tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83920287942476241462024-03-05T11:11:30.389+01:00No. No more penguins.Adventures of an anglaise in France
(and the occasional anthropomorphised vegetable)Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16448300763872886022noreply@blogger.comBlogger95125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392028794247624146.post-88979349005442026832016-01-22T17:18:00.003+01:002016-01-22T17:18:25.779+01:00Moving... againOk. So. I've moved again.<br />
<br />
This time, I'm blogging at accidentalorganist.blogspot.co.uk .<br />
<br />
My professional website has also moved, after the last one got hacked by some group claiming to have links to the Algerian monarchy (no, I have no idea either): www.catherineprady.co.uk .<br />
<br />
Hope to see you there!<br />
<br />Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16448300763872886022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392028794247624146.post-6634500182992974912013-04-24T16:37:00.000+02:002013-04-24T16:37:31.350+02:00Redirecting...So. I haven't been around here much of late. Things got busy, and then, well, I'm never really sure what's worth writing about, and then I worry about not having photos, or just not having anything interesting to say.<br />
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What IS interesting, though - or, at least, I think so! - is all the silly stuff you find in old books.<br />
<br />
Just a taster:<br />
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"A breastfeeding mother or nurse should drink diluted wine at mealtimes, and between meals should drink sufficient quantities of light beer or cider". -<i>Larousse Ménager, </i>1923.<br />
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For more fun with old books, come and visit us at our new home:<br />
<a href="http://treasureinmybookcase.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">treasureinmybookcase.wordpress.com</a><br />
<br />
Alternatively, my professional alter ego is now lurking at www.catherineprady.com . Not the most fun website in the world ever, but if you need something translating, you know where to go!<br />
<br />Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16448300763872886022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392028794247624146.post-39292964629895321262012-09-07T12:01:00.002+02:002012-09-07T12:01:51.637+02:00Don't underestimate the housewife<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So. This morning, we had a visit from the Jehovah's Witnesses. I do enjoy a good theological debate (yes, really), so I invited them in. Guess what? They said no. They wanted to talk to my <i>husband. </i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I don't think their refusal was <i>entirely</i> motivated by misogyny (one of them was a woman...), but it may well have had something to do with the fact that, in their eyes, I was "just a little housewife".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Now. A word to the wise: <b>Don't underestimate the housewife.</b></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">She:</span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b> </b></span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">looks after children, and is the one to introduce them to the world. In religious terms, faith is often passed on through the mother - just look at the traditions in Judaism.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">from a political/economic perspective, she is generally responsible for most of the household outgoings - who's writing the shopping lists round here? Oh yes. ME. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">is also a cook-driver-cleaner-teacher-nurse-nanny-painter-interior designer-planner... the list goes on. </span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I used to think, from time to time, that I was "chickening out" by staying at home and not getting a job outside, pursuing a career, etc etc. I was wrong. It takes a lot to stay at home. There's none of the relief of adult company at work or of being away from the to-do list. You don't get holidays and you don't get sick leave. (What you <i>do </i>get more than outweighs that, but I'm arguing with imaginary Jehovah's Witnesses here, ok?) </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So, to get to the point, <i>any </i>housewife is more than worth talking to. Maybe the man <i>is </i>the head of the household - but to paraphrase the mother in <i>My Big Fat Greek Wedding</i>, "the woman is the neck, and she can turn the head aaaaany way she wants".</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Also, this particular housewife has two masters' degrees and runs her own company. Just sayin', missionaries. Just sayin'. </span><br />
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<br />Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16448300763872886022noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392028794247624146.post-37492536880539990102012-06-05T10:36:00.002+02:002012-06-05T10:37:48.474+02:00Strawberries!<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This time last year, we had a bit of a problem with cherries - our cherry tree was massively productive, we didn't have a freezer and we couldn't even give them away because everyone else in the village had the same problem.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This year, we had a very hard winter and it froze too late for the cherry trees to be happy. Our tree has literally (and I use the word in the full knowledge of its meaning) no cherries on it (well, there were two, but something ate them before they had time to ripen). The neighbours are having the same problem.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The strawberries, however... now that's a different story! We inherited a fairly large strawberry patch when we bought the house, and, despite the slugs' best efforts, we've had 4.7 kilos (just over 10 pounds) of strawberries in five days.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So, what are we doing with all these strawberries?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This should give you an idea... :-) </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDEf30w3817OfQ7ELklPs2sOrwAIglEdCcelH8w4lUhLnjOCFZfZ57B3DPX2ZTRAS2orrKbiHV7QBuL471uJY3qc3JjUlUrJoUzDPRGtvmPi1Glohd9HYY34LTrIgjrO9YJrvnLvJC_6bK/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDEf30w3817OfQ7ELklPs2sOrwAIglEdCcelH8w4lUhLnjOCFZfZ57B3DPX2ZTRAS2orrKbiHV7QBuL471uJY3qc3JjUlUrJoUzDPRGtvmPi1Glohd9HYY34LTrIgjrO9YJrvnLvJC_6bK/s400/photo.