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Except, Harnser, nordic walking is a bit of a misnomer as it's not JUST about walking. It is more of an exercise, using all the major muscle groups of the body and many of the minor ones. It was "invented" by a Scandinavian skier to keep fit in the summer months when there is no skiing to be had. It isn't even important to be able to walk long distances. In Germany, where they are very keen on physical exercise, the poles could be prescribed by doctors and many people recovering from different conditions take it up to recuperate their bodies and minds. Of course, you don't need a training course as such! But, if you want to take the maximum advantage out of it, you ARE better off being shown the technique. Say you want to learn to play the piano, you could, if you are persistent, teach yourself to read music and pick out the keys on a keyboard but you'd never make as much progress or learn more of the subtleties of piano-playing if you don't have lessons from a good teacher.

Oh, thanks, so nothing to do with waiting for the tea to be ready to drink?

The weather topic and indeed our weather here have reminded me of the use of the words brume and brouillard. A French teacher from long ago told our class that brume was worse than brouillard, because it was thicker. But everyone else I have spoken to about this, including a good friend from my walking group yesterday, said brouillard is much thicker and more dangerous. The other words I encounter a lot, because of my walking activities, are la gadoue and la boue. Not sure which is worse but both can be slippery so that you descend slopes at your peril and shoes and trousers get mucky, whichever word you prefer!

Lehaut, I would suggest that they are not "real" nordic walkers. We too have removable rubber ends and they go on on tarmac and other hard surfaces and get taken off on soft ground. The reason is that in Nordic walking, you need to push the sticks into the ground and use them to help propel yourself forward. Nordic walking is quite different from "ordinary" walking. Different poles, different techniques. Also it is comparatively rare to have big walking "parties". Groups are relatively small, no very large groups and we tend to avoid roads and hard surfaces because, well, you can't use the technique properly if you don't have fairly flat, wide, soft tracks. Lots about nordic walking on the internet. If you remember Cendrillon from our forum, she it was who introduced me to it and encouraged me to take a couple of lessons from a professional. Have been doing it ever since though I also walk with "ordinary" walkers and then I don't use my sticks.

didn't know they are using AI. But I have noticed that the forecasts are increasingly inaccurate. This does make a difference to us, Nordic walkers, as I for one do not go out in the rain. It's not that I am scared of a bit of a soaking, it is that Nordic sticks, like golf clubs are difficult to grasp when wet...

Thank you, lehaut. I have windows 10 and deliberately not update to 11 but sometimes it feels to me that the computer obeys Microsoft (or whoever) rather than me. The man in the video has explained my problem exactly but I am not sure I understand his suggested solution! At least, now that I know it's not me but something systemic, I will simply use the off button when I have arrêté.

Since some updates, at least I think that's when the problem started, I now get four choices when I want to shut down. Formerly, there were only three choices: mettre en veille, arrêter or redémarrer; Now I get an extra choice: se déconnecter. I find that if I click arrêter, the programmes go and the screen goes blank but the lights are on to show that the computer is not turned off OTOH, if I click se déconnecter, the screen goes blank and the lights are on to show that the comuter is not turned off Please notice, there is no difference which button I choose. In order not to have to start it all off again, I have resorted to simply click off the main switch. But that means that when I put the computer on again, the next time I want to use it, I get all the kerfuffle of re-starting everything as though the computer has been knocked off and it now wants me to choose whether I want my last active screen back or to start a new one. It's all rather time consuming and frustrating. So tell me what YOU do, does this happen to you too or am I simply a chosen victim or just a simpleton?

Well, Norman, that seems simple enough. Thanks.

Thank you, Wools, will remember to do that. I have also thought that I could perhaps wrap it with slices of smoked salmon to stop it drying out.

rowland, here is the "inn" in your post in Auvers sur Oise, complete with photos! Enjoy, rowland, and thanks again for replying. https://www.maisondevangogh.fr/index-en.php

Bonjour Loiseau. I promise to tell you after I have done the deed! From your post, I think you might have cooked the fish for too long. I have read that it can get very rubbery if overcooked. I think perhaps treat it like you would squid, just cooked and then leave well alone. Or, just slightly undercooked and then leave to rest like you would meat?

Wow, rowland, just wow! Thank you so much for your lovely post. Yes, in the book, VG left St Paul de M to go to Auvers sur Oise to live with his brother, wife and their new baby called Vincent after the great artist himself. Your story about the ivy gives me shivers and I understand about your big hanky....soooo sad....

Here is the link to this interesting place: https://www.saintpauldemausole.fr/ And here is an explanationt of why I am posting this. I have just finished a book given me by my Australian neighbour just before he left France after his yearly stay in our village. The book describes a year in Van Gogh's life, just after he cut off his ear and was in the midst of one of his periods of "madness". Now although I have never had an opportunity of visiting the Provence, I have read a few French books based there. For example, the Pagnol autobiographies and a biography of Colette so I have always had an affinity with the place. This book (English) presents such beautiful and evocative pictures of the Provence that I felt I could feel the heat, sense the coming of the mistral, hear the cicadas and smell the scents. Although fictional, this is a roman à clé, Van Gogh is of course real as is the head attendant at this institution and his wife, both of whom had portraits painted by Van Gogh. The fictional and imaginative aspects are entirely believable. But the outstanding bits relate to St Paul de Mausole, an ancient roman mausoleum but now, as in Van Gogh's day, is a short-stay psychiatric unit. Visitors can go in and see the gardens, Van Gogh's room, the view from his room onto wheat fields, the olive trees that he painted, the wheat fields etc. So, if anyone has visited this place, could you please write a bit about it for us all to enjoy?

