Sunday, July 25, 2010

Look out Kent, here we come

Yes, the Fancy household will soon be decamping to the county known as the 'Garden of England'. Lately I have been in the UK tracking down a rental house whose owner would take the two little bichons. It's not been easy - I suppose a lot of home owners think of dogs as huge, hairy wet, flea-ridden things. However, Misty and Poppy are the canine equivalent of glossy and sparkly bright young things, always fresh from the latest grooming session (and their hair doesn't shed or moult). We've now found somewhere though and are just waiting for our moving date.

You knew I must have had a good reason for deserting the blogosphere.

So, within the next few weeks we will be back in the UK (hooray) and keeping the French house for holidays and rest/recuperation. I'm going to be looking around for a job as well (oh how I have missed working - you think it's going to be wonderful giving up work, but it can make for very long days).

This is a post on the fly but in the next few days I will be round to see you all

46 comments:

Steve said...

Nice to hear from you again - you've been missed. Good luck with the house hunting; Kent is a truly lovely part of the UK.

Dumdad said...

You'll love Kent - and it's still close to France. Perfick!

A Woman Of No Importance said...

You're moving back to the UK, incroyable - Tell all!

Good and great luck, FF, I hope you're finding the strength and energies to get through all this, and watch that back! Bisous x

the fly in the web said...

So glad it has all worked out...I do envy you being within striking distance of London...after all these years I still miss the galleries, the theatre, the concerts.

Any house owner should be grateful to have the bichons...a few pics of them posing in front of their house would make marvellous publicity!

All the very best...and tell us all about it!

Lola said...

Incroyable - des nouvelles merveilleuses et bonne chance with all the house/jobhunting!

Over here, we too miss the incomparable London theatres, galleries and so on. Eeek!

Hope all goes well,

XOXO LOLA & Nora:)
PS How about becoming a teacher of French. Well, just a thought...!!

Ayak said...

I'll never understand why rental property owners are so against dogs...but I'm pleased to hear you have managed to find one who isn't. At least Kent is a convenient place for popping over to France whenever you can.

Good luck with the move!

Merisi said...

Congratulations on finding a new home and best luck for a great job! :-)

Saz said...

eh bien kent eh?

My home stomping ground and l shall be visiting my folks in the bay very shortly.....

I last lived in Blean, Canterbury but l hail from Herne Bay

say hi for me.....

hope you are back soon..
saz x

Saz said...

eh bien kent eh?

My home stomping ground and l shall be visiting my folks in the bay very shortly.....

I last lived in Blean, Canterbury but l hail from Herne Bay

say hi for me.....

hope you are back soon..
saz x

Jean said...

Golly. Here am I, dying to give up work and move to France where the roads are quieter and the tomatoes riper, etc, etc. And now you've gone and moved back. Quelle surprise !!

Good luck anyway !!

e said...

Bonne Chance, FF! Can't waito hear more!

Rob-bear said...

So the Fancy household is undergoing a "moving" experience. C'est très bien, j'espere.

But if you're working, what about your courses at University?

The bike shed said...

And just think - OU courses will be half the price they charge for those living abroad.

I know little of Kent - I so seldom go there - but maybe we'll pass in London.

Clarity said...

Welcome back Love!

xxxxxxxxxx

Sarah said...

Good luck with the move and settling down. I've just come back from a few days in Bath and Wales and was gobsmacked by the quality of the food we had in restaurants and pubs. Even picking up a sarnie or salad in M&S or Waitrose is very good.

Bon appetit!

Cynthia Pittmann said...

Seems like a wonderful change because it's making you so happy, Ms. French. Now you will have the best of both worlds. I look forward to reading about your move! xx

This Ro(a)mantic Life said...

Oh what exciting news! Looking forward to seeing pictures of your new place and hearing about the job search :).

I've had half a mind to get something part-time myself just to feel more productive, but the summer research project is turning out to be time-consuming in a good way. If only it was paid work!

marc aurel said...

And the blog name????

Anonymous said...

May I wish you a wonderful new adventure, Julie. Kent is quite a lovely place to be.

