ON OUR WAY ALL PARTS

Well hello my Dearest Bloggets. I’m back after a much needed break. Wait until I tell you all about it. Some would say we were crazy as both of us can’t see at all but what we did made me feel so good and it was what the two of us needed in fact all five of us, were as one.

 

For two months I searched for the perfect holiday for my Husband myself and our three children. Well, they will always be our children no matter how old they are. But to let you know they are or, were, more on that later, fifteen, seventeen and eighteen.

 

It was a celebration my Son finished with great results from college and got rid of the hateful one in his life. That alone is a celebration for us all. Then our next daughter has finished her A, levels with I’m sure wonderful results but we won’t know until August. And our youngest, has finished her GCSE’s again she will do really well as is as bright as a button.  So all the stress of exams for them. A new life for teen and new beginning for all of us. Then My darling Husband and I have been married for a special amount of years and he has worked so hard for a year without a break we haven’t been out anywhere apart from shops for the past year either, so we gathered as many pennies as we could and together with our children we went on an adventure!

 

I booked a house from a private agency. So there was no real guarantee that the house would even exist. I was terrified. If it went wrong it would be my fault. I couldn’t see any of the pictures on line just the description in words. I drove my Husband crazy as I was on the computer over ten hours per day, not only looking for a holiday, as I had lots of work to do as well, but I had to do my work during office hours so the holiday would be at nights when he was home. Well, as you know my computer talks in a kind of man’s voice each key I press. So this robotic voice dug into my Husbands skull. Oh how he did complain. And I must say, there were times when I was ready to give up too! But I thought to myself, I’m not just doing this for myself, in fact it was for all of us. And once I start something, I can’t let it go, so I was on a mission.

 

I don’t do things by half either. It had to be perfect. Well, as perfect as we could afford. Every time over the past year we have thought about going out, we have put the money a side to pay for what we owe and for this break.

 

When I told my Husband that I booked a holiday that wasn’t protected, he wasn’t a happy bunny. In fact in our little bunny burrow, it was almost rabbit pie on the menu.

 

So, where did I book to go to? Well, somewhere I have never been but always wanted to go to. When I first booked it, I was told on the website that it was only seven hours from London. Hmm. Right, not quite. The journey as we unfolded was actually a nightmare we never anticipated.

 

As I had already booked the holiday, we had to arrange travel ourselves separately and believe me that wasn’t easy either.

 

Seven hours? Em, no, Try fourteen going and coming back, almost twelve. And when I learned of the actual way we would have to do this? As blind people I really thought I had done a huge error. My sighted friends said that no way they would have done this, but hey ho! For me who some years ago was terrified to step out of my front door on my own, to doing this? Well, I know we would have our children with us, but more reason to be careful. For those who think blind people shouldn’t have children and believe me, my Husband has come across people like that including family members, middle finger up to them a journey and a half we were about to take part in and a holiday for our little darlings we were going to have.

Oh, that’s if the house we were to stay in even existed!

 

Our dogs went on a holiday separately. I was so sad to see them leave. As they were not going to be together as well. I did worry about them. I just wished that I could have told them it was not for long and we would have them back. I wanted them to understand this. I knew mine would be OK as I knew who she was going to. And this lady loves dogs she is so sweet with them and my little Waggatail already knew the lady. She was to stay with Hermione, but as for LC, she didn’t know the man. And she is a Shepard so she is so loyal to my Husband and could pine for him. Oh it was not good. I did have a lump in my throat.

 

Through kind text I learned that my Wagga was happy and it was obvious that the lady who had her loved her. That put my mind at rest. I’m sitting here in my living room writing to you waiting for both dogs to return tonight with Hub as he will collect them at work. The house is so quiet without them. It’s odd to write without guilt as normally I feel bad about not paying attention to them. As for our canary, would he be OK on his own? Well, he sits in his big cage on the wide windowsill, so he can watch the world passing him by. I bought him a huge water bottle as well as the small one he had already and we filled his bath up too so he would have lots of water. As for food, well, Teen filled up his dish and we put some fresh veg just a tiny bit for him. Some sweet corn and broccoli. But I was in fear that we would come back to a bird that was ill or worse. We have never left him on his own so long. Two days was the most he has been left without someone coming in to see him.

