Updates...
September 2026
Where on earth did September go?? It has been a whirlwind and I can't believe another month has flown by already!
My eye is still gradually healing, so I've spent most of the month trying to catch up on work. But, instead of watching the news or a film at the end of the day, I've been working my way through a long list of podcasts that friends have recommended, so I can rest my eyes a little after a day in front of the computer.
Many of you may have noticed AI featuring heavily in the news at the moment, and I was really impressed by Pope Leo's message about the dangers it can pose. He's been on a 3-day visit to France, and it's one of the things he seems to talk about quite passionately. As someone whose work is now being heavily impacted by the widespread use of AI in writing, copywriting and journalism, I find the debates on this subject fascinating.
My friend recommended a YouTube interview on 'The Diary of a CEO' channel and I've listened to it a couple of times already, as it's really interesting, so check it out if this sort of thing appeals to you. It's an interview with Ed Zitron and the title is: The Man Who Calls BS on AI. Enjoy!
In other news, I have been adopted by a feral cat that just appeared on my doorstep. I literally opened my front door one morning and she was sat on the doormat, and that has been her routine ever since, bless her. Animals just seem to know who will look after them, right?? I swear they have better intuition than the majority of humans 😂 I am desperately trying to get a local association or refuge to take her, but nobody seems to want to help as they are already overrun with feral cats and kittens.
I couldn't come up with a name for her at first, but one evening I was chatting to my friend on the phone about the best novels and plays we'd studied way back in high school for our English and French A-levels (yes, one of those totally random conversations 😂), and I couldn't decide between L'Avare by Molière and The Crucible by Arthur Miller. We both cracked up laughing at the same time as we came up with her name thanks to that discussion... Salem!
So, now I need to work even more hours to try and get Salem to the vet and get her checked out and treated, which will no doubt cost a fortune with the crazy vet prices here. But first, there's the long and patient road to getting her to trust me enough to stroke her and get her in a cage (preferably without her clawing my eyes out 😂)... photos to follow!
Even though it's now officially autumn and I should already be on my Hallowe'en and Christmas countdowns, the sun is still shining and the temperatures are still incredibly mild here. So for all of you with cooler weather, enjoy the pumpkin decorations and have a great start to October everyone.
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August 2026
Well, as predicted, I am just as useless at keeping this page updated as I was with my blog 😂 Sorry. I definitely need more hours in the day! To be fair, I have been in the wars recently, so I have a good excuse...
Some of you may know that my house was on the market in order to finalise my divorce. Unfortunately, the sale fell through earlier in the summer, so my plan B is to spend the winter working on renovations, then put it back on the market early next year. However, the universe seems to have other ideas. Removing polystyrene ceiling tiles and plastering should have been straightforward, right? Apparently not. I managed to fall off a ladder, slice through a finger and then get plaster in my eye causing two burst blood vessels 🙄I've still not got my vision back fully, so I'm only on the computer a couple of hours a day at the moment... not ideal when my work involves long days at the keyboard!
So please bear with me and I'll be back with more of an update soon. Meanwhile, a huge thanks to all of you who generously donated to the wildfire funds here in France - your kindness is amazing, thank you.
And for those of you who sent messages asking for the locations in my photos above, here is the list (hopefully in order): Boeing Museum (Seattle) - Alcatraz (San Francisco) - Liberty Bell (Philadelphia) - New York - Cairo - Cape Town - Osaka - Bermuda - Harare - Venice - then lots from Canada and France. I still have lots of other cities/countries to add when I have more spare time - it's on the long list of things to do!
I'm going to sign off here and rest my eyes a little, so enjoy the last few weeks of summer sunshine and be careful if you're doing any DIY 😂
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July 2026
Given that I'm fairly useless at keeping a blog updated, I'm hoping this page will be easier to manage! Please check back in regularly for the latest news from rural France.
With most of my writing now passing through aviation and copywriting agencies, it's becoming more and more difficult to show my recent work, especially when I've signed confidentiality agreements. But when I can, I'll discuss it here...
On the home page, I've added a gallery of some of my published magazine articles, saving the gallery on this page for photos from my travels. Next stop is Toulouse, once the weather cools a little, as I've got an upcoming article to write on the amazing Aeroscopia. The lovely ladies at the Médiathèque in Confolens have reserved a book on the museum for me, so I'll be picking that up next week to start planning my trip. Super excited!
Keep an eye out for my new series of articles starting in French Property News too. Now that the Commune Life and Working Life series have both finished, I've just been given the green light for another six articles on a different aspect of life in France. The theme will be revealed in the first article, due to be published in the Nov/Dec issue, so take a peek in the shops from mid-October onwards.
Take care in this crazy heatwave, everyone... and be sure to cheer on England in the Norway match tonight!