Pearshaped

Pearshaped

Translate

Tuesday 2 June 2020

T Stands For........the lull...and a little bit of Second look on the 2nd

Hi everyone, I think I've reached a point where I am waiting for something, but not sure what!!
The tidying of my craft room has come to a temporary halt - I'm buying some new storage boxes and waiting for them to arrive but I don't think that's it....
I haven't does much crafting lately either..I'm waiting for Mr Mojo to come marching back soon....but I don't even think that's it......
I'm just restless and not settling to anything - I have been trying to finish off some UFOs in this lull...maybe that will help!

I've been looking through some old photos too! Really should do something with them!!


 My youngest arrived with some groceries and these lovely flowers - this is a few days after they arrived when the lilies bloomed.
I promised to show you the new colour in our living room, much better than our old 'magnolia'!
Our TV unit has some bookshelves attached, although what you see here are boxes designed to look like books and they hold all our memorabilia from our trips. It's nice to look through them sometimes. You can also see some of my mini canvases, my little house collection, the wine glasses are awaiting some coffee beans, I use them as air fresheners.the tall greenery on the right isn't real but has built in (and added fairy lights)There are also odd little bits of things that made us smile!

We haven't been out at all this week but we did have a go at making a special coffee!

As it is Tuesday I will share this as my ticket to Bleubeard and Elizabeth's Altered Book Lover blog for T stands for Tuesday!
It is our attempt at a Dalgona coffee, I thing we need to look at measurements as our ingredients were all correct!
It still tasted delicious! By this time hubby had drunk all his!!!

Now for my Second look on the 2nd...
The link to the post is here and was the first time we had been to visit my Ex SIL and BIL. As you know we are great friends and talk on Face Time every week. I hadn't realised it was so long ago.



        ______________________________________________

I've had rather a lot to catch up on, so although we got back last week this really is the first chance I've had to show any pictures! 
First of all I must say a big "Thank you!" to my xsil and her hubby - we had THE most fantastic time! They guided us through menus and we had some fantastic meals, they drove us all over the place and showed us some real treasures and above all they provided us with some great company - we really did talk for hours!!! Oh! and they also took me to some great places to stock up on craft goodies(more of that another day)!
The journey to Poitiers was an interesting one, the first leg from Manchester to London was the worst - travelling backwards and no window to look out of! We then boarded Eurostar which was much better - more leg room and a view - got to Lille and had time to sit in the sun and have a coffee! Then - the most exciting part - a double decker sncf/tgv to Poitiers and we were on the top deck! Gosh! Did that train travel?!!! We did have a little delay around Paris for work occurring on the track but made up speed and were only about 15 minutes late!
The next day we were taken to Fontevraud Abbey - the final resting place of Eleanor of Aquitaine - I had no idea we were within driving distance so I was excited at the prospect of a visit(I've always had a fascination with Eleanor)
It was raining in the morning and after a fabulous lunch there was no sign of it stopping, so armed with an umbrella, we set off - xsil and hubby went off somewhere else with a promise to pick us up later! 
The abbey was built in 1100 by Robert d'Arbrissel, who put a woman in charge and made a rule that it would always have a woman in charge despite housing both monks and nuns! 
The tombs of Eleanor, Henry II, Richard I and Isabelle d'Angouleme (King Johns wife)
Eleanor supported the abbey by supplying funds to run it and ended her days there
The rain stopped and we went to explore further, the abbey was used as a prison by Napoleon so there was a lot more to see.
The Kitchen/Smoke house and garden
another view of the outside of the Kitchens
a scary carving....
and a beautiful angel
this was on a beautiful wall of roses
Another treat was in store on our way home - we were taken on a scenic route along the Loire, calling to visit a beautiful church and driving past the fantastic Saumur Chateau

As you can see from this page

 there certainly was lots to see in the area 

          -----------------------------------------
There are more posts from around the time if you would like to look - here, here here, here and here!

Thanks for looking, Chris


16 comments:

kathyinozarks said...

Hi Chris, I enjoyed your second look.
I have gone through the same as you, can't get focussed well on a project-I think its this covid crisis lasting so long.
I did get out of the house yesterday met a friend at our woods house and dug up lots of plants to bring here to the lake house.
Your coffee drink sounds good-Happy T wishes Kathy

CJ Kennedy said...

Lovely flowers so sweet of your youngest. Very pretty color in the living room. The arrangement of your knickknacks make the shelving look like a picture from an interior decorating book. I enjoyed your trip to France, too. Happy T Day and Second Time

Meggymay said...

The flowers look so pretty Chris. A thoughtful gift from your youngest, ours brought us a Custard slice last week with our fruit and vegetables. I think lock down is effecting our Mojo for crafting, mine has been walk about for days days.
Stay safe and Happy T day wishes.
Yvonne xx

Bleubeard and Elizabeth said...

I can relate to your feeling of discontent. An unsettled feeling. Maybe once you get back in your craft room with the boxes, you will find some sense of mojo or desire to make art. I really like the flowers from your son and the new color of your living room. Such a nice grouping, too. I especially like those "books" that serve double duty.

