Over to France

Bonjour and thank you for stopping by. My name is Renie and this is the story of my first trip (avec mon mari) to France. We flew into Paris and then journeyed south-eastward by car, through so many beautiful villages, to arrive in Nice. It was four weeks of amazingness. We were totally smitten and our lives have been forever changed! If you would like to have a peek at what we experienced, then please read on….. And if you would like to venture further with us, as we work out our future Over to France adventures, then please read on a bit further still…

  • Little Boy Big Resilience

    Little Boy Big Resilience

    Not so long ago I was told a story that really intrigued me.    In 1940, at the age of twelve, a young lad from India was put on a boat by his father and sent to New Zealand to find a better life.  A huge sacrifice for a man who simply wanted to give his

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  • My Big Pumpkin

    My Big Pumpkin

    Today Google asked me if I would like to make a slideshow of recent photos from my phone to share with others.  It displayed a selection of shots, of which only one was actually mine.  The rest were photos that friends and family had sent me – extraordinary European scenery and architecture, bundled up skiers

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  • Café Life

    Café Life

    “Has Cleo been in yet?”, asked Early Morning Customer Mary, cheerful as always in her red béret.   “Not yet”, came the answer from behind the café till.   “Good.  Well, when she does come in, would you mind passing this envelope on to her for me?  And I’d like to pay for one of those violets

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  • France Tugs at My Heart

    France Tugs at My Heart

    As I switched over our calendar date block this morning I realised with a start that we are ploughing through the month of May.  I can almost see June peeking out at me from around the corner.  The end of June will mean that we’re halfway through the year and then, golly gosh, Christmas will

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  • Abel Tasman, National Park

    Abel Tasman, National Park

    This time a fortnight ago we were frantically packing for a trip to the South Island.  My sister has a significant birthday coming up and she was choosing to celebrate it by hiking the coastal track in the Abel Tasman National Park with her husband and two daughters.  She invited Clive and I to join

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  • No Complaints

    No Complaints

    A week or so ago a close friend was chatting to me about her attempt to go for an entire day without complaining about anything.  She had been inspired by something she had read in relation to gratitude.  My dear friend succeeded on her first attempt.  She admitted that at one stage in the day

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