Catherine

We finally moved this weekend and it feels like we have come home. John Le Carré said that 'home is where you go to when you run out of homes'. Perhaps that is our state at the moment. We will put in bifold doors between the kitchen and dining room to give more light. The irony is, these are called French doors and are difficult to find in France! The search is on. The cats have settled in with familiar furniture smells and a dinner has been cooked and wine served. A good friend is visiting on Wednesday to

A New York friend said when we first met, “I am not sure if I should invest in this friendship as you are going to leave one day.” The irony is that she moved to Miami! I write this as we have had several visitors these last few weeks and if nothing else from this bemusing year, we have learnt the importance of reaching out and connecting. There are friendships about past cocktails at Vespers laughing at life’s and our own idiosyncrasies. Some are based on the pure love of music giving space for the friendship to grow. Others

Now, before anyone thinks we have finally lost our minds and in our defence, initially we lived for over 25 years in just two houses  and then have usually spent at least three to five years in apartments to avoid paying someone else's rent. These last three years have been crazy and I would think the same as others must be thinking about us! So..the latest update is that we are going to move back upstairs and sell downstairs. What happened? A builder friend returned from being stuck in the UK and asked, why we didn't just take a

My mentor, Clear Englebert, has just published his latest book, Feng Shui for Real Estate. I am looking forward to reading it but am lucky to have his wisdom at hand. He has guided me through the different countries and places we have lived in. So I went back to his books to look at how best to sell our upstairs apartment. For once, we are being zen about selling- something that doesn't come naturally to me! We are not in the usual rush of selling to leave a country and enter another. We understand that our likely buyer

As Nat King Cole once sang, today was 'one of those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer'. Even a dip in the sea takes energy and we have retreated indoors to flop around. The cats are as low and flat as they can be, seeking a cool spot. Cold honeydew melon and pineapple has been eaten offering just a short, sweet spike in the day. Even a lovely ceramics market only highlighted thoughts of a heated kiln! Any thoughts of Feng Shui conversation is swept aside and I find myself on the sofa reading a wonderful book, The Personal

Get your Feng Shui moving! Having had several interesting conversations about Feng Shui over the last few weeks, I always mention that it isn't a miracle cure as we have some control over our thoughts and actions and Feng Shui often reflects those. However, if a sector in your life isn't working including love, health, career, money and friendships, look around your living space and see if it is achieving interior harmony for you. Sometimes it can just be a case of cleaning and decluttering an area, putting shoes and items away or minimising the decor. Any hiccups in

The skies are blue, the sea shimmers, the beaches beckon and we are in the days of suntan oil, salt and sand everywhere. Shops are full of gelato colours in hues of blue, pink, lemon and lime. There are sunshades in classic blue and white stripes or turquoise and all things marine seem to be on the shelves. The yachts and big boats are here and while I am horrified at the money attached, I would welcome an invitation as a guest! So before you go out and redecorate your living space in shells, anchors and fish, let's talk

Years ago, a young friend of 11 years asked, "so, what are your dreams?" I had to think about it then and I still think about it now as they shift shape around and through the years. Goals and expectations continue to change and often life's turns throw out surprises which override those desires. As we are working through a post-Covid summer, dreams have turned to friendships, good food and wine, chocolate and a pair of blue summer shorts with matching sandals on sale! But seriously, a good night's sleep is often undervalued and it is key for our