The Canary Dave

Just got on with their own lives rather than seeing what they can comment on about other peoples lives

 

There is an irony to that comment. And this one.

 

I always found a newspaper to be useful for such occasions. When the birth of our youngest was imminent, I did the husbandly thing and rushed her to hospital. As very little was happening, and I was sitting there obviously looking a bit bored, she suggested that I go to the newsagent and get the morning papers - so I sauntered off to do that, stopping off to get two coffees on the way back. When I got back to the ward, it was all over - I had missed his birth. Typically, she has never let me forget that.

 

I have been in the dog house since 3rdFebruary 1968. Having taken wife to hospital as she was in labour, after an inspection I was told nothing will happen tonight, come back in the morning, but we will keep her in. Having a ticket for the Watford v Man.Utd FA Cup replay, I joined the other 34,000 inside the Vic. On the way back to Essex heavy snow was falling and driving became very difficult. I thought that I would pop in and see how things were at the hospital, although it was 2.00 am, but all the entrance doors were locked. Tired after the drive, I didn't wake until 9.00 am, and had to walk through the snow as the car was blocked in by drifts. Why didn't you come earlier? No amount of explaining about my early morning visit, or the dreadful weather has been fully accepted after all these years.

 

They can be so unreasonable at times those women...

 

Morning all. It is gloomy and there was more overnight rain. The sun is expected shortly, which will raise the temperature, and so out with the wellies and see what I can do down the lanes. I need to cut back the path on the green lane again, as rain and warmer days have made the grass grow up to waist level. That will take a while before I get to do something constructive. Have a good day everyone.

 

Morning all. More overnight rain, but some progress made yesterday, so a couple of hours planting and weeding before the Monday trip to the Physio with Mme. More rain forecast for later. At least I am not out everyday with the watering can. Have a good day everyone.

 

Afternoon all. An unproductive morning, as I took my car to the garage to see why the acclimatization was not working. Having waited for an hour while the recharge machine went through the complete program, it said it had failed due to a leak. Out came gas cylinders and a device with a flexible probe to sniff the leak out. The sniffer failed to sniff, so was told to go to a specialist 10 miles further up the road. No point, as they would be closed for a two-hour lunch break. Arrived home and looked this garage up. Another hour before I found out that they have changed ownership and their name. I have emailed them, so not to be hanging around waiting for a phone call. Enjoy your day.

 

Morning all. Mainly bright and no sign of rain, which is good news. Halfway into May and we are on our third public holiday of the month. Even our large LeClerc supermarket is only opening for the morning. Most of the smaller shops have not opened at all, yet somehow the economy doesn't seem to collapse. Have a good day everyone.

 

Rather a strange thing here in Germany with public holidays Frenchie. I have more now than when I lived in Hamburg, and Hamburg has one more than in Berlin (Reformation Day). Bavaria has the most of all - with All Saints, Assumption Day, Corpus Christi and the Three Kings (Jan. 6th) all added on, so Munich has nearly twice as many as in Berlin. Difficult for firms arranging freight transport because lorries are not allowed on the roads on public holidays - so if a lorry leaves Hamburg it needs to avoid certain states like NRW. Also you lose public holidays if they happen to fall on a weekend here - is that the case in France as well ?

 

Yes, if they occur over a weekend they are not replaced. You do find that if a public holiday is on a Thursday or a Tuesday, the day before or after the weekend is taken to create the bridge, and a four-day break.

 

Morning all. A lovely warm sunny day in rural France. Yesterday, while taking a couple of minutes break from weeding, I sat and watched a wild bee, going from flower to flower. Then I noticed it was only going to the pink flowers, ignoring the white, yellow and blue ones. I wonder how it knows which ones to go to? Is it by smell or sight? I don't know, but maybe the internet does. Have a good day everyone.

 

An apiarist friend in Australia told me a few years ago that bees tend to favour purple/blue/yellow colours, but also react to fragrance.
Maybe the pink flowers had more fragrance than the others. Or maybe you were watching a gay bee?

 

The first real rains of the year have arrived here, and the scorced, partched earth is soaking it up. I rained slowly all last night.

It smells so different here.

Have a good weekend all!

 

Morning all. Overcast but dry, so might get on a bit here when the shopping is done. I really dislike it, but can whizz round the supermarket in next to no time if on my own. I suggested it for today, but was told I come back with the unnecessary and forget what is really required. You often see a male with a shopping list, not sure where anything is stored. I know where to start, the wine cave, and where to finish, at the cheese counter. I swear though that for all the other items there is a plot to move them around just to keep you in there, and spotting something new that could be worth a try. Have a good day everyone.

 

Most supermarkets do this Frenchie - they rearrange everything every 2 weeks to keep you in there for as long as possible. Also, everything they particularly want you to buy is at eye level - this combined with the music played, which is designed to make you as zombie like as possible often works. Needless to say I plan shopping like a military operation as quick as possible.

 

My son in Aberdeen used to work as a Team Leader in an Asda Superstore there - he would confirm that this is at least partially true. Thankfully he left and now works for Petrofac - and nearly doubled his salary by doing so.

 

Neither of the two supermarkets we use plays music except at Christmas. I will not mention it to them.

 

Certain genres of music or singers can be really useful though - years ago in Sydney, the Rockdale Council found that playing early Barry Manilow hits on a loop discouraged youths from loitering in car parks. I have to say that would work on me too - not that I habitually loiter in car parks.

 

How... How... German of you!
Seriously though, this is why we have our food delivered. When in a supermarket, a rarity these days, I have a list and take each aisle in regulation! I am always pleasantly surprised by the staff who seem to know, without fail, where everything is! Damned if I could remember all that.