I wouldn't want to live in Bonneville as the traffic is horrendous. Whichever way you come at it it is just two-lane, nose to tail traffic. I know people at work who live in Bonneville and you struggle to make it to the motorway exit and end up with just a couple of kilometres to go - and it can end up taking you another 45 minutes! So nope, there's no way I would want to live there. Buut, I have to say it was a great little market, probably just a little bigger than my town's, with little bars and cafés all around. So I had a shufty, bought a couple of things and then decided to enjoy the sunshine and sit and have a drink before heading back.
On the way back to my car I stopped to admire what looked like allotments but were most likely private gardens. Very, very long and pretty wide and full to the brim with beautiful flowers and veg. These were older homes and today you would never get a garden like that round here, so those people are very lucky - but they are certainly making the most of them! I follow a site on FB called Un Jardin au Paradis - which is a local small-holding pretty much built from scratch and given over to sustainable and organic farming. They are offering one-day courses on 14 and 16 June so I think I might go on one - not that I have that much land anyway - but it is a subject that really interests me. A friend went on one of their courses and loved it. Which makes me think I must go up and visit her. She has quite a bit of land (she used to keep donkeys) and I am keen to see if she has put any of their ideas into practice. A propos of nothing, she is also a vegan, yoga teacher, having completely turned her life around from being a pretty hard drinking, pot grower! She's still great fun either way!
On my way home I stopped off for a hair appointment. I had taken the scissors to my hair a couple of weeks ago when it got on my nerves. I routinely do this, but eventually have to go and get Christelle to clean up my messes! I mean, fancy hacking at your own hair three weeks before your son's wedding! Must be nuts right! Anyway, while she was peering in disgust at the bird's nest that passed as my hair she asked what I had studied at university. When I said "languages" she just said "right, well leave your bloody hair alone"! I've known her for years so I wasn't the least bit insulted - and she was right anyway!
When I got home the wind started to pick up. I guess we might be getting the tail end of the dreadful storm that has hit the west coast of France. Just my bloody luck as my roses and peonies are finally started to bloom. There probably won't be a head left on them by tomorrow morning!
I had a quick snack of one of my newly-minted organic peaches smothered in Greek yoghurt and honey which was to die for! Seriously, if I ever got the death sentence, say, for murdering someone in Texas or dropping litter in Switzerland, I swear that would have to be my last meal! Then I settled down in my back garden to translate the order of ceremony for the wedding into English. I kept putting this off but realized I had to set to at some point. It took me about two hours and tomorrow I want to spend another hour on it de-franglicizing it with fresh eyes, just in case. Other than that I'm on track, but there is stuff in there that Jen asked me to keep secret from Jordan as she has some hush-hushh stuff going on! My lips are sealed!
And finally, we were informed through the retirees' association yesterday of the recent death of a colleague. Sylvain was only 62 and it hit pretty near to home I can tell you! I know "of" him as I would have input his file into the computer when I worked in HR. I also knew him personally, although not well at all. I have no idea how he died but 62???? Seriously! And I'll say it again, I'm so glad I made the decision to retire when I did. Just have to step up the work on the healthy lifestyle now!
I used to buzz cut my hair... until my bald spots start showing, now I get it cut. They make sure it doesn't look too thin.
ReplyDeleteYeah, 62 is young. That's a shame.
I'm ashamed to say I just hack the bits off that stick out - God knows what the back looks like, but then again I don't care what impression I make when I'm leaving!!! And yes 62 is young isn't it!
DeleteI have developed a bad habit of hacking my hair off. Beautician is mortified. I have very close and peripheral friends who are dying way too young. It is horrifying!
ReplyDeleteWhen I do it from the front it doesn't look too bad as it is kinda wavy but I can only imagine what the back looks like, although yesterday it looked horrendous all round. And you're right, it is very sobering when your friends (and siblings) start dying. One colleague had billions of years in the pension fund but stayed to the end to get the maximum pension. He died 6 months after he retired! Can't take life for granted.
DeleteI think we do tend to take life for granted. I too am glad I retired early when I was offered the chance. I may not be as rich as I could be, in fact, I'm downright poor! However I find you don't need as much when you retire and holidays for example become less of a need, life is one long holiday! Your market sounds wonderful, I used to love visiting markets in France when we visited many years ago. We don't really 'do' markets well in Scotland, not my part anyway. x
ReplyDeleteHi Marksgran, where are you in Scotland? I'm English and I have visions of markets in the pouring rain in Birmingham - not a pretty picture is it! And though I've been all over the world I've never been to Scotland. My kids loved it. Stopped in a tiny village in the middle of nowhere and the only restaurant was Indian! Great food though. And I agree, I think holidays are no longer as "essential" when life is one long holiday.
DeleteI'm in Glasgow. Yes markets in the rain are not pretty and I find here the markets are full of people selling cheap clothing etc these days. I love the fruit and veg markets of France. I was always glad we were self catering, it was a great excuse to buy the delicious veg. Scotland is a very beautiful country however we have the most unreliable weather in the world! Take this year, we still have our winter weight duvet on the bed and we had our heating on last week a couple of times and this is summer! My garden veg is struggling manfully but unless it dries up and heats up I fear we will have little fresh garden veg this year. It does not surprise me that the village had an Indian restaurant, apparently we in Scotland have the most Indian restaurants in the whole of the UK. Plus, we have Pakora which you don't get anywhere else! My husband was working in England with some colleagues and they asked in a restaurant for pakora which was met with no understanding at all however the chef heard them ask and came running out and said ' you must be Scottish, pakora is only available in Scotland but I can make some for you if you wait a bit' They waited and it was delicious! lol. I hope you manage to visit one day, I think you'll like it! x
DeleteI'm sure I will LOVE Scotland, no doubt about it. And I get you with the rain - I think my tomato plants are taking swimming lessons right now!
DeleteSorry about the death of your coworker, it is so shocking when people you know whom you think are relatively healthy and should have lived a lot longer die. I am guilty of hacking my hair off too - but I am trying to schedule appointments closer together so I won't do this - even if it costs more. I spend almost nothing on beauty/maintenance so a decent haircut is a must
ReplyDeleteI'm definitely seeing a theme here of ladies (and at least one gent) hacking their hair!!! Glad I'm not the only one (but so close to the wedding was a bit dumb I guess). And yes it is shocking when people you know start dying. I knew Sylvain but not well, but it's still a shock isn't it!
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