Changes with our third summer

We are now on our third summer ............... and we get more reclusive by the day :-)

Yesterday was market day in the local town. We were a bit later than usual and it was noticeable how many more large pale tourists there were about. We met the Nice American who flew in for the summer last week and spotted a couple of others that we had met through her.

It felt very much like an office party where you aren't the people that matter. Everyone we spoke to was looking over your shoulder to see who else was there. I hadn't felt like that for a long time. The sort of party where, as a stay-at-home wife, the person you're talking to switches off and starts scanning the room when they learn that you have nothing that they want.

On the other hand, the strawberry lady - that we have been to pretty much every week for three summers - was delightful. And the vegetable lady that we had given up going to because she never ever acknowledged that she had ever met us before is, for her, greeting us like long lost buddies. The husband of my old french teacher greeted me in passing as he did other local people. Maybe we are getting somewhere at last!

We went out to a restaurant last night with some other summer visitors and that too showed changes. We never now go out to a restaurant in the evening, certainly not to one that is a half hour drive away and costs 80 euro for two. We are much happier in the sort of restaurant that costs 12 euros for 5 courses with wine and coffee and is full of french workmen and french families having a treat. The restaurant we went to was in a fabulous setting in the middle of a pristine village (of second homes) and we sat outside on a wonderful balmy evening. The other people were English or we spotted a wealthy Parisian from our town. The food was beautifully presented with lots of white linen and polished glass and cutlery. We had a lovely time and the company was great but......................

We no longer want to eat duck and foie gras, we don't spend our time here visiting the range of good restaurants in the area, aren't fussed about where to buy the 'best' duck breasts or sausage, thought that spending 28 euros on a cake from the special shop was a ridiculous price.

We are happily settling into a very, very quiet life with lots of gardening and pottering - or hard graft building by Him Outdoors. And still loving it.