Fiona Alderman: Blogging from Rural France – Waiting for Godot
29 October, 2023 Waiting for Godot This phrase came to me recently whilst I was waiting for a plumber to come to renew a toilet. The story begins nearly two months ago in fact, when I noticed drops of water falling from the ceiling. On investigation, I found it was leaking from the toilet upstairs.There […]
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Sunday, October 29, 2023 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman Blog: Cafe´Talk
With the “rentree” this month, the return back to school and the summer holidays finally over, our thoughts turn to the end of the year. I like this time though, the Autumnal colours and the light which is less sharp and softer. I was reflecting on many things whilst sitting at the Cafe´one day, and […]
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Sunday, October 1, 2023 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman: Fetes Galore
What a month! From exhibitions – to summer festivals – to computer problems. I have done it all and in the sweltering heat ! Extreme at nearly 40 degrees today. Barry’s exhibition continues for the rest of August in both the Mairie and Le Couvent, and I have had a lot of interest for future […]
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Monday, August 28, 2023 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman’s Blog: Les Voyages de Monsieur Barry
The title of the exhibition for Barry. Seemed apt after all the countries he went to, maybe not Latin America but certainly a great number. The “vernissage” as it is called in French, with a vin d’honneur was prepared for the 17th July at the Mairie with wine and cheese supplied by some of the […]
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Monday, July 31, 2023 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France, Pat's Home Page Blog
Fiona Alderman: Another Month in Salignac
This month has been busy, and I have just finished some more English translations for the Chateau. Interesting to do and to learn further about this long term renovation project. Replica Medieval Armour I worked on certain pages about the replica medieval armour now established in a room totally restored from ceiling to floor. Full […]
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Thursday, June 29, 2023 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman: One Year Later
I am sitting in the house with Missy, my sweet cat by my side , and reflecting on this past year. A busy time after Barry’s death. Administrative papers to be sorted out and learning to live alone. It has been a learning curve and I have certainly learnt a lot. One was asking for […]
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Thursday, June 1, 2023 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
A New Season in Salignac
Yes, with Spring finally arriving, the tourists are starting to appear in the village. It’s always nice to see and brings commerce to life. The local market on the Square has just begun again, and I am constantly reminded of when we first came here, and how I enjoyed the typical French village life.Learning and […]
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Thursday, May 4, 2023 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman: La Poste and other French things
This month has been challenging in many ways. From battling with French bureaucracy to technology breakdowns. Firstly, I sent some videotapes to the UK to be transferred to digital form. They are going to be an important part of the photographic exhibition that I am preparing for Barry. Feeling relatively cheerful,. I went to La […]
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Wednesday, March 29, 2023 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman Blogging from Salignac, France
My lovely corner shop called by the old fashioned term of L’Epicier has taken a turn into the modern world. Run by husband and wife team, Sylvie and Pascal, that I have already spoken about, have decided on a new challenge. The heart of the village is within a few shops here in Salignac and […]
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Friday, March 3, 2023 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman’s Blog: The End of the Holidays
Thank goodness it’s all over. At least the French get on with things relatively quickly after Christmas. However, a lot of decorations are still up and I remember everything was to be taken down by the 12th night and bad luck if not perhaps. There are some die-hards that keep their decorations up until even […]
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Sunday, January 29, 2023 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman: Christmas is Coming
It is with trepidation that I begin to write this month’s blog from Salignac. The first Christmas without Barry in 37 years. Mixed emotions. However, I have been trying to get out and do things, one of which was helping with the decorations for the village. I answered an ad in the local paper asking […]
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Thursday, December 22, 2022 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman’s blog: One Evening in Salignac
Image: (Alexander Kucharsky, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons) A Soiree at Le Couvent I was invited recently to a soiree at Le Couvent just up the hill from the house. I swear this hill gets steeper every day, but that is another story. It was a theatre piece about the French play right, […]
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Tuesday, November 1, 2022 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman: Final Farewells
Watching the funeral of the Queen brought up many memories. Nostalgia and sadness for her family and my own recent loss. Barry photographed the Royal family many times over the years, and often had amusing quips to tell me. When he went to Sudan and Ethiopia in 1986, during the Band Aid project with Bob […]
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Wednesday, September 28, 2022 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman: Fêtes Galore
It has been a busy month with a lot of summer events happening everywhere. However the extreme heat was really exhausting, making it difficult to appreciate them fully. The two main associations in Salignac put on Monday Fêtes on alternative weeks. The C.A.S.E. Vieux Metiers based in the extensive enclosed park down from the Chateau, […]
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Sunday, August 28, 2022 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman: Another Place in History
After a difficult and sad month, I then caught Covid, so have had plenty of time to reflect on the past and I am now moving on , but slowly. Especially in this terrible heat? This past weekend our Chateau has hosted a spectacular historical event called Les Opusculaires. Not knowing the word, I asked […]
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Sunday, July 31, 2022 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman’s Blog: Just A Heartbeat Away
