Once a year Gaillac hosts a welcome soiree for all new arrivals in the town. Not one to miss a free drink, Him indoors and me went along to find the Abbeye de Saint-Michel. We took the Land Rover, as it was situated about 2 km from chez-nous. As usual in France's ancient town centres, we had to negotiate a series of very narrow lanes and - you've guessed it - managed to scratch the wing mirror on his coveted prize possession. Good job no-one in the vicinity understood English invective! The Abbeye itself is historic, housing a cave, museum and tourist office. Around 50 newcomers enjoyed a video show, explanations of how the town is run and plenty to eat and drink. What I hadn't realised was that on each Friday night in July and August there's a free show on the riverbank gardens alongside the Abbeye, including drinks, jazz music and fireworks on special occasions like Bastille Day. Sounds good fun.
One charming member of the Mairie's committee took the time to show us the beautiful river view and ancient bridge from on-high. We had long discussions with him about many things French including the current euro crisis. When Him indoors discovered his first name, he ventured: 'I'll be Franck with you, if you'll be Ernest with me!' Clearly, the man had much to learn about dry English humour.
20th May 2012
What on earth are we supposed to do about the euro? All British expats in France have the same worry at the moment. Do we leave what little savings we have in our French bank, or transfer it (and lose at current exchange rates) to a British bank? Dire warnings from the British Council don't help. In the, previously unlikely but now decidedly possible, event of a total euro collapse, all euro banks would close, cashpoints would be shut, and even border controls would apparently be manned to prevent residents from fleeing the country! But, if you leave your money in a Euro bank which subsequently reverts to its previous currency, it loses half its value overnight.
Optimists tell me: don't worry! The G8 group of nations is meeting as we speak, ready to sort out all this mess. Oh really? Reports last night said that the current worry re Spanish banks wasn't even up for discussion. So, what to do? Can't even transfer euros to pounds via my PC at home, as my French bank makes a great fuss and insists you go personally cap in hand to the branch. Certainly keep enough cash under the mattress to tide you over for a few days, but with thoughts of 1930's Germany, do I subsequently buy a large wheelbarrow ready to carry home masses of worthless old French francs?
Him indoors says he always used to be indecisive, but now he's not so sure!
Optimists tell me: don't worry! The G8 group of nations is meeting as we speak, ready to sort out all this mess. Oh really? Reports last night said that the current worry re Spanish banks wasn't even up for discussion. So, what to do? Can't even transfer euros to pounds via my PC at home, as my French bank makes a great fuss and insists you go personally cap in hand to the branch. Certainly keep enough cash under the mattress to tide you over for a few days, but with thoughts of 1930's Germany, do I subsequently buy a large wheelbarrow ready to carry home masses of worthless old French francs?
Him indoors says he always used to be indecisive, but now he's not so sure!
13th May 2012
So, from today France officially has a new President. Is this a new trend - state leaders taking their names from another country? Or is he making his own wry statement: France woz Holland?? All week on the French news, I've been wondering: do we ellide the s at the end of Francois onto the aspirate H of his surname - Franzwozollande or Franzwah Ollande?
Looking at the man, himself, though is a different matter. How can a man who feels it's acceptable to father 4 children without being responsible enough to marry their mother take on the much greater responsibility of leading a country? Will he leave France in the lurch, too, as soon as it becomes expedient for him to do so? He certainly faces far greater problems than simply 'shall I or shan't I'. Fellow EU country Greece is suffering long lines of previously working people, waiting patiently for food parcels - like a third-world country. Hollande thinks he can solve this for France by simply dismissing all ideas of austerity and living within his country's means by taking on huge loans to feed people's immediate needs. Without a care for tomorrow. So the economic circle turns.
Him indoors says the man's got chutzpah, or rather what he calls Hollandaise Sauce!