 

Cases packed. I washed ironed and took the least clothes we could get away with as we only wanted to take a case between Hub and myself. Teen had his own and packed his own. I have taught him to do that since he was about fifteen as it’s a great lesson for a child. I had to pack my own case from the age of six. At boarding school we had to do this. It teaches responsibility I think and is a good memory test. My Son does it so well.

 

Oh believe me; getting all of the tickets passports and other documents together was scary. So, passports, hell, I have a bank book that looks exactly like a passport. Imagine if I took that instead of the passport? Insurance documents, to us bits of paper. We between us, typed out the directions we needed to follow in print for the kids and Hub did Braille for himself. Well, as for me? I’m as my Husband tells me illiterate. I don’t read Braille and can’t see print. So I’m kind of stuffed.

 

Now, was the printer working? Was there any ink on the paper? Who knows? Not us for sure. But the machine made that sound as though it was doing something worthwhile.

We kept everything in a folder. We already had been for foreign currency with our Son who kindly took Hub to collect it. Organisation is the main key and Hub is so used to this with his last job of traveling all over the world, I left that stress to him, though to hand over everything to do with paperwork and have no knowledge of this at all was to trust for sure.

 

I wore a rucksack. Oh how I hated that but I have to admit, it was so useful. It meant that I had my hands free. I linked onto one of the children, cane in other hand. If I were not to take the white cane, people wouldn’t know we were blind or I was blind and they most of them anyway, make a wider birth if they see me coming with my stick. I don’t use it as I should it’s just a sign. “Watch out big blind Mama heading your way.”

 

Well, we had to take a taxi at four in the morning. This was fine for me as normally I would not be a sleep by this time. Teen hadn’t even got to sleep. Hub had just over four hours.  It was a long taxi drive to the station as our local station wouldn’t get us to London in time.

 

Streight on the train. I was excited an yet apprehensive of what would be at the other end of today.

 

Our girls got on after a couple of hours. Hub was so happy to see them. He misses them so much but they stay with their Mum who made sure that they had everything for their journey.  

 

We got off the train in London and headed for the Euro tunnel. It would be my first time on that. It was a ten minute walk. So many people. So much noise. Hub had his case and a huge heavy rucksack on his back me with my sack looking rather butch. I don’t like that look. Teen had his case. The girls had their bags and Teen kindly took one of the suitcases like a real gent.

 

We had arrived at the Euro tunnel and time to show passports.

 

That moment when you go through the tunnel thing that checks if you are wearing any underwear?

 Oh no. I mean to see if you are carrying anything dodgy. You normally can’t go through with anyone so walk in a streight line? I haven’t been drinking sir, honestly.

Well, we passed with flying colours. All excited. Children were buzzing. Our youngest was so happy and it was great to see. Our eldest also laughing with the girls. We were all so happy. My eldest girl guided me the little one Hub and teen was the weight lifter with cases.

 

 Sounds so foreign and up and down steps and moving escalators. Rushing to catch our train to Paris. Well, our second of many trains to come.

 

It was different to get onto in comparison to our trains in the UK. Oh but the seats were so good. Best thing was the French transport. Oh I want to go back as I write this. I could jump with happiness. Anyway, we drank and ate and laughed. The only down side was the pain in my knees. My Husband is convinced that I have water retention. I was in agony. But two and a half hours later we were in gay Paree!

 

Off the train with our luggage. All children in counting. Oh that was so good and wait to see what was about to happen? Well on to the ticket office. We did research before we left; well I did to see where the ticket office or machine would be. We found one. It wasn’t working, so to the next one. Got our tickets for the dreaded French Metro.

 

A long walk how we found it where we needed to be? Well, with our brains and the kids’ eyes and knowledge as specially the little one, we did it. Oh it was hilarious. My big girl, not that she is, she is like a delicate flower, and I walked through passing by a person wanting our money. Haha. Hub and the little one passed, and then we looked back, oh who is entertaining the person? Our Son. Our girls shouted on their brother to tell him not to sign anything. Too late. Hheheheahah.

 Really, bless him. Well we saved him from being conned and on our way. Oh the tube in Paris is disgusting. My girl told me that there was urine everywhere. The smell was gross. People were unwashed too. Body odour was all around. And in the heat?

 

There were soldiers with guns. I was in fear for the safety of our kids but we all kept together. Well, until it came to getting on the awful smelly tube.

