Feeling The Heat

 In our bit of Southern France we have managed to escape the wildfires. We have had sudden flare ups but they have been put out relatively quickly. The one over Bordeaux way is a different matter altogether. It has now produced it's own climate and advances towards the city from the coast. Bordeaux is probably my favourite city in France so I'm hoping the advance has been stopped as it is now as close to the city as Heathrow is to Central London.

Last year we holidayed at Arcachon on the coast and visited many of the towns the fire has threatened. We chose it because it gave us not just a coastal retreat but a 40 minute drive in to Bordeaux. It's taken more than 40 minutes to get to where it has got to, but it has covered 30 of the minutes so far. There are 2500 firemen involved, 1000 army personnel and 42,000 hectares have already been burnt, that 162square miles. If that was centred on Birmingham, it would have consumed West Bromwich, Halesowen, Solihull, Sutton Coldfield, plus all the areas of Birmingham.  On a map it doesn't look a large area against the whole of France but something that size in the UK would be a disaster.

Back to Blighty.

 We are heading back to Blighty this week for my Mum's 95th birthday party. 

But that is a precursor to us returning full time when the house sells here in France. Marj wants to be with her girls and granddaughter, and based on this always being Marj's adventure, if she wants to return, we return. And she owns the house so I have to go with her, even though I think I'd have stayed a few years more.

We'll be heading to Wokingham area to live but whether that ends up being later this year or in a few years time depends on the housing market here. But if anyone wants a six bedroom house with swimming pool, another building the same size to convert to a house, and a big garden, for just 300k€ near Carcassonne, I'm your man!