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16448300763872886022noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392028794247624146.post-59062295839548419742012-05-31T14:58:00.001+02:002012-05-31T14:59:59.432+02:00Slug Wars<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So. As I <a href="http://www.nomorepenguins.blogspot.fr/2012/05/tale-of-two-salads.html" target="_blank">mentioned yesterday</a></span>, <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">we've been having a bit of an issue with slugs of late. This being the case, we decided to strike back (mwahaha! People/things thinking of stealing our food, BE WARNED).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Obviously, our first choice of weapon would be a hedgehog. We've been doing our best to encourage them - we even have a very hedgehog-friendly heap of old branches under the pine tree at the bottom of the garden - but we don't seem to have had much luck so far. We don't really want to resort to chemicals (we have a small, nearly-crawling person round here who sticks EVERYTHING in her mouth at the moment), so we've adopted another tactic.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The solution? BEER.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We'd heard that slugs liked beer, and there were a couple of half-bottles left over after a barbecue we had on Sunday, so we set a couple of traps - just a couple of inches of beer in the bottom of two jam jars. One went next to the strawberry patch, the other in the herb beds. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">On Tuesday morning, we went out to check the traps before breakfast, and there were seventeen (yes, I counted them) slugs in the herb bed trap. The other trap was rather less successful, but the fact that Ze Husband had carried out a MSM (Massive Slug Massacre) operation in that area the night before probably had something to do with it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We shall emerge victorious! We SHALL!</span>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16448300763872886022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392028794247624146.post-73216718659670213042012-05-30T16:44:00.001+02:002012-05-30T16:52:59.784+02:00A Tale of Two Salads<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It's Summer, and it's hot, meaning it's salad time again around here. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We thought we'd try being organised this year, so a few weeks ago, we bought a dozen lettuce and rocket seedlings. Well, not <i>exactly</i> a dozen - it was a gardener's dozen, twelve for us and "some for the slugs". Our slugs, however, are particularly greedy creatures. Within a week of planting the seedlings out, there were only three rocket plants left and no lettuces AT ALL. Then, they moved on to the radishes. They don't seem to be interested in the roots, but the poor plants have had to put all of their energy into regrowing their leaves and not into the part we're actually interested in. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">On Saturday afternoon, I planted a pepper plant in my herb beds. Note that these herb beds are in window boxes at some distance from the main garden, next to the front door, on a hard path. On Sunday morning, there was NO PEPPER PLANT. The slugs had struck yet again.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">That was the first of the two salads- a great big gigantinormous hypothetical salad which we WILL NOT GET TO EAT because of the EVIL SLUGS.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The second of the two salads was last night's <i>salade composée</i>, which was a particularly good one, so I thought I'd pass on the recipe. Its name? Norman. Norman the Salad. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I should explain...</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Salads in France often have names. <i>Salade Niçoise</i> is one of the best known versions. Last night's sald was a <i>Salade Normande</i>, including traditional ingredients from Normandy, or, in other words, a Norman Salad. See? <b>Norman the Salad.</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Without further ado, here are the ingredients...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Half a red lettuce</b>, shredded</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>1 apple</b>, diced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>5 inches cucumber</b>, diced</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>A few sprigs of parsley</b> (the slugs haven't eaten all of <i>that</i> yet...)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>1/4 Camembert</b>, chopped into small pieces (note: use a Camembert that's not too close to its use-by date for this one, otherwise it's impossible to cut up, it just oozes)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Croutons</b>/ torn-up stale bread, fried in a little olive oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />Stick ingredients in bowl. Add <b>dressing</b> to taste (I recommend vinaigrette made with walnut mustard- it's AMAZING). Mix. Eat. Om nom nom. Serves 2 as a main meal with bread, more as a side dish/starter.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sorry for the lack of phototage... next time I'll remember. Promise.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16448300763872886022noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392028794247624146.post-82008786338398417732012-05-03T23:12:00.002+02:002012-05-03T23:12:37.714+02:00Fun with Vegetables<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When, sometime last year, my sisters and I saw a Youtube video with a man playing the Zelda theme tune on a musical instrument made entirely of broccoli, we couldn't resist...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj20UW_kL8fQoPBX3stYvELlQd4HG-Jxx1JFZkaV2GVYQWGXUiO8WbwpK_xc4Wdh0-m3FNHr9OPCv5Ef2irD5-LLnmB91A6Nrz5I1BUj0JOAZi8E-TGcwFS5pmnZSPejKpB170HxQdCrBHp/s1600/veg.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj20UW_kL8fQoPBX3stYvELlQd4HG-Jxx1JFZkaV2GVYQWGXUiO8WbwpK_xc4Wdh0-m3FNHr9OPCv5Ef2irD5-LLnmB91A6Nrz5I1BUj0JOAZi8E-TGcwFS5pmnZSPejKpB170HxQdCrBHp/s320/veg.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(Please note that the vegetables in question had been deigned no longer fit for human consumption and were on their way to be fed to the chickens).