 

Teen and my flower got on with me. The little one we call fairy went on with her Daddy.

 

Or did she?

 

I knew it was two stops. Thank God I knew. We got off. You have to go up and down steps on the tube onto the platform. We got off. Where was Hub and Fairy?

 

Not on our tube. Oh my word? Where were they? Well as I went into panic mode, getting out my phone, our girl told me I wouldn’t get reception. We were underground. OK, I’m a country bumpkin, alright? Hehe.

 

Well, what to do? We waited and the next tube came. Was Hub and the Fairy on? The doors opened. Our daughter said they were there, well there is Hub who is the traveller and he missed the tube. Of course we had to cause maximum embarrassment by cheering and clapping as they got off the tube.

 

OK. Onto our next step. A train to catch for the longest time yet. A four and a half hour journey to the South of France. We managed to find the correct train. Always a scary thing to do. Hoping that it is the right one. Oh that was amazing. It was a double decker train. So our seats of course were up stairs. So onto the train, down steps along and up a curly staircase. The challenges of travelling blind. Which way would it curl? Follow the rail and then to find our seats. It was so luxurious. Everyone was so well behaved. So quiet. Not like our disrespectable travellers in the UK.

 

What was out of the window? Who knows? I know that my Son told me that we were passing country side bales of hay on mass farm land. How I wished we could have seen out of the windows. Not to see expressions on other passengers faces. But sight wasn’t needed to feel the joy in my heart. But the question was, would the house exist?

 

By now we were all a little tired but running on adrenalin. We guessed that it was our turn to get off. Nothing was in English. We went by the time we were due to arrive. Off the train we got and all our cases Teen got for everyone. Along the long platform down and up more steps I was shattered. I had done more exercise in that one day than I would at home in four months.

 

How unhealthy I was. A mess to be honest. But didn’t let it get to me. No one would know how unhealthy I was feeling at that point. My weight was a huge issue but only I would know about that. Though our girl asked if I was OK on more than one occasion. So perhaps I wasn’t such a good actress after all.

 

We waited for our taxi. I had found one before I left the UK. That took some finding too. Oh my word. Because there were five of us, we couldn’t risk just getting one off the rank, in fact, would there be a taxi rank? There was, but we didn’t know this until we arrived. So a mini bus pulled up. A man asked if we were for him we said yes and in the air conditioned taxi we all climbed into. The seats were leather and the bus was so clean. A really lovely guy driving couldn’t speak English, but between us all and I had emailed the owner Ann, and given her the address, so on our way, good news was that the driver didn’t ask us “What address?” In other words, it did exist. Now, would it be a warehouse? Or a holiday home and if the latter, would there be anyone in our house?

 

Well fifteen minutes later, we arrived. Teen said it didn’t have a gate. Well the house we booked had a gate. So we found one with a gate but not a code like the one we were told. Up the drive we went. One of the girls told us there was a car in the drive.

 Oh my God. No!

 

So the driver waited for us. We found another gate. This one had a code. We put the numbers in that we were told. It opened. Oh few. Said thank you to the lovely driver for waiting. The drive was long, with its stones we went. Teen put the code in the box next to the door, retrieved the key and our door opened. In we all went. What would the house look like? Well the agency we booked through, kindly arranged a plan of the house in word too. Even telling us how many steps to the front door. Five in total. There were mini trees at each side of the door. The entrance hall was huge. All the floors were tiled. The kids had a bedroom each but that didn’t make a difference as they all ended up sharing anyway. That was cute they all got on so well. Hub and I were delighted about that. It was the most natural thing. My Son really looked out for his little step sisters too and they loved him. It was a dream. A wonderful dream for hub and myself. To have all of our kids under one roof. To hear them laughing and to just be able to relax. The kitchen was great, the cooker was impossible for us to switch on as it was a touch one like we have at home, but the one at home you can feel a tiny mark where the buttons on the glass are, but on this one, nothing at all. We went down the two steps into the living room. Thankfully we were pre told of these. Or it could have been nasty. The living room was basic but clean and had comfortable sofas and UK TV. The kitchen had everything in and all such good quality. We wanted for nothing. Our bedroom was lovely, again nothing fancy, but so clean. This is the main thing for me. The house was a cottage for fishermen and it is cream with blue wooden French shutters on the outside of the windows.  Our eldest daughter had her own bathroom as did we. The children were so excited. Oh we went into the garden, the trees were lit up. The garden furniture was beautiful. There was a shed with everything in to entertain the kids. There was a full size table tennis under a shelter. The shed had bags or sacks of giant Jenga. There was a BBQ too. And then for the cream. A swimming pool. Oh wow. Our very own pool. There is nothing worse when you can’t see and you are in a public pool you are so afraid to bump into anyone. The water was cool but lovely. There was even an outdoor shower. It was rather private too the garden that is, not the shower…

