In the deep dark night I wake myself up by bashing myself full in the face and stare at the angry red letters of the alarm clock startled to see that it is apparently £2.99 in the morning. The world has gone mad again. Too many blankets tangled around my legs and the sighs of a dog sleeping at the end of my bed, punctuation to my worries. What on earth are we going to do? (sigh). How in the name of all that is rosy am I going to carry on paying for the bills and council tax on not one, but two houses if the sale on my little cottage does not hurry up and complete? (sigh). Why is there never any escape from money worries? (sigh). Ste has lost his job. And in the limbo period between two houses we are churning up the creek without a proverbial paddle. Though reason tells me I should be frightened out of my wits, I am not. Money isn’t real. I understand that and I have been self-sufficient long enough to know that I have survived worse. Much worse. But oh what a plain old bummer life is at times. At each and every turn it feels like two steps forward and three steps back and the timing could not be worse. Luckily in the face of crisis I am nothing if not stoic. And so I am doing what I do best. Filling the fridge with meals fashioned frugally from what we have. Mopping the kitchen floor in lavender and lime to lift my spirits. Planting copious pots full of salad. The garden already brimming with rocket, and lettuce. Making Finley howl with the kind of dubious laughter inspired by both mirth and tweenage embarrasment. Reminding him that we are quite safe even when I don’t feel it myself. Selling our old life on Ebay. Working late in to the night on BrocanteHome. Running in and out of the house to see whether the noise in the chimney means the wood pigeons that live on top of it have actually fallen in. Scrawling plans for our survival on a whiteboard and jigging the budget around YNAB over and over again until it makes sense. This then is an opportunity to cut away the froth decorating our lives. All the nonsense we have carted from that house to this. It is a chance to concentrate our combined efforts on cutting corners. Establishing what really matters. Doing car boot sales (oh how I HATE doing car boot sales). Cajoling solicitors and estate agents to get a move on. Teaching Ste to mediate so his brain doesn’t burst with worry. Onwards and upwards. It is already £10.99 in the morning and I have got a to-list as long as my arm. Time then to show the universe, yet again, exactly what I’m made of. And that m’dears is steel.
Create your own Brocante Life Book, plan Christmas, set up routines and rituals or live life the BrocanteHome way with my guided workbooks and planners.
Prepare to be bored. Yet again I find myself obliged to jump into the whole "Should I Be A Stay At Home Mommy, Or Not" debate. Finley has a temperature and a yukky snotty nose, so this morning I decided not to…
Today is washday. My Mother hooks the old tub to faucets over the slate sink, wrestles cotton sheets through wringers, hangs them outside on the sagging clothesline. Tuesdays she irons, setting up the heavy board with its scorched pad dampening our blouses…
I have a confession to make: I have NEVER cooked dinner on Christmas Day. Mine is a charmed life: living only a hop, skip and a jump away from my parents house, turkey and all the trimmings has ALWAYS been served by…
I wan’t going to join in this argument. I read The Retro Wife and then I read the resulting bloggy furore and I thought well yes, that’s how it is now: we align ourselves to one mythical cultural group and those who…
“This home is dedicated to good will. It grew out of love. The two heads of household were called together by a power higher than they. To it’s decree they are obedient. Every tone of voice, every thought of being is subdued…
The Three Daughters of M. Dupont. When Monsieur Dupont was a Frenchman, he had three daughters , and their names were Anne-Marie, Therese, and La p’tite Georgette. But when he became an American for a change, he called himself Mr. Dewpond, and…
Sometimes you just have to wonder why life throws us these curve balls. However you can and you will get through this in your own inimitable and lavender scented way. Best of luck xx
Lots of love and hugs; I’m sorry things are so difficult at the moment. They will pass, they always do. My family and I have also been there done that and worn the t-shirt, so to speak. I made bread, yep bread kept me sane (well, relatively). So do what you have to do; have a cuppa and a hug with a friend. It will be ok. x P.S. I hate car boot sales too, so I’m sending you extra love for just getting on and doing them. x
My husband recently lost his job, right after moving into our house, so we’d depleted our savings on fees, deposits, and new furniture. It’s been tough, but amazing how quickly you learn to live on less. Sending you empathy and love xxx