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">We didn't quite manage to make the vegetables entirely playable on their own, but with the addition of a clarinet mouthpiece, we were able to produce recognisable tunes. The clarinet bell on the carrot was there to improve the tuning.. and for aesthetic effect!</span>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16448300763872886022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392028794247624146.post-21149374293051568672012-02-16T10:05:00.001+01:002012-02-16T12:05:29.225+01:00Thoughts on Nappies<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Gooooood moooorning the Internets!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">About two months ago, I wrote <a href="http://nomorepenguins.blogspot.com/2011/11/this-time-last-month.html" target="_blank">this post</a> and a few of you left comments on the subject of nappies/diapers, so I thought you might be interested in our findings. (If not, feel free to stop reading now. I'll <strike>send the gnomes after you</strike> forgive you eventually. Maybe).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Before we go any further, I should clarify a few points</b>:</span><br />
<ul><li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We have a washing machine. I would never consider washable nappies without one...</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">...but we don't have a drier, and have no intention of getting one. We do have a washing line, so everything will be great in summer, but for now, getting things dry is a significant issue.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I'm not sure the idea of a nappy/diaper service has even reached France, let alone our tiny village. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We had our reservations about disposables mainly because of the environmental impact (the quantity of landfill they produce, more than anything else - the energy involved in manufacturing appears to be comparable to that involved in washing cloth nappies). They do make good biodegradable disposables these days- we had some when Ze Baby was tiny and they were great - but they are a more expensive option.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I work from home (when I do work) and it's very much a part-time thing, so getting loads of laundry done isn't a problem. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I'm fairly organised as a general rule, but I did worry about running out of nappies (Ze Husband is often away for work and in these cases I'd struggle to get to the shops). With washable nappies, this is not an issue. </span></li>
</ul><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We started out with disposables - the whole baby thing was new, after all, and we needed to make our lives as easy as possible. The two washable nappies we'd bought to try were too big for Ze Baby's little newborn bottom, anyway. Everything was fine, except for the odd leakage issue- once a day or so, but I thought that must be normal. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">With encouragement from my mother, I also bought a pack of 12 terry nappies (cloth squares) - I had my doubts as to the practicality of the thing, but I told myself that squares of flannel would always come in useful, if only as spare burp cloths. That said, my parents used the flannel square - nappy liner- pins - nappy protector system on five of us, so I thought I'd give it a try.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>Results</b>?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We're completely convinced by terry nappies. Firstly, they're washable, which was what we were going for, after all. Secondly, we have had NO LEAKAGE. Thirdly, they dry, on a clothes horse, inside, in winter, in under 24 hours. The other two washable nappies were fine, but they take just as long to put on and take much longer to dry (we do use them, but only when we've run out of squares). Admittedly, we do still use disposables when we're out so we don't have to cart dirty nappies around with us, but we're talking five or six nappies a week, no more. Even Ze Husband, who has more reservations than I did to start with, has been completely won over and is getting rather good at nappy folding.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So, there you have it - obviously this is just what works for us, and I understand just how lucky we are to have the leisure to do this. If I didn't work from home it would be very difficult to use anything other than disposables, and with little ones, anything that helps parents to maintain some semblance of sanity can only be a good thing! :-)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Off to put the washer on now - I wonder why?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16448300763872886022noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392028794247624146.post-32747943752118887442012-02-07T11:37:00.000+01:002012-02-07T11:37:06.494+01:00It's cold outside...<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">...no, I'm not just stating the obvious (although it is REALLY REALLY COLD at home. Well, we do live in the <i><a href="http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Terres_froides" target="_blank">terres froides</a></i>, so it's probably to be expected...)</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I suspect, for most people, the musical associations attached to these words have something to do with a certain hairy Welshman (erm...Tom Jones, that is).</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">For me, though, the conjunction of growing up in Britain in the mid-to-late 80s with my parents' tastes in television mean that "It's cold outside..." leads to THIS:</span> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/CVxFwH39FDs?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">(the words kick in at about 0:45). </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As far as I know, this was the only song my dad ever sang to me as a child. (N.B.: Not a sob story. My dad just <i>doesn't</i> sing). </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">How on EARTH was I supposed to grow up to be anything other than a geek?