 

The little fairy was squealing with joy. My heart jumped with joy and the air was full of joy. Yes. The hard work was worth it. Now, what to do on   holiday?

 

Well, we went along where our house was; now time to see if the agency we booked through told us the truth about the location? Was it a seven minute walk to everything in the little fishing village? Out of our gate we went. Along the little road by the side of the canal. Oh the weather was beautiful. Really, we have not had a summer in England this year. And the odd few nice days when we have not needed our heating on, to sit in our garden isn’t pleasant.

 

This air was fresh. The smells were stunning. The little cafes and other eateries along the way were so welcoming. But we found our treasure. A restaurant we went down some wooden steps onto a platform with the ocean beneath our table and enjoyed a delightful meal. Well the other four did. Me? Vegetarian? France don’t do vegetarian meals. But a Pizza was good enough, as especially with the olives and delicious French bread. With the wonderful musicians playing in the background and the waves lapping and the little birds and crickets singing and dancing in the night air. This was the start of our holiday.

 

The next day we took the kids horse riding. We used the same taxi company to go there. It was so inexpensive to go horse riding. I didn’t put the poor horse through such pain nor did Hub. We waited in the reception. Got eaten by horse flies and listened to English music on the radio. We were put at ease when we learned that our kids had riding hats on and the girls even wore protective jackets because they were under eighteen. Funny, so if you are eighteen or over, doesn’t matter if you break your bones? ….

 

I must say I have never been to such a clean riding school. As soon as there was a dreadful smell, it was cleaned up. There wasn’t even a horse smell and in that heat?  It could have been awful.

 

The children were taken through the forest for an hour. I wasn’t too worried as I knew they were all together. They got back happy and my Son couldn’t walk. It was rather funny.

 

We went back to our little village and enjoyed the pool. Then we went on a boat ride. It was OK. It was a sailing boat. That was for Hub. I must say I normally love boats, but this one had to be the most uncomfortable boat I have ever been on.  

 

Oh it was at first annoying then I had to just chill. There was an elderly lady who just kept coming up to me and taking my hands and moving me. What’s all that about? Okay, in my limited French, I understood that she was keeping me out of the sun as I’m so fair. But the ridiculous thing was, she was actually putting me in the sun more?  Then the boatman asked me if I needed any of his sun tan cream? I told him I had put lots on before I came on board. Well, funny thing my Son who is also blonde and fair didn’t get bothered. I was moved about six times and I did get cross as though they thought they were meaning well, would you go up to a sighted person take them by the hands and walk them to another seat? No. You wouldn’t.  Anyway I was polite. Our eldest daughter kept coming to see if we were OK bless her. The kids were at the back. Like all naughty children. Haha.

 

We got off the boat and on land thank God. I didn’t like it as too long too hard as in seats and the old lady drove me mad. I think bless her she was a sandwich short of a picnic. I really do, or a sausage short of a BBQ!

 

Then it was time for an ice cream. There was a choice of one hundred flavours. Teen and I went across the little lane opposite the shop and down onto some decking there were such comfortable sofas. They were made from cane and had thick cushions on them. There were little glass coffee tables with cane legs. It was so peaceful. The ice cream was delicious. I had banana and violet. Yummy. Hub had a coffee. I had a taste of it and it was gorgeous.

 

We heard all the boats going by the air was so pure and I was so happy.

 

Next morning, an early rise off to the bakery to buy French pastries for breakfast. Hub and our flower went to the early morning market. They brought back fresh fruits, French cheese vegetables and fish.

 

We took a taxi to an old part of France. The streets were of cobbled bricks and narrow alleys led us to the most horrendous shop I have ever been in I swear it belonged to a witch. I’m not kidding. Let me explain?

