Armchair traveller

Last Wednesday Andrew succumbed  to a heavy cold which he generously shared with me. I thought I'd got away with it but by Friday evening I had a sore throat and it's full force hit me Saturday afternoon. So I spent 36 hours festering in a chair by the fire. But there was an upside.

I got to snuggle in blankie which you may remember was made for me by a very generous friend.

Bright & beautiful blankie

I finished reading the very atmospheric 'The Winter Ghosts' by Kate Mosse

which is set during winter in Ariege.

Ariege in winter

Ariege took me to drop in on Margaret to see how her packing is going. Having lived in the area for quite a few years Margaret and her husband are returning to the U.K. I still can't believe she is leaving such a beautiful area and clearly such wonderful friends.

But all this winter weather was making me feel a bit chilly so I headed east to see what Vicki Archer was doing. Vicki has an enviable lifestyle split between London & Provence but it's nice to see how the other half live! Staying in France I travelled north to Normandy to catch up on Jennifer who lives a life that I'm more likely to achieve, but is none the less one I envy. Have a look at some of her photographs and enjoy her cheese tastings too.

Jennifer is a pinner and via her link I updated some of my boards.  I loved this fresh look for a granny square throw, something I could do.

White & bright via Pinterest

And found this amazing cake which I forwarded on to my porcine loving sister-in law.

Pigs in mud cake - via Pinterest

Apart from France I visited Italy, Spain, Canada and the Caribbean and who knows where via Pinterest. Not bad from my cold ridden armchair.