Welcome to justthoughtsnstuff

I started posting to jtns on 20 February 2010 with just one word, 'Mosaic'. This seemed an appropriate introduction to a blog that would juxtapose fragments of memoir and life-writing. Since 1996, I'd been coming to terms with the consequences of emotional and economic abuse that had begun in childhood, and which, amongst other things, had sought to stifle self-expression. While I'd explored some aspects of my life through fiction and, to a lesser extent, journalism, it was only in 2010 that I felt confident enough to write openly about myself. I believed this was an important part of the healing process. Yet within weeks, the final scenes of my family's fifty-year nightmare started to play themselves out and the purpose of the blog became one of survival through writing. Although some posts are about my family's suffering - most explicitly, Life-Writing Talk, with Reference to Trust: A family story - the majority are about happier subjects (including, Bampton in rural west Oxfordshire, where I live, Oxford, where I work, the seasons and the countryside, walking and cycling) and I hope that these, together with their accompanying photos, are enjoyable and positive. Note: In February 2020, on jtns' tenth birthday, I stopped posting to this blog. It is now a contained work of life-writing about ten years of my life. Frank, 21 February 2020.

New blog: morethoughtsnstuff.com.

Sunday 9 September 2012

energised, cousins from australia, churches, collobrières, sweet chestnuts, huge, huge thanks













Well and truly back to work but feel energised by the holiday and the great weather we've been having this week.

Really enjoyed visit from Australian cousins, Paul and Annette, yesterday. Lovely to catch up, have lunch at Biztro (thanks both) and visit the churches at Black Bourton and Langford (benefiting hugely from the experience of the guides who were there for the Oxfordshire Historic Churches Trust sponsored bike ride).

Above are photos of our destination in the South of France, Collobrières (see also), a beautiful Medieval town in the wooded hills above St Tropez. The town is overlooked by the ruins of the church of St Pons and has a narrow 12th century bridge leading to the centre, which demands careful driving! Highlights included the red and rosé wines and sweet chestnuts, which featured in preserves, starters, mains, kirs and the local beer. If you'd like to see more photos, they're on Google+. A huge, huge thank you to Rachel for making the holiday possible!
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3 comments:

  1. Rupert Neil Bumfrey9 September 2012 at 12:09

    I am reliant on you for the gloriously sombre Oxon skies, not for the blue of today, which I have more than my fill of here ;-)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Frank9 September 2012 at 12:33

    Ah! Apologies! Back to normal next week!

    ReplyDelete
  3. Lucinda10 September 2012 at 06:27

    Great snaps mate, brings out that warmth. keep up the good work.

    ReplyDelete

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