Getting back to normal

It has been a really busy week. Last weekend started with having an extended family in the gite. I am pleased to report that that was really successful. They were really happy and provided a five start review. So whilst there was a lot of work up-dating the gite it would seem that it has probably been worth it. I am hoping that I will be able to gain more whole gite bookings over the summer.

Having both of our children here at the same time for the first time in nearly two years has meant that we have tried to cram in as much as possible. Our week has been very full, a little tiring but really satisfying. This afternoon they are both on the ferry back home.

They were supposed to arrive together however due to my youngest having a short-dated passport and a rather zealous check-in clerk they ended up travelling on different ferries. Before he was allowed to travel he had to speak to the Douanes in France. It seemed that they were rather surprised that he had not been allowed to travel given that he has right to remain and to work in France. It was a stressful start to the week. (I have since read of families in the UK missing their entire holidays due to changes in passport rules, so only a day late was a small price to pay.)

We have visited many of the places that we liked to visit when we used to come here on holiday. On my Facebook timeline some photographs came up that I took five years ago, so we went and re-created them. So in the last week we have visited Pont Aven, Concarneau, La Foret Fousenant, Carhaix, the usual Huelgoat market, as well as hosting a garden party at the weekend.

We had planned to have the party whilst the boys were here and to invite a number of our neighbours as well. We have wanted to integrate more and felt that inviting our neighbours would help. It seems that they really enjoyed being invited. They all came and brought us really thoughtful gifts. So it was a great success.

Needless to say that any of my craft activities have been on the back boiler. I have been working on a shawl. Really it should be finished but I did nothing at all on it for 3 days. I was rather busy with other things.

This week I have a number of things that I must start to get to grips with. We are in to tax season here in France, so this week I shall be working on that. There are further up-dates on the website that need to be completed. I must try and get my leaflets printed this week. And on Friday I am teaching crochet for Les Puces, the local charity. Between now and then I need to put a lesson together.

Until tomorrow…