34 JJR Update

For those of you out there who check in occasionally to see what progress at 34 JJR then you today you are in luck! Moving steadily, but not hastily, forward we approach the day when we actually hire a van and take the last large pieces of furniture over to Hellemmes-Lille and thence do overnighters in our own house. Imagine that! We will of course be fully resident by the time our first guests arrive on 18th May - you know who you are. Max's papa, Jean-Michel, left a little while ago to be admitted into a clinic for his back operation tomorrow. He will stay there for about a week and when he gets back will need to recuperate for 3 months, meaning Max's maman, Renée, will be in charge of the shop. We will be helping as much as we can and thus will never be that far away from Oisy nor Rumaucourt. J-M will only be able to stand or lie down but not sit down at least only for very short periods.

Max was busy a couple of days ago dismantling the built in wardrobe in the bedroom which will serve as a bathroom and dressing-room for us. Again the previous owners certainly believed in using good solid materials! We now have someone lined up to build a wall across the space (pictured) to make it into two rooms and we are hoping to get everything tout à l'égout which would be so much better than other arrangements. We are almost certain we have discovered the original doors for the first floor too, in the attic. Hurrah!

I always say that if I can see a palm tree I feel as if I am on holiday. This isn't a hard and fast rule though as I have seen the palms in Torquay and felt little but sadness. Nevertheless, in anticipation of a psychological boost we bought not one, but two palms of differing types. Admittedly they are only babies, maybe 30cm tall, but they are supposed to grow rapidly: if they grow at all that is. I have also drawn a rough plan of the garden and attempted to make a note of all the major plants. So far I have:

• fir trees x 6
• yew
• magnolia
• fruiting cherry
• espaliered apple x 2
• lilacs c 6
• silver birch x 2
• hazel
• rhododenron
• hydrangea x 2
• euonymus x 2
• flowering raspberry
• holly tree
• astilbe
• forsythia
• a large gnarled tree I cannot identify plus other plants yet to be discovered!

The whole thing from backdoor to end fence is about 43m and it is almost 6m wide ie long and thin. It is lovely to have but needs taking in hand and given some themes.

Max's job continues. There is not a lot to say about it as it is only part of what he used to do and is not much of a challenge. It is OK for now.

No joy - almost wrote job (Freudian-ly) - for me on the work front either though I continue to send out my details for both coaching and translation. Marketing oneself is certainly very difficult though I do know building up a client list can take time.

Anyone who would like a copy of my "stuff", currently only available in public sector type version, then please email me and it will be yours in the twinkling of an email or however long it takes to get to UK by escargot. I thank you!