We spent Christmas 1973 in Johannesburg, courtesy of my dear wife's brothers' marriage to a South African girl (who made the wedding dress for Gary Bailey's (first) wife , but I digress) .The family were Scottish, having emigrated in 1919, which included wading ashore at Durban - the infamous sand bar prevented ships from getting to the jetty - and the grandfather was a golf professional, yet again I digress). Anyway, we had a completely traditional Christmas dinner, with sherry, turkey, roast potatoes, parsnips sprouts, bread sauce , mince pies, Christmas pudding, the lot before playing cricket in a temperature of about 24 C. The trip was fascinating, if a little bizarre ( segregation being the norm etc etc). The country side, the bush was/is absolutely stunning - a magical display of the huge variety of (God's) creation on earth. However, I learned a lot from being lectured to by some cousin from Rhodesia who explained that the blecks were basically baboons. I kid you not. Shook me out of my paradise cocoon. Considering the alternative, Mandela & De Klerk saved the country from an awful conflagation. For reference, see Palestine ! RSA may not be that healthy, but could be a whole lot worse.
Morning all. Bright and breezy, but an amazing 18°C outside. I am not sure if it will stay like this, as more thunderstorms are forecast for this afternoon. A trip to the Physio with Mme this afternoon by a different route because the road we normally take is closed for three days while it is resurfaced. The stretch they are doing is about 500 metres long just as you approach the small town. The people living this side of it will have a 10km drive to get their bread or newspaper instead of the 500 metres. They could walk, although some are very frail, and the road is steep as it goes down to the river. Yesterday we went past the river, and after the heavy rain of the past few days, it has burst the bank and flooding the campsite again. Have a good day everyone.
I spent two days in Cape Town whilst en route to Australia - and have two abiding memories. A group of us hired a taxi (whites only as we later realised) for a tour of the city. Whilst giving us a running commentary, he mentioned the population as being 300K. Thinking that was a little low, I jokingly said that I had seen more than that working on the waterfront - his reply stunned me, "yes, but they're Kaffirs - there's around three quarters of a million of them". Cue silence for the rest of the tour. The other memory is of the steak sandwiches - the best I had ever tasted, and yet to be surpassed. By the way, 24C in Queensland is a cool winter's day - perhaps they should move Xmas there to June?
Not very pleasant weather up here this morning. After yesterday's steady, all day rain washed away all traces of last week's snow, the Beast from the East strikes again with another blizzard. The west facing windows of our bedroom are totally covered with snow, and looking out the north facing window reveals snow blowing horizontally, west to east - yet when my wife left for work and hour ago there wasn't even the slightest hint of this. The dog's not going to like it, but I think I'll stay in bed where it's warm for a while...
Morning all. Bright and breezy here, but the wind has a definite chill to it again. More rain is expected this afternoon, so think I will set things up in the barn to do some woodwork. The news from France includes the problems being caused by wild boar roaming the streets of Ajaccio on Corsica. “We live with them. In the evening, they go out in bands to do the trash and wander on the roads. They look for food and destroy the gardens. It has become a scourge” While the official approach is to capture and return them to the maquis, some residents have been taking a different way out of the problem as the remains of a dozen animals were found in a ravine. My neighbour here would have them in his freezer. Have a good day everyone.
Morning all. Bright and mild, and although dry, there is loads of water on the green lanes that hasn't yet drained through. There are six drakes and one duck in residence on the village pond, but I haven't seen the duck for a couple of weeks now. There are a lot of tall plants alongside a channel that feeds into a seasonal stream, and I suspect that somewhere in there she is nesting. Last year, nine ducklings were on the pond for several weeks, swimming around with the adults. I did wonder which drake was the father, as they all seemed very pleased with the outcome. Have a good day everyone.