Anonymous said...

May I wish you a wonderful new adventure, Julie. Kent is quite a lovely place to be.

Carol said...

OMG OMG OMG your moving back to the UK *does happy and excited dance* that means that we will actually get the chance to meet up!! Woooo Hooooo :-)

If there is anything you need or any help I can give just holler (I have no idea what that might be but holler anyway!)

C x

Veggie Carrie said...

Oh wow, welcome back the England! What a big change for you and Mr FF. How exciting - Kent Fancy?

French Fancy... said...

Steve - now we're just waiting for everything to be finalised

French Fancy... said...

Dumdad - funnily enough I read H E Bates when I was young and never dreamed I would end up in this lovely area. Oast houses rock

AWONI - there is a lot being juggled atm and that is the reason I am not about much

fly - thank you so much for your discretion. I really hope we stay in touch wherever we both end up

Nora - I think I am going to move into the Care sector. The thought of being office bound and making a CEO richer does not hold much appeal

Thank you Ayak. There were some lovely affordable rental properties but they just didn't want the dogs. It has been a long hard search - I feel knackered and quite stressed if I'm honest

Merisi - thank you so much

Saz - I'm returning to your roots then - I've really got to know Kent - on paper - lately. WE drove around Tenterden and Leeds on our way to the Chunnel - I only wish I could afford a house in such beautiful areas

Jean - At the beginning I had very high hopes for my life in France. One never expects to miss excitement and mayhem but I do. France has been too quiet for me - we will still be here a lot of the time though, but I do feel very happy to be going back. For me there is such a thing as 'too much greenery'.

e - thank you. Sorry not to have been in touch much but I cannot emphasise how we have been out of the internet loop lately - except for this whole new project

French Fancy... said...

Rob - the degree I was doing was largely by correspondence and over the internet. The Open University is just that - it's open to all people around the world and is not a bottom on a seat in a tutorial room. Having said that, I will be carrying on with it in the UK where there are weekly classes should one want to attend - I will be switching it from Humanities to ADult Social Care.

Mark - it will be less than half price - it's gone up to about £1700 for expats and its about £700 for Brits. I'm quite excited about studying within the UK now - you can go to as many classes as you want in one's region.

Clarity - thank you sweetie

Sarah - we had two meals last week in a gastro pub and I too was astonished at the quality (and the quantity - you certainly get more on a plate in the UK)

Cynthia - yes, I do feel happier and also a bit scared - scared that I might hate it once I am settled back and will just be longing for the next French trip

CT - I've often thought about getting a job here in France but our bit here is largely agricultural. The available jobs were either packing chicken pieces or salmon pieces. Even if I had been fluent in French I would have had limited options - the best jobs of course go to les francais.

Marc - now Kentish French Fancy would just be odd. I'll still be in France about six times - or more - a year.

Ian - thank you so much. Change is always good I feel.

Carol - yes, we will have to meet up, all four of us. And I will give a holler should I need to. Thank you sweetie for the offer.

Carrie - thank you so much.

Rob-bear said...

Thanks for the added information. I hope you have "fun" in the process.

will said...

J - You sound quite happy w/ the move. Well, good for you! I hope that once in your new digs you'll find time for blog hopping.

Til later, B

The Accidental Author said...

FF - We've been back nearly a year now and not regretted for a moment. We still have our house in France - although rented out - but amazingly despite all our plans, we've not been back to France except for a few days over Christmas. Too much going on here really. I hail from Kent (Tunbridge Wells) originally and my parents live in Northiam, over the border in East Sussex two villages away from Tenterden. I LOVE it and spend hours poking round the antique shops. We decided to settle on the Wiltshire/Somerset border and love it here too. I really wish you and yours all the very best.

Elizabeth said...

Gosh, this is big news!
Very exciting.
Kent is a very pretty part of the world.....and I expect the dogs will love it.
We loved Morocco but did miss the US...and having a dish washer etc etc.

Have you really lost two stone?
You must be a wraith.
Hot in NY.......

