The Canary Dave

Morning all. Variable says the man at the Météo, but no rain forecast for the day. This will please those who are on holiday and have opted for the outside life. Wandering about in the mountains and forests seems to be just about as popular here as lazing on a beach somewhere. Drive through any small town and you will find an area with picnic tables. They really get the full works, with table cloth, proper knives and forks, a three course meal, and several bottles of wine. There are marked footpaths everywhere, often with a map on a notice board to give an indication of the time it will take to follow different routes. They do not always tell you however that rock climbing experience would be a help to get round in a couple of hours. Have a good day whatever you are doing.

 

Morning all. Mainly overcast with a stiff southerly breeze and showers likely this afternoon. Back to Friday night football after Châteauroux succeeded in getting relegated last season. First game in the National league and with a team that had been rebuilt with loads of young players from their reserve side. Pre-season games had not been good, so I was surprised at just how well they were playing. They won 2-0 and it could have been more, but then I wondered just how good their opponents were. We will see over the coming weeks. Have a good day whatever you may do.

 

Morning all. An absolute downpour half an hour ago, but now the sun is shining brightly. Everything outside is soaking wet again; so gardening is on hold once more. Daughter and our granddaughters have left for a five day holiday in the area near Lyon. Our son-in_law will be joining them, the first time they have all been together since January. This means that we are in charge of the pet rabbits, ie giving them food and exercise and keeping the hutch clean. One hopes that no unwanted animals are around that fancy a bit of a rabbit meal. Have a good day everyone.

 

Morning all. A bit overcast at the moment, but the man from the Météo suggests that a hot dry week is in store for us. This will please everyone as the fete day approaches this weekend. I noticed yesterday that the dodgems have arrived on site and been set up, and work has been going on to make sure that everything is ready for the evening show and fireworks. The show this year will feature a Queen tribute act, and from the clips I have seen they look good. Must pop to the nearest little supermarket this morning as the wine store is looking a bit fragile. They have some very good ones there even if they are a bit expensive. Have a good day whatever you must do.

 

Morning all. Cloudless blue sky today, much more like the French summers we expect. Temperature expected to be around 26°C so just right for getting on. Managed a couple of hours down on my veggie plot yesterday afternoon, and it really is a sorry sight. I think that I will have to try to get on top of it again and plan for some autumn/winter crops as things that should be cropping shortly are not going to produce anything much. The only good thing is that I have plenty of rampant weeds that I can turn into compost. Have a good day whatever you will try.

 

This should make posting on here fun - a Scots language browser....

https://www.thenational.scot/news/19494171.major-web-browser-first-available-scots-language/

 

Morning all. It's going to be a hot one today, and we are heading into the 30°C area again. Language usage can be quite fun sometimes when you see the description of things used differently to what you are used to. An example. My local team Chateauroux reported for their morning training session today, not at the training ground, but in the stadium. "Ce matin, ça se passe dans notre jardin !" "This morning, it's happening in our garden!" Somehow despite the immaculate lawn, I never think of the Vic being a garden. Have a good day wherever you might be.

 

Morning all. The temperature is certainly rising and a hot spell is now forecast into next week. A busy day ahead as one of the jobs is to take a lady to the hospital to visit her husband. A small rota has been formed to take her as she is rather past using her motorbike driving licence, and has never had one for a car. The husband wants to go home, but is in no fit state to do so, and I rather doubt that he will be able to. Meanwhile friends and neighbours have come together to provide all the support possible. People certainly look out for and help each other in our rural communities. Have a good day whatever you are going to do.

 

Howdy folks.
Yeah, I'm still here but haven't really contributed much of late.
Been a rough few months with barely fortnight where the emotions haven't taken another hit. Mrs Fez Snr notwithstanding there've been another five bereavements. Three of whom were lifelong friends known since infants school.

One of them was a fellow Hornet: "Roly-Poly Dave", a fellow referee, and was a postman, and a definite "face" in the Watford crowd before moving up to Lincolnshire a few years ago.

The fourth was a former touring band mate losing his battle with Acute Myeloid Leukaemia, going only a couple of weeks after his wedding at the hospice: he thought he had months, those of us closest to him (I collected him from hospital several times over the past couple of years) knew otherwise.
The other chap was of an age (a Korean War veteran) but it wasn't expected.

On the plus side: Mrs Fez is still in remission; I won a claim for recompense for my ill advised pension investment from the FSCS; work is ridiculously busy to keep my mind occupied; football is back on the agenda... though whether that's actually a plus remains to be seen! And the Aston Clinton Beer Festival 9 was excellent, first time out with friends since Crystal Palace away!

