24/12/2024
Hallo Everyone!!
I thought I'd drop a post in the spirit of Christmas!
I've been gone from France for 9 months now. It's been a ride! For the 1st few months I wondered what on earth I had done. I missed everything, even the things I'd become disenchanted with. Settling in was very tough. The call to go home was enormous. I had no idea I would be so challenged. Mabel and Hugo were superstars, going with the flow and also showing their confusion, the very long 2 day journey in the back of the car packed tightly with my belongings. I missed my Atelier in Bergerac so much, and of course I missed you, all of my lovely clients that had supported me through the years. I floundered for quite a while. The great thing was as soon as I turned the key to my new house (which I had bought without viewing), I immediately fell in love with it. It's a great house, which is still undergoing refurbishment, it's quirky, it's in the town centre, a little noisy sometimes but a 2 minute walk to the beach which I still totally adore every day walking the dogs. There have been many challenges fore in the transition back to UK life, it's a different country to the one I left almost 12 years ago. And I'm different. You bring your french habits and attitudes with you, so feel a bit like a stranger in your homeland. I'm happy to report that things are good. I miss France more than I thought I would but am happily ensconced in a rugby club, which is really hard work! But I love it. I also set up Atelier77 in a health club close to home. It's a pleasure to go there to work. So I work harder here than I did in France. But Ramsgate is slowly casting its spell on me, and becomes home a little more each day.
I miss you all, I don't forget any of you. I hope you are all well and looking forwards to a most fabulous Christmas.
My continued best wishes and prosperity and good health for 2025!
Iain
