Morning all. As I went outside to fasten back the shutters, it was totally silent. Normally there is a tractor on the move, or other noise from the farm, but today nothing. The cattle in the barn were fed late last night, and the workers are having a lie in. The shops are closed, even the bakers. People bought in supplies of bread and pastries to see them through the day, but all back to normal tomorrow. No doubt, the restocking of the larder will begin again midweek in preparation for the New Year festivities. Have a great day wherever you are in the world.
Morning all. Recovering from too much to eat, despite the good intentions, and a distinct shortage of wine as I was driving. 8.30pm we left my daughter's house to come home, and in the 10 miles didn't see a single car. I hope that the game today doesn't have me reaching for the bottle before it is over! Have a good one everybody.
There was quite a bit of traffic in Leeds yesterday. i ate far too much for a diabetic and have to go easy today..... Have a good one...
Morning all. Bright and dry, but not that warm. I have been having a chuckle at a BBC headline. "Pint-sized bottles of still and sparkling wine are to appear on shelves in the UK, the government has said." Further on the article goes into further detail, suggesting that maybe they won't appear on shelves. "However, it remains to be seen what the demand will be for pint-sized wine bottles among producers and bottlers." I can tell the government that the wine bottlers in France who see millions of bottles each year, are unlikely to set up a small supply of bottles that will only be sold in the UK. I suppose it helps to cover up the fact that "98.7% of respondents to a consultation favoured using metric as the main measurement unit for all sales, as now, or as the only unit." Have a good day everyone.
Morning all. We must have had more rain overnight, but it didn't wake me. The alarm did however as Mme. wanted an early start as she is off to the hairdresser this morning. As a four-year-old I started school, and can clearly remember my first day. We had to stand up, say who we were, and when it was our birthday. Times were still very difficult after the war, and as my birthday was so close to Christmas, I always celebrated it on the 1st February to spread the cost of presents. Clearly, the teacher knew my actual birthday was the 28th December, which I didn't. I believe that a conversation took place later between my mother and the teacher that sorted the fact I was both right and wrong. Have a good day everyone.
Have a great day Frenchie...... Was our wedding anniversary yesterday which 'no one' remembers... I managed to buy a card at around midday !
Morning all. Last day of the year has started like so many other days, grey and uninviting outside. The weather throughout the year has been far from normal. Temperatures of 25°C in January, and 27 days until 17th February without rain is unheard of in a French winter. Long dry spells, but also periods of heavy rain brought flooding to some parts of the country. As usual, the population has taken to the streets to protest when the government tries to impose unpopular change. To up retirement age from 62-64 over coming years is not how Pierre or Marie want to see their future. Ex-President Sarkozy was given a three-year prison sentence for taking illegal donations from a foreign country. It couldn't happen, of course, in the UK. People have struggled with inflation at the supermarkets, but there was intervention to cap fuel prices, and part of our council tax was abolished. We will wait to see what the New Year has in store for us. Have a good day everyone.
Good day all... last day of the year and looking back we continue to be blighted by terrible wars and destruction.... Have a good celebration.....
Morning all. The New Year has started with sunshine and showers. Rather like much of last year. It has been estimated that 800,000 people were packed onto the Champs-Élysées last night for the spectacular concert, light show and fireworks. If you have ever walked the length of it, you will know that it is rather longer than you expected, and judging by the TV pictures it was totally filled. Not surprisingly, a lot was made about the Summer Olympics being held in the city. Most tickets for the popular events have already been snapped up, and you will have to enter a ballot for those that are still available. Such is life. Have a good day everyone.
Mme's trip to her hairdresser has had consequences. While she was being snipped, some kind soul shattered one of the rear lights on her car. First registered in England in 1999 it is becoming more difficult to find spares, but a search of the internet found what I was looking for in the north of France. It arrived yesterday, and looked like new, although it wasn't. Then it dawned. This came from a LHD French car, not a RHD English one. So the fog light and reversing light are in the wrong place. No problem, said my friendly garage man, just get the light for the other side, and he will change the wiring. Back to the internet, and the company that supplied the one I have, didn't have the other one. More searching and I find one in the southwest of the country, that should be delivered later this week. Why can't most other countries in the world adopt English RHD cars as standard, as it would save a lot of hassle?
There was an old lady in the crowd today who looked after our Captain when he was a young boy, she was his Hodtnanny
