Welcome to Charity Cottage
There was once a French boy who spent his summer holidays in an old cottage in the Morvan region of Burgundy. After a lifetime driving a Paris dustcart, he and his wife bought the cottage and built their dream home
Columnists
Tattoos and Abba
Tattoos and Abba – not two words you’d normally would – or should – hear together but they pretty much sum up my Swedish summer, which came to a screeching halt in mid-August when everyone returned from holiday and the
The Canadian Way
The day dawned. The pressure was on. People were making demands, asking questions – difficult questions – and the answers lay just beyond my reach. The opportunity was there for the taking, a classic Carpe Diem moment.
The idea percolated
American Expats And The Big Tax Betrayal
A few hundred years ago some British expats who were mostly settling in a new land (some still travelling back and forth for business, with homes in both places) started to grow increasingly frustrated by taxes levied by the Parliament
Forgetting My English
I suppose it’s inevitable that when you go years without speaking your native language, you start to forget a few words. Apparently it’s called language attrition and is a well-known phenomenon, particularly if you avoid speaking your native language while
Tales From A Spanish Village: Two Old Fools And Jellyfish
With all my thoughts and energies channelled into the launch of Two Old Fools in Spain Again, I haven’t taken much time off this summer. However the book is out now and, with the temperatures still soaring, Joe and I
A Month In The Life Of An English Writer In Tuscany – July Reflections
The continuing adventures of June Finnigan, her Man, and Farty Barty the cat.
Benvenuto to all my Loyal and New Followers
As you know, we ended June with a fantastic Rock Concert Garden Party. It was a brilliant evening, the
South Africa Diaries: Part 2 – Unexpected Welcome In Transkei [Nov 1990]
The real worth of Castle lager
I didn’t realise the significance of the case of lager we were carrying nor did I know its real worth until we hit a ‘road block’ after crossing the Natal border with Transkei. The
Does This mean I Can’t Call Myself An Expat Any More?
One month ago, my husband and I were dealing with a drinking water crisis in Las Tablas, Panama.
We had chosen to move to Panama in part because we’d have access to potable water. So when we learned the drinking
The Whales At Bientang’s Cave, Hermanus
“Good luck seeing any whales in November. You know whale season is basically over by then, right?” An acquaintance at a Pretoria coffee shop was quick to douse my excitement when talking about our upcoming trip to Cape Town.
It