Great suggestion, DL. Ginger and spring onion with soy sauce sound very good. BTW is this fish "oily"? Would your recipe, for example benefit with some good oil (olive or peanut) to dress it?

Thanks for all the recipes. Yes, I know the internet provides recipes for just about all dishes imaginable. What I wanted was for you to tell me what you like and how you do it. I do think some of your suggestions will work for us. I am surprised that you can "mijoter" the fish and, of course, fry it. I have tended to do most fish en papillote in the micro but then I have to think of some sauce or something to vary the taste. Me, I am OK with bland food but I think for someone whose appetite needs a bit of encouragement, some quite big changes could be effective. Thanks again, bon appetit to us all!

Perfectly right, NO milk, please

Queues de lotte.....never having cooked this fish (maybe not even having ever eaten it), I'd welcome some tips on cooking and presentation. I am asking for a specific reason. It is to "fatten up" my husband. No, NOT for Christmas! He'd lost so much weight after a bout of recent illness that he is now on those hyper proteiné, hyper calorique drinks, desserts, biscuits, etc. I'd like to get his weight up by cooking him appealing foods to tempt his appetite. As he doesn't eat meat but does eat SOME types of fish, I am casting around (oops, unintended pun) for different types of fish to try. I think these monkfish tails look meaty and nourishing. So give me your best recipes, svp!🙂

Ooh, you skinflint, Wooly!

Oh dear, I think my reply above might have been a bit hasty and uncompromising. So let's see if we can get anyone on the forum to chip in for your flowers, shall we? Come on, everyone, who will make a contribution to Norman's flower fund? Wooly, you being Norman's bestie? Plus all on here who have benefited from Norman's sage advice over the years and all those who have enjoyed his limericks and music and poems? I offer to do the collecting and take charge of all the monies....🙂

I think white roses would cost an arm and a leg at the fleuriste. So, I'm afraid, my dear Norman, that you'd have to help yourself to them "au grand jardin là-bas"😂

Er......which are your favourite flowers? Nothing too expensive mind😝

What a survivor you are, Norman! My MT seems to be au courant with all my different investigations so I presume he gets a copy of what I get. Maybe the surgeon I see takes that little bit more care to communicate. I notice that if I have something to tell him, he looks AWAY from his computer screen and actually looks at me and, usually, asks questions or answers MY questions clearly with an opportunity to counter with extra questions or demands for more explanation. There was even once, when I was at my lowest, when he wrote to explain the findings of a pathology report and wished me a rapid recovery. Now THAT did surprise me enormously! Having said that, the only other specialist I see, besides the ophthalmologue (who doesn't count now that he's removed my cataracts and I don't bother to "see" him regularly) is the pneunmologue who gives me detailed written findings of the tests and consultation with a note to say it is my reponsibility to show the report to my MT. Maybe, on account of the more populated area where you live, there is that much more pressure on medical personel and they are unable to do all the "extras" like communicating with patients! NOT good practice but we must just hope that they are all doing their best for their patients.

I thought I'd just describe my latest procedure to emphasis my point of there being excellent service and lots of information. Saw the surgeon who has been anually reviewing my "état de santé" for the last 7 years following cancer. I had a potential problem when I saw him beginning of this month. He gave me an ordonnance for échographie, a rdv for next year's check-up plus a bon de transport for the rdv. He is based in Périgueux. Went to get the écho in the town about 5 km from home. As I wanted a particular doctor to do the procedure and as he was on holiday, I had to wait about 3 weeks to have the écho done. Anyway, écho was done last Thursday and I was reassured that there was no anomaly and that all was well. We discussed my symptoms and the doctor emphasised that he could not see any growth or metastases. So, I skipped off home, happy and carefree as Larry and thought no more about the éco or the consulation. Bear in mind this was Thursday. By Friday, the surgeon having received my results, wrote me a letter which came by post today. In it he reasured me that there was "pas de lésion suspecte" and said he'd see me next year as arranged. Needless to say, I am hugely impressed by how everything has been managed and so I thought I'd tell this to people on the forum. I do believe that there are variations in the service but must, for reasons of fairness, repeat that I have so far received nothing but kind, careful and efficient service.

Well, it was cold here, certainly colder than I expected, with a strong wind with a bit of a bite. But certainly not as cold as those temperatures you have quoted. Needed some heating on for OH and I needed a thicker sweater. Today, warmth in the air and some occasional sunshine.

Lehaut, I read the article ONLY because of OH's having had a problem as described. I already knew about the four principal signs to look out for, etc. as in the article. Indeed, we both keep fit in all sorts of ways and most meals are prepared by me at home, juggling proteins, cabohydrates etc. In fact, my cooking is complicated by OH not eating any meat. I do know of many people with "cardique fatique" and almost all are younger than OH (not difficult, because OH is really, really old!) It is undeniable that we are an aging population and the cardiologie in the hospitals near us are chock a bloc with people being treated and RdVs being difficult to get. So I am ready to concede that this is an inevitable condition of aging. What I believe does matter is that all the efforts you make in terms of leading an active life-style CAN swing things in your favour and that life style and general fitness (healthy mind and body) could determine the outcome of whatever illness befalls you. I am pleased to tell you, Lehaut, that OH's condition was dire and rétablissement was slow and uncertain, but in the last 2 weeks, he is back to driving himself to his table tennis club and that there are still people there who wants to play with him! I am a huge advocate of watching your weight, eating sensibly and enjoyably, getting enough rest and keeping your mind sharp and engaged. We can't help getting old but we can ward off some of the nastier aspects of old age. Anyone thinks otherwise?