Helloooooo… Well… we’re settling into the new home quite nicely. The garden though? Daunting doesn’t even cover it. But the area… absolutely breathtaking. Capital B. This week I’ve mostly been tending to the seedlings I planted back in March — and I’m very pleased to say… they’ve actually sprouted. Whoop for me. Small wins. We will take those. Tomatoes, chillies, melons, oragano, sunflowers, strawberries, rocket, and I have another 38 plants coming next week, I had better ge

What indeed? Oh I don't know, do you? I think I wrote about finding a new dream, probably a year or so ago? However, It's clear that we held on to France a little longer than was good for us and as we are unable to easily resolve the mad tax issues, I guess we are going to have to accept that it's all over bar the shouting. Like all fractured relationships that go on too long, we are finally done! She needs to be sold. We've run out of options and whilst we should be able to

Which way to go? Cross, don't cross! That's real life isn't it? Life's path isn't always clear and certainly isn't linear that's for sure! Yes, we keep sitting on the 'going back to France permanently thing' and we are also now rather sat on the fence of it ever being full time, well until retirement looms anyway. It has to make sense and also be the right time in our lives. There's lots happening in the back ground influencing our decision making but also, there is currently

Hi there everyone , Di here, thought I would introduce myself to you all. This was taken during our French holiday last year, we have started the countdown for this year's holiday ! Only 88 days . . . Anyway I digress and need to get back to my task in hand. I am a retired special needs teacher, tried my hand at being a carer in a children’s hospice and my last rodeo was as receptionist/admin manager in a private dermatology clinic. Mr P is very long suffering as is our dau

A sisterhood, home and abroad! Bonjour my petite boutonnieres, me again! Saturday 28th March 2026 All is very well here in the wonderful Lincolnshire Wolds! Wonderful, because above 10 degree's, the inside isn't quite as challenging, but it is still rather chilly here in our little valley. Those biting winds have whipped around the house for days and have been pretty much cancelling out spring, my goodness! However, a morsel of sun here and there, has been just enough to get

........and just like that, it's back to business! Until my flower order arrives that is! As you can tell, we've regained control of the socials but the page remains restricted for at least a year! That means zero growth! So I need to find some time today, to complain bitterly to an actual human at META , because so far it's been restricted by bots. No human has had a say! The alleged offence was apparently on Instagram but all our pages are completely harmless! So we can onl

On Friday, I finished a two week career change Floral Design course, with Tallulah Rose in Kendal and boy did I have a ball! Knee deep in seasonal British blooms everyday and the best tutor Rachel, not to mention the other pupils whom quickly became my extended family, Christian, Lauren, Sheilagh, Zoe, Olivia and Toni! I miss them all so much! I really didn't expect that to happen! All 30 something's to my obvious 50 something! Erm.....! Anyway, before I leap into the detail,

Yep, it was just one of those weekends. The sun was still shining, so out came the picnic basket and the bikes. No big plans. No “let’s go here” or “let’s do that.” Just the three of us — me, my husband and our boy — bikes, food, and off we went. Living in France has this way of making even the smallest things feel like something. You don’t have to go far. You just… go. Down a lane, past a field, through a bit of woodland, and suddenly you’re somewhere that feels like a prope

Last week was particularly trying for us all at our Blog Towers, Donna was away on her much waited for floral course, Tina was busy with her family, Paula busy with her sewing machine, so I agreed in a very blasé fashion to keep the home fires burning and manage the page ! Rookie error, except I am not a true rookie anymore. Suddenly our private group chat was blowing up with panic stricken messages, Insta has been shut down, think we have been hacked, can’t get on my own pa

We are leaving the light on! I do have news but I'm sure it's not what you are expecting petal! Before I divulge the latest about-turn, theres other UnFrench housekeeping to discuss! Firstly, what a bloody palaver with the socials! Dear god! Sorry to blaspheme! I switched to my new sim the night before floral school and not long after, META deleted my instagram account and then I lost access to my own FB page which is linked to the blog page. Apparently I shared something bad