Looking at the man, himself, though is a different matter. How can a man who feels it's acceptable to father 4 children without being responsible enough to marry their mother take on the much greater responsibility of leading a country? Will he leave France in the lurch, too, as soon as it becomes expedient for him to do so? He certainly faces far greater problems than simply 'shall I or shan't I'. Fellow EU country Greece is suffering long lines of previously working people, waiting patiently for food parcels - like a third-world country. Hollande thinks he can solve this for France by simply dismissing all ideas of austerity and living within his country's means by taking on huge loans to feed people's immediate needs. Without a care for tomorrow. So the economic circle turns.
Him indoors says the man's got chutzpah, or rather what he calls Hollandaise Sauce!
6th May 2012
People often ask me why I moved to France. The answer's surprising really. Quite simply, I'm the last remaining member of my family. Apart from our children, all my family died from cancer.
Researchers at the Institut Nationale d'Etudes Demographiques have studied lifespans and quality of life across the EU. Apparently, French men can expect to live until they are 78.2 years old, French women 85.3 years - the longest life expectancy in Europe. Those with the shortest life expectancy live in countries like Bulgaria and Slovakia, where women can expect to live only to the age of 77.4. My mind races to my family's eastern European origins. Is this the reason for my health fears?
So, armed with this knowledge, I asked our new family doctor in Gaillac. I recounted briefly my family's terrible medical history, then told him the steps I was currently taking: daily consumption of 75 mg aspirin, a glass of red wine, raw carrot, tomato, leafy green vegetables, sunshine etc. 'Doctor, is this enough? Will it override the huge genetic risk I face from cancer?''Je ne suis pas le bon D.ieu', he says, shrugging his gallic shoulders.
I turn to Him indoors, who asks the doctor: 'So, French people live the longest?' 'Yes, says the doctor, but you've got to remember, you're not getting any younger.' 'It's not younger I want to get, but older!'
Researchers at the Institut Nationale d'Etudes Demographiques have studied lifespans and quality of life across the EU. Apparently, French men can expect to live until they are 78.2 years old, French women 85.3 years - the longest life expectancy in Europe. Those with the shortest life expectancy live in countries like Bulgaria and Slovakia, where women can expect to live only to the age of 77.4. My mind races to my family's eastern European origins. Is this the reason for my health fears?
So, armed with this knowledge, I asked our new family doctor in Gaillac. I recounted briefly my family's terrible medical history, then told him the steps I was currently taking: daily consumption of 75 mg aspirin, a glass of red wine, raw carrot, tomato, leafy green vegetables, sunshine etc. 'Doctor, is this enough? Will it override the huge genetic risk I face from cancer?''Je ne suis pas le bon D.ieu', he says, shrugging his gallic shoulders.
I turn to Him indoors, who asks the doctor: 'So, French people live the longest?' 'Yes, says the doctor, but you've got to remember, you're not getting any younger.' 'It's not younger I want to get, but older!'
29th April 2012
Enough politics already. Had to laugh when I saw that the Maire in a tiny French village called Sarthe had come up with a wonderful plan to deal with all their rubbish. Back in England, the mounds of rubbish piling up in the streets is a big problem. Birmingham, for instance, had this stupid idea of telling all residents to leave black bin bags on the kerbside the night before collection days - a field day for the urban foxes strewing everyone's rubbish far and wide.
But, back to the village Maire...her idea is to give each villager a pair of laying hens. Yes, hens. She says they're eco-friendly, they eat kitchen waste, lay 300 eggs a year, produce fertiliser for the garden and improve everyone's diet (cutting down on health costs). The Maire calculates that each laying hen should cost around 10 euros each and she hopes to negotiate a bulk discount before distribution in September. You may think all this an April fool joke, but I kid you not. Belgium (yes, of course) already runs such a scheme with considerable success, I understand. The way councils pay for rubbish collection is changing, being charged on how much rubbish is actually collected, so economies with this new scheme can be made.
Him indoors says all this is just a poultry(!) excuse...
But, back to the village Maire...her idea is to give each villager a pair of laying hens. Yes, hens. She says they're eco-friendly, they eat kitchen waste, lay 300 eggs a year, produce fertiliser for the garden and improve everyone's diet (cutting down on health costs). The Maire calculates that each laying hen should cost around 10 euros each and she hopes to negotiate a bulk discount before distribution in September. You may think all this an April fool joke, but I kid you not. Belgium (yes, of course) already runs such a scheme with considerable success, I understand. The way councils pay for rubbish collection is changing, being charged on how much rubbish is actually collected, so economies with this new scheme can be made.
