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Before and after .....Gardening saves the day!
D0rdogne_Damsel
Posts: 4,184
It's a long complictaed saga but 4 years ago, on a shoestring I bought a property in France with a dream of creating an English Tearoom. Today, I was taking pictures of the latest 'improvement' a sunshade/raincover. As we prepare to open after 7 long months of closure due to Covid I realised how far we have actually come. The garden has become integral in the success of the Tearoom and gardening has what has got me through 'lockdown/confinement and all the stress and strain related to it. It's a backdrop that creates a lovely relaxed atmosphere, it's a safe area for kids to play whilst parents relax, it's a place to escape from a busy world with a cup of tea and a slice of cake, it softens the hard world we live in and is a reason to get up n the morning, even if it is just to check if the slugs have eaten our precious plants....I am so looking forward to re-opening after such a long time and welcoming guests back into my garden. The dream has become a reality, thank goodness for the love of gardening. https://photos.app.goo.gl/CZPdbKpLkUkMVF6j6
- “Coffee. Garden. Coffee. Does a good morning need anything else?” —Betsy Cañas Garmon
8
Posts
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
@Crazybeelady, in answer to your question about speaking French, I had O'level French and 'holiday' French when I arrived.
I joined every social club I could, dancing, running, walking club, I volunteered in my son's school and taught English in a local comunity centre to adults and children and volunteered in a charity shop. For about a year or so I just listened, listened and listened... eventually I started to understand what what was going on around me. I also went to French classes in the same community centre where I taught, 4 days a week at times, beginner, intermediate, advanced and conversation class. The slow and at times, painful process of opening the Tearoom certainly added to my vocabulary and of course once we opened I spent a great deal of time just talking French all day long so it has got so much better now, 4 years on.
As good as that sounds, my son (age 13 now and bilingual) still often says "mum, you don't say it like that" ..... in that teenage, I am so embarrased tone of voice, with facial expressions and head shakes to match.
We all had every confidence in you from the start.
Hugs to you both.