So what do you do if all of your smallholding equipment is sold, the same equipment which you used during recent years to provide yourself and your partner with food for the larder? The years when you were virtually self sufficient.
- when the large chest freezer full of DIY meat to feed us for the coming year was given away because you thought you would be soon to be changing countries, and to take it with you was unrealistic because the temporary home you hope to stay in for a while is about the size of a rabbit hutch with a pocket handkerchief garden, it being an English country cottage so nowhere near the size of the home you currently have, this being a French country cottage with an attached acreage of 5.5 hectares, the cottage itself being far greater in size than its UK equivalent.
- when the work contract in the UK which facilitated the move starts on April 1st......when the French business account has been closed down in readiness for the move, ..... when the French bank is getting itchy about keeping our bank account open because we have told them we are leaving France.....
- when our UK bank will not allow us to access our UK bank account because we are in post Brexit and financial borders are closing, so the bank wants us to give them a UK contact phone number, which we do not have because we are still in France. We have to be in the UK to have that phone number.
- and then there is the lock down happening as I write this blog. I find it ironic that for most of the twelve years we have been in France I have had a larder big enough to support us for several months, most of the food being produced by ourselves. This has given us a sense of security, that no matter what the social or economic situation is out in the world beyond our farm, that we shall not go hungry.
- So what do you do if plans have been put into place, which you are half way through fulfilling and which were rolling along at a cracking pace, and which were going to take you and your partner from here to there in one seamless effort, what do you do when things are locking down making that 'seamless effort' suddenly not do-able. What do you do?
- Well, if you were me, you would carry on with packing in the hope that things would right themselves, meanwhile not minding that you do not really know if things are going to turn around on their heads and you might have to eventually unpack and start growing our own food again, but minus the meat because the sheep and the chickens all have new owners. Also minus the tractors and other smallholding equipment because they also have new owners. I do not even have any flower pots to grow seeds in. Not to worry, I can always use some margarine and yoghurt pots.
- As I say, if you were me, what would you do. I would look at my stash of wool and start a fresh project, that is what I would do. I would also consider unpacking my sewing machine and fiddling about with making something from my fabric stash. In a nutshell, I would do something which keeps my head from dwelling too much on our somewhat precarious position. Stay here in France without any employment (thank you Brexit!) or go to the UK within the next two weeks to maintain my partner's current work contract. But there is lock down starting to happen. So, all in all, what happens is entirely beyond our control!
- But I have some lovely red wool which I have just found a pattern for on Ravelry, and I am also of a mind to have a rummage through my fabric stash. One thing is for sure, though, and that is when we do eventually buy our home again it will have to have enough land for me to grow our own food again, and for there to be a sizeable larder space for storing that food.
When times are not going quite as you expect them to, then do something else while you wait for those times to sort themselves out. And to think calm thoughts about everything turning out alright just before you go to sleep, because not to put positive thoughts into your head at that time will result in some not very nice dreams of possible nightmarish content during the night.
Ah well, .....now which box did I put my crochet hooks in....... it's a good job I wrote a list on the side of the boxes about what was inside them!
Meanwhile, wishing you well, .......
Vx
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9 comments:
Oh, Vera, I am so sorry all of this has really, really put a massive kink in your current plans to leave France and set up in England. So much has happened at the wrong time for you. You are wise and brave to keep a positive attitude and do whatever you can to remain that way during these difficult times. Right now, I think we all have to remember, "Worrying is using your imagination to create something you don't want." Sending hugs to you.
I am so sad that you are leaving, loved your blogs and French life. As you say, with Brexit and Lockdown timing really is not what you need. I hope you get things sorted out and all goes as planned. Please keep in touch and let us know where you are and what is happening. Stay safe and I wish you both all the very best, Diane
Hi Vera,
You probably knew it would come to that. I knew it would come to that, perhaps, because I'm in the same age group as you.
But you've got a huge experience in France that will feed you for the rest of your life, and I'm sure you're both going to do well in all respects, in Britain.
Wishing you Good Luck and All the Best!
Oh Vera, what a situation!! My heart goes out to you. I applaud your can-do attitude and hope that (along with the rest of the world) things will stabilize soon and life can go on a little easier. God bless.... Kris
Gosh. I hope everything works out for you both Vera.
You know where I am if there is anything I can do to help. xx
MAMA PEA, Thank you for your kind words, and we manage to keep worry at bay for most of the time!
RHODESIA, thanks Diane, I hope you stay safe as well. I shall continue the blog wherever we fetch up!
DUTA, bless you, and yes, we did think that at some point the food chain would break down, it is just so ironic that it did so when we had given away, or sold, all of our food producing equipment!
KRIS, thank you, and I also hope that everything stabilizes soon wherever in the world you live.
NORTHSIDER DAVE, thanks, things always work out somehow or the other!
DENISE, thank you.....it looks like we might be here in France a while yet! Crikey, but its a bit on the tough side at the moment!
Oh, that sounds awful Vera. Hopefully at least you can get to the UK for the job (at least here in the US, citizens can still return).
TOIRDHEALBHEACH BEUCAIL, everything will turn out alright, even if at the moment it all looks a bit bleak, that is what I hold on to, and have done most of my adult life! Hope, that is what we all need to hold on to.
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