When the Empty Nest isn’t Empty Anymore

 

Chelsea in China

 

We flew home on two different planes, though arrived in Marseille five minutes apart.

Our suitcases stuffed to the breaking point, though not one ounce over made it safely.

As soon as we were home we went straight to bed, and woke up to a brand new day. Traveling West rarely brings me jet lag… which is a good thing considering Chelsea needs her bedroom back.

I adopted her bedroom as my office/online shop about eighteen months ago, since then not an inch of it was hers anymore… It was stuffed with brocante, boxes, bubble wrap… packages…etc. etc.

Three of my cousins are coming to visit me, in a few days. So we needed to set up Chelsea's room in record speed (Chelsea will be doing an internship in Marseille). We literally threw my (office) stuff here, there and everywhere except in the refrigerator.

Then we unpacked our suitcases.

While unpacking I heard a strange sound coming from my bedroom window, looking out I saw in my neighbor's yard (which my bedroom window faces) not one, nor two but several fat chickens.

Great.

I love chickens… don't get me wrong. But a chicken coop, a rooster and summer coming along, dang life is good right outside my window.

 



Comments

29 responses to “When the Empty Nest isn’t Empty Anymore”

  1. Chelsea looks so elegant! And Chickens-you lucky duck!

  2. Mélanie Aussandon

    Welcome home to both of you

  3. It’s great to travel but it’s good to be back home too. Why did the chicken cross the road and came to live under Corey’s bedroom window?

  4. To market to market to buy a fat pig (or chicken)
    Home again home again jiggety jig:)

  5. cock-a-doodle-do. Glad you made it home safe and sound. Happy Mother’s Day to you!

  6. Cock-a-doodle-do! Glad you made it home safe and sound. Happy Mother’s Day to you!

  7. Cheryl ~ Casual Cottage Chic

    Are the candle holders in the background on the buffet table from China or Thialand? They look lovely with the French antiques. My mother used to mix French antiques with Chinese antiques in her home and shop; they seemed to compliment each other.

  8. Ellen at American Homestead

    East, West,
    Home’s Best.
    Now you get to rediscover all the joys of home.
    Ellen

  9. Ed in Willows

    Guess you won’t be needing your alarm clock this summer

  10. I’m sure FH is ecstatic, pretty soon a not so little boy will be home as well. She looks like you in this picture, welcome home ladies.

  11. French Curiosités

    Oh you must be the happiest of them all at the sight of chickens…..now you can enjoy the sounds of summer dining al fresco and chicken cackles 🙂 Hovelville has come back to life!

  12. Amy Kortuem

    Oh, welcome home! It’s great that you’ll be together for a while after such an experience to assimilate the wonderfulness with each other.
    Maybe Stinky Cat will “help out” with the rooster?

  13. christine

    Outstanding photo of Chelsey. Love it.

  14. christine

    Outstanding photo of Chelsey. Love it.

  15. Frances

    Really glad to know you’re both safely back. Hope to see you again soon. Lots of love.

  16. Victoria Ramos

    Cock – a – doodle – do! Welcome home to you both! Enjoy.

  17. At least you will be up VERY early for the brocantes!
    Glad you are home girls, safe and sound.
    You have made me so courious about Asia!

  18. Shelley Noble

    Woo hoo. Now your home has marvelous things from China to add to those from France. You have become a very genuine adventure traveler!
    Delighted you both are home. I think I’d love living next to chicken. I think.

  19. Paulita

    You’ll probably get fresh eggs everyday. So count your lucky chickens. My daughter comes home next week. I’m thrilled. Her brothers, not so much, since they’ll have to share a room again.

  20. Rhonda P.

    Okay, well I know I, for one, am ready for your shop to re-open. No pressure, though, you enjoy your return home and I will be anxiously waiting! Really, no pressure. You mean all your goodies are all over the place? Sure wish I could organize for you, wink wink.

  21. Minodora

    Welcome back!lovely picture….
    and how about that secret?It will remain secret?!
    Shaaaare!:)

  22. martina

    Welcome home ladies! Chelsea looks so wonderfully relaxed in your photo. Is the neighbor with the chickens the same one who owns Stinky Cat?

  23. Christine

    Glad to hear you both made it home in good shape! Have truly enjoyed your adventures with you, thanks so much for sharing. On a chicken note, quite a number of cities here in L.A. allow chickens but no roosters since they’re too noisy. There’s a garden shop a few towns over and it’s in a woman’s back yard. It’s fun to go visit because there’s about 6 chickens that follow you about or come over to inspect you. Two of them are super fluffy and so cute!

  24. patty g

    Welcome home, and five minutes apart oh my!
    Thank you for all your travel blogging it’s been a wonderful adventure. So glad you both are home safely and get to continue to have time together to reflect on it all!
    Hope FH’s hand is healing well.
    How neat when Sacha gets to come home to chickens next door-

  25. You will know if there is a rooster fairly soon. If not they will just be background noise unless a fox gets in then the noises will be horrific.

  26. cynthia Wolff

    Thanks for all the traveling tidbits…I was there right along with you…blessings and peace to you and yours.

  27. Oh, the joys of having a movable office! I have given up, at least for now, that our guest room will ever be my office, always someone moving in and out. I have taken over our dining room table instead, with about a third of it left for three people to dine together. Whenever we are more people, I pull all the life lines, er, cables from my laptop, put the monitor on the sideboard (lucky we have two), roll my file cabinet into the next room, and so on. I have lost sight of a few things that way. Still, I remember the days when I worked in my husband’s office, with the kids so small they played under the desk (and their pet dinosaur sat on the giant monitor of yore and peed on it – the Dell people must still be laughing about that one). It is a little easier now to shoo them out of the room! 😉

  28. Look how beautiful she is! My oh my.
    Maybe you could sneak fresh eggs for breakfast.
    😉

  29. jend’isère

    “Cocoriro”, returning to France to its national symbol! Foul play with these fowl, I say. Stinky cat can leave your home to play. At least you will be first to the brocante now. Welcome home!

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