My World of Travel and Food: Hello table, hello umbrella! Welcome to Sig.

When we first saw this place in flesh it was overgrown and the lovely website pictures weren't anything like the weedy rather (from the outside anyway) messy mass that presented itself. The 'nice' pbotos we saw online were sans weed matting. The photos were we believe, at the time, very quickly taken and looking brilliant with the drive and other areas perfect. However not permanently so. The weeds grew through.... it just looked very unappealing.

But shitbags, we loved it regardless. The "bones" and I so hate that word but in this case it fits , were verging on steroids for a simple place like this one with the outside just needing that final finish. The people we bought from were not renovating to sell. The internal ground work was far too extensive. I have access to more power sockets than anywhere I've ever lived. The insulation is unreal. I can only surmise selling was a necessity rather than an option. Anyway, whatever, but the couple we bought off loved this place with a passion and I feel proud to love it as much. They put forward their heart, soul and euros. The finishing however I believe became impossible.

We’ll be working on that final finish for many many years to come but for now, we are so stoked. We were introduced early on to a fabulous guy who works the roads by day and is an artisan stoneworker plus a practical all round base layer/graveller/ fix stone walls call it what you will by weekends. The guy’s A – BLOODY- AMAZING. And very lovely with it.

We’re getting there. I pinch myself every second I’m here. It’s so bloody simple and if that’s not your bag I get it, but I also think one day you might reconsider because sheer simplicity is a splice of life that us, with choice, rarely embrace and enjoy. For me, right now, at this point in my life... well this little pad is my moment. Andy's too. We are besotted. To hell with expensive real estate. Sometimes (and I know it's only possible to feel like this with choice) simplicity is life. We adore it.

Oh and if I sound like a spoilt brat it is because I am. We are so bloody lucky. Coming into Switzerland today and 4 weeks ago they were doing random passport checks. Ours were, on both occasions, waved though without checking. No prob. Danke schoen. Gutten tag. The biggest lottery in life is where we were born. Joey and dad told us that so many times as kids and they are so SO right. As New Zealanders we were born with a status that comes naturally. It's a ghastly fact of life. But that's another epistle.