Janine Marsh

“don’t waste time on things that don’t matter, try not to spend too much time on things you don’t enjoy and remember that today is the most important day of your life, for yesterday is over and tomorrow is yet to come. The most important thing in life is love. It is a wonderful thing to be loved – and better still to love. You are all so dear to me, my family, my friends.”
― Janine Marsh, Toujours la France!: Living the Dream in Rural France

“now and, smiling, stuck his hand over the top to shake mine. ‘Can I help you?’ he said, in an English accent. Here in the middle of nowhere, France. At that precise moment the rain stopped, just like that. A beam from the setting sun broke through the dull heavy clouds; I felt bathed in a ray of glowing sunlight. At the bottom of the mucky hill, ducks in someone’s garden started quacking, the joyous clamour echoing around the valley like laughter. Somewhere close by I heard a sheep baa gently –it was like a welcome. The rhythmic, melodious and soothing sound of distant church bells pealed. It sounded like fate. ‘Hello,’ I said. ‘We’ve been given these house details by an estate agent in Hesdin and we just thought we’d have a drive by and a quick peek.’ ‘Blimey, we only put it on the market yesterday,’ spluttered the man. ‘It’s not been dressed up or anything. In fact, my daughter who lives here hasn’t even cleaned it and I’ve just popped in to mop up the leaks and make sure the wind hasn’t blown the doors off.’ I heard my dad sniggering behind me.”
― Janine Marsh, My Good Life in France: In Pursuit of the Rural Dream