The view from my window

The view from my window
The view from my window

Tuesday 11 August 2020

"Swithering"!

It rained last night bringing with it slightly cooler air for the evening, which was such a relief. Because it was easier to sleep I woke up feeling rested for once, with a lot more energy than usual. So first thing this morning I decided I was going to make a couple of phone calls I had been putting off because ... because who knows why. They were just the kinds of things you're going to get around to doing sometime and then they keep staring up at you from your to-do list as you transfer them from one list to the next. So I made the first phone call and got that issue sorted in about three minutes, and then I decided I wanted to find out what was going on with my French exam - you know the proficiency exam I was scheduled to sit in spring in connection with my request for French citizenship. While I was looking through my emails to find the name of the test centre, up pops an email from them saying they are opening up on 3 September and she had scheduled me for the first day if it was convenient and if I could get back to her within 20 minutes - otherwise they would put someone else in that slot and reschedule me for a later date! Of course I jumped at it and so now I'm just waiting to find out what time. Hopefully that will be one more thing crossed off the list of things-to-do to become French, although at the rate this is going who knows when that will ever happen!

So with that under my belt I decided that I needed to get a few more steps in towards my 1,000 mile goal. Since it was a little cooler I packed a backpack and headed off to the lake at Passy, which was where I was heading a couple of weeks ago and ended up taking the wrong route. Well this time I found it, and it turns out I'd only been 10 minutes away from it the last time I went looking. It's 45 km from home heading in the direction of Italy, and absolutely lovely. While it was quite busy there were loads of parking spaces available and people had plenty of room to spread out and "social distance". If you had young kids it is the perfect spot to keep them amused all day and all for the very reasonable price of €2/day for parking!



Looking towards the Mont Blanc

Sandy beach at the north end of the lake



Fishing is allowed at the south end of the lake



It took me about 90 minutes to walk all the way round the lake and being flat it was an easy walk. I then spent about an hour sitting on a bench reading and watching the world go by, although I must admit these past couple of days I think I need to stay out the sun again because although I don't sunbathe I can feel myself starting to shrivel up (even more) at the moment!

When I got home I found that once again my neighbour was parked in my driveway. I don't know why he does it but it does drive me slightly nuts. They have a single car garage and space for two more cars in front of their house, plus they can easily park six at the back, but I spend half my life waiting for him to move his car off my driveway. I mean, it's not like if they had a house party they would even be stuck for parking spaces because we have plenty of parking in our little housing plan! He used to do it a lot when I was at work and forget to remove it before I got home, but now I'm retired wouldn't you think he would realize I'm unlikely to be gone from my home very long on any given day? The only thing I can think is that his driveway is on a slope and mine is flat - other than that, I've no idea why he does it! Still, if that's the only complaint I have about my neighbours it's not bad really is it, but why he does it I'll never know!

Then when I was unpacking my bag another neighbour rang to give me a letter. He is the Chairman of our Homeowners' Association and the bank had sent him the codes for the internet banking I had requested for our homeowners' account and he wanted me, as the Treasurer, to have them. While I was chatting with him I looked over his shoulder and saw smoke pouring up into the sky between two houses. I couldn't see what was on fire but we could hear the fire brigade almost instantly and within a few minutes we could even see the flames. I can't tell what might have been on fire but I hope it wasn't someone's home. I think maybe not, because while the smoke was still billowing this evening they seemed to have it under control pretty quickly, thankfully!

And finally, I was checking in with my FB walking group this evening, and one lady was saying that she had been pretty disappointed with her walking this year because of the lockdown, and that even though she was wearing her fitbit she hadn't bothered to check it for ages because she didn't feel that she would have accomplished much. However when she did check it she had nevertheless managed to clock up over 700 miles. So she wrote "to those of you who are swithering - don't! Get your boots on and go for it"! Swithering? I had to look that one up, but what a lovely word that is. God I love the English language!

17 comments:

  1. Hmmm... I would park right behind him and lock his car in my driveway and conveniently go visit a neighbor or something or may be have a sleepover somewhere if I were you. However, I think you are a much much nicer individual than I am. This type of thing annoys me A LOT.
    On another note, the lake looks beautiful. Don't you like to swim?

