Yesterday we had our first meal at the farmhouse with friends who have lived in France for almost twenty years. They made the escape and have had a wonderful life here. We are novices compared but it’s wonderful being able to ditch debt and own your dreams.

Simplicity is a word I love. That word has run through many of life’s decisions I have made, from projects to avoid red tape meltdown, to family issues where emotions have run high and words have been uttered in rashness. Ultimately humans complicate, over think, and dream up scenarios that never existed.

We came to France simply to avoid credit scoring. Yep that was it in a nutshell. That score affected every decision. How you accessed your money, how your overdraft renewed, how your loans were granted. As an accountant, bankruptcy would end my career. Bankruptcy isn’t so far away when you get a curve ball like a client haven’t cash flow issues or the landlord raising the rents.

With this virus I expect when the Government and banks limited support is over, the harsh reality will hit home. The novelty of the corona party will be gone. Credit scores will cause far more illness.

So we are here. Cash is king and the land provides freedom. The seeds grow and the chickens lay the eggs. The chickens make compost and that feeds the land. The veg grows, the bugs polinate. Our friends teenagers are dealing with the virus issues in education but home life is stable.

We celebrated yesterday with a simple lunch and the chickens and cockerels suffled scraps from under the table. It was happiness.

I dislike anything too fancy. Simple is my word. So a tin can with a little white muslin tied round and a bunch of wild weeds were our centre piece. Cones and clover flowers were strewn around the table and our little brocante chairs with the little hearts finished the table. I wanted to tie cotton bows on the chairs but my fabrics are all higgledy piggledy at the moment in boxes and I haven’t been brave enough to start up my new sewing machine. It’s on the table but it’s an embroidery machine too and looks complex.

In the barn I will be growing cutting flowers to leave the wild ones for the insects. But sometimes just using leaves, twigs and grasses will be enough. And please, no one buy me orchids. I hate them. Sorry but they just look plastic and over ornamental to me. A packet of cottage garden seeds will always be gratefully received. Simply scatter and let nature do her work. Simple.