Diary of Covid-19 confinement, day one

Back home, tired, but with five minutes to spare

Be careful what you wish for.

I can’t remember how many times over the last fifteen years I’ve wished that I could live my life within the village. Whether it was yet another early morning school run I couldn’t face, a wild and windy airport run I could have done without, or just the fact that being here makes me feel safe and happy, there have been many times I’ve dreaded getting in the car and driving away. Well, as from midday today, this will be our life. 

In an attempt to restrict the spread of the pandemic virus Covid-19, President Macron has closed down France. Borders have been shut, all non-essential shops and business have been closed, all social gatherings are forbidden and leaving the house has to be for a justified reason. See more here, in French.

I can only feel relief at the happy coincidence that Adrian and Ed both came home last Thursday, just hours before President Macron’s first address to the nation. It was at this point we realised that neither of them would be leaving me or the village for quite some time as schools and universities were to be closed, and for the foreseeable future Adrian’s work as a freelance trainer, working from a different office each week, was no longer tenable with the current situation. As someone who is so often home alone things feel far less scary knowing my nest is full and we are all here together rather than in three different locations, as is our norm.

A last bike ride with friends 

What would your last outing be if the world were about to end?

Even though the weather was nicer this afternoon than this morning, we couldn’t pass up on the opportunity to have a final bike ride with friends before the midday curfew arrived. We avoided each other’s houses, we didn’t make any physical contact with each other, but we did ride hard and fast, and even going uphill we didn’t stop talking. It will be the face to face conversations with others that I think we will miss the most. Adrian is used to spending each week interacting with a different group of people and talking business. I can merrily chatter away about bone broth soup, yoga and the goings on in the village for hours, but as someone whose corporate life ended almost twenty years ago, I fear he finds my conversational skills lacking.

For Ed, life has changed dramatically. At 19 and with the independence of a studio apartment in Poitiers, with his girlfriend of a year, the shock to be stuck back in a village in the middle of nowhere, with both parents, no girlfriend, a car he can’t drive (as his driving test on Monday was cancelled) and a never-ending list of jobs to do in the garden, as well as checking online for any university deadlines, must be hell on earth. However, he is a star and taking it all in his stride. He is not angry, sulky or any of the emotions I know would have been bursting out of me if I had been put in a similar position at his age. He is calm, chatty and helpful. His usual escape when he is home, walking the dog, is still possible, but only if he is in possession of the signed form stating who he is, where he lives and why he has a justified reason to be outside of his home. 

 

Ed (upstairs) and Adrian working together in the garage

We always have, as I am sure many of you do too, a long list of jobs we never get around to finishing. The hope is that this period of isolation and three pairs of willing hands, will see many of them ticked off and I’m pleased to say that this afternoon we have got off to a good start. Adrian has started sorting out his garage shelves, Ed has mowed the orchard and I have carried on as usual; washing, sweeping, soup-making and keeping abreast of things on Facebook. Although I have become more used to preparing easy meals for one, I’m glad my freezer and cupboards are well stocked to keep my men well-fed. Tomorrow will be the day the potager gets some much needed attention and my aim is that this year I’ll be able to keep on top of the weeds.

My other plan is to keep you up to date on our daily situation here in rural France, if nothing else it will keep me out of trouble and hopefully prove an interesting read when this madness is over.

Please take care of yourselves and stay safe.

The form to complete to leave the house from https://www.gouvernement.fr/info-coronavirus

52 Weeks of Writing Author Journal and Planner by Marielle Smith

52 Weeks of Writing Author Journal and Planner

52 Weeks of Writing Author Journal and Planner

Are you ready to become the writer you were always meant to be? 

52 Weeks of Writing will get you cracking by making you plan, track, reflect on, and check in with your progress and goals an entire year long. 

52 Weeks of Writing will help you dig deep by offering questions and writing prompts designed to unravel whatever truths about your writing you’re ready for. 

52 Weeks of Writing will keep you inspired by delivering a thought-provoking writing quote every week. 

-       Do you struggle with setting goals that reflect your daily reality? 