I write this with a heavy heart but feel it will be cathartic after this very sad month, losing Barry that I have known for nearly 40 years. Meeting him way back in the late 80’s in Glasgow was, to say the least, different? I was a young dancer newly returned home after several years […]
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Tuesday, June 28, 2022 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman: French Elections and Tricky Bureaucracy
The main story this month was the Election of a new President of France. The incumbent, Monsieur Macron was criticized for being too interested in forging good links on the international stage, going to Ukraine and being less on his own home ground. He didn’t even campaign here until very late on. The other main […]
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Friday, June 3, 2022 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman: The Eye Van Comes to Salignac
Blogging from Rural France When it comes to going to the optician in France, and especially in rural areas where we live, it is really quite difficult. Firstly, unlike the UK, where you can even go to Boots and get a complete eye test, it’s not like that here. You must go to the opthalmologist. […]
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Saturday, April 16, 2022 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France, Pat's Home Page Blog
Fiona Alderman: A Touch of Spring
Blogging from Salignac in Rural France After a long period of cold weather here and the continuing Covid pandemic, we sense a hint of Spring in the air and the flowers are now blossoming to cheer us up. Preparations for the season starting in May are underway and the family Starkmann are busy at the […]
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Monday, February 28, 2022 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France, Pat's Home Page Blog
Fiona Alderman blogging from Rural France: A New Day and a New Year
January, 2022 I wish you all a very Happy New Year from France , and looking back over the past year, it has been interesting, to say the least . From Covid restrictions to daily life seemingly becoming more difficult, I am searching for something positive that has come from it all? Putting up my […]
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Sunday, January 30, 2022 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman Blogging from Rural France: A Winter Tale From France
December, 2021 For the first time in many years , Salignac held a Christmas Market , drawing many people together to enjoy a little good cheer at the end of a difficult year. It took many days of preparation, with our local council workers up ladders and cranes to attach pretty garlands and fairy lights […]
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Monday, December 27, 2021 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman Blog: One Year On
One Year On I was looking through photos on my blog recently and comparing them to today? With the COVID pandemic still firmly in place and with a fifth wave, plus a new variant, in France, I wondered what have we gained or perhaps lost? Maybe we are clearer regarding what is and what is […]
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Tuesday, November 30, 2021 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman’s Blog: Filming in France
France is one of the most widely used countries as a favourite location for films and has hosted International Directors in the last years such as Ridley Scott, Woody Allen, Christopher Nolan and Christopher McQuarrie. The Last Duel by Ridley Scott, who filmed in our area last year using our nearby Chateau Fenelon, has just […]
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Friday, October 29, 2021 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman Blogging from Rural France – A Change of Scene
Bonjour! Yes, this month I am taking you away from my village of Salignac Eyvigues, to another one called Domme, an incredible hilltop fortified village steeped in history, which is 30 minutes away by car. I have been visiting Barry, my dearest partner, in hospital there this last month. Despite the awful circumstances he is […]
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Wednesday, September 29, 2021 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman: The Day of the Ancients blogging from rural France
Grand Fete a L’Ancienne in Salignac On the 9th August, which just happened to be my birthday, there was a very grand Fete a L’Ancienne in Salignac. The first one since the pandemic and it attracted many locals as well as tourists. We are still maintaining hand sanitizers and mask wearing though, but a little […]
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Friday, August 27, 2021 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman Blog: Another 14th of July
Blogging from Salignac in Rural France The 14th July is so important and the National annual holiday for French people. I couldn’t believe I had forgotten? Where has the year gone to I say. I went up to the supermarket but everything was closed of course. Happily we had food, wine and cat food!! I […]
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Friday, July 30, 2021 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman Blog: The Reopening of the Chateau
Reopening of the Chateau de Salignac After many years and a lot of restrictions due to Covid, the Chateau has opened its beautiful arched doors to welcome us again. I went to visit it and was transported back in time. I’ve done a lot of translations for the English/Dutch visitors and learnt a great deal […]
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Tuesday, June 29, 2021 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman: Blogging from Salignac – Out of Confinement
Well, we are all excited here in sunny Salignac that slowly we are coming out of the long lockdown. Our local Cafe de la Place, Le Tabac/Cafe des Voyageurs is putting out the tables and chairs on the terraces again after many months of closure. For French people, their way of life is based around […]
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Friday, May 28, 2021 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman blogging from rural France – New Mayor
A New One Yes I promised you the results from last month? It has been and continues to be a slight problem. Mr Ferber won the fight, but it was not with a great majority. The outgoing mayor, having only lasted for a year, got very few votes, and the opposition ie third party was […]
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Thursday, April 29, 2021 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France
Fiona Alderman: Blogging from Rural France -The Chateau
Le Chateau Things are slowly happening here in Salignac, even with the continued lockdown and curfew. Another month has gone by and with Spring arriving after a long winter, there is a little bit of hope at the end of the tunnel. Our beautiful Chateau is being cleaned and like the blossoms of Springtime, it […]
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Friday, March 26, 2021 | Filed under: Fiona Alderman blogging from The Salignac Foundation France, Pat's Home Page Blog
