Saturday, March 21, 2020

Absention

The other day I received a lovely mail from the very talented Anna Scott from Anna Scott Embroidery enquiring if I was alright. It made my day really. I replied that I was fine, just being badgered by life and an imminent move that seems to have been imminent for months now.
As you will have read in past posts I was supposed to move to a nearby village having found a beautiful old house with an English type box hedge garden. It was perfect, high ceilings, black and white tiled floors and most of the details from it's original build. I had found out who owned it via the local chateau owner, it was his son. I managed to write them and asked to rent it and they so liked my enthousiasm for the house that they said yes. During an onsite visite they showed me plans for the renovation and it was amazing. The thing is I didn't want to live in someone elses version of a boutique hotel, I wanted the slightly faded old house that I had seen on my first visit. I wrote to decline as nice as I could without citing their taste in decor. 

During all this period I had packed boxes, taken down artwork, put my miniature work on hold and generally froze my life. Then came the period when I felt lost, trying to decide not only when to move but where. I decided that nothing comes to those who hesitate to I got back onto internet and began searching further South in the Dordogne region of France. Better climate and more dog walks. In my village four local dogs were killed by a wild boar so walking dogs has been out of the question further than the football field. 
I found a wonderful 18th century townhouse that had been used as offices for over 25 years but still had it's original features and also a large kitchen giving onto a South facing garden. It was also minutes from stores despite being on a quiet little square that had as it's neighbour a medieval abbey and a tiny theatre. PERFECT! The girl who dealt with the house on bahalf of the owners was delightful and we chatted for ages on the phone. The owners then decided to sell rather than rent so once more my plans were shelved. I again searched and found only horribly renovated houses or houses that were too small. My current house is a potentially 7 bedroom house with dining room, back kitchen plus kitchen, two bathrooms, a garage and a large outbuilding that used to be a cottage. The dining room was my workroom, the back kitchen was the store and laundry, three top floor bedrooms became storage for paintings, fabrics and winter clothes. It was going to be tough to downsize.
I did find one beautiful old mansion house, built by the owners great grandfather. It had many rooms and lots of land but was isolated from town and once more I would be in the middle of nowhere dependant on taxis as I still do not drive.
Then the lovely girl from the townhouse agency phoned and told me about a house she was going to take on and that it was perfect for me. She was giving me first option, it was not far from the first house in a small town. She described it's size and layout, 5 bedrooms, two bathrooms, laundry room, dining room, Library, internal courtyard and a garden across the small road. PEFECT ! She had no photos and didn't give me the adress as yet so I got onto the innevitable Google Maps and virtually walked around the town looking at streets and shops and dogwalking parks. I then came across a beautiful old house and thought, wow love that! I checked the adress and wrote to the agent and asked if by any chance the house in question was this house. She was amazed and of course chance would have it, it was! She then went to the house and took photos to quench my desire for a peek and the photos were amazing, I felt at home immediately. 

THEN came this horrible health scare that I will not name and everything is on hold and once more my life, as is the life of everyone, is frozen. I am using this confinement to pack up and prepare without any paperwork being done, it's a risk but in life you have sometimes to just leap and expect a soft landing.

I am posting two photos, the living room giving onto the courtyard and the upstairs Library with lovely shelving. I had always wanted bookshelf ladders ! I will be able to have a large upstairs workroom with lots of light and quiet and I can open the windows wide. I will finally have to right walls for my artwork and a gorgeous kitchen giving also onto the courtyard. 

Perhaps I shouldn't be so enthousiastic as things are not yet signed but I wanted to explain my absence and share my plans with my dear followers. 
I hope that you are all coping well and using this time to do things that you usually cannot. 

Wishing you all good health and better times.

HUGS






17 comments:

  1. Bonjour Stephanie! We all now live in troubled times, big worries regarding to our health and avoiding the spread of this awful new virus. For you it will be difficult to decide what to do, especially ecause of the precautions and the lock down, at this moment in your country!
    We even don't know how our future will look like, but let's stay optimistic and looking forward: you're okay now and you've found your dream house!!
    Seen the above pictures it looks gorgeous to me, congrats!
    Like most people, I've also to stay indoors, not only for the precautions but also for my health, so I'm now busy with making my miniature flowers. I hope you'll find your rest for doing something you love too.
    Stay healthy, and take good care for yourself, Stephanie!!
    Amicalement/Warm hug, Ilona

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    1. Thank you Ilona, yes these times are difficult but if we Don't transform the bad into productive then we have missed the point ,,, I am packing so I tend to ignore life around me, hope that you are well, huge huggsss

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  2. It is so good to hear from you, Stephanie, as I have thought about you and hoped your absence was only due to the stress of getting packed, moved and settled! When Huibrecht posted of your gifts a couple weeks ago I was happy to know you were still around!
    What a gorgeous house and I am sending all the prayers and good wishes I can that you'll be in and living in no time! Sometimes the road appears only after we have taken the first step. Stay safe and well and I'll be here waiting and hoping for another post soon!