</span></div>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16448300763872886022noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392028794247624146.post-69894690430018794662012-01-23T12:12:00.000+01:002012-01-23T12:12:10.360+01:00In which the penguins return<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I really did think, for a minute, we'd escaped them for good.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And then, there was The Beast (see <a href="http://www.nomorepenguins.blogspot.com/2011/10/39-weeks.html">this post</a>, he's lurking in the background of the bump picture). He arrived in the UK in August and came back to France with us in the back seat of the car. Thankfully Customs didn't stop us, because we didn't have a passport for him.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">And then... they started coming for Ze Baby. First, a friend sent us some <i>adorable </i>penguin bootees (thanks Caroline!). Lovely, practical penguins making themselves useful.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Then there was<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ty-Beanie-Ballz-Avalanche-Penguin/dp/B004IB03UO/ref=sr_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1327315970&sr=8-13" target="_blank"> this</a> from my brother, and my sister gave her a penguin glove puppet for Christmas.<br />
<br />
They also appear to be working in more subtle ways. The Original Penguin (who even had his own Facebook account at one point...) goes by the name of Carrot. Anyone who was at our wedding (or has seen pictures) will be aware that we have a certain prediliction for cuddly vegetables round here... and the carrot tally, at the last count, was up to FOUR, plus a pair of orange socks with rather suspicious green frills around the top.<br />
<br />
You know what? I GIVE IN. Penguins, you've WON.<br />
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<br />
</div>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16448300763872886022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392028794247624146.post-47928091379998940562011-11-28T12:25:00.000+01:002011-11-28T12:25:57.103+01:00This time last month...<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Right. Well. I think you can probably guess why I haven't been around for the last month...</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Yes. The Baby-Formerly-Known-as-Squidlet was (finally) born on 28th October, and has been keeping Ze Husband and I busy ever since with the whole feeding/nappy changing/feeding/nappy changing thing. So far, we're managing... I've had to reduce my expectations in terms of sleep quite considerably, but I take comfort from the fact that this situation is temporary and I <i>will </i>get some sleep at some point! (Naps are clearly the way forward, in any case. Who <i>needs </i>to sleep for more than three hours at a time, anyway?). </span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The Baby-Formerly-Known-as-Squidlet managed to acquire a couple of new names (quite apart from her real name) in the days after her birth, and will henceforth be known as Baby Mole/Bébé Taupe. She was born with quite a lot of hair, which, contrary to the expectations of everyone except her mother, is dark brown and not blonde. Add to that the fact that her eyes were practically black at birth, general newborn short-sightedness and the way she moves her hands when she's looking for milk, and she really did look a lot like a mole... The moleishness has worn off now, but the name has stuck.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We've decided not to post pictures on open-access parts of the internet (or Facebook, for that matter), but if we know you in real life, drop us a line and we'll send you a link.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Now, people of the Internets. Time for you lot to help me with this whole baby thing...</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We're thinking about switching to washable nappies (or diapers, for those on the other side of the Atlantic). Thoughts? Suggestions? Recommendations? Patterns? (Yes, I'm thinking of at least attempting to make one or two to see how that works out. Trying different options here).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Oh, and I also appear to be addicted to Speculoos. Please send help (or more biscuits).</span><br />
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</span>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16448300763872886022noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392028794247624146.post-82047874832838190262011-10-27T18:09:00.000+02:002011-10-27T18:09:57.967+02:0039 weeks<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">So.</span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">After all that, the Squidlet seems to have decided she's in no hurry to come out after all, and we've got to 39 1/2 weeks. Because of her early escape attempt, I've been more or less mentally prepared for her to turn up for the last three of those weeks, and I'm starting to get a bit frustrated.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> Also, it's gone relatively cold here, which would be fine except I only have one pair of maternity jeans. Cue cut-offs with knee socks on the days my jeans are in the wash... the giraffe print socks look particularly classy. Oh yes. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">(No, I don't go out much, why do you ask?)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Come ON, Squidlet. I want to be able to wear skirts again. And to be able to walk at normal speeds. And <strike>drink vast quantities of beer</strike> eat things with raw eggs in. I have plans for a chestnut tiramisù which are becoming increasingly urgent.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Oh, and while we're at it: one bump picture.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8kCxXeL17hxSn5avqLt3yCiA_0VfFy8sAYt775l0jcIFi76EvJSBOAUZI6k-V7gxMUhDeCFuqS8PPY25OIkeXtRRfARPWOsNQ8Df-zACT26Eurj9nC0IOoIZNGP7aAXuVNq05GH1srxP0/s1600/P1010015.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8kCxXeL17hxSn5avqLt3yCiA_0VfFy8sAYt775l0jcIFi76EvJSBOAUZI6k-V7gxMUhDeCFuqS8PPY25OIkeXtRRfARPWOsNQ8Df-zACT26Eurj9nC0IOoIZNGP7aAXuVNq05GH1srxP0/s320/P1010015.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I wasn't consciously attempting to imitate the penguin in the corner, either. Honest.</span><br />
