Catherine

As we wait to sell our apartment, it has become a lesson in patience and a sense of time going by slowly. Time is an interesting concept when sorting out old clothes, photos and other souvenirs as poignant moments are recalled of a bygone epoch in your own life.  Currently, we are entering in to the 21st year of having left our homeland and it feels like a century ago. The summer is ending and it feels like it has been ongoing for months. Our local friends seemed to have been part of our lives for years and yet

Others spend their money on designer clothes, handbags and watches and go for it if that is what is desired. You will find me hunting for treasures in flea markets, antique stalls and goodwill shops. There is always the hope of finding something that catches your eye and says, you must have me. We have a Selangor pewter sugar bowl and cream jug given as a present decades ago. By chance, the same style teapot was up for sale for only 20 euros and after contacting the seller to alert them to the design, we happily bought it and

This is a very practical post and people often forget that Feng Shui practice is not just about interior design but is also about common sense. Steps or stairs are often at the entrance to your house or apartment and they say a lot for a first impression and also about how you feel entering a home. This is where your personal Chi energy comes in to play. As you go up the stairs, do you feel there is enough space, are the steps cracked or broken, are they too high to step up on to? This initial feeling

“It’s a sure sign of summer if the chair gets up when you do” – Walter Winchell. It is mid-August and the sun is frying, the sea is warm and even the seagulls are quiet. We get up early to swim in the morning heat and before the tourists arrive to put themselves on dial 6 to slow bake. There is a group of regulars and we bob our heads to each other in recognition. We say hello to the ancient, leathered-skin French ladies in bikinis, the Italian family that brings a suitcase of towels, food, umbrellas to set

"My mother warned me to avoid things coloured red", said Claes Oldenburg, Swedish-born American pop sculptor. I am with his mother. It is a powerful primary colour that can't be missed. Traditional Feng Shui practice loves this colour as it is represents money, transformation and good luck. An ancient colour worn for celebrations, it is on many country flags and emblems, and is all about fire and passion. It is not a cool or restful colour and is guaranteed to active and add energy. Personally, I can't wear bright red for long but I love a cherry pink coat

Having a summer cold isn't great and a cup of tea in the afternoon soothes the throat. George Gissing said “The mere chink of cups and saucers tunes the mind to happy repose.” It does have a sense of ritual, a black Ceylon tea from the hills, in a lovely cup, can slow down the moment. How often have we seen a moment of crisis where the solution is supposed to be a cup of tea. Unfortunately, it is not but worth trying. And then Eleanor Roosevelt said, "A woman is like a tea bag: you never know how

It is life covers so many situations. At the moment we happily say this swimming in the Mediterranean aqua sea with the sun and sand at our doorstop. Other times, when another crazy person visits our apartment wanting a 19th century Parisian style building but with a 21st century car park, we say the same. Other friends are struggling with finances, some have work doubling up due to re-organisational schpeak, divorces are happening at the same time, others are changing their lives to something more positive, and we continue to have our face to the future whilst being in

We have celebrated local events and days in every country. Thaipasam in Malaysia, 4th July in New York and Bastille day in France. It is a lesson in history and culture and adds to our knowledge and experience. Five French friends are coming for dinner. One will bring his own homemade bread and canapés, another will bring his own gateau and we will provide smoke duck salad and four varieties of cheeses - a French passion! Happy whatever and wherever you are.