Feeling like a Dreamer.

Although we've been officially retired for a good many years,

this year is the start of a new way of life.

No more guests to look after,

 it's just me & Mr France.

Free to do what we want, when we want.
Some people think we are mad to close the door on our home for the last 26 years
put our belongings into storage and jump in the car to start something new.
Others, especially our close family say ' good for you, go off and enjoy yourselves.'

This is the region we are staying in for three months and have started to look for our new home.


This region is classed as the 2nd warmest region in France, having a micro climate.

Also we would have the benefit of the coast, which we love.
So we have the best of both, countryside and the coast.
The biggest problem is where to choose.
 We are looking to have a ' coup de foudre'   
- to find a house we fall in love with.

In the meantime we have rented a small cottage, which is perfect.
 If you'd like to see inside, join me for a tour of our tastefully furnished cosy cottage.

A very good wood burner, which  has been doing its job of keeping the cottage nice & warm.


It's tucked away from the owners house with its own sheltered private walled garden.
We have been here now for three weeks & beginning to find our way around the area.
The first two weeks Mr France was recuperating from a lung infection, so he spent
most of his time relaxing & looking through the window at this perfect view.

It's been a blessing knowing we didn't have anything to do.

A nice slow pace of life, taking leisurely breakfasts,

discussing what we are going to do each day.

and what we would like our new house to look like.

We would like it to be a lot like this.

I must say it seems very strange not having things to do .

 after years of always looking after our paying guests,

We need to take our time and make the right choice.

Our hosts are an English couple with a family, who have lived in this area

for several years, which means they are able to give us lots of helpful information.

In the meantime we are enjoying seeing what the region has to offer. 

We've looked at several properties this week, but haven't 

seen anything I could put my mark on and feel 

this is where we could spend the rest of our years.

In the meantime we will keep on looking and enjoy the beauty this area has to offer.

I'll be back soon to show you some of the places we have seen. 

I have taken photos of the houses we have seen, if you'd like to see 

some typical Charentais houses, let me know and I can show you 

the good, the bad & some way out of our budget.

But what would life be without having a dream.

So until next time I'll leave you, 

feeling like a dreamer.

à bientôt

Barbara Lilian

Time for a change.

It's nearly 4 years since I created my blog.

How I've grown since my first post. 

I don't mean physically but
 certainly in confidence.

You will often see me  write '' I'm not very technical ''
but with the help from friendly blogging friends, 

I've learnt so much about computers.
 Now I've advanced and also have an Ipad.

I haven't had it for very long, so I'm still wearing L plates .
 I haven't yet mastered how to transfer things to use on my blog yet.
  it's so much faster when searching Internet for information.
After I've found how to do things 

 I do need to write the instructions in my book.

otherwise, when I want to do it again, I've forgotten.

How do you like my new header ? 

I've been trying to do this for quite sometime

but never seemed to get it right.

Then I found this very informative blog 

'Blissfully Domestic' so pop over and take a look,

it gives easy to follow step by step instructions 

How to  make a  New Blog header using Picasa,
which I already use for effects on my photos,
so that was a bonus.

If your thinking of changing your blog header, have a go,
if I can do it, I'm sure you can.




I must admit, I've come a long way since my first post
which was in 2012 titled
 'Welcome to the 1st. page of my new blog'
and the header looked like this.

Which at that time I thought I was doing well, achieving a collage.

Now I'm feeling quite pleased with myself.

So I've given myself a big pat on the back
for achieving a more professional header.

I hope you like the changes I've made to the layout of my blog.

I'll be back soon.

à bientôt

Barbara Lilian

Château Montbrun

These days when I open my post box

It's usually full of publicity or bills that need to be paid
so it was nice to receive an invitation to have a guided tour
inside one of the many Chateaux near to where I live.





As a holiday home owner the tour was gratuit/free and friendly.
I had to be very discreet taking photos inside as it's not really allowed.
However I did have the advantage of knowing the guide.

So follow me as we take a peep around and inside,
Chateau Montbrun in the Haute-Vienne. Limousin region.

This Château is privately owned by a Dutch man who lives there.
  Over the past 25 years the Château has had three owners
If you have euros to spare you could be the proud new owner
 of this Château as it's for sale for the sum of €20,000,000

We were told that Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt flew in by helicopter
 to view, take a look here  but apparently it was too near to the road.
Not secluded enough from the Paparazzi.

From the road you are not able to see these steps.

 We were told by the guide they led to a room that in days gone

 by was kept for the Château owners secret lover.

The rear view.

The original gateway into the Château grounds.
Too dangerous now to be used, as the tower is crumbling.

I could just imagine 'Richard the Lion-heart '
and his army of men on horse-back riding in through those gates.

 The pathway leading to the rear entrance

This would have been the servants entrance,
 where they would get their water from the well.

As it's privately owned and photos are not really allowed to be taken inside

I was only able to sneak a few quick clicks with my pocket camera.

This bedroom and the toilet.

If you would like to see more photos of the Chateaux
look here   For Sale
all the information of inside is given by the Immobilier/ estate Agent.

I hope you enjoyed stepping back in time.

with me at Château Montbrun.

If you missed my previous post of many other Châteaux

where I live  ...Take a look Here

à bientôt

Barbara Lilian

A Taste of Denmark

I've just been to Denmark to visit our son and his family.

As you can see it's very flat.

 A few wind-machines among the Rapeseed fields.

We went for a drive up to the North west coast.
Where the landscape is totally different
Look at the trees all bent over due to the wind.

On our walk to see the old lighthouse 

I came across this beautiful wild flower , some type of Anemone'

I propped this one up with a small stick so that you could see inside.

The coast line is eroding

so now this once needed lighthouse is no longer in use.

  This past winter there has been more erosion of the coast,

and now these houses have been boarded up.

There seems to be more hills along the coast than inland.

With my lovely son, on a beautiful sunny but windy day.

A few fisher-mans cottages, probably used as summer houses now.

We took a walk around the nearby small town.

Very popular in the summer months.

Some tasty Danish snacks.

Take a closer look at the chairs outside, the restaurant owners 

leave soft blankets  to put over your legs, when the wind is chilly.

I saw this schooner sailing along the Fjord which is opposite our sons house.

I grabbed my camera and took this photo from the bedroom window. 

As I had only taken my aim and shoot camera I had to zoom in 

for this shot, so it's lost a bit of the clarity.

A mornings visit to the local harbour.

It was too early for the ice-cream shop to be open.

 An evening of culture  at the newly built music theatre.

Three generations aged from 7 to 75 years together.

to listen to the Aalborg Symphony Orchestra

playing Vivaldi 'The Four Seasons '  

Our grandsons gave the thumbs up 

and said 'It was cool '

A day window shopping.

I loved this old building I saw in Aalborg town

which is now divided into small boutique shops.

The original cobble stones in front of the building have been left.

Lots of bicycles everywhere.

Not sure what was happening, but they were doing some filming here. 

Lots of pink flowers.

I Loved these designer watering pots

 We sat here for coffee and people watched. 

and were tempted to buy some freshly ground coffee from this shop.

The end of another wonderful family visit to Denmark.

 Sunset over the Fjord.

 Now it's time for the drive back to the airport.

for our flight back home to France.

Back home to all the plants that have grown so much in such a short time 

 and need to be planted or potted on into bigger pots.

But that's for another time.

So I'll leave you for now and catch up with the garden progress next time.

à bientôt

Barbara Lilian