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    ItchyFootMum
    ItchyFootMum
    ItchyFootMum
    Ebook70 pages1 hour

    ItchyFootMum

    By Jasmine Harper

    ()

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    About this ebook

    An experienced house-swapper, I was used to living in other people's houses. But this was an unusual proposal. Exchanging houses and the kids' school places with a family in France....

    It was true I had 'itchy feet''. The idea of a family adventure - living a different life in a different place - had wriggled its way into my imagination a while back, and fidgeted around there restlessly.

    OK, so this wouldn't be South East Asia, and it would be for only a month, but hey, why not?? It might calm the itching for a bit...... or would it?

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherJasmine Harper
    Release dateAug 19, 2012
    ISBN9781476204208
    ItchyFootMum

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      Book preview

      ItchyFootMum - Jasmine Harper

      ItchyFootMum

      Jasmine Harper

      Whilst this book is based on actual events, all names have been altered to protect the privacy of those involved.

      Smashwords Edition

      ItchyFootMum © 2012

      First digital edition, published by Jasmine Harper August 2012

      The right of Jasmine Harper to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by her in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Design & Patents Act 1988.

      All rights reserved.

      No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, copied in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying or otherwise transmitted without the written permission of the publisher. You must not circulate this book in any format.

      Cover Design Copyright © 2012 by Jasmine Harper

      Book Design, Production and Editing by Jasmine Harper

      This e-book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This e-book must not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the work and time of this author.

      CONTENTS

      Chapter 1: Seasoned Swappers

      Chapter 2: Let’s Do It!

      Chapter 3: Bienvenue en Bretagne

      Chapter 4 : Time for School

      Chapter 5 : Settling In

      Chapter 6: SuperWomen

      Chapter 7: All Creatures Great and Small

      Chapter 8: The Great Exploding Cheese Fiasco

      Chapter 9: A Flea-Ridden Low

      Chapter 10: So What Did Happen Next?

      Chapter 11: La Vie Continue

      Chapter 12: Vive la Différence

      Chapter 13: Ca y est ! J’en ai marre !

      Chapter 14 : La Vie Sociale

      Chapter 15 : Not a Holiday (honest !)

      Chapter 16: Friends and Neighbours

      Chapter 17: Nearly Over

      Chapter 18: Still Itchy??

      Chapter 1: Seasoned Swappers

      It would be fair to say we are very at home living in other people's houses. Seasoned swappers, you could call us. We have resided, slept, played, entertained and holidayed in over 20 houses belonging to other people over the past 8 years. In exchange, we have opened up our front door, our kitchen cupboards, our toy boxes and our garden to dozens of families who wanted a welcoming family house to use a base for exploring our local area of England.

      With our latest house exchange, there was a twist in the tale. Our most adventurous swap yet, I took our 3 children to Brittany for a month, swapping houses as usual, but also swapping school places between our 3 anglophonic offspring and their 3 francophonic young girls.

      Although not the most obvious holiday destination, where we live is very near to one of the most popular National Parks in England, so we don't have any shortage of offers from families wanting to swap houses with us. Just after returning from our Easter house swap holiday, our plans for this summer were on hold a bit due to potential job moves. Then into my InBox pinged another swap enquiry, beginning much like all the rest....Je suis a la recherche d'un échange de maison...

      But this one went on, in French: My dream is to bring my three girls to live in your house for one or two months so that they can go to your local school, and your children could go to their school round the corner from our house...I want them to learn to speak English as early as possible.....

      Scanning the message with my usual filters - mostly searching for references to several bedrooms, big garden, good location, outdoor pool if I am feeling lucky - I stopped and re-read. And re-read. What this woman was proposing sounded a pretty unusual proposal. But surely completely unrealistic? What about work commitments?

      It was true I had 'Itchy Feet'. A possible family re-location overseas a couple of months earlier ('ooh! that would be exciting!…..') didn't end up happening ('ah well, clearly wasn't meant to be.....ho hum…...') And the idea of a family adventure, living a different life in a different place, had wriggled its way into my imagination, and fidgeted around there restlessly.

      Hovering over the Delete button, my mind fluttered with the possibilities and jittered with the practical realities. The Delete button didn't get pushed. I got on with my working day. By the time I had a child-free hour late that evening, my attitude had morphed from 'Completely Unrealistic' to 'Perfectly Possible'. This wasn’t South East Asia, and it would be for only a month, but hey, why not?? It might calm the itching for a bit……

      When I summed up the proposition to Mon Mari (ie The Man in my Life) it was less a 'What do you think?' and more an 'Any objections?'. His reply was an encouraging grin, as I knew it would be. He would come to France with us for half-term week, and then come back to England for work, lodging with a local friend. I emailed a couple of lines to La Maman Francaise, bashed 'Send' and put my laptop and my spinning

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