Weedon

School Reunion Rachel, Clare and Samantha hadn't seen each other since Secondary School. They rediscovered each other via a reunion website and arrange to meet for lunch in a wine bar. Rachel arrived first, wearing camel Versace. She ordered a bottle of chilled Chablis. Clare arrived shortly afterwards, in grey Chanel. After the required ritualized kisses she joined Rachel in a glass of Chablis. Then Sam walked in, wearing a faded old Barbour, jeans and Wellington boots. She too shares the wine. Rachel explained that after leaving school and graduating from Oxford in Classics she met and married Timothy, with whom she has a beautiful daughter. Timothy is a partner in one of London's leading law firms. They live in a 4000 sq. ft house in North London, where Susanna, their daughter, attends drama school. They have a second home in the hills above Monte Carlo. Clare graduated from King's College and became a Consultant Gynaecologist. Her husband, Clive, is a leading A&E Consultant. They live in Dulwich and have a second home in Florida. Sam explained that she left school at 17 and ran off with her boyfriend, Ben. They run a tropical bird park in Norfolk and grow their own vegetables. Ben can stand four parrots side by side on his willy. Half way down the third bottle of Chablis, several hours later, Rachel blurted out the her husband isn't Timothy, he's Tom and he's a clerk for Islington Council. They live in a terraced house in Muswell Hill, keep a caravan in France and Susan is a junior member of the local Amdram society. Clare, chastened and encouraged by the honesty of her old friends, confessed that she and Clive are nurses in King's College. They live in Herne Hill and have a timeshare in Orlando. Samantha said that the fourth parrot had to stand on one leg.

Become a guppy (give up papers permanently y'all) just like me JJ...you know you want to[:D] Think of the telegraph poles you will save! It's a bit like sex really, after a while you just get used to not having it on a sunday morning, and then you think you might as well go the rest of the week.[:$]

One of the benefits of living in a part of France that is a bit short of brits is that it is not possible to get an English newspaper. I did go through a period of the shakes whilst weaning myself off the habit but I was able to get a substitute in the form of the Connexion but I am NOW CLEAN. Trouble is that I can't go near anybody reading a paper cos it will put me back on the habit.  Try it folks, it's lovely living in a newspaper free world.  

Some interesting facts about sloths found here. http://boingboing.net/2010/01/21/four-fun-facts-about.html I thought this the most interesting.....imagine that, sloths have bathrooms. Among the many sloth oddities is a very slow metabolism. They have the lowest body temperature of any mammal, Moore said, and they only use the bathroom once a week. That last bit has the added benefit of protecting them from predators, because their regular bathroom break is the only time sloths leave the trees. Even weirder, their digestive system is similar to a cow's, with a specialized, multi-chambered stomach that allows them to fully process leaves.

[quote user="sweet 17"] Weedon, where are you and why don't you come here and give the OP some info as you are practically one of the natives by now?[:D] [/quote] Keeping my head down sweet cos I heard English voices mentioning Mayenne and so far I am the only English in my village. Whilst out walking I have taken to staring closely at every car that approaches, continuing to stare as they vanish into the distance AND when driving I switch my indicator on and only switch it off when I reach my destination, so I guess I am one of the natives. Now then. In my view Mayenne is a really lovely area to live in with lots of quiet little villages and the big (well big to me) towns of Laval and Mayenne with their ancient parts fitting in nicely with the modern for when you feel the need to mix with the wider society. If it's cows you want it is said that there are more cows than people in Mayenne, or is that Normandy...I forget, anyway the department of Mayenne is known for its agriculture with the weather being very similar to the south east of England only just a little warmer and a little earlier in the year to warm up. Maybe being 2 or 3 hours from the channel we don't have the influence of the sea affecting our weather so summer temperatures of the upper 20s and into the 30s are plenty warm enough for me. From here you can easily get to Brittany or to the Loire Valley and for me it is the ideal area. I have my house on the market for sale and intend to buy something else in the same area, that's how much I like it here.

Standing or staggering? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FCPutYaGFlE

I have a good book by Collins titled "How to identify trees" but even so it looks quite a job to try to identify a particular tree if you have no idea what it is to start with. Here is a website that might be a start. http://www.woodlands.co.uk/owning-a-wood/tree-identification/

[quote user="just john "]but not much problem getting it out after standing upside down on a baking rack for five, then giving it a thump, .[:P][/quote] Whilst at the same time, and in your best parrot sounding voice, recite "Who's a pretty boy then?"  ........................ Now that I've gotta see.[:D] Have you tried tap dancing?

After some reflection Judith I can see now why you didn't find the film clip amusing.

Before long the bread machine will go into the same cupboard that contains the........teasmade, fondue set, sandwich toaster, gassy thing that puts bubbles in drinks, coloured lamp with gungey stuff that makes strange shapes and electric knife. There are probably lots of other similar "good ideas at the time" but they are only the ones that topple out whenever the cupboard doors are opened by mistake, which then get booted back in amidst much muttering.

