mint Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 I know I've posted about this before but my need to get a grip is definitely getting more pressing.When I first came to France, having retired just before coming out here, I found myself going around in some sort of somnambulistic haze, not knowing what day of the week it was, what I was meant to be doing and so forth. I put it down to my major life change.Now, more than 2 years later, this condition has perceptibly worsened. Only today, I thought I was going for a long walk with the randos as part of the Telethon effort and so I tossed and turned all night, worrying about walking 29km and whether I'd get up in time. Set 2 alarms, got the OH up to drive me (as I planned to walk home afterwards) and, when we got to the meeting place, il n y a pas un chat (as the French so vividly describe it).Dug out my information leaflet and, wouldn't you know, the walk was YESTERDAY.That's only the most recent example. A couple of weeks ago, I turned up for a rando walk a full week early and turned up for my H1N1 injection a whole day early.What's happening to whatever brain I used to have? Is all this muddle- headedness a function of living in France, getting gaga, me really not wanting to do things, giving up on life, or can you come up with a better explanation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 I never know what day it is so am always late or early. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted December 6, 2009 Author Share Posted December 6, 2009 Wools, the moment I set eyes on you on the Forum, I just KNEW we had sooooooo much in common.[:-))] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 Whooore you then? Did we ever speak? I forget you?[;-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemonimo Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 Sweets, you seriously need a diary or even a rugbyman calendar ( you know the sort, Chabal et al in various states of déshabille). But don't worry - program your phone to remind you as to what you have to do every day. But you're not alone... the Maire telephoned me on Thursday to ask where I was. I had completely forgotten a meeting of the Conseil Municipal. I was, in fact, in front of the telly!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted December 6, 2009 Author Share Posted December 6, 2009 Oik, you, Woolybanana, don't you know the correct placement of apostrophes? Or should I say, vous me moquez or some such? Just watch it, OK (and that's deffo a threat and NOT a promise!)Jen, programme the phone? Why do you imagine for one minute that I could do something as technically complicated as that?[:$]I bet you're just glad I didn't go on that 29 km walk and you can now steal a march (marcher) on me, huh, huh???[+o(] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Coeur de Lion Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 Just shows you sweet that time is not important after all and life should just totter on.Time is only for the corporate world. you are in a better place :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted December 6, 2009 Author Share Posted December 6, 2009 Better place, Richard? For sure that "better place" should have been in my kitchen instead of tapping on here, talking inanities because, guess what, I'd forgotten I had the frying-pan on ready to fry the fish cakes and the whole damned room is smoking like a huge chimney and I have had to open the doors to let out all the smoke!!Aaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrgggggggghhhhhhhhh, guess I'd better get back to the kitchen to turn down the blasted fish cakes or they'd be burnt too!!!!!!!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 Well it seems to me Sweet17 that the answer is close at hand, your hand. Simply tell the OH to remind you to do 'whatever' or to take you somewhere on a certain day at a certain time and when they don't its not your fault, simple. Its what us chaps are for, fetch, carry, pay and take the blame for everything, we have broad sholders. [:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemonimo Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 [quote user="sweet 17"]Oik, you, Woolybanana, don't you know the correct placement of apostrophes? Or should I say, vous me moquez or some such? Just watch it, OK (and that's deffo a threat and NOT a promise!)Jen, programme the phone? Why do you imagine for one minute that I could do something as technically complicated as that?[:$]I bet you're just glad I didn't go on that 29 km walk and you can now steal a march (marcher) on me, huh, huh???[+o(][/quote]I would certainly have been in admiration if you had done the 29k walk! I'm sure we're both capable of it but I hope to reach 30k twice a week by next spring. 2x10k/day is no problem but we have to avoid burnout[Www] The biggest problem is finding interesting (dog free) loops without getting run over by an articulated truck. My next stage is to stuff my back pack withy 5k of books to get used to the weight. Don't worry about the memory thing - if your brain is anything like mine, it hibernates during the winter - I'm serious! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted December 6, 2009 Author Share Posted December 6, 2009 Know what, Q, I think that's the BEST post that you've ever written. My, didn't realise you were such a perceptive, sensitive man. Tell Mrs Q I congratulate her and that she's to treasure you cos I think you's really nice!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted December 6, 2009 Author Share Posted December 6, 2009 Jen, why not carry the dog in the sack? Mine weighs 16 kilos so I don't think I can carry her very far! What weight is your dog? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catalpa Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 [quote user="sweet 17"]What's happening to whatever brain I used to have? Is all this muddle- headedness a function of living in France, getting gaga, me really not wanting to do things, giving up on life, or can you come up with a better explanation?[/quote]It's lack of stress, Sweets. You probably don't have much that stretches you mentally (well, other than French language and bureacracy! [:D]) and so the less that you have to do the less you become able to do. Think of things that used to stress you - but that you did achieve - in your previous incarnation - pre-atrophy of brain.[;-)] Do you now wonder how on earth you accomplished them?Lack of things that stress and push us outside of our comfort zone leads to us losing confidence in our abilities to cope with things we would once not have thought twice about - I'm sure most have us have seen this if we have elderly parents. A totally stress-free life in France isn't necessarily a good thing. But I suspect you'll be much better after your walk next year. [6] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gemonimo Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 I have a Briard and a Tibetan spaniel and they go everywhere together - BUT NOT IN MY BACKPACK! I can't even take them with me when I walk as they are so indiscipliné they present a huge hazard on the roads. As for their weight, well, the Briard (complete with coat and looking like a rasta) weighs the same as a small horse. However, when she is shaved she looks like a whippet and probably weighs as much. One of these days I'll post a piccy of the two of them.Just as an 'aside', are we going to do a St. Jacques 'blog'? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