Him indoors says all this is just a poultry(!) excuse...
22nd April 2012
Election day. Many French won't vote in this crucial first-round as they're not bothered. I used to be like that, but life has taught me you can't just do nothing. Be alert! Things can change: slowly, slowly and before you know it, your life's changed alarmingly. After 7 years away from England, I already notice the change. Years ago England, misguidedly, tried to be fair and polite to all newcomers from around the world. Result? The whole tenor of the country has now changed beyond recognition. I remember receiving council notices printed in as many as fifteen different languages - and English wasn't even at the top of the list! Why did the government allow that to happen?
However, maybe it's the fear of the far-right that'll be the reason why today 57-year old Mr. Hollande, the quiet, grey man of politics, is on course to succeed the late Mr. Mitterand as France's first Socialist President in 24 years. The French compare Sarkozy with Margaret Thatcher. Heaven forbid they should have as leader someone as strong and opinionated as that. And yet......socialism can lead to the situation we currently have in Britain, where weak politics of the past has created a situation where strong-willed people attempt to change fundamentally the culture and way of life of the whole country.
Him indoors, if faced with a voting slip: 'None of the above!' And who would I vote for in France? That's easy....anyone but Marine Le Pen!
However, maybe it's the fear of the far-right that'll be the reason why today 57-year old Mr. Hollande, the quiet, grey man of politics, is on course to succeed the late Mr. Mitterand as France's first Socialist President in 24 years. The French compare Sarkozy with Margaret Thatcher. Heaven forbid they should have as leader someone as strong and opinionated as that. And yet......socialism can lead to the situation we currently have in Britain, where weak politics of the past has created a situation where strong-willed people attempt to change fundamentally the culture and way of life of the whole country.
Him indoors, if faced with a voting slip: 'None of the above!' And who would I vote for in France? That's easy....anyone but Marine Le Pen!
15 April 2012
Must be dreaming....a thin, reedy whistle's emanating from downstairs. Is it a bird, a plane? No, it's Him indoors staring at his new baby yet again. His life-long dream's finally arrived and he can't believe it. But, we had a few scary moments. No, it wasn't trying to find the garage in Montauban. This time, we actually drove straight to it in our old Citroen C4 - you know, the one where Bruno had chewed the corner off the driver's seat and the inside roof material. But, relief - the garage still paid us the promised 4000 euros. And the new Freelander? As you can see, it's in Galway Green - modern equivalent to the old British Racing Green. And, it's got GPS! Hurray. Now, surely, we won't get lost all the time? Wrong. Well, not exactly. We managed to change the system from French to English, and en route home, sure enough there was the Queen's voice (with a hint of Brummie thrown in, just for us). However, I found myself shouting at ER all the way - she sent us double the distance, via all the autoroutes. Next problem - don't panic. It's so big - will it fit through our narrow entrance gates, and worse - is there enough roof clearance on the garage? Yes, yes, yes. It just fits.
So, now there he still is, staring at his new baby. Sudden thought from a mere woman: where's the key-hole in the door handle? Where's the ignition keyhole? Patiently, he explains 'you have to use the telecommande'. Sounds like Star Trek - beam me in Scottie. But, but, what if the battery goes flat?? In the old days, if the engine didn't start you'd use the starting handle and could always camp out inside the car. But, with this system.....
Why do I always have to worry about everything?
So, now there he still is, staring at his new baby. Sudden thought from a mere woman: where's the key-hole in the door handle? Where's the ignition keyhole? Patiently, he explains 'you have to use the telecommande'. Sounds like Star Trek - beam me in Scottie. But, but, what if the battery goes flat?? In the old days, if the engine didn't start you'd use the starting handle and could always camp out inside the car. But, with this system.....
Why do I always have to worry about everything?
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