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</span>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16448300763872886022noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392028794247624146.post-53952389659438839042011-10-25T12:12:00.000+02:002011-10-25T12:12:46.722+02:00Rawr!<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">You may vaguely remember me talking about a<a href="http://nomorepenguins.blogspot.com/2011/09/ze-news.html"> top secret project</a></span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">a while back, the results of which I would not be able to reveal until </span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">after our wedding anniversary.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Sorry to have left you all in suspense for so long. No, really, the stress of not knowing must have been <i>dreadful. :-p</i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Here, without further ado, is what I was up to:<i> </i></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5xXrePa7UiRRLs29-YSnNpBEHRNCpEZD0X6tSr2QBarVOHOnVWmEMvvW6xOqf5WqFK8PSCUgPmCtJZlSfHhnOsh96UwFTEvkR_-hDhecS_3ZvKNO6qZE1uJrsVBMKzUcK21dJSO08iAm2/s1600/P1010008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5xXrePa7UiRRLs29-YSnNpBEHRNCpEZD0X6tSr2QBarVOHOnVWmEMvvW6xOqf5WqFK8PSCUgPmCtJZlSfHhnOsh96UwFTEvkR_-hDhecS_3ZvKNO6qZE1uJrsVBMKzUcK21dJSO08iAm2/s320/P1010008.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">For those of you who don't understand the French (or the original dinosaur), it says "RAWR! (that means "I love you" in dinosaur).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The inspiration came from a couple of tshirts I found on the internet with the same caption (in English) and from <a href="http://www.subversivecrossstitch.com/">Subversive Cross Stitch</a></span><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">, an idea I find extremely appealing in principle although I don't see why they have to use swear words all the time. I don't usually have much patience with cross stitch and my inability to finish a project is widely recognised, but what with being on bed rest at the time and all that, this time it did actually work. And yay for using up bits of leftover embroidery silk!</span><br />
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</span><br />
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</span>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16448300763872886022noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392028794247624146.post-6709051112670395582011-10-21T16:52:00.000+02:002011-10-21T16:52:18.095+02:00Angry Bird<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">We moved house a couple of weeks ago, and I'm still getting used to the house - every place has its own crashes and bangs that happen in the course of a normal day, and I've always found it takes a little while to get used to them (cue lots of jumping up and down to see what's going on).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The other day, I heard some strange banging noises coming from upstairs. Being <strike>pregnant and tired</strike> downright lazy, I decided not to go and find out what was going on. Half an hour later, the same noise started up again, but coming from street level. I looked out of the window, only to see a crow crashing repeatedly into the neighbours' front window. I wasn't sure whether to put this down to birdbrained idiocy or possible avian alcoholism.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Yesterday, the crow was back, and this time it was clearly attacking its reflection in our bedroom window. Thank goodness we have double glazing- the way it was going, I think it might have broken anything more fragile.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">That is one <i>seriously</i> angry bird.</span>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16448300763872886022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392028794247624146.post-51031051555611801082011-10-06T11:00:00.000+02:002011-10-06T11:00:09.903+02:00Of Babies and Blackadder<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If you've been following French news closely, you may be aware that the midwives are Not Happy at the moment. In all honesty, I think they're right to be annoyed- their work really is undervalued and the service they provide is fantastic.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">That's not really what this post's about, though. No no no. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The French word for midwife is <i>sage-femme</i>, which means, literally... wait for it...</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Wisewoman.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>"Two things, my lord, must thee know of the Wisewoman. First, she is... a woman! ...and second, she is..."</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>"Wise?"</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i>"You do know her, then?" </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i><br />
</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It's just one of those things that make the constant prodding and poking with needles more bearable.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><i> </i> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16448300763872886022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392028794247624146.post-27334852272129766002011-10-04T13:08:00.001+02:002011-10-05T10:44:44.500+02:00Update<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">No, there are still no bump pictures. I have found the camera charger, but in the meantime, we've misplaced the camera. It'll show up eventually, and then YES, if the Squidlet hasn't arrived by then, there will be a bump picture or two!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Now. In case anyone was wondering, I thought I'd post a bupdate (bump update) because Things have been Happening.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Two weeks ago, at my 8th-month checkup, the midwife put me on bedrest for two weeks with anti-contraction medication because <i>things</i> were a bit further on than they should have been at 34 weeks, I'd had some pains the weekend before, and, well, they'd rather the Squidlet stayed put for a bit longer. The bedrest couldn't really have come at a worse time, covering the week before and the week after we moved house, and Ze Husband was <i>en deplacement </i>(away) in Eindhoven for the second week. I did manage to behave myself, though, and, erm, "supervised" the move from a safe (but frustrating) distance. For the second week, I went to stay with the inlaws, A) in case anything happened and B) because our house was still in chaos (also, no running water - a minor problem, clearly).