Brainstorming a new life ...
We have been talking about a possible move again nonstop. It’s funny (perhaps ‘scary’ is a better word choice) to see how quickly one can cast aside dreams and continue to go through the motions, knowing damn well that ‘life is too short’ is not a cliché but a hard reality. In 48 hours, we’ll pack up the car and return to the Netherlands (a fine country and one which I have called home for nearly 26 years), but my heart is firmly anchored in France.
When we started this adventure, one of the first things I did was look for someone who could guide us through the whole process: finances, buying, selling, pensions, getting settled, etc. Unfortunately, the person we hired last year turned out to be a waste of time and money. In fact, if she would’ve advised us correctly, it could have saved us a stressful house-hunting trip in February of 2022. We spent four days looking at more than ten houses, and it led to nothing but aggravation. So, I am hoping to find someone who knows their shizzle because we desperately need good advice. If you have any recommendations, please let me know. I would be eternally grateful.
We are also brainstorming ideas for our business here. As I previously mentioned, I would love to give cooking lessons again in my kitchen. I did that years ago before the focus of most of my work turned to print, and it was so rewarding. I loved making people enthusiastic about the joys of cooking a beautiful meal and sharing it all with a good glass of wine. In a sense, we did more than cook. For many of them, these one-on-one sessions were therapeutic. It was a moment to truly savor life. A couple of hours to learn something new and shut out the rest of the world.
Some of these cooking lessons were preceded by a market walk through the Noordermarkt in Amsterdam, but every week I also offered culinary tours through the city. I would take a small group (usually expats and tourists) to some of my favorite shops to learn more about food and wine, sharing delicious tips and recipes along the way and indulging in plenty of tastings. I know for sure I will be doing this in France. My plan is to use the autumn and winter to get the ball rolling, see what the area has to offer and meet with shop owners, producers and wine growers (something which wasn’t really an option in the Netherlands, not because we don’t have wine, but because distance was an issue). I might even offer food and wine weekends, complete with a stay at a beautiful place. Hopefully, after preparations in the colder months, I would be able to start in spring. I am wondering what you think about this and would love to hear your input. Maybe you’d even be keen on joining me?
It’s nearly 9 AM, and I am typing these words by the window that opens onto a quiet shopping street, a stone’s throw from the beautiful square where we had dinner last night.
There are still two days to drink in every ounce of my beloved France’s energy. And there’s a whole lot of work to do when we wave my heart’s home goodbye …