-       Do you want to practise breaking goals down into manageable chunks? 

-       Would you like more insight into your writing habit(s) and figure out why you keep getting in your own way? 

-       And do you want to create a sustainable writing practice that honours your needs and desires as a writer?

Then the 52 Weeks of Writing: Author Journal and Planner is for you. 

52 Weeks of Writing brings together every lesson Mariëlle S. Smith has learned as a writing coach and writer. Wary as she is of comparisonitis and unhealthy competition, this author journal and planner was designed to help writers develop and fine-tune a practice that works for them. 

If you’re ready to get out of your own way and become the writer you’re meant to be, pick up your copy of 52 Weeks of Writing today. 

 

52 Weeks of Writing Author Journal and Planner

My Review

This book is certainly something rather different from my usual reviews and I apologise in advance that it won’t whisk you away to France to fill your heart with the flutterings of a new romance. I have to admit that for purely personal reasons I was intrigued by the concept of this weekly journal and planner, so I couldn’t help but take a peek inside. I struggle to think of myself as a writer. I blog, I write reviews, I’ve been writing a five-hundred-word magazine article every month for eight years and I enjoy an informal writing group, with delicious homemade cake served on the side, but am I a writer? Maybe if there is anything else hovering in the corners of my mind, this might be the tool to help me focus and achieve something with my writing.

It has been a long time since I looked at writing regularly in a diary, although to a certain extent blogging is just a diary written to share, but I am a great believer in the healing power of writing down both the good and the bad. From the beginning this journal/planner admits it is a process ‘not for the faint of heart’ and I agree 100%. Although I have not been able to work my way through the entire process, it is obvious that to achieve results there is work to be done, in the mind as well as with the pen or keyboard, and some things might feel uncomfortable at first.

The author shares her journaling experience and the changes it made to her life and this really gives you that grain of courage to make a start. With the repetition of looking at similar themes and ideas every week it is easier to stay focussed and not lose sight of goals. Setting and achieving them is down to you, but with this book by your side, anything feels possible.

We are most definitely living in unusual times at the moment, with many countries (including France) in lockdown, so now is as good a time as any to take stock of life and of what is important. Why not use this as an opportunity to start something new and exciting. If you think there may be a hidden writer within, this may be just what you need to see for sure.

Purchase Link  

https://mswordsmith.nl/journal/

Marielle S. Smith 

Author Bio

Mariëlle S. Smith is a coach for writers and other creatives, an editor, (ghost) writer, and custom retreat organiser. In 2019, she moved to Cyprus, and island in the Mediterranean Sea, where she organises private writer’s retreats, is inspired 24/7, and feeds more stray cats than she can count. 

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Giveaway to win….

• THREE paperback copies of the 52 Weeks of Writing Author Journal and Planner,
• TWO paperback copies of Tarot for Creatives: 21 Tarot Spreads to (Re)Connect to Your Intuition and Ignite That Creative Spark, and
• ONE coaching session.

https://mswordsmith.nl/en_GB/giveaway/

Out and about searching for spring

A spring bike ride past a water tower

With the current weather forecast showing non-stop rain, day after day, it was a fantastic surprise to wake up to a dry morning, with more than a hint of the promise of sunshine.

I was giddy with excitement and rushed through my morning chores, so once my washing was out it was time to unfold Katie the Tiny Tourer, check there was air in her tyres and get going, before the weather had a chance to change its mind.

 

By a lavoir in France

I set off with a couple of friends, without much of a plan except to follow the quiet lanes from village to village, past chateau and lakes (flooded fields) while enjoying the warmth of the sun, until we ran out of energy.

 

Blossom and blue sky

We saw deer, hare and birds of prey. We cycled past fields of daisies, dandelions and the bright green new shoots of grass and wheat. There were splashes of cheering colour everywhere. The first spring flowers have appeared in the verges and there are blossoms in the hedgerows, as well as in our orchard, looking splendid and raising my spirits.