How about one of these then. Low maintenance and keeps your garden tidy. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DaPKA9U6ik8

Oh Judith[:(] The pictures were not that important.......sobriety....is that what I would call p****d. I find the more I drink the funnier I get AND I sound just like Frank Sinatra when I sing.

Do you really think he wasn't quite sober Judith? Touch of the Sybil's there I think![:-))]

Lovely commentary by Lt Cdr Tommy Woodroffe as the fleets lit up....lit up.... and when I say lit up I mean lit up with fairy lamps. [:D] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-WpiTa7azQs&feature=youtube_gdata

O'Rafferty has a car you might like to consider before buying a swanky modern one Frenchie. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qovk67yMiFI

I saw this on TV this morning. Maybe it might appeal to some of you, so get into training now for next years championships. http://vodpod.com/watch/1976537-finnish-wife-carrying-world-championships

I don't recall John Cooper racing a sidecar but do remember John Cooper (known as Mooneyes because of the helmet graphics) racing a solo. Owen Greenwood created a bit of controversy around that time with his mini cooper engined 3 wheeler, which was untouchable in the sidecar class due to it handling like a car . I do remember Helmut Fath, Max Deubel, Klaus Enders and Fritz Scheidegger who all raced in the sidecar world championships. British drivers were unable to compete on equal terms in the world championships at that time due to being unable to obtain the 500cc BMW engines that were only available to German racers. In the 1960s I knew a couple of sidecar drivers Derek Bayley (raced on the IOM) and Eric Parkinson who used a Swedish Crescent 2 stroke engine in his outfit. Without wishing in any way to blow my own trumpet (in any case it is a very small trumpet) I raced at Lydden on one occasion against Chris Vincent (British Champion) who failed to lap us.  

If you can't sleep you might as well have a laugh. What do you get if you cross an insomniac, an agnostic and a dyslexic? Someone who stays up all night wondering if there really is a dog. Night![:D]  

There is barely a game played now that is not riddled with foul play. How did all of that shirt pulling and obstruction become acceptable and part and parcel of the game. I don't understand why the referee doesn't simply award free kicks whenever defenders do all of this pulling shirts and putting their arms out to obstruct players at free kicks and corners. As for the lack of respect from players to the referee whenever the decision goes against them, do the same as in rugby and move the kick 10 yards if a player disputes the offence. Change a few rules, come down hard on players by giving yellow and red cards for about half a dozen games then watch a change take place in attitudes. All of that though is just fantasy as the game will continue to reward the cheats who dive to gain any advantage and the ones who strive to get an opponent sent off. I don't know why I watch it anymore. I'll watch the Germany v Argentina game though and start my ranting all over again, as it's being so cheerful that keeps me going[:)].

Can't stop as I am off to lunch today and I have to drive for an hour. I do hope that I don't show myself up by dribbling my lunch down my shirt (as normal). The people I have been invited by are just not dribblers [:-))] Oh well it'll just be the once then.[:D] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pAl8ESnVgCY

[quote user="Frenchie"] Now my big dog keeps escapin from the garden..  through the hedge and up the fence behind !! [/quote] Oooh Matron! But then a dogs gotta do what a dogs etc etc.....! Don't get a yellow car Frenchie and definitely not a yellow wee wee car? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdtoACmhMz4&feature=related

WHO LET THE DOGS OUT?? Who Who who whooooo! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=He82NBjJqf8

If it wasn't so funny it would be sad......or is it the other way around? Anyhow, all these jokes are blooming hilarious and if anything has come out of the inept display of the England team at the World Cup it is that everyone that played has become an absolute laughing stock. Except that, on average, they earn about £100,000 a week each! How the other members of the squad must be thanking their lucky stars they were unable to get a game. And if they ever feel a bit smug just think about how bad they must be not to have been picked to actually play.

It's the German beetles....Donna and Blitzen, don't know who the third person is. The girl has rather a nice voice. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hpv6-SBwj1U

Being a caring sharing sort of chap I thought I would just warn of potential hazards in this warm weather. Being so blooming hot I suppose most of us have shed clothing down to the (bare) minimum. Doing a quick bacon sarnie at lunchtime can be quite nasty when that hot oil spits at you. Remember to tip the seat of the ride-on mower up or else it can give you some painful burns across the bootocks. More hazardous is the self- propelled motor mower, the one with the bar underneath the handlebars that you give a squeeze too to make it drive. If you are just about the right height if you are not careful it can give you a nasty grab in the families. Then you hobble to take a seat in the lounger you get a second attack from the hot fabric of the lounger across your back and cheeks. Actually there are some pleasures as an ice cube spilt in your lap can be quite sensual after the initial shock. Folks in the UK don't know how tough it is out here.