It’s been almost a year since we left home and we find ourselves in a little town in the south-west of France. Our hosts are Joyce & John, a couple with fascinating individual histories who have a beautiful home here in St. Pierre de Maille in need of a pair of extra hands to help with the gardens and other odd bits. Joyce and John are beyond amazing hosts; they really want to take care of us.
On top of feeding us lots of fresh food, delicious cheeses and quality wine, they are also committed to taking us around the countryside to show us the sites and their favourite beautiful spots. They are a lazy (and broke) tourist's dream.
What are our accommodations like? Well, we have our own house. And that’s not even the good part. Our house is on a river. We have a river!! We can sit in our arm chairs with a pot of tea and open the window and door, and have a rushing river (sprinkled with ducks) within a stones throw.
I can’t describe it, it’s just… *gasp*. The epitome of tranquil. It’s all anyone could ever ask for, and I know that I will forever try to replicate this experience on all future relaxing getaways and fail miserably.
We have been here for a week so far and have almost finished reclaiming the veggie garden, and been taken to see La Roche Posay (roman spa town) and Angles-sur-l'Anglin (one of the top 10 most beautiful french villages - it has a ruined castle).
Joyce lent us their bikes today and gave us a mud map of some bike trails. I rode a bike today for the first time in about 20 years. Wow that makes me feel old. I’ve always been anxious of trying to ride a bike again after so much time. My brother is probably the only person to remember the last time I rode a bike..I followed him down an enormous hill on the road (we weren’t allowed to ride on the road) and I got the wobbles and flew over the handlebars – snapped the chain, bent the frame, and waved goodbye to the skin on my forearms, knees and chin.
Anyway, so riding a bike today was an experience. An amazing experience actually, I know it sounds ridiculous but it was a little life changing. Like being farted on by a unicorn. Also I feel like I’ve been booted in the crotch. You bike riders know what I’m talking about.
We aren’t sure how long we will be here for, but for the time being we are content to not think about what to do next.
