I have itchy feet. Which is a good sign for me. It doesn’t mean I’m bored, it means I’m relaxed and ready for new things without feeling like I ‘should’ be doing something.
I leave Tours tomorrow bound for Sancerre on the Far East of the Loire Valley before heading on to the Burgundy part of my trip starting with Chablis.
I’ve had a super time over the past four weeks – as per a recent blog I’ve been to a number of vineyards and wineries and bought an incredible amount of Loire Valley wine to sample again at home.
The highlight without doubt was meeting René Pierre Dardeau – ex producer in the Montlouis AOC. We spent an incredible couple of hours tasting his wine – the first time ever I’ve met a producer one on one (well with my home host) and drank wine with his name on the bottle! We enjoyed his ’89, 90 and ’92 and it was literally a definition of uncorking the finer things. I love that Rex got in on the photo action – he totally is my team mate!
I’ve visited numerous chateau which has been wonderful, but most importantly I’ve switched off. I no longer feel like I’m in the corporate life. I’ve started my new one.
So much so, that I actually watched the live analyst’s results presentation of my previous company last week… Normally I’d have been in the office for 6am publishing the internal announcements and then watching the presentation in the staff canteen keeping a close ear out for the comments people made; to see whether they believed in it, to hear the comments about our strategy – but watching it from the comfort from the sofa with a cuppa in hand it literally felt alien. Watching my previous bosses get up and talk… it was like I’d never been there – albeit, I still have the benefit of knowing them and their little nuances which makes it more enjoyable!
For the past few days Rex and I have done pretty much nothing. We’ve walked out every day, had a bit of lunch and I treated him to some new toys and chewy bones from the pet shop today. I’ve finished the entire series of Downtown Abbey, watched the Night Manager, the SATC movie (part 1) and currently on Bosch. Who normally has the time to do that?!
And that’s been wonderful. But I know my mind and what motivates me – and it is about learning and seeing new things – it’s time for my laziness to finish. Over the next three or so weeks I am constantly on the go and I can’t wait to be trying out all the new wines; seeing all these new places. My joie de vivre has kicked in!
It feels like stage one of the new life is done; my head space is changing and that’s a great start.
Uncorking The Finer Things 