Richard Barley

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Announcing "The Foussais House"

Richard Barley posted an article on - Sep 4, 2011, 4:05 pm
Do you want to buy a house in France? Well, look no further! Today we started on our house sale journey by launching www.TheFoussaisHouse.com which has all the details about our lovely house, with lots of photos and helpful information. It would be great if you would check it out and share it with...
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We're moving on. Why not move in?

Richard Barley posted an article on - Aug 27, 2011, 11:38 am
This is a post that I never thought I’d write. When we moved to Foussais, we were sure that this was our home for life. Life, however, has a funny way of turning things on their heads now and then.  When the company I worked for, TweetDeck, was bought by Twitter recently, my role changed, and I...
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Cheap flights, Fascinating Aida style

Richard Barley posted an article on - Mar 16, 2011, 4:24 am
Following on from the previous post, where some actual, honest-to-goodness cheap flights are on offer, I bring you Fascinating Aida singing “Cheap Flights”. Thanks to the comments from Leslie, who pointed me to the video on Alex’s blog Moving From France To Ferrets (I kid you not). Just had ...
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Ryanair latest sale – €5 flights to Nantes

Richard Barley posted an article on - Mar 15, 2011, 9:40 am
Ryanair have another great sale on at the moment, including flights from Nantes for just €5 one-way, with no fees or taxes on some flights. So, if you wanted to come to out to the area for a few days, you could buy a return flight from East Midlands to Nantes, flying out on 2nd April and returnin...
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A Practically Perfect Pancake Plan

Richard Barley posted an article on - Mar 8, 2011, 2:04 pm
Today is Shrove Tuesday, time to dig out the lemon juice and sugar and get flipping! We love pancakes, but it is such a pain for the chef (that’ll be Lisa) to have to stand in the kitchen cooking the pancakes and never getting to sit down and enjoy them. Luckily for us, our raclette grill, which...
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Introducing our very own Partridge Family

Richard Barley posted an article on - Mar 4, 2011, 12:30 pm
For the last couple of months we have been spotting a family of red-legged partridges waddling about around our hamlet. They are so funny to watch and we have been trying to capture them on camera for a long time. Finally today I noticed two of them through the office window as they explored Michel...
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A fun day's fishy filming at Port du Bec

Richard Barley posted an article on - Mar 3, 2011, 4:10 am
Our school project this year is all about water and we are making a film with a professional team for the Conseil General de la Vendée (the department council). Last Thursday was the first day of our filming trip, to Port Du Bec near Noirmoutier. For this I had to get up at 6:30am for school, but ...
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They came, we sawed, we conquered

Richard Barley posted an article on - Mar 1, 2011, 12:00 pm
This weekend, as promised, we gathered with our friends on the field and, to strains of “I’m a lumberjack and I’m okay…“, set about cutting back all the trees around our field. Curtis, Dee, Lynn and Alan all came along armed with ladders, saws and secateurs, prepared for a day’s hard wor...
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My Life in France as a Teenager

Richard Barley posted an article on - Feb 28, 2011, 3:18 pm
I’m soon about to leave College (Secondary school) in France and I thought it would be nice to tell you about life in France for a teenager. When we moved out here I was only 12 and I’d had a year and a half in comprehensive school in England. I was in year 7 when we moved over here but, becaus...
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Super Service from Mountain Warehouse

Richard Barley posted an article on - Feb 26, 2011, 5:58 am
Wednesday found Rosie, Molly and I wandering around Fontenay-le-Comte in the vain hope of finding Molly a new coat. The zip on her current one had broken this week; though, to be fair, she has had the coat for two years so we can’t really complain. As any Mum will tell you, two years worth of wear...
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A child's duties, French style

Richard Barley posted an article on - Feb 24, 2011, 8:44 am
It’s half term in the UK, and here in the Vendée we are looking forward to ours starting next week. Of course school holidays means that the kids are at home 24/7, so I thought I would share these words of wisdom with you all that you might find helpful!! Taken from a book I bought from Emmaus a...
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Radio Rediscovered

Richard Barley posted an article on - Feb 20, 2011, 4:23 am
With the obvious exceptions of friends, family and fish & chips, there are very few things that we actually miss about England. While we may have initially been lost without our favourite english shops, we soon found alternatives either here in France or online. But one thing that we have missed is...
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A thorn in our side…and hand…and arm…

