Ten days ago we had hail... and as the old Breton men say, 'Spring only comes after the hail.'
The
last few days have been warming up nicely, and today we get 19 degrees
at 5.30 in the afternoon... I arrive home to the smell of freshly cut
grass and yes, a barbeque !!...
The evening sun on your back.. you just can't beat it.
Real life in Southern Brittany from Nicole at frenchgites.com. Holiday cottages from only £175 per week
Saturday 23 March 2013
Friday 22 March 2013
When Iona and Joe were at Primary school (maternelle) it was
impossible not to pick up some of the more frequently used expressions
and words, one of which was, 'Est ce que tu boudes?' (Are you sulking?)
Before this week I have never made the connection between the verb bouder and boudoir.
This week I discovered that boudoir means, 'a ladies sulking room.' How lovely to have a 'sulking room' !!...
Now I'm wondering, is there any connection between bouder and boudin?
Before this week I have never made the connection between the verb bouder and boudoir.
This week I discovered that boudoir means, 'a ladies sulking room.' How lovely to have a 'sulking room' !!...
Now I'm wondering, is there any connection between bouder and boudin?
Wednesday 20 March 2013
Paper not plastic...
I have been working at La Maison Rose this morning and on my way home at lunchtime I stopped at the boulangerie at Monteneuf for a loaf of bread.
Usually the bread is just passed over the counter. Not today.
Taking one look at my hands the woman behind the counter wrapped the bread in a sheet of paper !!..
So pleased platic bags haven't found their way into our local boulangerie.
Usually the bread is just passed over the counter. Not today.
Taking one look at my hands the woman behind the counter wrapped the bread in a sheet of paper !!..
So pleased platic bags haven't found their way into our local boulangerie.
Monday 18 March 2013
The Rules of Village Life
Today I have seen the dichotomy of village life.
Last week an elderly gentleman, who had lived in Reminiac all his life, died.
Today was his funeral. Cars lined the roads leading to the church and there weren’t enough pews to seat everyone. EVERYBODY in Reminiac who could attend, went to the funeral.
As I waited to pick Joe up from school at lunchtime I watched everyone walk slowly from the church to the graveyard.
I turned to the dinner lady, as we watched in silence, “Was he popular?’
She gave a gallic shrug, ‘No really, but when someone dies everyone attends the funeral. It is respect.’
Not three hours later, I hear that a woman in the village has lost her job through no fault of her own.
Someone else’s good deed on her behalf has backfired in a terrible terrible way which has left her ousted and she will inevitably loose her job. So cruel. I hardly know her, she is a quiet woman who keeps herself to herself and never participates in the village gossip.
I can only stand on the outside and watch the hard rules of this close knitted rural French community.
The compassion the village showed towards the dead mans’ family was immense and truly heartwarming. Yet the persecution that the poor young women is suffering by the same people defies belief.
Village life is so rich, so complex but you have to play by their hard rules.
Last week an elderly gentleman, who had lived in Reminiac all his life, died.
Today was his funeral. Cars lined the roads leading to the church and there weren’t enough pews to seat everyone. EVERYBODY in Reminiac who could attend, went to the funeral.
As I waited to pick Joe up from school at lunchtime I watched everyone walk slowly from the church to the graveyard.
I turned to the dinner lady, as we watched in silence, “Was he popular?’
She gave a gallic shrug, ‘No really, but when someone dies everyone attends the funeral. It is respect.’
Not three hours later, I hear that a woman in the village has lost her job through no fault of her own.
Someone else’s good deed on her behalf has backfired in a terrible terrible way which has left her ousted and she will inevitably loose her job. So cruel. I hardly know her, she is a quiet woman who keeps herself to herself and never participates in the village gossip.
I can only stand on the outside and watch the hard rules of this close knitted rural French community.
The compassion the village showed towards the dead mans’ family was immense and truly heartwarming. Yet the persecution that the poor young women is suffering by the same people defies belief.
Village life is so rich, so complex but you have to play by their hard rules.
Friday 15 March 2013
Spring sunshine = window cleaning (?)
Today has been a gloriously sunny day. The
early spring type sunshine… the type of sunshine that shows that your
windows could do with a really good clean…
So, whilst the window cleaning mood took me…I went to La Maison Rouge, a house with an unbelievable high floor area : window ratio…. why oh why did we put so many windows into La Maison Rouge.
Light and airy comes at a high price when it comes to window cleaning !!…
So, whilst the window cleaning mood took me…I went to La Maison Rouge, a house with an unbelievable high floor area : window ratio…. why oh why did we put so many windows into La Maison Rouge.
Light and airy comes at a high price when it comes to window cleaning !!…
La Maison Rouge
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