 

Out from the sun into the shop of fear. It went cold. There was an atmosphere. I passed a person at first I didn’t know if it was a man or woman. I’m still not totally convinced. It was meant to be an antique shop. Teen picked up a long poker like thing. He showed me it. As I felt the point at the end, I said to my Son, what on earth is this? The voice from the person replied in a very deep smoky slow voice.

“A goat dagger”

I could have been sick. I wanted to get out of there right then. My Son said there were some very unusual items in the shop. My Husband told me to come to him. I did, he showed me something.

“Fi, give me your hand. Feel this?”

Oh my word. It was awful. Rough like sand paper.

“What on earth is it?” I asked. Hub to my horror replied

“A snake skin” Oh No’o’o

 

There was a stags head too. Why? Why why?

I wanted out of there. The smell was dreadful. My Son and I left and Hub came out. He said that there was a cave down in the cellar.

 Say, wha’at?

 Teen and the girls went for a better look. We waited outside. Hub teased me as they had been away for some minutes. He told me it could be like the children’s story there may be an oven down there she might be cooking the kids. Oh where were they? What had they found?

 

Thank Goodness they came out but they stunk of the shop. They said there was a skeleton down there and loads more awful things. There was a window pane and an old door. Why? Just a door standing there against the wall. Weapons of torture too. Well I was just pleased to see them out of there. The kids told me that the witch was ancient about ninety, but it was her voice and the way she slowly said her words. Oh it still sends a shiver up my spine.

 

We went into another so called antique shop. Well that was crazy. The floor was dug up. I’m not joking. It was as though the builders had been in and not finished their work. Among the old china and so on were holes in the floor and smashed concrete flooring!  Got out of there fast and suddenly had respect for our antique shops in the UK.

 

We then went into a pottery shop. It was lovely. What a sweet guy. He showed Hub and the girls his work shop and told us he could make anything. We didn’t buy sadly. Then to an artist’s shop. The quietly spoken elderly gent painted our eldest daughter. Hub had tears in his eyes. The guitar from a street entertainer was playing beautiful music in the background as our pretty one was being painted on a book she purchased.

 

Then to a pancake café. We ate lunch took coffee and juice that you can only buy in France. It was delightful. The church bells rang and the buildings were apparently beautiful. Green and white with ornate balconies.

 

There was a little water feature and everyone was so peaceful. The girls and I went into a French perfume shop. Oh the smells were amazing. Sweet efflorescent wonders were all around us just what we needed after the witches cave.

 

And time to catch our bus back.

 

We did a BBQ our Flower cooked for us. Teen and the little fairy did the BBQ fresh fish was put on there and we had delicious Mediterranean

  Vegetables!

 

Night time was a game around the table of cards. And a good sleep was in order.

 

Market the next day again for evening dinner. I went to see the lovely goods that could be bought. So much choice. Olives with herbs. Oh the best garlic you could ever buy anywhere. French onions and so much more. Then we went to see what was around the street where we were living for those few days. We came across an old man selling wine Jams and honey. His yard was kitted out to look like a shed. His till was in the middle and wine cases were all around with pots of jam and honey. The flavours of jam were like nothing I have seen before. They were quite expensive whereas the wine was so cheap. And so good. I loved the bucolic backstreets full of offerings. Fragrant flowers formed pathways leading to the unknown. The little paths were so easy for blind people no undulating nonsense going on!

 

This night we went onto the harbour to soak up the atmosphere our Flower lay on the rocks to take photos of the stars. She loves photography. She has a great camera. She can do all sorts with it. She took a spooky picture of people passing the lighthouse but made it look as though they were transparent. How? Not sure special affects I guess. She lay on the ground to capitulate the silver stars and cloud formation. Wow. Just wow. Our Son showed huge interest in photography too. He has a skill     

  

We went back for a midnight swim under nature’s finest blanket of navy nights.

 

Last night walk along the sandy shore sad to be leaving this heavenly place Hub and I fell in love with. Our eldest daughter did us proud with her French. All three kids just made this a special time together. A part of our heart that can never be removed. Packing to go home. All of us packed our own things. Nothing was left so we all did OK Hub and I just keep everything as close together as possible not to lose anything. The long sad journey home, sad because back to work and normal life of not going out but, happy that our children have the love for each other and I was so proud to see them all get on so well. They have a future they are our future and my love and I have some sun in our souls.

 

So, Au revoir to France and Hello to England.