I seemed to hit the ground running on my return to Menton all those weeks ago and it's been busy ever since.
My first aid course in the library seemed to go down very well with lots of questions and very enjoyable tea and cake afterwards. Big Ted competently played the part of choking baby and infant requiring resuscitation. All in all it was fun and hopefully useful for those attending.
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| Back home after his exertion |
The Kermesse (church jumble sale) at the end of March was a huge success raising over 4000€ for the church. Clothing, bric-a-brac, jewellery, books, tombola prizes etc etc gradually filled the back of the church and crypt until the day came. I did a little baking for the cake stall and added to the clutter in the church from the clutter in my garage. The day before, a team of us moved the pews clearing the church to set up the stalls. Then it was all hands on deck to put out all the goods that had been donated (Naturally, I was on the bookstall).
On the day, the queue outside began half an hour before we opened the doors and there was a constant stream of visitors all day.
It was a fun but exhausting couple of days, especially as, when the customers left, a somewhat depleted team had to put the church back together again for the service the next day.
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| Doors open |
As a postscript to this, at the end of the kermesse, I found myself in possession of a fabulous tapestry, huge rug and barbour jacket—all very reasonably priced!
The tapestry at 7' by 4' was a challenge to get home but there are lots of very helpful people around here and it only took a couple of weeks to find someone with a vehicle big enough.
The St John's English library keeps me busy on Wednesday and Saturday but I make sure that I make time while I am there to continue to improve my scrabble scores.
At other times I seem to find myself moving furniture and serving wine for vernissages, jazz concerts and talks, all of which are becoming increasingly popular.
In the last couple of weeks I've attended a vernissage in Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat and an exhibition at the Swedish centre in Cagnes-sur-Mer. Unable to draw a straight line and limited to snaps on my Iphone (even selfies are quite beyond me), I am in awe of artistic talent and I love to see other people's view of the world through their paintings and photographs.
Recently I have been to two piano recitals. As in art, I am a music novice but I feel very privileged to be able to enjoy it and at the same time humbled by the skill and passion of the performances. Both concerts were very moving in their different ways.
I think I am telling you all this to show you what a wonderful community that I have found myself in and to confide that, after months of frustrating tussles with French bureaucracy, I have finally received confirmation that my application for residency has been accepted!
Since Easter tourists have been flocking to the area but the weather isn't being kind to them. It has been unpredictable and, with heavy rain and cloudy skies, not at all springlike.
The rain is of course good for the garden but I think we'd all prefer it if it only rained at night. When the weather has been good I've been tackling the garden and enjoying the fact that the mosquitoes aren't too numerous yet - they must be very confused by this weather too!
May Day found Menton overtaken by a brocante and market that filled all the pedestrian streets all the way from the sea —(fortunately) I didn't find anything to buy.
Writing has taken a bit of a back seat at the moment but I still read... Here's some of the books I've read over the last few weeks:
My own books are all available from Amazon or can be ordered through your favourite bookshop
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The Barwell Trilogy
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If you have enjoyed reading this and would like to be sent a link when the next episode is published, please contact me on
info@jacquelinejames.co.uk and I will add you to the list.
Here is the link to my website:-
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