A family concern

Compared to Rob Tichener of The Archers, or to those scumbags the Underwoods, for that matter, this is hardly a life threatening situation. However. 

A couple of weeks after arriving here we discovered Stefans' brother and wife had been cheating us. His brother and his son, Stefan's nephew, had been employed by us for three or more years. Asked to leave our property, forthwith, they disappeared and together with the wife, who had been a daily visitor, have been hiding ever since.

For me, only child brought up in the anonymity of London with barely any family, well... my dream of ideal family life in the country has undergone a slight shock.  Stefan is considerably more hurt by this than I, of course, but he is wise and I am following him: put it away out of mind. Seems to work, but I am fascinated and wonder how long they can keep it up.

A week in Geneva livened things up. I did the grandma thing and helped with the family while my daughter-in-law was away. A strange kitchen and different family habits were all taken on board and the week went swimmingly. Its not actually Geneva, as they live right on the border, in France, and son Laurie commutes to the city. Their town is Ferney-Voltaire, where Voltaire had his chateau which is now a museum. It is a delightful area and I hope they will have many happy years in their new home. After eight years living amongst Bavarians with their unique Bavarian manners, the family deserves to be amongst people of like minds with healthy, welcoming attitudes to newcomers of all stripes.

Grischa getting dad ready for work

Grischa ready for school

Lauries birthday with Grischa and Alice and fabulous French pastries

Back in Stopnica the quinces have ripened and I am busy, busy trying out every recipe I can think of. Some things work, some don’t. I didn’t like the boring compote I made last year, but I have new recipes, the best so far being a yummy Nigel Slater cake.

Invited to join a Ladies Seniors group on a Tuesday afternoon I found a welcoming circle of ladies.  It is held in different rooms in Stopnica Castle, a beautifully restored building serving the community in diverse ways, not least doing splendidly for us. The first Tuesday I arrived late to find them sitting at a long table, as if for a wedding party, with cake and drinks and food, the lot. The vodka came around and the tea and the sausage, and I thought, I like this group. I’m going to come again.

These are my ladies. Back row at the ends are the Director and assistant. To my left are 2 cousins, Henya and Irena.

The following week they were in a different room, sat at a long table again, but this time they were folding paper.  No vodka, no tea, no cake. They were making paper flowers. I still don’t know what for, but I joined in.  It turns out the first meeting was to send off a staff member. The second  was back to normal, it seemed, with some sort of playgroup activity. Was this was how it was going to be?  Reading the schedule I was given I thought the following week would be a kind of photography workshop, maybe a step up from folding paper. It said something about being prepared. As usual I was in a rush doing too many things, so turned up late, not prepared, and there they were, around the table, but looking terribly smart. I could see there was no funeral, nor wedding for that matter, but they did have rather good stuff to eat, again, and vodka. It looked as if every one of them had been to the hairdressers and all looked very well washed and were now very jolly. We were to have our photographs taken.

She's a good photographer!

So there was I in normal get up, having rushed in from the kitchen or the fields or wherever, while they had just rushed in from the beauty parlour!  The local photographer was amazingly efficient and got very good results for us all.

I have to say I am having a ball. I have just come in from the yard, which is large, after an hour of heavy hoeing, clearing stones and weeds. I am not sure what we are going to plant, more fruit most likely, but the process of clearing the land to be ready, after so many years of neglect, is immensely pleasurable. Now my back has got used to it, the fresh air, exercise and general peace suits me down to the ground.