 

Lavoir in the sun

The old lavoir wash houses, that spend most of the year dry, are full of water and the sound of running water as it drains from fields into ditches, cutting its own paths in the sodden soil, shows just how powerful the force of nature can be.

It might not have been a cruel, cold winter, but the rains and winds have dragged me down. It has sometimes felt that we have lurched from one tumultuous storm to another. Some have brought with them crazy winds and others more rain than I thought possible. Then there have been the political storms and with the local elections looming here in France it seems our village is determined to rip itself apart and self-destruct, and it’s not been nice to witness.

 

Spring bulbs in our orchard

I was so pleased today was a day to forget my woes, get outdoors and breathe in fresh air with no worries of the risk of coronavirus. In fact, I’d say it was a triple tick day for me. One for drying the washing outside, two for a 30 km bike ride and three for getting the mower out this afternoon. There is nothing quite like cut grass for a fragrance and whatever the weather tomorrow, at least when I open the shutters in the morning, the garden will look lovely.

Book review of When We Were Brave by Suzanne Kelman

When We Were Brave Suzanne Kelman

When We Were Brave by Suzanne Kelman Book Description:

The face of the woman in the photograph was tilted upwards, as if enjoying the sunshine just for a moment, even as the wreckage of the bombed-out street lay behind her…

1944, Cornwall: Blinded by love, Vivienne Hamilton eloped to Paris with a Nazi prisoner-of-war, never to be seen again. A disgrace to her family, her name would not be mentioned by any of her relatives for over 75 years.

Present day, London: When Sophie discovers a photograph of her great aunt Vivi from World War Two, it throws her into a world of confusion. Because, as she learns about this secret relative, she quickly realises that the photograph doesn’t fit with her family’s story. It shows Vivi leaving an address associated with a spy network in London – a place she had no reason to be – and it is dated right before she disappeared.

Meanwhile Sophie’s own life feels as blasted and bombed as the blitzed city in the photograph she’s looking at. Her beautiful daughter – as full of joy and wild energy as Vivi had apparently once been – is gone; and Sophie’s heart has been left broken into pieces.

Retreating to the family home in rural Cornwall to seek solace from her pain and the feelings of guilt that she could have done more to protect her daughter, Sophie finds herself becoming obsessed with Vivi’s life.

But nothing can prepare Sophie for what she is about to uncover – the story of a woman who risked everything for the person she loved the most; and a secret family history that could be the key to Sophie’s own future.

A powerful, haunting and unforgettable read about love, heartbreak and betrayal set in Second World War Britain and France. Perfect for fans of The Nightingale, Under a Scarlet Sky and My Name is Eva.  

Bookouture #BooksOnTour
When We Were Brave Suzanne Kelman

My Review:

A chance discovery from a photograph of bombed-out London during the war and Sophie realises there is a skeleton hidden in her family; Great Aunt Vivi, who no one has spoken about for years. A nurse during the war, one night Vivi Hamilton helped a German prisoner escape to France, and left her family to be with him. Decades later, the pain of her actions is still raw for the older members of her family.

The first thing I felt about Sophie was the weight of her sadness and loss, something that had left her and boyfriend Matt in separate lonely places. With a background in law but currently occupied archiving historical materials, Sophie needs a break from her usual routine, so is just the person to get to the bottom of the family mystery. She carefully follows the clues from London to Cornwall, then on to Brittany, Paris and Berlin. It is an emotional journey for her and what she discovers isn’t always easy to accept or understand, but it’s a journey she needs to make to help her heal her own broken heart.

Interspersed with Sophie’s journey we get to read Vivi’s story. Young, stubborn and reckless, but strong and independent, Vivi’s war journey is unexpected and full of risk. She is trained to know who not to trust, but can she trust her instincts, or is her heart ruling her head?

I loved the flicking back and forth from Sophie to Vivi and although the reader knows more than Sophie, I was still gripped and desperate to know how Sophie would tie up all that she discovered about her Great Aunt Vivi. 

Sophie is vulnerable but determined and I so wanted her to find peace and closure, both for events from the past as well as with her own problems. She needed to discover the strength Vivi possessed to realise she too can boldly step into her new future.