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Last Friday, in spite of the rest and medication, I started having pains again. I eventually phoned the hospital, who told me to have a hot bath, take even more medication, and come in if things didn't improve. The bath and medication seemed to do the trick, so I went to bed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Saturday, more of the same, only this time, I was having definite contractions on top of the general background pain at fairly regular intervals. We headed to the hospital mid-afternoon to see what was going on. At this point, I was at 35 weeks and 6 days- note that here, a baby born at 36 weeks can be considered full term if they've reached a certain weight. After 6 hours of monitoring, prodding, various blood tests and a scan, they gave me even stronger anti-contraction medication, on the understanding that if that didn't work they'd let things run their course, and sent me home.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">That's more or less how things stand for now. I'm coming off all medication on Saturday or if things start moving again before then, and the general consensus is that the Squidlet is not likely to want to stay in for much longer. The scan showed she's a decent size and weight, with no visible health problems, and they haven't found any conditions which might have provoked the contractions- so it all seems to be down to the Squidlet herself having decided it's time. </span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Off to practice mental metric/imperial weight conversions now- I can't deal with baby weights being in kilos, it just seems wrong somehow!</span>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16448300763872886022noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392028794247624146.post-59520382308823443572011-09-25T15:49:00.003+02:002011-10-05T10:45:20.516+02:00One Year<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">One year ago today, Ze Boy graduated to the status of Ze Husband, and I became the third Catherine Prady in the family (a potentially confusing situation, but it hasn't posed any particular problems so far). It all still seems a bit surreal- the wedding part, at least. Marriage itself is (reassuringly) very real, even without the Squidlet kicking me in the ribs periodically to remind me... </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">(Warning: Those averse to mloo-mlee-mlooting might wish to look away now).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This has been the best year of my life so far, and I'm looking forward, God willing, to a lot more like it. Yes, marriage means adjustments. Yes, it means I have to change my ideas of what constitutes an acceptable level of tidy in our office, and, generally, put up with all that stuff that comes with LIVING WITH A BOY. But I will always have someone to whinge at when things aren't going according to plan, someone to make food for, and someone to discuss the finer points of ninja shrimp with. I will always know that at least one other person on the planet understands the decidedly peculiar way my brain works and, even more surprisingly, won't run away screaming in terror or call the men in white coats.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This time last year, I signed on for a lifetime of this, and I don't regret it one single bit. </span>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16448300763872886022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392028794247624146.post-70440954834814261432011-09-12T18:39:00.000+02:002011-09-12T18:39:53.735+02:00Ze News<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">So. There hasn't been much news round here lately. Time for a general update, I think...</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Things have been fairly busy recently, what with one thing and another. The kind of Things that call for a List... So, what have we been up to recently?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;"> </span></span><br />
<ul><li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">Ze Husband's cucumber plants got all excitable, and then the cornichons joined in. We made our first ever jar of pickles last week, which was exciting (more on that if they turn out to be nice when we open the jar).</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We were back in the UK briefly trying to escape from the heat and move some of our stuff, including a hatstand, back to France. It is a Very Long Way from where we live to Woods HQ.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">During this time, I also acquired a new penguin. It's big. It goes by the name of The Beast. We managed to fit it in the car with all our stuff, but only just.</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I got a few new translation clients. Exciting! (no, no, that wasn't sarcasm).</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">My current inability to eat raw eggs resulted in a New And Exciting lemon mousse recipe (which I will also share at some point). </span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I finished a quilting project which has been on the go for just over ten years and cleared out my old wardrobe. Result? Lots of new projects... which may go a bit quicker, seeing as</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We're getting a sewing machine. Woohoooo!</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I started a couple of new craft projects, one of which is Top Secret until our wedding anniversary. I shall try and post something about the other one once I find the camera charger (still AWOL). This may be sooner rather than later, because</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We're packing everything up into boxes again, because</span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">We bought a HOUSE. Yes, a real one! This is going to be a very exciting new adventure, especially with all the projects we have planned... for now, though, we're just concentrating on moving in and getting settled before the Squidlet arrives in late October/early November.</span></span></li>
