They say that January 1 is the blank page of a new book. That this day marks reinvention. That all mistakes from the last 365 days can be erased at the snap of a confetti popper and a clink of a glass of Moët. But northern hemisphere living has got me all confused. Because this sort of life rejuvenation usually happens in the summer, when eating fresh fruit for breakfast, lunch and dinner to change your diet is appealing and satisfying, when rising with the sun at 5am to go for a run on the beach seems like a good idea, and when your skin glows a healthy shade of bronze, developed from just sitting in the car. The air is heavy with good, clean, progressive living.

But here, there's two. New Year's Day - ie, the shortest day of the year* and la Rentrée, which usually falls at the beginning of September - ie post summer and the advent of winter. So there's a spanner in my resolution works, or a definite escape for not making any, as I think to myself anything I want to change will just have to happen at the other, I'm not ready now. But if I continue to not make any, how on earth am I to completely substitute all that I dislike in my existence with that that will make me a positive and productive person? Conundrum.

More bla bla after the jump...

Insta-postcards from France

Last week Mr M, his family and I returned from a 7-day road trip across the centre of France.

From Paris we headed east to Champagne country, visiting the cellars of some of the world's favourite bubbles and spent the night at a small champagne production house.

From there we headed to the Loire Valley to take in the splendid castles that are scattered all over the region; it amazes me the way those of the royal French court once lived. We then made the turn west, to Brittany, to stay at the gorgeous fortified sea-side town that is Saint-Malo, which included a visit to the magnificent Mont Saint-Michel. This abbey, perched high on a rock outcrop of an island, which is inaccessible at high tide, has to be seen to be believed. It's such a special place if you're able to turn a blind eye to the tourism that has infiltrated every corner of the island.

We headed north, stopping for a sombre moment at the D-Day beaches, then continued to the twin towns of Deauville and Trouville to see the former playground of the rich and famous in its natural, quiet state before the influx of holidaymakers arrive.

Despite already having visited all these places it was such a luxury to see them again to commit them to memory, share them with Mr M's family and take more pictures, especially with Instagram this time around. I hope to share the trip here soon, too!

xx