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    1. Hi Jodi, I really miss my minis but at the moment I can hardly find my head in amongst these piles of boxes. I am now packing the last things in my workroom and as I Don't move until June these coming months will be a total mess as if life wasn't already a mess outside in the real world ! take care ,, huggsss

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  3. Me alegro mucho que se vayan solucionando tus problemas, tu nueva casa se la ve preciosa. Cuídate y esperemos superarlo pronto entre todos.Besos

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    1. Gracias, sí, la nueva casa parece un buen lugar para vivir, solo tenemos que superar estos tiempos difíciles y pensar en el futuro, cuidarnos, besos

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  4. What a beautiful house! It will be such a lovely place to create wonderful new memories...life is good and we will all look forward to the time when this rather nasty virus is dormant. Best wishes for a move that will bring joy and spark much creativity! In the meantime stay well and safe...Cheers from Winnipeg, Canada...Alayne

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    1. Hi Alayne, yes I still have to pinch myself, the agent was so kind to think of me as without knowing me she found 'me' in this house. I still ahve to live here Under a mountain of boxes, am busy cleaning rugs, taking down curtains and dismantling stuff ,,,, never have to ask myself WHAT I am going to d otoday !!! keep safe , huggsss

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  5. 'All good things come to those who wait' is the well known proverb, and when it is an axiom, then this house will be there for you when this health scare is over. you deserve it.

    And what is more, judging from these photo's this house is a little gem, waiting to be filled and furnished to a standard like yours.
    Have faith and trust in a better future.

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    1. Mr H, yes I am so fortunate to have been given the chance to have this house after my last deception ! When she mentioned 'library' I was sold !!! and the region is nice and warmer than here !! I am writing this from in front of a big log fire after some days of great weather winter to cite Jon Snow has come AGAIN! huggss

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  7. I, too, was hoping that you were doing o.k. what with moving plans and family 'stuff'. I'm glad to hear that you are alright. The back and forth on finding the right home and really making it happen must have been draining. The 'new' house looks so interesting! I hope that it will be yours. But even if this one falls through, don't be discouraged. Tomorrow is always another day and another chance. These are difficult times, and I wish you all the best for things to come.

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    1. Hiris, thank you, yes ok on the whole, stressed by this next move and packing up my life AGAIN !! As I move in June now I will spend time living in between boxes and crates. I musn't complain as I am so Lucky to have been given this Opportunity. The town is nice, not too big and there are chateaux and a lake with a beach and the coutryside is a short walk away. It is a fitting place to live out these next years ,,, hope that you are keeping busy, the best way to not think of what is going on in the world. I have no TV and filter all information over which I have no control. Huggsss

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  8. Nos toca vivir tiempos difíciles y extraños,pero las cosas hay que tomarlas como vienen.Lo importante es buscar un refugio para la mente,cualquier actividad que aleje los malos pensamientos.
    La casa se ve preciosa y espero que después de todo esto,puedas conseguirla,seguro que sí y sino,quizás haya otra esperándote en algún sitio.
    Cuidarse mucho!
    Besos.

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    1. Pilar gracias. No tengo televisión y solo miro cosas donde tengo algo de control. Soy afortunado porque estoy muy ocupado empacando y preparándome para la mudanza. El verano llegará poco después y la vida será mejor para todos. Mantente bien querida besos

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  9. What a lovely update, and i initially missed it! The photos of the room in your new home (and it will be yours, I am sure of it) have me mesmerized and dreaming - they are just beautiful and full of possibilities.
    I can imagine having found such a lovely place to go but now unable to actually make the move must be difficult.
    Hugs,
    Anna

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    1. Dear Anna, thak you for that. Yes in these times moving is not the best of ideas but after my deception of the first house I just decided that no one was going to find or give me a house if I didn't get off my butt and just do it. I was Lucky as after effectively finding a wonderful house that was finally put up for sale and no longer for rent, the agent called me to say that she had the perfect house for me. She didn't know me but she hit the nail on the head and even her discription was ideal. I live in boxes and have done for years one way or another so fingers crosses this time stuff can go out and up on walls and boxes can be said Goodbye to at last.The effort and Financial cost is terrible but sometimes you just have to grab hold of the dream and not let go. I will let you and my other followers know how it all goes down, as I hope to visit the house as soon as they allow me to travel. I give in my notice for this one today so in the event of things not working I will at least be prepared for the next one. Huggsssssss

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