Long Weekend at Sea

Metaphorically and physically

The beginning of the week was a little rocky and there was disappointment as the US election results rolled in. All I can offer is take care of yourselves, build and love your community and try to keep doing good. Nobody gets to vote on that.

On Tuesday evening we went to see Grace at La Seine Musicale, an evening of dance choreographed to the music from Jeff Buckley’s sole album. The music took me straight back to high school and faced with moving art and music on a day of rather bleak news I quietly cried through the first act while my husband snoozed beside me. Oh to be a man in the world.

My Mum arrived from Australia to visit with a suitcase full of goodies from home which I quickly devoured. If you’ve never lived overseas you might think it’s odd to request food transported around the globe but if you have you’ll unquestioningly accommodate absolutely any request as knowers know. Our house bloomed with colour as I happily integrated new Antipodean homewares from Ken Done and Gorman and the children were rapt by their new Bluey dvds.

We spent a few days together exploring with some family friends in town who were staying over near Rue Montorgueil, a wonderful area full of special food and drink options such as Stohrer, Mariage Frères, Pralus, À la Mère de Famille, Cul de Cochon and Odette. There were long lunches and over snails at the famous L’escargot, steak frites, creme brûlée, wine and cheese we practised our French accents and swapped travel tips for future trips.

Because months ago we’d booked non-refundable tickets for something Friday evening Murphy’s Law kicked into full effect and our plans changed. It’s a long weekend in France (Armistice Day is a public holiday) so we made a last minute decision to head to Jersey to see family and spend some time by the sea.

On Friday afternoon we caught a train to St Malo on the coast where we spent the night, the empty streets of autumn a completely different experience to the packed crowds of summer. On Saturday we walked through the early morning fog to the ferry and boarded for the quick trip across to Jersey. A hidden gem of an island with gorgeous beaches, good food and stoic British character I love to visit and revel in speaking English for a few days, giving my brain a break from the subjunctive and passé simple tenses. Time on an island is good for the soul.

We headed to lunch at a friend’s house where the children were wowed by some rather large dinosaur sculptures in the garden and my little city slickers saw chickens for the first time, coming back with fresh eggs and sopping wet shoes. I also made time for a supermarket sweep at my beloved Waitrose and picked up essentials at Boots pharmacy, we dined at Pizza Express on the beach and the kids took a dip in the pool.

After a busy weekend we were all in bed early on Sunday evening, ready for whatever comes next.

Have a great week,

- Emily

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Cheese we’re eating this week:

• Yorkshire Wensleydale Cheese with Cranberry - a crumbly pasteurised cow's milk cheese speckled with sweetened cranberry pieces.

• Truffle Gouda - a medium matured, creamy cow’s milk cheese complemented with earthy black truffle.

• Somerset Brie - a mild and creamy brie made with British milk from the Lubborn Creamery.

All 3 cheeses were bought from Marks and Spencer and served with crackers, to the derision of my children.

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Real Life Jersey Photo

First 🎄 sighting of the season.

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What Women Want #4