</ul><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: small;">I'm getting tired just looking at that list... I would add "list-making" to my List Of Things That Are A Bad Idea When Heavily Pregnant (or LOTTABIWHP, if you prefer), but that might defeat the object. </span></span>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16448300763872886022noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392028794247624146.post-25339321185194217132011-08-13T09:35:00.000+02:002011-08-13T09:35:18.690+02:00A la recherche de choses perdues<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Helloes!</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I have lots and lots of things I want to post on here at the moment - various recipes and projects and oh, loads of stuff.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The problem? All of these posts would be far better with pictures, and we've lost the charger for the camera battery.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Usually, I'm quite good at finding stuff. Ze Husband misplaces things fairly regularly- I think his keys/cheque book/paperwork/phone etc. are ganging up on him. Seriously. He'll spend ages looking for something, it will hide from him, then as soon as I start looking it jumps up and down going "I'm here! I'm here! Pick me!". (Well, not literally, although that might be useful...)</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">In this particular case, however, the camera charger is hiding from me, too... I suspect it may have gone on holiday, like the rest of the French population does for the whole of August.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16448300763872886022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392028794247624146.post-39525199852906411802011-08-08T15:28:00.001+02:002011-08-08T15:29:06.104+02:00Vampires<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Today, I went for blood tests.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This is not something particularly unusual at the moment - having failed to contract toxoplasmosis at any point in my life (clearly I didn't eat enough raw meat...or something) I have to be checked every month. In France, they don't take samples at the doctor's and you have to go to the lab, but so far, nothing too complicated.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This morning, in addition to my usual tests, I had to get a blood group card made. My UK one isn't considered valid, clearly. Enter French medical bureaucracy...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">For a blood group card request to be valid, two samples have to be taken, from two different points, by two different nurses, on the same day. Clearly, if just one nurse stuck needles in my arm, I might be able to bribe her to say I had a different blood type, since, you know, there are vast advantages to be had from being rhesus positive. Or something. Add to that the fact that all the veins in my left arm have gone into hiding (I think they're sick of the needles), and all in all, I had a rather fun morning.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">If only getting hold of a <i><a href="http://www.french-property.com/guides/france/public-services/health/health-card/">Carte Vitale</a> </i>was so simple.</span>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16448300763872886022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392028794247624146.post-60560748917594411702011-08-05T12:32:00.001+02:002011-08-05T12:32:57.949+02:00Actually, yes, the penguins can be useful<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">When I said "no more penguins", I meant no more NEW penguins. Having a few around the place can prove useful in life.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Example:</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">As some of you may know (and some of you certainly don't, given I've not been around much recently, and any Facebook updates on the matter have been decidedly cryptic), I'm six months pregnant. As anyone who's already been there knows, this poses certain logistical problems in terms of sleeping arrangements.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Lying on stomach: out, clearly.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Lying on back: out, not only does this put too much weight on internal organs, it also causes backache, cuts off blood supply to legs and provokes "snorfling" (special word invented by Ze Husband, meaning "snoring in a manner disproportionate to one's size").</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Lying on side: Yes, but requires wedging with cushions...or... STUFFED PENGUINS.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">It's amazing. They're exactly the right shape. Seriously.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Hmmm. Nap time, methinks.</div>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16448300763872886022noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392028794247624146.post-35739310434256643922011-05-17T13:42:00.000+02:002011-05-17T13:42:54.145+02:00BN for Vendetta<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Slightly worrying phenomenon observed in the biscuit tin the other day:</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMg1odoU-Z9hvQKghfbBnhlUfR39HxFVMRGC7MOzeYwYvTqiDaj0WVvMA4WB8YWq8NCJlo64Bh727awcWOZzStjmcKPEzw8jnfO7TGMoNmh5ust6FB_ndDtPNZni4icJrw7f4ghcWqaAaW/s1600/P1000988.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMg1odoU-Z9hvQKghfbBnhlUfR39HxFVMRGC7MOzeYwYvTqiDaj0WVvMA4WB8YWq8NCJlo64Bh727awcWOZzStjmcKPEzw8jnfO7TGMoNmh5ust6FB_ndDtPNZni4icJrw7f4ghcWqaAaW/s320/P1000988.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://static1.channels.com/thumbnails/assets/blip-tv/feeds/142-2190/292585/V-for-Vendetta--jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://static1.channels.com/thumbnails/assets/blip-tv/feeds/142-2190/292585/V-for-Vendetta--jpg" width="246" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There's a definite resemblance there!</span> <span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Should I be worried?</span></div>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16448300763872886022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392028794247624146.post-91829189846593807792011-05-11T17:59:00.001+02:002011-05-11T18:00:31.778+02:00Humphrey<div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">There are several major differences between life in the UK and in France.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The language, for one.