Phil Lowe said...

Oh wow what a change. Well all the best with that and your trips back and forth to France in the future. xx

Anonymous said...

What a change! Kent is lovely though... Your move will save Mr FF from having to make those weekend trips back home. And how delightful - to have a home in France too!

julietk said...

Just a note to let you know I have been here enjoying a catch up :-) Hope all works out well.

French Fancy... said...

Rob - today just thinking about everything to get sorted out is giving me a headache.

Will - I didn't want you to think I had just stopped visiting your corner of the blog world. Will be back one day soon - in the meantime I am going under cover to be a 'Mover of things various and two excitable dogs'

PLIF - that's what I am wondering - just how often we will get back here. I am excited about it but today I am incredibly nervous and of course wondering - like one always does - if we are doing the right thing. I am heartened by your words - thank you so much.

Elizabeth - oh it is nice to see you here. Crazy times atm - you know what getting everything organised can be like.

Phil - thank you old sport. Hope you are well

Fi - It's all a bit overwhelming today but it will be great to finally be settled again as a family

Juliet - how lovely to find you here

A Super Dilettante said...

My dear, I can't wait! Good luck with the move...it'll be nice to have you back in England. I haven't got much to update since I came back from my holiday, my boiler got broken once again. DO look for a house with a good modern boiler with CH and Gas - it will save you from all the hassle and the bills on your heating. The flat I'm renting has got an ancient boiler. Adieu for now xxx

French Fancy... said...

Oh ASD darling I have just posted a letter to you. Thank you for your postcard. The new house is a modern little thing and I am sure the boiler will do fine (you realise of course that I have now jinxed it)

xxx

Hadriana's Treasures said...

Hi FF,

You have been missed...well and truly. Glad it is all working out for you. Maybe you could drop me a line privately to say where exactly you will be. I'm visiting a friend in Whitstable shortly and know some folk in Sevenoaks.

Take care and hope the move goes well. Be great to meet up - if not now (because I know you will be very busy...then some time in the not too distant distant future!)

Bon voyage! Hade xx xx

PS: Can understand about the work thing but please do keep up the blogging - you are very good at it!

Selina Kingston said...

You're coming back! How exciting! Can't wait to hear further details. Best wishes for a stress-free move x

Rob-bear said...

To deal with your headaches, take two Scotch, and write me in the morning!

If those don't work, I may be able to suggest other "solutions," for medicinal purpose only (of course).

Ed Pilolla said...

congratulations on the move and great developments. work can be a good thing. no work can be tough. it's true. i'm there now to an extent. but it's worth living without work to appreciate what work can do. great to see you around:)

A Super Dilettante said...

Thanks for your most charming letter. It made my day. A card is on its way! You do realise how lucky for England to have you here, don't you? xxx

Angie Muresan said...

I have missed you! I do want to wish you the best, FF. Both to you and the mister and to your two little darlings.

Delana@dujour said...

While Carol is doing her happy dance, I'm bumming because you're leaving. You have made me feel comfortable here and I haven't even had the chance to meet you yet. Coming to Brittany at the end of the month but I imagine you will no longer be there. Nonetheless, I'm happy for you because you sound happy. Good luck with the demangement!

Shrinky said...

Kent is beautiful, and you still have your escape house in France - we also have a second bolt-hole, which comes in very handy! Glad you found a sympathtic dog-lover to trust her place to you renting. A house isn't a home without a four legged friend! Welcome back to the UK!

justmeagain said...

Ah! I have missed so much. Not been around the blogs much and now I pop in and discover we are going to be neighbours! I am in Kent....Sounds like lots of big changes for you, hopefully all positive ones. Would be lovely to meet up when you are settled. Where in Kent are you? x

mixedabilityME said...

Excellent news. It's the right thing to do for 'you'. I'm also back in Europe..........enchanting!! (formermy known as Desert' :)

cheshire wife said...

I hope that the move to Kent went smoothly and you are now settled in your new home. Hopefully you will soon be posting from the Garden of England, while we shall be going to Brittany for a holiday! That's life.