Ouch!

Olivier came in yesterday with the story that the mayor’s wife has lost some fingers. She was closing the shutters in the wind and the shutter blew back onto her hand. I did something similar when we were living in La Rochelle. The shutter flipped back onto my fingers. It took a while for me to pluck up enough courage to look. Our shutters are old, wooden and ill fitting after the years of damp winters and very hot summers, so hopefully I don’t have to worry too much.

On the edge of a cliff

The new school term has started and Olivier appears to have turned over a new leaf. He’s been getting up in plenty of time to get ready for lycée. He hasn’t missed the bus once this week. I saw him revising for a maths exam, he had a reasonable mark in his Economic science exam. We talked (calmly) about his future and he has been researching his ideas. I had a note that he had skipped school for a day when in fact he was on a school trip.

Now I’m waiting for something horrible to happen….

Where are you?

Spooky - what's happened? Where are you? What about the socks?

A good day

This morning I was driving to work when I saw a (red) squirrel running along the side of the road on the grass verge. I was concerned in case he headed into the road but he continued in a straight line and I left him behind. A little further on I waited at the traffic lights (yet more road works) and who should I see leaping from branch to branch in the trees at the side of the road? It’s nice to see so many squirrels around but I’m concerned that they are leaving the park and wondering so close to the busy road.

A little further on I came to the burnt out chateau which has been turned into holiday flats. There were 4 helicopters parked in the clearing. Rob and I had seen them fly over yesterday evening. So I wondered which rich and famous personalities came to stay near our village complete with convoy of helicopters. Or perhaps and Arab prince? Olivier told me later that it was to film and episode of a treasure hunt for French TV – I never watch it so I wasn’t impressed. When I got home and lunch time Olivier had opened all of the shutters (which we left closed because of the early start) and all of the widows to let some sunshine in.

This afternoon I went to surf on Blog Mad and discovered that I had two messages. Recently my blogs have been voted blog of the day!!

The sun is still shining and it’s starting to feel warmer too. Not a bad day at all

Busy bee

I thought that I was busy before, but now I’m even busier. This week I’m exam supervising again. The week kicked off with a four hour exam and I was on my own. Fortunately someone replaced me for a few minutes half way through so I could pop to the ladies. The main season starts at the beginning of May and will go on till the beginning of July. The school of commerce has expanded so much over the last couple of years the exam period has more than doubled – good news for us supervisors! I’ve asked to work mornings only so that I can carry on with the postcards in the afternoons.

Random game

I haven’t played many games like this. For once I've been sent one by Bomarzo with clear instructions….

Random things about me

1. I was once laughed at because I suggested wasting paper was wasting trees!

2. I’m very hard to make friends with in ‘real’ life

3. I was once in the ladies room at a hotel at the same time as Stevie Nicks or Christine McVie, I’m not sure which - and I couldn’t think of anything to say

4. I consider that I’ve had a lot of ‘lucky escapes’ in my life

5. My personal diary was used as evidence in a court case many years ago

6. Although I’ve lived in France for 23 years, I can’t write in French (I have read quite a few books and novels in French)

Rules of the game …

· Link to the person who tagged you.
· Post the rules on your blog.
· Write six random things about yourself.
· Tag six random people by linking to their blogs.
· Let each of the six know they’ve been tagged by leaving them a comment (on their blogs).
· Let your tagger know when your entry is up.

The victims …

1. Doris Mash
2. The Introverted Exhibitionist
3. Because I can
4. Bo He Mi An RhApSoDy
5. Neutron News
6. A Fifth of Therapy
   

Unconscious Mutterings

It's been a while...

1. Questioning :: defiance


2. Immunity :: strength


3. Online dating :: Hmmmm


4. Calcium :: bones


5. Dressing :: morning


6. Bucket :: spade


7. Stain :: mark


8. Advanced :: ahead


9. Dramatic :: panic


10. Self-medication :: asprin

If you'd like to play go here, The game has been going for five years. Congratulations Patricia!

Glucose tests a waste of time?

I was very shocked this morning when I listened to the news broadcast on BBC radio 4. A report has just been released which says that there is no point in people like me checking their blood sugar levels on a regular basis. The report says that constant checking causes worry and even depression in patients. I strongly disagree. My father was on the verge of losing his toes before he was diagnosed with diabetes. I made sure that my doctor knew that there was diabetes type II in my family for two generations. I consider myself fortunate that abnormal blood sugar levels were spotted quickly and that using tests I could adjust my diet. Testing strips and lancets for finger pricking are expensive, but surely they are a lot cheaper than insulin injections, hospital stays and rehabilitation costs after amputation? I won’t go into the subject of blindness and other organ problems diabetic patients face. I’ll be discussing this with my own Doctor next time I see him to see what is going to happen in France. I’d be interested to know what other people think about this subject; diabetic, pre-diabetic or not.

A Walk in the Black Forest

I was writing up the announcement for an old German postcard of a hotel in the Black Forest this afternoon and I suddenly remembered the piece of music called A Walk in the Black Forest. I’ve always remembered the very first time I heard it. We were in the cinema, my mum sisters and me waiting for the film, Mary Poppins to start. I liked the tune straight away. When we got home my baby brother had walked his first steps for my Granny who was babysitting, 43 years ago, time flies…

My little sister became a granny today!

Talking of number 12

Dom came home for the weekend and borrowed my jacket. She read my blog yesterday and brought the jacket back to me before she left. I wonder if she hadn’t have read that it was my favorite she would have accidentally put it into her suitcase.

Anyway Dom, it’s too big for you really. When I fetched this picture I checked the sizes and colours left and the orange ( pumpkin) coloured one is only available in size 34. There is a blue and white striped one in size 40 left…..