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The food, for another (although to be quite honest what we eat as a family hardly changes. I bring Branston Pickle and other such necessities back every time I go home...)</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The weather. We're already averaging 26 or 27° (Celsius- sorry, I don't <i>do</i> Fahrenheit) here in the afternoons, and that's pretty normal for this time of year.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">These, you might think, are pretty big things.</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">What, then, is the difference I notice most?</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">LIZARDS. Yes, really. I <i>believe </i>there are some in the southernmost parts of the UK, but having never lived further south than Cumbria (non-Brits, that's a <i>long </i>way north by English terms) for any length of time, they're still something of a novelty to me.</div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5AMloABYo1AHTErBxgbFhYRvCLW_aoqm-Jl71QtXzrtp6OFCD2w-fRTH3YwGnuGRSfx2Jje6nCWDCBqrGOr7Nz1UaoUrnkhwRO121v7_CvFVR3DaXz6QRpzQFHUs-urGa8SnTCMzOm4sT/s1600/Humphrey.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5AMloABYo1AHTErBxgbFhYRvCLW_aoqm-Jl71QtXzrtp6OFCD2w-fRTH3YwGnuGRSfx2Jje6nCWDCBqrGOr7Nz1UaoUrnkhwRO121v7_CvFVR3DaXz6QRpzQFHUs-urGa8SnTCMzOm4sT/s320/Humphrey.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Humphrey pretends to be shy</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This here is Humphrey, the first lizard I met when we moved to our new house. He came out of hibernation some time towards the end of February. He lives under the windowsill with Mrs. Humphrey and The Other One (another lizard, but we haven't/don't want to think about what their relationship might be. This is a Christian household, we will not have lizard immorality going on under our windowsills).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">This afternoon, I was working, like a good little translator-elf, when I heard a clattering noise on the other side of the room. The culprit? A lizard, which had somehow managed to fall through the open skylight. (It wasn't Humphrey, though. Humphrey would never do something as silly as play on the roof).</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">I got the lizard out, in the end, using a waste paper basket and a comic book (yes! They DO have a use after all!) - but it took a good ten minutes of chasing it round the office, in and out of the stacks of paper and shoes and plastic dragons Ze Husband leaves lying around, all while laughing manically to myself at the surrealness of the whole thing.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">Now THAT wouldn't happen in Edinburgh.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;"><b>EDIT: I'm pretty bad at the whole picture thing, but if you want a better view of the Beast, just click on the picture to zoom in!</b> </span>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16448300763872886022noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392028794247624146.post-4744742120687021682011-04-19T10:59:00.001+02:002011-04-19T10:59:58.699+02:00Chain mail<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">'elloes!</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This week, Ze Husband and I are lurking in the Netherlands. We are not on holiday, no no no. He is working (training week) and I am, well, sort of working, except I'm waiting for author comments on six chapters which are supposed to be finalised by 5.30 UK time tonight and I can't do anything until they arrive. Hmmmmm.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Now. This being a work-thing, we are in a nice hotel, with a swimming pool and suchlike. Last time we were here, it was for two weeks and we were in a long-stay room, with a sitting room area and a KITCHEN (yes, a kitchen!) and working internet.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This time, we are in a normal room on the ninth floor. The room is very nice and everything, but the internets don't seem to want to work (maybe they're afraid of heights) so I'm having to use one of the hotel computers. All well and good, except for the QWERTY keyboard and the fact it won't let me look up mass times for Holy Week because it has a block on all websites linked to religion. NO KIDDING.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The other problem? The room was recently redone and it's all design-y and pretty but not massively practical. The bathroom walls are GLASS. See the problem here?</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">They seem to have realised that the glass bathroom might be a bit disconcerting to some, so they put up a sort of curtain accross one of the walls, which doesn't help much with the privacy thing, but certainly adds comedy value.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The curtain is CHAIN MAIL, people. The BATHROOM is wearing CHAIN MAIL.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Hmmm. Maybe my cupboard would look better with armour?</span>Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16448300763872886022noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8392028794247624146.post-77151644549527894172011-03-02T17:15:00.001+01:002011-03-02T17:29:35.926+01:00SeasonalI've been looking for an excuse to explain my three-month absence from nomorepenguins.<br />
<br />
Possible explanations include:<br />
<br />
<ul><li>gnomish abduction</li>
<li>too much work</li>
<li>illness</li>
<li>lack of internet access</li>
<li>lack of inspiration</li>
</ul>The REAL answer? None of the above.<br />
It just wasn't the season for aubergines.<br />
<br />
Also, I had a rather evil work project to finish, Ze Husband got a new job, we moved house, acquired a piano (about which, more later) and met a lizard named Humphrey. Lots of Good Things have been happening generally (we've been incredibly blessed these last few months, everything came together all of a sudden) and I've been a bit distracted, what with tidying our new cupboard and all.<br />
<br />
So, there you have it. No excuses, still no penguins, and I plan on restarting the regular posting as of now. If not, I give you permission to send gnomish mercenaries to poke me with sharp sticks.<br />
<br />
Catherijn, posting from the New and Improved Cupboard.Catherinehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16448300763872886022noreply@blogger.com1