Richard Barley posted an article on - Feb 13, 2011, 4:19 pm
This weekend had been designated as a gardening weekend by Lisa, much to the children’s dismay. Luckily for them, Saturday turned out to be not only too wet, but also too busy. It was the open day at the Lycée Notre Dame in Fontenay, where Rosie may potentially be studying next year, which was a ...
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Noz – Well worth a rummage

Richard Barley posted an article on - Feb 10, 2011, 2:22 pm
Having been a fan of TK Max I am always looking for that equivalent bargain shopping experience. I haven’t quite found it yet but NOZ comes close. I have re-found NOZ, having gone there some three years ago while doing a reccy of the area. Back then, I was put off by the smell of smoke on that ou...
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December Travel Chaos: Part 2 (The French Odyssey)

Richard Barley posted an article on - Feb 8, 2011, 8:09 am
A quick recap If you recall, the plan for our December visit to London was: We (Lisa and I) travel to London on Thursday for the TweetDeck Christmas party Rosie & Molly stay with Claire & Tony in Puy-de-Serre Joe stays with Kevin & Amal, also in Puy-de-Serre We return to France on the Saturday, co...
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A little hint of spring

Richard Barley posted an article on - Feb 6, 2011, 12:02 pm
After a long evening last night with great friends and rather a large quantity of red wine, the morning was always destined to be quiet. We spent the morning having coffee (well, in my case tea, and keep it coming!) with the parents of Simeon, Joe’s friend. They are planning a trip to London and w...
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The Earthquake That Wasn't…Probably

Richard Barley posted an article on - Feb 4, 2011, 2:59 pm
Last year we had an earthquake – a very loud scraping and banging noise, accompanied by the walls of the house shaking for several seconds – confirmed by the Centre Sismologique Euro-Méditerranéen. So this morning, when I heard a similar enormous bang, I immediately assumed we had just experi...
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A Christmas Party, Some Old Friends and Some Angry Birds

Richard Barley posted an article on - Feb 3, 2011, 5:28 pm
So, lets fast-forward a couple of weeks from December travel Chaos: Part One. This was The Plan: We (Lisa and I) travel to London on Thursday for the TweetDeck Christmas party Rosie & Molly stay with Claire & Tony in Puy-de-Serre Joe stays with Kevin & Amal, also in Puy-de-Serre We return to Franc...
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On Facebook? Don't forget to "Like" us!

Richard Barley posted an article on - Feb 2, 2011, 5:41 pm
If you want to be the first to hear about news from La Vie en Foussais, you can Like us on Facebook. Simply click this link: La Vie en Foussais on Facebook Then click the Like button at the top of our page like this: Filed under: General news Tagged: facebook
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December Travel Chaos: Part One

Richard Barley posted an article on - Feb 2, 2011, 5:20 pm
December was a time of great highs and great lows, mainly involving travel, or the lack thereof. It all started the week after Joe’s 10th birthday, a cold and wintry time throughout Europe…. It was time for my monthly visit to see the TweetDeck team in London. I set off from home around 3.30pm...
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We're back in business!

Richard Barley posted an article on - Feb 2, 2011, 1:15 pm
Yes, it’s true. La Vie en Foussais is back and we’re raring to go! Having put the site to one side for the last year or so, we now feel the time is right to resurrect our tales of food, wine, beaches, friends, cats, disasters, celebrations and everything in between. We certainly have a lot of c...
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Lounging lizards and a fab flower

Richard Barley posted an article on - Apr 29, 2010, 5:04 am
Summer is here, brightening up the view from my window… See and download the full gallery on posterous Posted via email from richardbarley.com
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Its nice to be appreciated…

Richard Barley posted an article on - Mar 31, 2010, 1:39 pm
Thank you Sweden, you’re too kind Posted via web from richardbarley.com
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Full Moon and Sunset

Richard Barley posted an article on - Mar 29, 2010, 3:08 pm
Download now or watch on posterous IMG_0182.mov (1409 KB) The full moon rising over the lake and the sun dipping into the west over the village. I love it…. Posted via web from richardbarley.com
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Untitled

Richard Barley posted an article on - Mar 5, 2010, 12:56 pm
via TweetDeck Posted via web from richardbarley.com
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Spotlight on the Barleys, thanks to the TweetDeck Connexion

