Which Countries provide and receive most Foreign Aid

Conversation in our home about the problems of loss of life in the Channel seem to be about reinstating/increasing the Foreign aid to war torn developing countries who may be carrying the brunt of impacts of Climate Change in more developed countries. Following link is for 2017 and shows Countries donating and those receiving the […]

Travels

We have just returned from an interesting road trip to Mecklenberg – we loved Holland the best but didnt spend too long there. When we got lost in Zeeland we followed a motorbiker to an incredibly long tunnel – 6.6 kms under the Islands. The light and green fields in Holland was beautiful but because […]

White Horses

After the rain

Notra Dame

Like everyone was shocked and horrified seeing Notra Dame alight but am sure stonemasons and artists will come forwards to help restore this magnificant landmark of Paris.. Perhaps this disastor will have averted a bigger one. Destiny the building closed early this day. But it must say something how this building has touched the whole […]

Saints-en-Puisaye

The name – La Puisaye we read comes from a French archaic verb meaning to ‘slog through the mud’ but in fact the countryside is beautiful large wheat fields with little areas of woodland. This small village used to be called just ‘Saints’ and is close to le Moullin de Vanneau more than 1200 years […]

La Mairie – Saints En Puisaye

Thinking about summer, we stayed in small French town on our way to Switzerland. Somewhere on the east side of France. We arrived very late as struggled to find the campsite but did find a lovely place to eat and very unsuccessful putting up our tent on rock hard ground. There was some cussing and […]

Evening – Wissant

Launch

Launch by maria joy

Shiny black Citroen

This shiny black Citroen appeared in front of us on the road, cruising by the small towns in French countryside. wondered where it was going, where it had been

Avoir du pain sur la planche

Althou we are across the water, am happy Mr Macron is France’s new President and hope he will get good guidance and support to run his beautiful country. Vive la France! A little worried about new speeding fines for British drivers in France – no more speeding to catch the ferry. Clueless what the speed […]

Amir – J’ai cherché (France) 2016 Eurovision Song Contest

‘Sand in Our Shoes’ – Tote Bag – m.joy

‘Sand in Our Shoes’ – Tote Bag – m.joy (also Duvet Covers, Shower Curtains, Prints and Greeting Cards) This is a favorite because as a family we have spent lovely windy days on this beach that seems to stretch forever and brought home seashells also (almost) lyrics from a song

There are no winners

Just thinking about what is happening in Calais and feel for the many people who are caught up in it – the people and their children themselves who are fleeing from countrys at war and their familys back home – hoping for them to have an opportunity somewhere safer but reallising the risks of what […]

Sand Castles and Cherrys

Unexpected lovely weekend, day trip to France thru the tunnel, although delays – not too bad – then croissants, visit to very small chocolate factory, crepes, beautiful french countryside and medieval towns on hill tops and always somehow find our way back to the sandy beach at Wissant where there always seems to be low […]

Tour de Yorkshire

This completly passed me by – the first three stages of the Tour de France are in England this year and begin in Leeds to Harrogate on the 5th July (York to Sheffield on the 6th and Cambridge to London on the 7th). This is a link to a competition to win one of 38 […]

Happiest moments (so far)

asked both my mum and dad what was the happiest moment of their lives so far and they both said when they met each other, sort of suspected this – but think its really sweet for me, its lots of moments – these are some having my son, passing driving test (after 4 goes), getting […]

Étretat

Last weekend we made a long drive to Étretat along small roads of Picardy and Normandy following the coastline past Wissant, Dieppe and small port of Fécamp. From the tunnel we drove along some of the toll roads across large viaducts but enjoyed best driving along the smaller roads, watching tractors busy in the fields with the sea in the […]

Daydreaming about Italian Ice Cream

My son went along with me a little while ago to South of France … and because it made me and him laugh so much, wrote about our long weekend as short story on Lulu so wouldnt forget it. ‘Arriving at the airport in Nice for a long weekend. no particular plans, just to […]

Daydreaming about Italian ice cream

This is part of something written about a long weekend in the south of France.. We arrived very late at the airport and as soon as we had checked in we needed to run to the gate. Finally, a chance to feel that buzz of excitement knowing that we were going on holiday, even though only for two […]