Had a interesting moment today, we went to Rickmansworth Aquardrome for a walk and a coffee We were just finishing our coffees when the top literally blew off a bottle of tomato ketchup splattering it all over the wall and some of it on us, the top landed on the window ledge A couple of yummy mums gave us a couple of wet wipes to clean any little bits on us
ah .... memory time...as a kid i remember fishing and bike rides there....we lived at money hill parade
Morning all. The sun is up, there is very little wind, and a temperature of 21°C is forecast for this afternoon. Unlike Paris, the bin men came round and collected our stuff that goes off to be recycled yesterday. We didn't have any rubbish for landfill, which goes in a black bin, but none of the other residents had any either. The bin men in Paris are on strike because their retirement age is to go from 57 to 59, so lots of problems there with rubbish on the streets, which is bringing the rats out. Something needs to give there, or the tourists will be turned off by it. Have a good day everyone.
Morning all. Not as warm as yesterday, but the sun is behind a heavy cloud layer, and there is a stiff breeze once more. Time to do the weekly shop, and visit the bank. Mme was sent a new card to pay monies in to the association account that she is the treasurer of. When she went to use it for the first time, the machine said it was not compatible with it. A confused member of staff took the card and said they would issue a new one. It has taken a month, but the new one has arrived, so we will see what happens. Have a good day everyone.
It reached 21 degrees with some french friends for lunch in Limoges today... conversation about Brexit again and the cost of living in the UK and we have another PM?? What happened to the last lady etc etc. Meanwhile a lot of drink....and mme is the chauffeur home again...
Morning all. Up on tea making duties a bit earlier than normal as a present for Mme is scheduled to arrive between 8.00 am and 2.00 pm. Deliveries usually arrive mid to late morning in this remote part of the country, but you never know. My Friday night French football took me to the north-east of the country, and the city of Nancy. A first half penalty was enough to seal a win for Chateauroux, but for the last ten minutes they were hanging on a bit. Very stressful. Have a good day everyone.
Interesting visit to a house clearance sale in a little hamlet...never seen so many anglais.... .Got talking to a couple and as we walked back to the cars started talking about the Rugby on this pm and I said I preferred soccer..and he said 'Well I'm a watford supporter myself'...and a happy chat ensued..appeared we had similar childhood haunts....we remembered fondly the golden era... and he said he knew Cally as a younger player and was very surpised he eventually played for Watford.... a very pleasant morning
Afternoon all. Been talking to the wife of my best mate who is currently in hospital. He was diagnosed with cancer last year, and a fortnight ago had his first chemo treatment. This has upset his body chemistry to such an extent he was back and forth to A & E five times last week before they kept him in to try and restore a balance. He is hoping to be let out this afternoon, but is then due for a second dose of chemo Tuesday. Meanwhile, his wife is not responding very well, complaining about having to wear a mask when she goes into the hospital, and is feeling as though she has covid. Have a good day everyone.
Morning all. A bright start to the day, and it looks as though it might warm up quite nicely by this afternoon. Looking ahead to the week, there is not a single day when I don't have to do something or go somewhere. I would like to do some gardening, but it is still very wet down the fields. No doubt come summer I will be complaining about lack of rain. Have a good day everyone.
Morning ... Sunny here too... Going to do a walk here today..... the French guide says 4 hours... which really means 6 for us.. ( if we were to do it all)....and we are following the local commune walk guide which adds a spice of uncertainty to the whole thing.... Going heavily supplied and we know we can turn back into the village when we cross a little road at any time....The whole walk circles the commune , past old fountains, a knights templar chapel, a holy well etc.... EDIT: Full walk achieved in 5 hours...... hot bath needed..... no fun getting old....!
Morning all. Grey and dry currently, but rain forecast for this afternoon. It is quite funny to have read on the BBC website how Macron was in danger of losing a no confidence vote in Parliament, after he pushed through his pension reforms bill without a vote. If you lived here, you would have known there was little chance of that happening, as the Republicans, a centre right party, said they would not vote for it. I sometimes think that the Beeb is working to a strange agenda. Have a good day everyone.
I was travelling in SA during the 1980s and after a Trek in the Tsitsicama hills caught a bus back, a 40 seated coach, I was shocked to find a metal barrier behind the front 8 seats!
Currently Skiing in Italy and have met a couple in our Hotel who are Watford season ticket holders who go to every match, home and away. They sit in the Rookery and reckon the whole team needs replaced. Small world eh. Beware we walk amongst them.
