woolybanana Posted May 7, 2011 Author Share Posted May 7, 2011 Hope the exam results are as you hope. I've forgotten which State you are in. Perhaps something local so one can get a flavour of daily life. If you have time, of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Coeur de Lion Posted May 7, 2011 Share Posted May 7, 2011 I'm in a right state! ;)New Jersey, home of The Soprano's, Boardwalk Empire, Real Housewives of New Jersey (arrrghhh!) and the girlfriend of course :)I'm expecting A's from 3 of my 4 subjects, and for maths, I think I bombed out with a B. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted May 7, 2011 Author Share Posted May 7, 2011 I guess B is a real bomber!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cooperlola Posted May 8, 2011 Share Posted May 8, 2011 [quote user="Mr Coeur de Lion"]I'm in a right state! ;) New Jersey, home of The Soprano's, Boardwalk Empire, .[/quote]Grrr - please stop right there. Due to Mr Murdoch, we can't get HBO stuff any more over here as the whole back catalogue, and all the new programmes too, have been bought for Sky Atlantic. [:@]Glad to read that you're still calling maths, maths, btw.[:)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Coeur de Lion Posted May 8, 2011 Share Posted May 8, 2011 I can't understand why they call it math though. Makes no sense to me.However, I do understand why they spell certain words with a 'z', like civilization. I still prefer the English spelling on that, but at least there is some logic in that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted May 8, 2011 Author Share Posted May 8, 2011 tradition or logic? The former has something to offer too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted May 8, 2011 Author Share Posted May 8, 2011 On this special day, I have blogged again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Loiseau Posted May 8, 2011 Share Posted May 8, 2011 Oh dear, I seem to have got in a tangle commenting on the blog itself, so will do so here. Well said, Wooly. It's easy to condemn collaborators, but I often think one might have been tempted along all sorts of avenues if one's country were occupied.I passed several French war memorials today, with fresh wreaths of flowers placed and fresh flags a-flutter.Have you visited the Sentier du Souvenir outside Aizenay? It's a very moving commemoration of an American aircrew shot down over France.Angela Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted May 8, 2011 Share Posted May 8, 2011 When I was a girl my Dad would say exactly the same to me. It would upset me and felt traitorous of him to think that some people might have acted so badly. I just didn't like the idea that people would collaborate. Later I understood and some would have, as people did in most european countries. I often wondered what my my french neighbours and their families did during the war, but I never asked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted May 8, 2011 Author Share Posted May 8, 2011 Those I have asked were rural folk, and they replied simply that they kept their heads down and survived.Though an uncle of my ex wife, a Belgian, was tortured and sent to a concentration camp. Her father hid from forced labour, had fake papers and worked away from his home and family for three years or so, but was denounced by his sister-in-law who was supposed to have been collaborating horizontally.Many years ago I owned a house near Liège which had false walls in the cellar which had been used to hide Allied airmen who were being got back to UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KathyF Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 [quote user="woolybanana"]Those I have asked were rural folk, and they replied simply that they kept their heads down and survived.....[/quote]The same in our bit of southern Manche, Wooly. The little commune our house is in was hammered to bits during the German counter-attack in August 1944, as testified to by the civilian names on the war memorial. Our cottage, just outside the bourg, was hit by a shell during a tank battle and burnt out inside. Our elderly neighbour was a teenager than and remembers vividly just trying to keep going.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 We lived in Vichy France. The germans took over eventually and there was torture done in our Mairie if what I was told is to be believed. There are plenty of things about the resistance in the region, and I know that there was resistance. It was the 'who' was brave enough to resist, that I never found out. And the collabos, well the priests and the catholic church were still doing it in the mid 1990's, hiding Paul Touvier, how disgraceful and rupugnent was that. I remember visiting the Vercor Mountains in our early days in France and being told that german cars still had their tyres spilt, don't know if it still goes on or not, although one of my best friends is from the Vercors and has family there, I'll have to ask if she ever knew about it and if it still happens. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr Coeur de Lion Posted May 9, 2011 Share Posted May 9, 2011 It's funny, I always thought Vichy France was free until very recently. Of course the Nazi's were going to put in a puppet leader, why wouldn't they? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted May 11, 2011 Author Share Posted May 11, 2011 For those who are interested, I have done a bit of a blog about Richelieu. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 And you didn't say a thing about the 'fromage a raclette' he produced. Probably his greatest coup? apart from that rose which sounds superb. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted May 11, 2011 Author Share Posted May 11, 2011 Yes, he was a great patron of the arts and an epicure, but unfortunately, not in the Vendée. I've not tasted the cheese though and am disinclined to as I am off cheese long-term, unfortunately. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Actually it isn't the best of the raclettes, but pas mal quand meme. Sorry I shouldn't be so flippant about such a man as Richelieu, he strikes me as the sort of bloke who would turn in his grave and reek terrible vengance............. if that were possible![:-))] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerdesal Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 I like the play on words there, he would certainly 'reek' after all this time (or maybe not). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted May 11, 2011 Author Share Posted May 11, 2011 Yes, he was one of those many faceted people who are, perhaps, thankfully, rare. I guess he had enough power to do pretty much as he liked, always dangerous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 [:D] Even I can do a little word play sometimes!Pity that people, as rare as he, who become so powerful do not put their power to 'good', what a different world it would be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted May 11, 2011 Author Share Posted May 11, 2011 Well, from a different viewpoint, one could say that he did do so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 So, 'good' being done, counters the 'bad' that was done? That wasn't quite what I meant, well, or would hope for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted May 11, 2011 Author Share Posted May 11, 2011 Nothing is either totally good or bad, light or dark, but shades of grey! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idun Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 I don't believe in total good, but I do know that total bad exists, there can be black and not very dark grey. That is why I 'hope' for total good, without holding my breath[:(] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybanana Posted May 14, 2011 Author Share Posted May 14, 2011 For the erudite amongst us I have blogged again: a little feathered problem this time. Ahh, I so wish Normie was here to read it, but I understand that the boarding charm school where he has been doing an extended course have held him back for extra tuition! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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