It is odd that we have never been here for January before, last year we stayed and shivered in Waterford while we sorted out last pieces of the Great Move.

The principal difference, and one that we certainly did not expect , is that despite the coolness of the nights the days are mild and sunny- hot really, midday usually up to 20 C.

Last Sunday we drove down through France, took dinner and overnighted in the (excellent and so very reasonable) Hotel Pyramide in Romarantin Lenthenay in the Sologne.
We left at 9 am, having removed a thick layer of frost from the car, in temperatures of -5 C.
7 hours and 600 southing kilometres later we drove into a sunny Thezan and 12 C, and that was the coldest day here this week.

That this is exceptional we realise from the little crows of delight with which the villagers greet us when out walking, exceptional maybe but after the marrow chilling weather in Dublin, really welcome.

Not only was Dublin chilly but, because we determined to see as many friends and family as we could, it was truly exhausting, therefore we have done what has we have found has become a habit of our new life, and behaved like slugs for the last week and had a holiday after our “holiday”.

(A small aside here , during the years I had the restaurant we used to head off to France for a fortnight each summer , each year I used to feel a unique spurt of pure joy and excitement when we hit the road to the ferry and the holidays were finally underway.
Last sunday en route for Rosselare this wonderful feeling- my holiday high- hit me again , the interesting thing is that we were, at this moment returning from holidays .)

The other most exciting moment so far this week is that I have finally managed to persuade the powers that be that I can no longer live without a proper Ice-Cream machine so Thursday, in Darty in Beziers, we bought (at enormous expense – I am too embarrassed to tell you -.look it up yourselves ) a Magimix Turbine a Glace– a machine which has its own freezer- and is a thing of beauty and a joy forever.

Watch this space for an orgy of Ice- Cream and Sorbet making.