Gardengirl

Everyone we know in the town we live for about half of each year gives/receives 3 kisses. That includes our 94 year old neighbour, who instigated it with us, but we very definitely use the formal vous to one another - again going with what she uses. Not as easy as tutoying, so I need to concentrate more, although I sometimes forget.

I’m hoping that my stocking has a bullet in it - it looked very knobbly. We’ve left home and all our presents behind until a few days after Christmas, so I’ve a little bit longer to wait to find out. We’re on our way north to the Lake District to celebrate our wedding anniversary tomorrow as well as Chrstmas, almost back where we spent our honeymoon. Smoothie is pronounced something like smoo-zee. The first time I heard it was in Nîmes, at a café where salads and smoo-zees were served - took a few seconds to realise what the waitress had actually said. Mint, one whole raft of treatments down, one new lot to go - continued bon courage. ?

Apparently it’s to be a May wedding at St Georges Chapel @ Windsor Castle. Not being paid for out of the public purse either. Oh good, we’re usually in the UK for my husband’s birthday around then so I’ll be available to go if an invitation should arrive chez-moi, it’s only down the road! ? ?

Woolie, thank you for a little smile - a nice way to start the day. I wish the couple much happiness in their future together, as I would any couple. I hope they can steer carefully through sticky times, as neither set of parents had a successful marriage.

JJ, glad to hear that your move has taken place, and all seems to be going well. What a tiring time, take your time unpacking all those boxes once you’ve got all the necessaties unpacked. I hope you’ll both be very happy in your new home - I’m sure you will be. I can’t bear the thought of moving from our UK house, been there about 35 years and it’s too big for us, as is the garden, a huge task when we do finally get round to down-sizing! ?

I’ve had problems accessing the forum, so have been catching up - found this thread of great interest. I have been thinking of buying a Nutribullet for health reasons, so having read your input, Teapot, I’ve put one on my Christmas list for our sons to buy for me - your wellbeing is impressive. Thanks for the extra tips about cleaning under the seal well and for the removal of the hazy look that can develop. Maybe you ought to be on commission! ?

That sounds like us the morning after the referendum, Mint!

Here’s a link to the original insomniacs’ thread, started by AnOther, then it was resurrected under something like ‘where are all the insomniacs?’ for a time. http://services.completefrance.com/forums/completefrance-forums/cs/forums/1/1954159/ShowPost.aspx#1954159 I still take prescribed painkillers which help with pain, fairly often have 4-6 hours sleep, but still have the odd totally sleepless night. The full moon has had no effect on my sleep, but I did love seeing the many stars when I went out on the balcony just before 05.00. Strange how such a huge moon still leaves the stars so visible.

I carry an organ donation card (UK) so if any parts of me are any use that would be great - I’ve always been a keen recycler. But I think I’m past the age to receive an organ, others would benefit more.

We have a Biocoop nearby, well nearby as long as you have transport, otherwise you can spend all day going by bus, buying what you need then waiting for the return bus. Luckily there’s also a big Carrefour close by also M. Bricolage and a Macdo for those so declined plus a coffee shop amongst others. We have anither bioshop nearby in the other direction, which we discovered when we had no car available and walked crosscountry, checked it out while having a coffee at the betting shop while waiting for our taxi home. Very good coffee at €1 per cardboard cup delivered to your table with a smile, papers on sale as well as wine, kids toys etc. Not like betting shops I’ve come across in the UK. I’m not a connoisseur of betting shops really, last went into one while at college 50 or so years ago.

Idun, I haven’t had any since I was little, don’t think I’ve seen them for years, but as I read your post I remembered biting their heads off. Our nearly 3 year old granddaughter takes great pleasure in biting off the heads of gingerbread men (and gingerbread women when we make them). Mint, bon appetit!

> I totally agree. Not only that, but you’ll save money too.

Definitely change your tyres. PS We used to have Saabs, love them.

Wooly, we’ve been out all day from early morning, so didn’t know what had happened about the referendum. It’s just so shocking; it obviously wasn’t going to turn out well, but 465 people injured in attacks by the police is beyond belief. We spent last evening with friends, who spoke to us about the history of Catalonia and Spain and dreadful events in the past. It seems impossible that people in Catalonia could just pick up their lives and carry on as before. How will the EU react, they surely can’t ignore it, it happened, with cameras recording it all.

Mint, you intrigued me! Apparently ‘brephophagist’ specifically means "one who eats babies". Idun, do you bite their heads off first?

Yes, buying seeds requires the same care as buying other food. Years ago in the UK Edwina Curry warned everyone off eggs, and recently throughout much of Europe eggs have been contaminated with a toxic insecticide.

That’s something I do from time to time, Mint, although I just use a jam jar with holes in the lid. I put the seeds in, add water, rinse, add water again and leave the seeds for about 12 hours. Then I thoroughly drain them by turning the jar upside down and rinse well, then put the jar on its side somewhere dark. I leave them at room temperature, rinsing and draining 2or 3 times a day. Once the seeds are fully sprouted, 3-5 days depending on the seeds, they get well-rinsed and well-drained then I put them in the fridge. I usually use them in two or three days. Very tasty and supposed to be good for you. Bon appetit!

We use Eurostar direct to Avignon these days, but have flown with Ryanair from Luton to Nîmes many times in the past. Can't say I've ever come across people such as ALBF describes, but I know that others on this forum use or have used Ryanair on that route and are very pleasant people. Another thought has just sprung to mind - there's a bishop who has used Ryanair for many years; it's not him in his purple shirt that ALBF is alluding to, surely.......

Norman, the Saki, HH Munro, short stories are amongst my favourites, dating back to my schooldays. Sredni Vashtar is my seconf favourite, but my favourite is The Open Window. He was a superb storyteller.

I've never thought about eating the fruit; we have a passiflora heavy with fruit growing up the trellis on our south-facing wall in the UK; maybe I should try them..........

I would definitely make all efforts to find out what is going on, via the neighbour as well as making enquiries of anyone else who has knowledge and experience in these matters. Establishing that he has had access for some time over your property, maybe by removing your fence and replacing it, would presumably give his property a plus with prospective buyers.

5 years? Seems so much shorter. An excellent piece of advice to follow, Mint; I hope it looks great. Yes, we knew that she hadn't long but it was a huge shock. I think so many of us had been helped by her, had been given information by her and had been impressed by the efforts she had put in to improve things for so many people. She was a huge example to us all - that one small person could strive to overcome so much. She was a great storyteller too. I also think of her from time to time, and receive a jolt when searching for something here on the forum or when some business resurrects an old thread - and there she is commenting or giving advice again.

IMO it's a pity more people didn't receive « un processus éducatif » before the referendum, or if they did receive one that they hadn't believed it.

Hoddy, I can understand that. Russethouse, thanks for news of Ian, good to hear that he's OK, maybe creaking like many of us. Valerian did extremely well, as you say, no doubt due to his care. I still have happy memories of Coops' Itchy feet tour, great fun.

I was a little shaken when I saw that so familiar name.