Tillermans

Sigoulés, France

I know that I told everyone that I would be writing daily or at the very least every 2 days, but what with IT issues and complete lack of motivation, this is only the second report that I have posted since arriving in France (or is it the 3rd?).

Hopefully I will be forgiven if I tell you all that I have been busy house hunting, going to markets, eating, cooking, talking french, more eating, more house hunting and so forth - as one does when in France!

Happily, none of this has gone to waste (although it has most definitely gone to MY waist!) as I can now purchase my food from the market while speaking French, I have increased in size quite 'rapidment' and we have today signed the papers for our own little house (maison de ville) in a small town called Sigoulés, among the vineyards of Monbazilliac. This is about 15 kilometres south west from Bergerac in the Dordogne.

We truely are having a wonderful time. The caves at Lascaux with the prehistoric art have been waiting patiently for millenium for Peter to visit! This is something that he has always wanted to see. How amazing the drawings are. I found an absolute sense of peace in the knowledge that for tens of thousands of years - in amongst all the horrible things man has managed to do - there have always also been those who see beauty all around them and are able to unwittingly leave behind a message for those who follow.

Au revoir from Sigoulés.

France at Last

I would like to start by apologizing to all the people that we were going to email. Unfortunately our IT hasn't been as we were hoping. Firstly, our internet connection in our appartment in Paris was not working and secondly, now that we have interenet connection, we are unable to send mail out. We can receive but not send. I will have to contact our friends who are in Geneva to help us work out the non workings of mail out. So for now this is as good as it gets.

Talking about as good as it gets - we have just spent a beautiful afternoon wandering around the town of Bergerac and then sitting in the sun having lunch. Lunch, for those who are interested, consisted of duck terrine, steak frites (steak and chips), and chocolate crepes all washed down with a few glasses of the local rosé and an café to finish.

We are now back at the grand house of our friends. Peter has gone for a run around the vineyards-we are smack bang in the middle of them. I am writing this and watching the last rays of sun sink down over the valley and vineyards. We are enjoying the sun and the warmth while it lasts. It was very, very cold when we were in Paris and I am sure it will get colder here over the next few weeks.

Its time to start thinking about dinner (of course). I think just an omlette with some delcious local bread and a glass of wine. Until next time - au revoir.