Me and I

Those who know me well would say that I’m one of those people who plans everything so the fact that I am investing in a house I haven’t actually seen (except in photos) may shock one or two. My mum, a nephew and Callum have all seen it and my older brother will do so in the next few weeks but I haven’t. Since we can no longer live at L’horte (the family homestead) because of last year’s flooding, Mumo and I are moving into a new place a few kilometres away. Although the French government have bought the houses, we still own most of the land so it makes sense to stay close by. Summers could never be the same without dogs and kids cavorting in the river. So Mrs Control Button here is moving the entire contents of her house plus the woofers to a pretty much unknown location. And I’m not fazed one bit. If I’ve learnt anything from the last couple of years, it’s that life cannot be planned so you might as well go with the flow.

2020 seems to have had a similar effect on many of my friends. From two unplanned but much rejoiced pregnancies to quite a few sudden change of career decisions. The phrase ‘work – life balance’ seems to be the central topic at get-togethers. Most of us have reached that stage of life when the kids have started to leave home (with the exception of the belly bumps) and the mortgage is paid off and if you’re really lucky, menopause has left the building. And perhaps as the years pass and the grief fades a little, we come out of our self-built cocoons and start to take flight. As one friend described to me the other evening, it’s Me and I time. Not sure that’s grammatically correct but I like the definition.

In this period of metamorphosis, the couple who are buying chez knollys popped round to do some measuring and introduce themselves properly. It’s a strange feeling talking to those who are going to possibly own your house for the next 24 years or so and possibly bring up a family in the same room that you rocked your newborn to sleep in. They are a lovely couple and I’m sure the house will welcome them just as it did us back in 1996. It helps that they have a Labrador but I’m not sure my woofers would approve of their cat coming too….

“I have caught more ills from people sneezing over me and giving me virus infections than from kissing dogs.”  (Barbara Woodhouse). Topical I know!