Up and down and over and under

Since yesterday I have been reading the blog of the amazing David Johnston who has purchased Balintore Castle ( figuring on my last post ) and he explains how he approaches the task and all the items he sources to furnish it. It's a wonderful read. 

On his blog he mentiones this castle called Chateau Miranda in Belgium. It is similar to Balintore Castle being Victorian Gothic and is a gorgeous Chateau or should I say 

WAS 

In October 2017 this happened! Incredible that today we are STILL doing this! The owner had always refused to sel land apparently prefers a field of rubble than a castle albeit in ruin!

They could not even leave the tower as a Landmark! How sad is that! 

Check out the photos of David Baker, gorgeous but sad.

https://www.davidbakerphotography.com/location-history/residential-urban-exploration/the-history-of-chateau-de-noisy-chateau-miranda-belgium

On a lighter note I received my order of silver from the great Stephen J Randall.

When you are a bit down, this happens to everyone, its good to buy some stuff!

I apologise for the dreadful photo, I wanted to show the scale which is of course perfect.

I love these sauce boats !! Such detail.

This is toooooo cute !! with its little wooden handle and removable lid.

I must have at least six pairs of candle sticks but these are my first silver ones. 

He even sent some mini candles ! Wick-ed ! 

I am slightly stuck on my build as my mum is in need of my presence so I am organising a trip to Scotland which wasn't planned, so having friends come to watch the dogs etc has to be done.

I had intended a trip to paris to do medical stuff but that will have to wait until November.

On a really positive note I have just received some great news. 

I told you that I had to move from here after four years of getting the house in order and doing the garden. The reasons are divers but mainly the lack of shops and 'life' in general here .Years ago I had fallen in love with a house in a nearby village and each time I passed it I told people 'that is my house' and one day our antique dealer friend invited us to 'a house' in the village that he was emptying for the family and it was 'my' house ! I was in love with the whole house, the situation, the old fashioned garden the outbuildings, the high ceilings, the black and the white floors. South facing double living room with a french door leading out to the garden that looks onto countryside.

I then spent weeks looking at houses for rent and they were either terribly 'modernised' or way too big or had tiny gardens. I even hesitated on a sixteen roomed chateau with park but it was too much upkeep. So I found out who owned 'my' house and wrote him asking to rent it and he has agreed. 

I don't want to jinx it by talking too much but in short the whole house is to be restored and he has agreed to allow me to talk to the builders to have things done as I would like within budget, how great is that! The work will take all winter, new windows and heating and plumbing. It will be finalised at the end of the month but I have already begun packing boxes! This is going to be my 'last' home as over the years I have lived in 30 different places!    

Here is a sneak peek for now. 

The village has a bakery and tea room and small supermarket full of organic local produce and the entire area is one huge walking area for daily dog outings !! how great is that. 

To top it all the owners are really lovely people to talk with, the house had been designed by his grandfather as was the whole village. the familly live in the old abbey in the village.

When good and bad news come at the same time its hard to focus without guilty feeling on the good stuff but life in general is a mix of sweet and sour, both are neccesary to appreciate the other. 

There are two ways of looking at life, 

' live each day as if it was your last day' 

and 

' live each day as if it was your first day'.

Mega hugs to all my followers and many thanks for your views and comments.