Tuesday, December 22, 2009

Anyone for Tennis?

I worked ‘outside’ for four mornings last week, supervising exams. It all went smoothly and quickly too except for the morning we were in the big amphitheatre for two exams. It’s a large cold room, especially when not filled to capacity, so most of us (students and supervisors) kept our coats on. The second exam required simple calculators, which are provided and are solar powered. We were just getting everyone seated when the electricity went off. Would you believe that these intelligent future captains of industry and commerce started calling that their calculators didn’t work? I’m sorry but I found the situation really funny. The electricity supply was restored and the calculators soon recharged enough to work properly.

We had about 30 seconds of snowflakes yesterday lunch time. It will probably be my ration for the year. A robin and a blue tit were hanging around in front of the kitchen window hoping for something to eat. The robin found a piece of bread so the blue tit came and sat on the window sill waiting for his share. How could I resist?

Olivier came home on Saturday, just as I was serving up lasagne – poor soul hadn’t eaten all day and his train was delayed by the snow in Poitiers. Dom will be home late on Wednesday night and will leave on the 7.30 train on Sunday morning. More sociable times cost an arm and a leg (or "the eyes in your head" in French).

Yesterday evening I was arm wrestling with the Doctor (his way of checking to see what was wrong). It seems that I’ve got Tennis Elbow. Not very pleasant and he told me to be careful with heavy saucepans full of hot liquids in case I drop them. That’s the end of my career in weightlifting.

The shopping was done yesterday morning, the turkey is sitting in the fridge and now all I have to do is make the stuffing and cook it all. I’m beginning to feel Christmassy, I’ll have to hunt out the Christmas Carol CDs.

3 comments:

Dru Marland said...

the calculator story reminds me of a time that a film crew were filming for 'Bergerac' on the ferry, and one of them was laying rails for the camera trolley and using a spirit level... is tennis elbow the same as bursitis? -if so, big time suck. Just when you don't need it too. Mend soon!

Anji said...

Dru: A spirit level on a ferry! I suppose you could get hypnotised by that.

I looked up bursitis and it isn't that, thank goodness. It's more a type of repetative stress injury. When I was weightlifting the heavier weights my tendons were doing the work rather than the muscles. The worst part is it makes it very difficult to get the corks out of wine bottles.

Anonymous said...

Interesting blog, you write very well.

Sounds like you have had the same sort of weather as here in England. We had 10-12 inches in Hampshire, then another 4. Even now there are piles outside and some parts in UK are expecting more.

Hope there is lots in France, Off to the Trois Vallees on Friday.

I like your saying about the 'eyes of your head'. My french is poor but I do remember in Moilere's L'Avare, that there was a phrase in french which translated was 'if the cap fits wear it' but in french this came out as 'if you have a snotty nose, blow it'.

The other thought I had was about tennis elbow (and I get mine mainly through use of the from hour long repetitive use of the mouse). It was impacting, rather than caused by my golf. But my chiropractor that I visit anyway for my back sorted it very easily in 2x 5 minute sessions.

I'm sure I will visit again. Take care

TinaCortina x

ps came via Helen