I've never heard of your coffee drink before, but it looks good to me. I actually looked up Dalgona coffee on the internet and it looks similar, but it possibly wasn't whipped long enough. However, if it tasted good, that's all that's important. Thanks for sharing your new living room color, your shelving, and your Dalgona coffee with us for T this Tuesday.

I know how much you LOVE Eleanor of Aquitaine. It was good to see possibly the first time you were able to see her final resting place. I enjoyed learning more about the Abbey and the history behind it, too. It's a really great second look, Chris, with lovely photos, too. Thanks for sharing this second look, which was a first look for me, on the 2nd.

DVArtist said...

Really a wonderful post. I love seeing all of your photos. Beautiful flowers too.

Eileen Bergen said...

Boy can I relate to your feelings of ennui, Chris. That's the most appropriate word I could come up with to describe the lost and listless feeling many are experiencing in these days of COVID-19 restrictions and panic (verging on hysteria).

The new color is perfect to showcase all your sea-themed/colored collectibles. That's also my favorite color ;-) Lovely display. I'm not surprised that looking at it makes you smile.

Very enjoyable 2nd look.

Happy T-Day! Hugs, Eileen xx

Linda Kunsman said...

Gosh, I do get your feelings as yes, I too have had that off and on this last two months. All we can do is let it be and then move on...
I love the new color on your walls, and your flowers are just gorgeous- a bright bit of sunshine!
Had not heard of your beverage but it does look good.
A pleasure to see your second on second post again:) Happy T day!

Kate Yetter said...

Your living room shelf has a lot of pretties. I know what you mean about waiting for that mojo to come back. I am going through the same thing right now. I hope it comes back to you soon. Hopefully doing other things will give it a kick start.
Loved the pictures from your trip.
Happy Tea Day,
Kate

My name is Erika. said...

I love the new color. It is really relaxing but has just enough pop. I am thinking of painting my living room and stairs, and have been thinking about colors. But probably not until fall. And I enjoyed the virtual trip and art for the second look today. It is all the traveling I get lately. Well all of us actually. I hope it was a fantastic T day and your waiting isn't too long. Hugs-Erika

Let's Art Journal said...

So lovely of your youngest to get you those beautiful flowers, this is such a happy bouquet! Your new paint colour is gorgeous - I love it 😁. That coffee looks good too, and I smiled when you said that your hubby had drunk all of his while you took the photo ...lol 😉. Hope Mr. Mojo returns soon, I think that it's harder to find inspiration without going out, so my garden flower pages seem to be keeping me going at the moment...lol! Happy T Day wishes! Stay safe and well! Hugs, Jo x

Anne (cornucopia) said...

I've been feeling restless or out of sorts or whatever lately, too, and I think it's due to the covid-19 threat hanging in the air all of the time. I like the wall color behind your bookcase, which also looks nice with all of the items on it. Those flowers are a bright pick me up. You're lucky to have children who get you guys groceries, so you can avoid going out for that. The photos from your 2nd on the second are wonderful. Happy belated T-Day!

Mae Travels said...

Looking back on trips from the past is appealing, and I've enjoyed yours and those of some of the other participants, but somehow I can't bear to do it myself. I am already missing 3 planned trips this year. Maybe one of these days that will be something I can post about. Now I am trying bravely to live only in the present, unhappy though it is. And to count my blessings that I still have a lovely place to live.

be well.. mae at maefood.blogspot.com

Lisca said...

Oh I did enjoy your second look. I enjoyed it as much as the first time, which I remember well.
Your new wall colour is beautiful. I enjoyed 'snooping' your shelf. I also used to have a collections of those little houses. I can't remember what happened to them....
Beautiful flowers. I love a yellow bouquet. It looks so sunny!
I've not heard of Dalgona coffee, but will look it up. (What would we do without Google)
Sorry for the late comment,
Happy belated T-Day,
Lisca

Iris Flavia said...

I love gerbera! And, wee, your wall looks so much more serious than "mine"!
It screams "I´m green!!!" ;-)
I like them both.
That coffee looks yummy, too!
Our Henry´s tomb looks boring compared with this one.

J said...

Hi chris, thanks for your visit, I’ve got totally mixed up with the double posts on Elizabeth s blog I didn’t know where I was going, your flowers are lovely, I’ve been looking through old photos too, I’m going to make them into journal’s for our sons, eventually. I hope you get your mojo back , there’s nothing worse.
Have a good weekend
Jan x

Caty said...

Those flowers are very beautiful Chris !! What a great detail from you youngest, and I love the colour of the wall, it looks elegant, so pretty houses you have got! Don´t worry if you can create now, sure you ´ ll do when you´ll see everything you need is at your scraproom.
I hope you spent a very nice T-day, with this super coffe.
I Love to see the photographs of Poitiers, and your great pages, Wonderful !
Have a very nice Friday, stay safe and
Big hugs,
Caty