If you enjoy historical dramas, set in Occupied France, with a bit of mystery, romance and family drama, add this to your To Be Read list for 2020.

Suzanne Kelman author When We Were Brave

Author Bio:

Suzanne Kelman is a 2015 Academy of Motion Pictures Nicholl Finalist, Multi-Award-Winning Screenwriter and a Film Producer. As well as working in film she is also an International Amazon Bestselling Fiction Author of the Southlea Bay Series – The Rejected Writers’ Book Club, Rejected Writers Take the Stage and The Rejected Writers’ Christmas Wedding. Born in the United Kingdom, she now resides in Washington State. 

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Book review of A Springtime to Remember by Lucy Coleman

A Springtime to Remember by Lucy Coleman

A Springtime to Remember by Lucy Coleman

Let Lucy Coleman transport you to glorious, sun-drenched France, for the perfect feel-good read. Paris and the Palace of Versailles have always meant a lot to TV producer Lexie. Her grandma Viv spent a year there, but her adventures and memories were never discussed, and Lexie has long wondered why they were a family secret.

When work presents the perfect excuse to spend Springtime in Versailles, Lexie delves into Viv’s old diaries and scrapbooks, and with the help of handsome interpreter Ronan, she is soon learning more about the characters that tend to the magnificent gardens, now and in the past.

In amongst the beauty and splendour of the French countryside, a story of lost love, rivalry and tragedy unfolds. Can Lexie and Ronan right the wrongs of the past, and will France play its tricks on them both before Lexie has to go home? Will this truly be a Springtime to Remember…?

A Springtime to Remember by Lucy Coleman

My Review:

We meet Lexie as she arrives in Versailles to film a documentary about the Palace gardens, a project that has a lot at stake both financially and personally for her. Immersed in the history of the gardens, a mystery from her Grandma Viv’s past sparks an interest in Lexie that she feels compelled to find out more about. Why was her Grandma’s time spent working at the gardens of Versailles so important to her, yet never spoken about?

Working alongside translator Ronan, friendship blooms between them over their shared interests as they work on the film project, but also as they try to piece together the mystery of her Grandma’s past. Some of those she encounters seem to be hiding what they know, so finding out why and what it has to do with her Grandma’s time at Versailles becomes all the more important for Lexie.

This is a beautifully written book and the sense of place and descriptions of Versailles meant I instantly felt I was there, in the heart of the gardens, on location with Lexie and her film crew. I was intrigued by what she’d find out about her Grandma’s time spent there and wanted so much for a romance between her and Ronan to bloom.

There is history, family drama, romance and a mystery to be solved as she seeks to tie up the loose ends of a hidden past. With a great cast of characters and a superbly described setting, the magic of France touches more than one generation of the same family. 

This was one of those books I kept finding excuses to pop back into and carry on reading. Do add A Springtime to Remember to your kindle this year, you won’t regret it, especially as it's only 99p at the moment.

Summer in Provence, also by Lucy Coleman, will be released in April and I can’t wait. It is available to pre-order on Amazon now.

Purchase Links:

Amazon 

KOBO 

iBooks 

Lucy Coleman author A Springtime to Remember

Author Bio:

From interior designer to author, Linn B. Halton - who also writes under the pen name of Lucy Coleman - says 'it's been a fantastic journey!'

Linn is the bestselling author of more than a dozen novels - including Summer on the Italian Lakes, Snowflakes over Holly Cove, The French Adventure and A Cottage in the Country. She is represented by Sara Keane of the Keane Kataria Literary Agency.

When she's not writing, or spending time with the family, she's either upcycling furniture, working in the garden, or practising Tai Chi.

Living in Coed Duon in the Welsh Valleys with her 'rock', Lawrence, and gorgeous Bengal cat Ziggy, she is an eternal romantic.

Linn is a member of the Romantic Novelists' Association and the SoA and writes feel-good, uplifting novels about life, love and relationships.

