The Geography of Leisure

Having fetched up in paradise here in Southern France, we are finding new rhythms and ways

of travelling.  Our home for the month is sprawling with many areas for 8 people to find space to pursue leisure.  The house itself has 3 different sitting areas (the kitchen, the living/dining room, and the formal living room).  Outside, there is the Andy Warhol area with a suite of outside living room furniture, and a table that seats 11, and 2 gigantic Warhol prints of Marilyn Monroe and Liz Taylor.  This area is used for evening meals, and quiet reading by 1, 2 and sometimes 3 people.  There is a table just outside the kitchen where one can read, or eat, or have an afternoon beer.  Then, there is the pool, where, if it is not occupied by teenagers, one can set up on a lounger and read, or nap, or do nothing at all.   The last place is the log just outside the kitchen door where the geckoes sun themselves and scurry away as you approach.  The days go by surprisingly quickly - a flurry of meal preparation, sporadic discussions about the Kentucky Derby, the October Crisis, the Giro d'Italia, or what video to watch, a bout of exercise - jogging up and down the half kilometre driveway, riding bikes, swinging on the homemade swing, swimming, badminton.  And every now and again, we will catch each others' eyes and exclaim "how lucky are we!".  Lots of space, lots of time, a wonderful bookshelf with an eclectic collection of books, sunshine, green and not much else.  Pretty perfect.