A very good friend of mine moved back to France a few years ago and ever since then I have been trying to catch up with her there, so I was delighted when she said she was free for a few days this June and I duly booked what I thought was a four day trip away only to discover when I checked my Ryanair details that I had only booked Saturday to Tuesday! Despite this we managed to pack a lot in, not only was her tiny village enjoying a marathon
when we sat out for our morning coffee and having a day showing off old crafts and having sausage suppers at midday, but down the road was a major eco event where my friend had been asked to look after three of her grandchildren whilst her son's band play. It was brilliant, it was warm but not too hot, the food was 10 times better than any British festival and some of that can be pretty good and the band were great, with everyone up and dancing by the second song. I joined in too which was great. And then the second day we had time by the fire having long heartfelt discussions about our roles in life now we are older, then had a lovely three course meal in a local restaurant and a walk around the local lake, before I bus into Toulouse for the evening and the flight home today. Brilliant. Amazing what you can do and talk about in two days.
My friend's rental house is amazing - a large old building and she has made it look wonderfully homely. She is close to her children and grandchildren and children, but independant of them and does not want them to define her in her closing years. I am not a grandmother and I am still working but I feel very detached from much of life these days and am finding it very difficult to know how to manage my later years. I would like to travel that much I know - longer and further away than I can currently but with climate change is that feasible? I would like to move too, and have a garden, a proper garden, but is that compatible with travelling. i want to be near family but they are scattered in four different places, so cannot please all of them by avoiding their patch! And whilst I am lucky enough to own my own home I cannot sell it at present, its value may go down, etc etc etc. I am not alone with these concerns. And while I am happy bumbling along in many ways, indeed these days bumbling is a great joy, but could I be doing more with life whilst I have it and if so what? The kind of debate we shared. Meanwhile wish my own house had as much character and also feeling very blessed to have friends in such interesting places.