Social Media Links:

Website 

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Giveaway

Giveaway to Win a signed paperback of 'A French Adventure' and a metal leaf bookmark. (Open INT)

*Terms and Conditions –Worldwide entries welcome.  Please enter using the Rafflecopter box below.  The winner will be selected at random via Rafflecopter from all valid entries and will be notified by Twitter and/or email. If no response is received within 7 days then Rachel’s Random Resources reserves the right to select an alternative winner. Open to all entrants aged 18 or over.  Any personal data given as part of the competition entry is used for this purpose only and will not be shared with third parties, with the exception of the winners’ information. This will passed to the giveaway organiser and used only for fulfilment of the prize, after which time Rachel’s Random Resources will delete the data.  I am not responsible for despatch or delivery of the prize.

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Blog tour A Springtime to Remember Lucy Coleman

Loving being a tourist in Poitiers

Cathedral St Pierre, Poitiers

Poitiers Love Tour

I loved playing the tourist in Poitiers on Saturday, as my silly selfie photos show, and following a morning mooch around the historic town centre, a spot of retail therapy and a tasty Turkish treat from a smiling vendor at the market, in the afternoon I joined a love themed guided walk run by the tourist board. Even our guide commented on how different this walk was from her usual tours. Rather than focus on the architecture or a specific period of history, she had devised a route to include locations important to some unusual ‘love’ stories from the past.

 

Notre-Dame-La-Grande church, Poitiers

We were shown where on the façade of the Notre-Dame-La-Grande church, situated in the cobbled market place, we could spot the statues depicting the temptation of Adam and Eve, the original lovers. (Just above my right eye, if you fancy zooming in).

 

The dark and sombre interior of Notre-Dame-la-Grande

We heard about the young man who, disgraced by dying in the arms of a prostitute, was denied a Christian burial and his body buried in a ditch. His salvation came about when a pure white rose grew and bloomed in the ditch one winter. When his body was exhumed, between his lips a piece of paper with the name of Maria written on it was discovered. It was believed that only the Virgin Mary could have been behind this miracle. He now has an almost invisible column with a rose motif in the wall of the Notre-Dame-La-Grande church, where his body was reburied.

The clothes shop Zara was certainly a surprise location for a historical tour, but its branch in Poitiers is rather unique as it’s built around the ruined columns of a convent chapel. This had links to both Madame de Montespan and Madame de Maintenon, ladies of favour (and bearers of many illegitimate children) of King Louis XIV.

No guided tour of Poitiers could ignore Aliénor of Aquitaine (1122-1204), whose presence is felt all over town. Married to Louis VII when she was only 15, and then fifteen years later to Henri Plantagenêt, ten years her junior, there are many stories to be told about her travels in the area, her liaisons and her troubadours. Guillaume le troubadour, Comte de Poitou-duc d’Aquitaine, famous for pleasing the ladies with his poems and love songs, also has quite a few links to the town.

 

The Couvègnes statue of Mercury at the chamber of commerce, Poitiers

The residents of the 1930’s were a little more reserved than our medieval ancestors, as the statue above the chamber de commerce shows. Here the sculptor Couvègnes depicts a naked Mercury, but his manhood was deemed too much for the young women of the era and was brutally sliced off!

 

Hotel de Ville, Poitiers

Fitting for a love themed weekend, there was even a wedding at the impressive Hotel de Ville. As I took a well-earned pause to read my book on a sunny bench, the wedding party appeared on the steps, accompanied by a celebratory cheer from friends and family that quickly rippled around the square, as those enjoying an al fresco lunch echoed their congratulations.

Feeling every one of the 8km I had walked, as I made my way back to Ed’s flat for a reviving cup of tea and slice of cake, the five o’clock bells began to ring out all over the town, and as Poitiers is also known as the city of 100 bell towers, you can imagine how lovely a sound that was.

I’m so glad I went, despite the group mostly consisting of couples and being the only English person there. For an interesting walk that took almost two hours, with lots of information from our animated guide, it was worth the 5.50€ charge and I’ll certainly be looking out for future walks.

I might not have been with my love this weekend, but I certainly felt the love in the air in the beautiful city of Poitiers.