So how is it all going?

Life cannot be too bad when this is my office canteen!

This seems to be the constant question by family and friends, and after nearly a month I can say VERY well thank you.

The irratations are we still have NO broadband and living on mobile internet is just no fun anymore. The frustrations continue to be, my lack of French and having to pour over dictionaries every day to translate homework and notices. I can just about hold my own in cafes and markets but when it comes to the school governing body notices, it all becomes a bit much.

However I am so please to report the JOYS outweigh any negatives. We have all been overwhelmed by the French welcome and in particular our French Granny Gigi. One of her kindnesses was to arrive on a day when I thought I must attack the stack of school forms, and like the angel she is, she took over. She then marked all the important people that I need to contact in the telephone book including an English speaking GP. Life saviour, or what?

Its not just the wonderful Gigi who has helped us settle quickly both schools have been great and the kids have settled into the routine of school life. The days are long beginning at 8.45 and finishing at 5. Currently they are staying for lunch as its better for their French than coming home and speaking English with Mum and Dad. Our son has found his feet quickly on the sports field and is playing tennis and rugby this term. 'Notre fille' is finding it a bit tougher getting to grips with secondary school and all the lessons in quick and complex French but we are proud of her incredible effort to make it work and her determination to get it right.

Both of them have made friends quickly and fortunately with the neighbour's children. They are constantly in and out of each others houses; for that sacred play hour after school and before dinner. The Mum is also our daughter's form and Spanish teacher which is obviously very useful. Better still they are a lovely family and have enjoyed our hospitality (never been so nervous cooking a Sunday lunch) and have made us feel very welcome and given us lots of useful insight and background to village life.

We have been amazed by the willingness of people to help us in communication, many are really happy to speak to us in English and those that cannot, help us with slow French. It doesn't help that there is such a mixture of Catalan, both French and Spanish and the pronunciation is just a little different but each day we learn a little more and it becomes a little easier, however the dictionary is never far away. Hubby was recently complemented by the mayor on his French, so one of us is getting there.

As to our daily lives, each day is an adventure. I love waking up to our mountain view which seems different daily with the differing light. There is so much to explore and discover we haven't even touched the surface yet. The expat community is strong and that's great but we are making our own way slowly. However it is very useful to find English speaking repair men. My laptop recently seized and we found an English man in the hills to fix it. It was an adventure in itself as hubby and I set off to place we hadn't been to before and made a day's outing of a chore.

The harvest is in full swing which is exciting and it looks good for a quality year but not abundant due to the weather been all over the place. We are making a nuisance of ourselves at Domaine Grier and learning at lot. It all does feel a little surreal but I suppose that is what happens, when you are living your dream. Does it feel like home yet? Not quite but we are getting there, each day as I say is an adventure. I think the ladies in Carrefour no longer think I am a tourist as they asked me for my loyalty card the other day. The mayor has asked us to be his special guests on the 11th November for the town ceremony, so we are making our mark slowly .

The best bit is we are a family happy together in the sun doing what we all love, the outdoor living is great, the kids are busy and active. We can choose sea or mountains to play in and the food, well that is a whole blog on its own. So far so good, merci beaucoup!