cabinet yesterday that was 40 inches high and it felt about right. Latest thinking is that I put the board on top of some kitchen cabinets so that I’ve got some terrain storage underneath. Mind you the way the pound is falling against the euro at the moment I might end up playing on the ruddy floor. Lol.
DeleteInteresting discussion about tables JBM; if I may be so familiar. Took some measurements, with the folding legs, my top is 29 inches off the floor the edge rails are at 31 inches. Add 8 inch bed risers and it's close to the 40 inches you've mentioned. (Plus it can be taken down and stored vertically against a wall if needed.) Tim the Elder came up with ~ don't laugh! ~ adding blue pool noodles to the side rails. Saves aging arms when you spend a day leaning on them, or if someone slams their head into them in desperation.
ReplyDeleteStill like the idea of sand tables, which is why I first added sides. But yeah, the probable inevitable mess and the cat always does end up on the table at some point . . . I'll stick with Geo-Hex, probably time to top it with one of the spiffy terrain mats that are available these days.
Yes, it was a long haul across the Pacific returning to the States from the Marshall Islands. I was six. Tried to count it out on my various digits. Quickly got confused, gave up & used the phone. (Ever think you'd say that?) 57 years of faithful wonderful & yes sentimental service.
Apologies for the length. Drizzly evening and some decent beer. Where did I put those dice? Greatly enjoy your nattering & adventures. Looking forward to seeing your new table in use!
~ Tom T
You may indeed be so familiar Tom…and your comments here are very welcome. Although the pool noodle might be a bit over the top, resting your arms on a ledge for any length of time can be bloomin’ uncomfortable so Tim the Elder might still be onto something with that concept. For the first time in my gaming life I wont have to put a new table away after use so I can avoid the complication of folding legs etc. Going with a raised edge will allow me to use geohex, mats and styrofoam squares, but given everyone’s comments on this and the following post I’ll probably not be doing sand. My troops might not just find hidden mines if the cat is left unsupervised near to the table. Drizzly evening here too, but the fires burning nicely and I’m using my brief window of internet to do AWI research, so all good.
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