Where? Where? Happy March, white rabbits and all that! Here comes the sun, I hope? Praying to the gods of sunshine, what can I do to bribe them? I'm withering here gawd damn it! We've had just a few exciting minutes, of the yellow ball in the sky lately, just enough to know without a doubt that without sun we are just unstable! We neeeed....the golden glow! Yesterday, was absolutely glorious! Sun, blue skies and double and a half digits! The perfect reminder with the promise

We left the château on September 25th, 2018. Our wedding anniversary. I know. Symbolism. Perfect. I’d had my son in March 2017, and almost overnight, the boss turned on me. Not my husband. Just me. Ruthless little digs. Constant criticism. Subtle. Icy. Everything I did was suddenly wrong. And the worst part? I was loyal. The most loyal. If I’d known then about harassment laws in contract law, I would have got advice. Proper advice. Because what she really wanted was for us t

No! It's when! Hold that thought there a minute petal! After a 'right Royal farce' concerning the potential Norfolk house rental, now forever renamed 'Not Buck Palace', we need to re-start our search! It's been 5 whole weeks of being messed around and let's be brutally honest about it, we are so relieved it's come to an end, not surprised but also rather annoyed! All those weeks 'poof' gone, when we could have been applying for something else. Time wasted is never great is it

When it all comes tumbling down........Sometimes, all we can do is clean the fridge, make a tuna and sweetcorn jacket potato, have a little laugh at life, its ruddy antics and pray for better further down the line! Obviously I'm being facetious here, please don't worry! I'm also being a bit 'gutter press' using misleading headlines, shame on me! *insert sigh here! Oh, and whilst I've got you here, I've decided to continue blogging on this platform! Yeah! I will endevour to pe

Some days, life feels like a slightly melted candle on the kitchen counter, a Pyrenees Mountain dog/Australian Berger hybrid weaving between my legs like she owns the place, and me yelling at my husband while he quietly walks away — apparently, one-sided shouting is my hidden superpower. It should be an Olympic sport! We moved into this house four days before Christmas. It’s now the end of January. Boxes are still stacked like small mountains, curtains are half-hung, and ever

Finally.... And the end of an UNFRENCH era. New Year, new me, literally! Honestly, It's been an absolute blast since 2017 but it is getting a little stale now and I no longer live in France. Donna doesn't live here anymore..........lol! A lil Cliff Richard earworm for you there! As I said in my last blog, it's finally time to hang up my UNFRENCH pen and concentrate on a new adventure, just months after leaving France in mid 2025. Saying that, we didn't really have any real wa

or still the same old? Well folks! I do hope your new year started out well enough and you've survived, thrived even to this point? Of course you have! Today is the 20th of January 2026 and its been interesting for us so far! A little topsy turvy but whats new? It may be a new year but real life doesn't fully reset does it? No. We are okay though and using all the gumption we have to muddle through the changes best we can. The cold snap has gone for now, thank goodness and t

Cheers lovelies! ....and in with the new, in so many ways for 2026 and thank you to 2025 for the lessons I didn't want or really need! The vintage half decade that was 2020/2025 was not great and in parts, nearly broke me. The second half has got to be better hasn't it? YES! So, I'm opening all the windows and doors, inviting the trash to leave! Bye now! No more side swipes, nasty surprises, left field landings or life hijackings! I'm done, only good things may enter from her

all the time and especially at Christmas! Remember that! Doesn't matter about the gifting, just enjoy time with those you love. It's right now, at this EXACT time of the year... the 'festive' period', when we become rather reflective and also, as the New Year approaches, with another year's end so darned near, we feel the passage of time more keenly. I do at least! Let's face it we only get so much time on this amazing planet, make it count! Make it all count, but try not to

eh! ........must come to an end and whilst we've had a ball, it's nearly time to go home and face the Christmas music! Also, as nuts as it sounds, this country girl is ready for some peace, english countryside tranquility and to get things organised for the silly season. Time to deck the halls! I'm not a city girl, you know that about me by now but two weeks in the Toronto smoke has been great! The only thing is, it's an assault on the senses sometimes. I found getting around