Reflection, Anticipation and Enjoying The Moment

When you really think about it, life is a mixture of all of the above, each has their place. It is important to look forward, to plan and to remain positive. Reflecting on what has gone by has its place too. Memories are something we all treasure and the path we take to arrive at where we are now makes us what we are. Enjoying the moment deserves recognition however: it is soothing to appreciate the now without nostalgia for the past or worry for the future.

We have been in all 3 zones this week: celebrating our first anniversary of marriage as we did yesterday, we had cause to reflect on our meeting, the joy of knowing this was right, then our mutual desire to buy a property in France to work on. Then we look at the house and realise we are making progress each day and try to imagine how it will be, say, this time next year. But finally we have enjoyed the company of good friends and have had several moments of sheer joy, sitting out until the early hours in our garden, backed up with rubble which somehow does not seem to matter.

The opening of the window in one upstairs bedroom has made a huge difference: the light floods in from 2 sides and now that the ensuite is up and running, one could almost say this was a luxury hotel suite (ignoring the brick dust of course).



It is stunningly hot and the temperature does not reach its peak until around 5 pm. We have taken days out with our friends to explore this beautiful region and laughed our way through several meals sitting in the dappled light afforded by the plane trees in our village. We have watched children play on their bikes or roller skates, Eddie & Alfie bounding around together along the canal.

Our builders have made curved steps to match the front door below the new openings at ground floor level and it is still a novelty to walk out from either of these instead of the front door. Our garden table sits next to the rubble in the garden but the scale of this house and outside space is such that one hardly notices. Using some of the rubble as a base for the garden is a great idea and it will not be long before we are planning this space. This Mediterranean climate means greater outdoor living and Mr. Fix It has already found time this week, aside from practically rewiring the whole of the first floor and putting in showers in the ensuites, to put together our BBQ.

When undertaking a project of this size it is occasionally easy to forget just how much there is to do but having our friends here reminded us to at least take a look again at our second floor. The marble staircase winds up again from the large first floor landing and here at the top of the house are 6 – or is it 7? – more rooms waiting their turn to be beautified. The views over the terracotta rooftops and on to the mountains from here are stunning.

Our baby pigeons are now fully grown and one has literally flown its makeshift nest this morning! The other teeters on the edge, about to take its maiden flight and lo and behold 2 eggs have suddenly appeared. Having taken the tower – and the pigeons’ home – down, we seem to be unwittingly creating a pigeon sanctuary nonetheless!

Mr. Fix It and I sat outside until the early hours on the eve of our first anniversary, still amazed at our good fortune, not only in finding each other but in finding this beautiful property. The work goes on and there is still much to do but we will always be able to look up at the stars.





Alexis
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