suein56 Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 [quote user="Gemonimo"]Just as an 'aside', are we going to do a St. Jacques 'blog'? [/quote]Well I, for one, hope you will - in some form or other. You really do have to consider us left behind - we will need at least intermittent info on how you are getting on. [:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 [quote user="Catalpa"][quote user="sweet 17"]What's happening to whatever brain I used to have? Is all this muddle- headedness a function of living in France, getting gaga, me really not wanting to do things, giving up on life, or can you come up with a better explanation?[/quote]It's lack of stress, Sweets. You probably don't have much that stretches you mentally (well, other than French language and bureacracy! [:D]) and so the less that you have to do the less you become able to do. Think of things that used to stress you - but that you did achieve - in your previous incarnation - pre-atrophy of brain.[;-)] Do you now wonder how on earth you accomplished them?Lack of things that stress and push us outside of our comfort zone leads to us losing confidence in our abilities to cope with things we would once not have thought twice about - I'm sure most have us have seen this if we have elderly parents. A totally stress-free life in France isn't necessarily a good thing. But I suspect you'll be much better after your walk next year. [6][/quote]There you are Sweets, get up before midday, keep off the sauce and watch those pilgrims! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 I frequently lose track of what day it is whilst remaining convinced that it is a different day if that makes any sense.Three weeks ago I missed my Thursday night dive training and would instead have gone the next day by mistake if I hadnt noticed that very few cars were parked outside for the factory in the afternoon.Last week we had to do theoretical training on Tuesday 1st December, somehow I convinced myself that the E-mail said Monday 1st so I duly arrived Monday night to find the school empty, now I was sure that the day was Monday but was it the 1st December or the 30th November? I didnt have a clue or any means of finding out, as usual the streets were deserted and I would have felt a fool asking a passer by what month it was.In the end I found that my mobile which I no longer use in France had some charge and with my UK sim card I could request a balance texto to see what the date was.Most of my working day is spent looking for a tool or something that I have put down in the last 3 minutes, this is exarcebated by my now limited vision, many times a day I walk down 4 flights of stairs from where I am working only to have forgotten what I came down for once I get there.My best ever was travelling by Eurotunnel to my neices birthday party, I arrived promptly at 7 O clock and the health club staff told me that the party started in two hours time, the clock on the wall read 17.00, it totally threw me, eventually I worked out what I had done but why? I make the crossing many times a year without ever having done that.I am very glad to hear it is not just me, I have never been the same since having Falciparum malaria and for a long while after it was like having senile dementure, I cant imagine being capable of running the business that I did beforehand but perhaps it is just inactivity and lack of stress.On the other hand learning the language has been a welcome mental challenge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted December 6, 2009 Author Share Posted December 6, 2009 "Lack of stress!" Catalpa says.So now, the next question is, how do I introduce some stress into my life?Shall I take the dog to training school, or take the OH?Or sit down and learn the French subjunctive tenses?Or try talking to madame la voisine about the ivrogne who lives next door but one?Or babysit for the new neighbours' two very lively looking children aged 4 and 8?I know, why don't I just ring up FT AGAIN and ask them when they are going to rembourser the money they owe me?Perhaps I ought to re-consider my move to Dept 44, don't they say a housemove is mega stressful?Of course, there's Christmas and I am reliably assured that Christmas scores only next to bereavement and divorce on the Stress Scale........Ah, ah, ah, it might be easier just to quietly lose all one's faculties and try not to notice........... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catalpa Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 [quote user="sweet 17"]So now, the next question is, how do I introduce some stress into my life?[/quote]Find a drop-dead gorgeous toy boy.Have an affair.That should stress you out. [:-))] Whilst providing some relaxation too. [6] And you'll have the satisfaction of knowing that you're being very French. What's not to like??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted December 6, 2009 Author Share Posted December 6, 2009 A drop dead gorgeous toy boy? Sounds good to me. Except he might think I'm a drop dead soon femme de certain age![:-))]That's the trouble really, one really doesn't look anything as lively as one might feel............... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 Pop over to Wanchai dear, the Navy is in!!Or Tiger Bay!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Russethouse Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 A few months ago I arrived at the hairdressers a day early and wearing a gold croc on one foot and a black one on the other - no lack of stress here to blame it on either [:-))] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Quillan Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 [quote user="sweet 17"]Know what, Q, I think that's the BEST post that you've ever written. My, didn't realise you were such a perceptive, sensitive man. Tell Mrs Q I congratulate her and that she's to treasure you cos I think you's really nice!!![/quote]Why thank you Sweet17 although she did sent me on a two week intensive husbandry course prior to us getting married. I believe the course was run by ex psychological warfare specialists those main speciality was brainwashing. Fortunately it had no effect on me what so ever although every time Mrs Q says 'wallet' I find my self automatically handing over my bank card to some shop assistant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted December 6, 2009 Author Share Posted December 6, 2009 Smart woman, that Mrs Q![:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Coeur de Lion Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 [quote user="sweet 17"]Better place, Richard? For sure that "better place" should have been in my kitchen instead of tapping on here, talking inanities because, guess what, I'd forgotten I had the frying-pan on ready to fry the fish cakes and the whole damned room is smoking like a huge chimney and I have had to open the doors to let out all the smoke!!Aaaaaaaaaarrrrrrrrgggggggghhhhhhhhh, guess I'd better get back to the kitchen to turn down the blasted fish cakes or they'd be burnt too!!!!!!!!!! [/quote]Thank god for that. It's not just me that has culinary mishaps then.Perhaps the Great Pigeon Lord has left me alone now, and has gone to you to dump on [;-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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