{"id":null,"mode":"form","open_style":"in_place","currency_code":"USD","currency_symbol":"$","currency_type":"decimal","blank_flag_url":"https:\/\/brocantehome.net\/wp-content\/plugins\/tip-jar-wp\/\/assets\/images\/flags\/blank.gif","flag_sprite_url":"https:\/\/brocantehome.net\/wp-content\/plugins\/tip-jar-wp\/\/assets\/images\/flags\/flags.png","default_amount":300,"top_media_type":"featured_image","featured_image_url":"http:\/\/brocantehome.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/tipjar-2.png","featured_embed":"","header_media":null,"file_download_attachment_data":null,"recurring_options_enabled":true,"recurring_options":{"never":{"selected":true,"after_output":"One time only"},"weekly":{"selected":false,"after_output":"Every week"},"monthly":{"selected":false,"after_output":"Every month"},"yearly":{"selected":false,"after_output":"Every year"}},"strings":{"current_user_email":"","current_user_name":"","link_text":"Leave a tip","complete_payment_button_error_text":"Check info and try again","payment_verb":"Pay","payment_request_label":"BrocanteHome","form_has_an_error":"Please check and fix the errors above","general_server_error":"Something isn't working right at the moment. Please try again.","form_title":"BrocanteHome","form_subtitle":"Help Me to Keep BrocanteHome Online","currency_search_text":"Country or Currency here","other_payment_option":"Other payment option","manage_payments_button_text":"Manage your payments","thank_you_message":"Thank you so much: helping me keep Brocantehome online really means the world to me.","payment_confirmation_title":"BrocanteHome","receipt_title":"Your Receipt","print_receipt":"Print Receipt","email_receipt":"Email Receipt","email_receipt_sending":"Sending receipt...","email_receipt_success":"Email receipt successfully sent","email_receipt_failed":"Email receipt failed to send. Please try again.","receipt_payee":"Paid to","receipt_statement_descriptor":"This will show up on your statement as","receipt_date":"Date","receipt_transaction_id":"Transaction ID","receipt_transaction_amount":"Amount","refund_payer":"Refund from","login":"Log in to manage your payments","manage_payments":"Manage Payments","transactions_title":"Your Transactions","transaction_title":"Transaction Receipt","transaction_period":"Plan Period","arrangements_title":"Your Plans","arrangement_title":"Manage Plan","arrangement_details":"Plan Details","arrangement_id_title":"Plan ID","arrangement_payment_method_title":"Payment Method","arrangement_amount_title":"Plan Amount","arrangement_renewal_title":"Next renewal date","arrangement_action_cancel":"Cancel Plan","arrangement_action_cant_cancel":"Cancelling is currently not available.","arrangement_action_cancel_double":"Are you sure you'd like to cancel?","arrangement_cancelling":"Cancelling Plan...","arrangement_cancelled":"Plan Cancelled","arrangement_failed_to_cancel":"Failed to cancel plan","back_to_plans":"\u2190 Back to Plans","update_payment_method_verb":"Update","sca_auth_description":"Your have a pending renewal payment which requires authorization.","sca_auth_verb":"Authorize renewal payment","sca_authing_verb":"Authorizing payment","sca_authed_verb":"Payment successfully authorized!","sca_auth_failed":"Unable to authorize! Please try again.","login_button_text":"Log in","login_form_has_an_error":"Please check and fix the errors above","uppercase_search":"Search","lowercase_search":"search","uppercase_page":"Page","lowercase_page":"page","uppercase_items":"Items","lowercase_items":"items","uppercase_per":"Per","lowercase_per":"per","uppercase_of":"Of","lowercase_of":"of","back":"Back to plans","zip_code_placeholder":"Zip\/Postal Code","download_file_button_text":"Download File","input_field_instructions":{"tip_amount":{"placeholder_text":"How much would you like to tip?","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"How much would you like to tip? Choose any currency."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"How much would you like to tip? Choose any currency."},"invalid_curency":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Please choose a valid currency."}},"recurring":{"placeholder_text":"Recurring","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"How often would you like to give this?"},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"How often would you like to give this?"},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"How often would you like to give this?"}},"name":{"placeholder_text":"Name on Credit Card","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter the name on your card."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Enter the name on your card."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Please enter the name on your card."}},"privacy_policy":{"terms_title":"Terms and conditions","terms_body":null,"terms_show_text":"View Terms","terms_hide_text":"Hide Terms","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"I agree to the terms."},"unchecked":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Please agree to the terms."