Richard Barley posted an article on - Mar 5, 2010, 1:59 am
Back in the autumn last year I did an interview for the english-language paper Connexion, which is a national paper published in France for english-speakers. The story was challenging the traditional view of ex-pats as older couples looking to retire to the sun or run a gite. With the wide availab...
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Spotlight on the Barleys, thanks to the TweetDeck Connexion

Richard Barley posted an article on - Mar 4, 2010, 4:59 pm
Back in the autumn last year I did an interview for the english-language paper Connexion, which is a national paper published in France for english-speakers. The story was challenging the traditional view of ex-pats as older couples looking to retire to the sun or run a gite. With the wide avail...
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Lego – The Force Unleashed – An amazing fan-made stop-motion video

Richard Barley posted an article on - Mar 3, 2010, 9:44 am
via youtube.com Someone should DEFINITELY make a Lego Star Wars feature film Posted via web from richardbarley.com
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Breakfast by candlelight

Richard Barley posted an article on - Mar 1, 2010, 10:28 pm
It was quite a civilised start to the day really… Cornflakes and candles Filed under: Uncategorized
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Breakfast by candlelight

Richard Barley posted an article on - Mar 1, 2010, 1:28 pm
It was quite a civilised start to the day really… Cornflakes and candles Posted via web from richardbarley.com
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My trusty companion

Richard Barley posted an article on - Feb 28, 2010, 11:26 pm
Left alone for weeks on end, Tom Hanks turned to Wilson, the football, for conversation. Me? I had Bin Boy to keep my spirits up during my week of solitude. Could’t have done it without you BB! Filed under: Uncategorized
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The Longest Night

Richard Barley posted an article on - Feb 28, 2010, 10:49 pm
As expected, last night we felt the full force of the storm called “Xynthia”.  I shut up shop early, moved the garden furniture inside, secured all the shutters and braced myself for the expected 130kmph winds. Xynthia did not disappoint. I must have fallen asleep at around 10pm, thinking tha...
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My trusty companion

Richard Barley posted an article on - Feb 28, 2010, 2:26 pm
Left alone for weeks on end, Tom Hanks turned to Wilson, the football, for conversation. Me? I had Bin Boy to keep my spirits up during my week of solitude. Could’t have done it without you BB! Posted via web from richardbarley.com
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The Longest Night

Richard Barley posted an article on - Feb 28, 2010, 1:49 pm
As expected, last night we felt the full force of the storm called "Xynthia".  I shut up shop early, moved the garden furniture inside, secured all the shutters and braced myself for the expected 130kmph winds. Xynthia did not disappoint. I must have fallen asleep at around 10pm, thinking that...
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Here comes summer!

Richard Barley posted an article on - Feb 20, 2010, 9:39 pm
Today was a beautiful day. We drove out to Châtelaillon-Plage and had a lovely picnic on the beach, followed by a long walk in the sunshine. After the cold winter, it was so nice to feel the sun on our faces again. It’s amazing how a single day of sun can make the summer seems only just around t...
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Here comes summer!

Richard Barley posted an article on - Feb 20, 2010, 12:39 pm
Today was a beautiful day. We drove out to Châtelaillon-Plage and had a lovely picnic on the beach, followed by a long walk in the sunshine. After the cold winter, it was so nice to feel the sun on our faces again. It’s amazing how a single day of sun can make the summer seems only just arou...
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A walk with the animals

Richard Barley posted an article on - Jan 24, 2010, 7:06 pm
This afternoon we went for a nice walk up to the “new estate” to pick up the mail for our friends who are moving in later in the year. As usual, Rory, our intrepid feline explorer, followed along, dashing through tunnels and investigating each and every garden on the way. When we got back afte...
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I love my winter sunrise

Richard Barley posted an article on - Jan 18, 2010, 12:25 pm
Getting up to in the winter to take the kids to school never fills me with joy. Especially when, like today, we’ve run out of oil and the house feels like a freezer. But as we pull away from the house and drive down to the lake, the early get-up is rewarded by the loveliest of sunrises. This morn...
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It even snows in the Vendee!

Richard Barley posted an article on - Jan 6, 2010, 8:03 pm
Just as word came in that the school busses were cancelled for another day, the sky went dark and the snow started to fall. Nothing like the national-emergency-level covering in the UK, but snow all the same. Its not all sunshine and swimming pools here you know Posted in Uncategorized
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Our first beach walk of 2010

Richard Barley posted an article on - Jan 3, 2010, 11:53 am
Our first day on the beach at Ile de Re was great, though we really missed the Dixies.   Posted in Uncategorized
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