Mutzig

This is a photo of Mutzig taken during today's afternoon walk. Our apartment is just below the church in the centre of the picture. Mutzig is around 20 minutes drive from Strasbourg and lies, surrounded by vineyards, in one of the many valleys that lead into the Vosges hills.

Two weeks to go...

I always said that when the days grew colder and the leaves started changing colour then the 'birthday' of Jack would soon arrive. And now the days have grown colder and the leaves have started changing colour... and it's true that the final countdown has begun. Ben and I have had our last visit with the doctor, we've signed up with the hospital, and we've got all the 'stuff' we should need for the first wee while... In fact, after my final session with the 'wise woman' this Wednesday, we've nothing left to do but wait for the big day to arrive.

Award Winner!!!

Marion Agus An Banphrionsa (Marion And The Princess)Director: Melanie Clark Pullen Jury Statement Short film in Irish is a striving genre and Gael Linn is proud to recognise achievement through its award Gradam Gael Linn. This year’s recipient is Melanie Clark Pullen for the film Marion agus an Banprionsa.Gael Linn CEO Antoine O’ Coileain on behalf of the judging panel said“This is a delightful film which beautifully recaptures a little girl’s dream encounter with Princess Grace during an Irish visit. The film seamlessly weaves actuality, flashback and present day to great effect. Its two child actresses, Erin and Doireann Learmont are truly outstanding. A joy to behold was the judges summation.”

Now, let me explain!

About 3 years ago, Melanie and I were sitting in a café overlooking the Med. talking about the projects we wanted to realise. As she sipped on her hot chocolate, Melanie began to tell of an idea she'd been nurturing.. as someone who was Irish and who had studied the Irish language at university and as someone who was at the time living only a few miles from Monaco, she was interested in researching the time Princess Grace (Kelly) visited Dublin. Why? Because she wanted to write a short story or create a short film about the event, using research she could gather from the Princess Grace library in Monaco. More than that, though, she wanted to use a newspaper clip she'd found about how Grace visited a children's hospital ward. In that way, she could fashion the story around how Marion, a young Irish girl, might have experienced the wonder of meeting a 'real, live Princess.'

Well, you know how life is.. a few months later Melanie and her husband Simon left Antibes to return to Dublin (and Ben and I moved to Alsace). Once 'home' Melanie started to put her plan into action, and applied for a film grant from the Irish Language film board. Then, having won the grant, she summoned together a film crew and shot the film both in Ireland and in Monaco. Sound simple so far? Well, it wasn't - as she really had to invest herself and her everyday life in the details of generating people's interest and maintaining the professionalism of everyone's involvement.

But, life works its miracles because last week Melanie showed her film at the Cork Film Festival and won the award for best short film in the Irish Language.

Can you imagine ?

So, if you have a project hiding under your dream pillow why not pull it out, give it a shake, and see what you can do with it?

Afterall, Marion dreamed of meeting a Princess and she managed it!!!

cushion for hire!

Only days after leaving my job for maternity leave, I've found a new calling in life as a ... cushion.

Charlotte, at least, found me very comfortable and quite practical.

She was also quite taken by the idea that there was a baby in my tummy.. though she did keep checking that it 'was still there.' The reason for her inquietude? Quite logically, she was concerned the baby would get cold if it was born just now as it's all naked and the temperature has recently dropped to autumnal levels!

I'm with her, and so the 'wee one' has strict instructions to stay 'where it's warm' for at least another month :-)

So, if you know of anyone who needs a 'cushion' in the next month or so, you know where I can be found!!!

smiles,

Robyn