Rimboval is a professional writer with ideas to share about aspects of life and love. With degrees in English, theology and library science, and years of experience as a diplomat and communicator in several countries, he likes to think aloud about how we all got where we are and how we survive and thrive.
Advertisements
Dear Rimboval – I am utterly intrigued… are you actually based in Rimboval in northern France? I love your writing – do you write about whatever piques your interest that day? Please put me out of my curiosity misery!
Dear Janine, thanks for the kind remarks. A couple of years ago we made a number of trips through the tunnel to see if we could buy an interesting house to retire to. On one such visit, we spent part of a rainy afternoon at Rimboval and I remember thinking what a magical place it was in its wooded valley. Other things happended, and we did not make that move, but I treasure memories of many villages and market towns in the Pas de Calais. My website (I have two others) is meant to be a salad of ideas, impressions and memories, and I publish on it when I can. Glad you like it.
How lovely to hear from you and to learn more. I too visited Rimboval on a rainy afternoon, found it magical – and stayed! I look forward to reading more on Rimbovalia and your other sites. I write too – it is quite addictive isn’t it! If find that writing enables me to meet people and learn things I would never otherwise be able to – I thought you might like an interview I have just completed with theologian and artist Irina Kotova from Belarus – it was not easy with the language issues but her art is quite wonderful http://www.thegoodlifefrance.com/french-style-artist-irina-kotova-a-belorussian-inspired-by-paris/ I loved your definition of heaven and hell using European nationalities by the way – I may quote you!! best, Janine ps I have signed up to your blog roll…
I infer from what you write that you actually live in Rimboval. Is that right? If so, the house we were looking at was over the road from the mairie garden, with some sort of inner cloister and with a tiny lane going uphill beside it. We seriously considered it, but fate intervened…
Aha – I know it well! An English man called Rodney lived there and now a French family. Yes I do live in Rimboval – it is a marvelous place, tranquil and a bit rough round the edges but I like it like that! We have no shops, bars or any sign of commercial life other than the daily bread van, weekly fish, meat and veg van and a post service. Perhaps one day you will return to look again – there are some wonderful villages here and so much culture, art, tradition… I have travelled extensively in France but this region is my favourite.
Since reading your previous posting, I’ve gone and signed up for your website. I look forward to reading it. Your phrase ‘no shops’ reminds me that we were looking for a house in a village which had a shop; a sort of precondition, if you like. The agent who took us to Rimboval knew this, but thought we might be beguiled by it nevertheless. We were, but health problems and other family changes intervened at that point in rather a meaningful sort of way and we did not in the end make an offer for any place in France. Thinking of where we could have gone – Liques, Quercamp, Ardres, Hesdin and others – still makes us mournful with regret; but it was not to be.
Dear Rimboval – I am honoured that you signed up to The Good Life France. I’m sorry it wasn’t meant to be for you but perhaps you’ll enjoy reading about life here. It is idyllic in many ways – especially for an ex Londoner as I am but it can also be difficult – wood to chop and store and fetch in every day for the fire, 30 minutes to the nearest hospital – at the moment I am lucky not to have to worry such things. I am looking forward to communicating with you and swapping views! Janine