With the advent of the football season hopefully I'll be contributing a bit more regularly rather than just passing through.

 

Good to hear from you Fez... what a terrible time......... Wishing you and your family all the best for the future.... and COYH......................

 

Morning all. It has certainly warmed up now, and the fan going at night is a great help when you want some sleep. Small white van, all the locals seem to have a small white van, stopped by the house yesterday, and two men got out, one holding leaflets and the other a pot of white paint. I guessed straightaway that these were the advanced guard to tell us that our roads would be closed for three hours Saturday while the cycle race is taking place. The paint was to mark the road for the racers when a turn or straight on is required at a road junction. The grass cutter has been round now and cut all the verges back, so all that remains is the lorry that brushes up all the mess that the grass cutter has created. Have a good day everyone.

 

Morning all. Very warm already, and we are told that it will feel like 37°C this afternoon although in the shade it will be 32°C. Five départements in the south east are on alert for 40°C temperatures, This heat brings the measures for looking after the elderly into operation, but in previous years it has been less than perfect with care staff on holiday. Our elderly neighbour has family with her for the weekend, so she will be well looked after. Have a good day, and three points would be rather nice.

 

Your story of the community helping reminds me of a question I have. The impression I have of French life is that people expect the state or the family , and perhaps close friends, to help in these circumstances. There is hardly any evidence of groups being formed to help people they don't know. If they do exist, it's ex-pats that organise them. Is this totally misleading ? I wonder also if the local taxi drivers haven't complained to the mairie that your good will is taking business away from them. A bit like the edict that Chambre d'hotes offering an evening meal MUST take their evening meal with the guests - as restaurants complained they were being undercut.

 

You are right that the locals do expect far more from the state and indeed family. Maybe there is a different attitude to families being closer together; you certainly see it with the number of times people get together around here even if it means a trip down from Paris. We have several groups locally of mixed nationality that do come together to help out, and it is very helpful when you need a local who knows how to stamp their foot when dealing with authority. The varied licences that exist for cafes, bars, restaurants and Chambre d'hote are a minefield for those who stray from the rules. Have the wrong licence for what you are doing, and you get closed until you get the right one.

 

Morning all. Another hot day ahead, although we do have some breeze to refresh you a bit. Fete day, and the competitors in the large petanque tournament will already be polishing their boules. It takes place with about 100 courts marked out with blue string, but that doesn't stop a shot played badly, or a "bomb" sending these mini cannon balls into the neighbours court. The winners of the different classes, singles, doubles, triples, men, women or mixed can win healthy cash prizes as well as a cup that they keep for a year. I expect there will be some very red faces after three or four hours in the afternoon sun. Have a good day whatever you are doing.

 

How are your petanque skills OFH? I personally think it's one of the best games ever created, hours and hours of fun! (Also drinking seems to improve your skills...)

 

Not very good, but then I don't spend every spare minute like some practising. My set however are a very useful door stop.

 

Morning all. Overcast and much cooler which is no great hardship. It seems unbelievable but we have had a crime within a couple of miles of us. The victim of this crime? Our bread dispensing machine. Pottering down there to get bread yesterday, that sees us through Monday, the bakers day off, I find that someone has taken a crowbar to the front of it in a desperate attempt to get a loaf. On closer inspection I find that the card reader you can use if you don't have enough coins has also been ripped away. I don't know just how much money might be in it if that is what was the attraction, but the assault looked to have failed. So the notice said it would be working again for tomorrow, but emergency bread from the freezer was brought out. Not a great start to the fete day. Have a good one everyone.

 

"robbed by royals"

It seems that visitors to Buckingham Palace are less than happy about forking out cash for what sounds like very little at all. Can't say that I blame them though - I'd baulk at contributing to Andrew's legal expenses too

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/buc...isitors-tripadvisor-poor-reviews-b950747.html

 

Morning all. Cloudy and but dry in rural France, with little chance of seeing the sun according to the météo. Took car for a service to a new garage with an English owner as my old one closed and this one is nearer. He wanted to plug his computer into the car, but as hard as we both looked couldn't find the port for it. Looked online, and it is no wonder we missed it tucked away beneath the armrest where I keep my CDs. The owner comes from Stockport, and was quite surprised that I had heard of Stockport County. Back to Division 4 days I think. Have a good day everyone.