},"checked":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"I agree to the terms."}},"email":{"placeholder_text":"Your email address","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your email address"},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Enter your email address"},"blank":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your email address"},"not_an_email_address":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Make sure you have entered a valid email address"}},"note_with_tip":{"placeholder_text":"Your note here...","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Attach a note to your tip (optional)"},"empty":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Attach a note to your tip (optional)"},"not_empty_initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Attach a note to your tip (optional)"},"saving":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Saving note..."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Note successfully saved!"},"error":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Unable to save note note at this time. Please try again."}},"email_for_login_code":{"placeholder_text":"Your email address","initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."},"blank":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your email to log in."}},"login_code":{"initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."},"success":{"instruction_type":"success","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."},"blank":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Check your email and enter the login code."}},"stripe_all_in_one":{"initial":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your credit card details here."},"empty":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Enter your credit card details here."},"success":{"instruction_type":"normal","instruction_message":"Enter your credit card details here."},"invalid_number":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card number is not a valid credit card number."},"invalid_expiry_month":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration month is invalid."},"invalid_expiry_year":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration year is invalid."},"invalid_cvc":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's security code is invalid."},"incorrect_number":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card number is incorrect."},"incomplete_number":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card number is incomplete."},"incomplete_cvc":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's security code is incomplete."},"incomplete_expiry":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration date is incomplete."},"incomplete_zip":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's zip code is incomplete."},"expired_card":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card has expired."},"incorrect_cvc":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's security code is incorrect."},"incorrect_zip":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's zip code failed validation."},"invalid_expiry_year_past":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card's expiration year is in the past"},"card_declined":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The card was declined."},"missing":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"There is no card on a customer that is being charged."},"processing_error":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"An error occurred while processing the card."},"invalid_request_error":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"Unable to process this payment, please try again or use alternative method."},"invalid_sofort_country":{"instruction_type":"error","instruction_message":"The billing country is not accepted by SOFORT. Please try another country."}}}},"fetched_oembed_html":false}
Sending much love x
Sometimes you just have to wonder why life throws us these curve balls. However you can and you will get through this in your own inimitable and lavender scented way. Best of luck xx
That’s a tough one. I’m sorry. Totally been there.
Lots of love and hugs; I’m sorry things are so difficult at the moment. They will pass, they always do. My family and I have also been there done that and worn the t-shirt, so to speak. I made bread, yep bread kept me sane (well, relatively). So do what you have to do; have a cuppa and a hug with a friend. It will be ok. x
P.S. I hate car boot sales too, so I’m sending you extra love for just getting on and doing them. x
Darling Alison, go on onwards & upwards. Everything is coming up roses. And that’s a promise from Greece ~
THey say that what doesn’t kill you makes your stronger. You are one STRONG woman!
My husband recently lost his job, right after moving into our house, so we’d depleted our savings on fees, deposits, and new furniture. It’s been tough, but amazing how quickly you learn to live on less. Sending you empathy and love xxx