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    1. The only reason I can think that he parks on my driveway is because it is flat and his isn't. But yesterday he was working on the car in his garage and the rest of his driveway was empty. The difference between parking in front of my house and on public parking is literally about 5 metres so he confounds me why he does it. Still, I ask him to move it every time (31 years later I'm still doing it!!!). But in the end they are 99% great neighbours. He even cut my hedges one year even though I had specifically asked him not to because that's what I pay my gardener for. Do you think it's being passive-aggressive? Another time he asked if he could tidy up my (huge) basement. I thought he was just bored but I don't know. And as for swimming I haven't really swam for years. I burn so easily that I tend to stay out of the water/sun anyway, and being on my own there's always the problem of "what do I do with my car keys/wallet etc.". I know you can buy waterproof bum-bags but I'm not really sure I trust them enough to put my passport in it (which is the only ID I have as my driving licence doesn't count). Nah, I'll stay on the side lines for now.

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  2. What fabulous photographs you have of that beautiful area. Would you mind if I stole one to paint?
    Could you ask your neighbour why he parks there? Perhaps he doesn't realise you're about more and that its a bit annoying! Is it the neighbour who 'bosses' his wife? If so I think he might be trying to bully you too. If thats the case you need to tell him off and stop allowing him to control everybody!!
    I hope its not him!
    Swithering is quite a common word, you've clearly been away too long now lol. x

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    1. Oh help yourself to any photos on here. They're only iphone photos anyway, which is stupid because I have a very expensive camera but I hardly use it. Would love to see the painting too. And yes it's the bossy neighbour and he absolutely knows that I'm around more now because I'm retired. The more I think about it it might be passive-aggressive. He has done loads for me over time (but then I think he gets bored as he seems to have no interests). When my husband first left he asked me to have an affair with him. I shot him down big time (a) because I wasn't interested (I mean, my husband cheated on me, why would I do that to someone else), and (b) because his wife is a dear friend. More and more I'm wondering about his behaviour though. Could just be a way to get attention - any attention. Oh well! And I had never heard of "swithering" seriously, so maybe I haven't spent enough time back in the UK!

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  3. Not sure I've ever heard the word "swithering" before. Definitely not an Americanism.
    Your neighbor wanted to clean your basement?!
    There's something wrong with him.
    What a beautiful walk. I'd take that walk any day. Well, after my ribs heal.

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    1. I'm wondering if "swithering" might be a northern expression since Marksgran has heard of it and she's in Scotland. Wonder if she's ever heard the expression "all around the Wrekin" (which I only found out lately is a Midlands expression). I just love the English language though so I'm always happy to learn new words. As for my neighbour, I have to admit I'm extremely gullible when it comes to other people and their intentions. These are the people that kept my second son when I went back to work in 1992 and have always treated him like a son. Hence they have always had a key to my place (and I have to theirs) so it's never particularly bothered me if they go to the basement to look for something (they always tell me and it doesn't happen very often - usually a tool). But now I'm beginning to wonder a little if it is deliberate on his part, although what he hopes to achieve I have no idea. I've always put it down to his being bored (hence wanting to straighten out my basement). As for the walk, get your rib better and you'd be very welcome to come over and walk with me!

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    2. Nope, I haven't heard that expression before! x

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  4. What a gorgeous spot. Now I wanna go swimming in a mountain lake.

    And I'm with T'Pol. I'd park behind the interloper. Perhaps if he is inconvenienced he might see what he's doing!

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    1. While it may not be the ocean, these mountains lakes are to die for. As for my neighbour, nope I won't take it any farther. I just wonder why, this has been going on for too many years and there really is no reason for him to do this!

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  5. Great lake pictures. I found the bit about fishing at only one end of the last amusing, as if the fish are only going to stay at one end of the lake. I can understand the frustration with the parking. I have renters next to me who sometimes try and fit 3 cars into a 2 car parking space.

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    1. While the fish may not understand the rules the public are (hopefully) expected to abide by it. Kids up one end and fishermen up the other - and then everyone will be happy!

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  6. Oh you are so mean ( not to your neighbour to whom I think you have been showing great patience for a long time) but in deliberately not giving us the definition. Of course I had to look it up too.

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    1. Ha, I'm glad I'm not the only one who'd never heard that before then!

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  7. Oh the lake photos are lovely!
    Thank you for posting the word swithering. I have never heard it but could can bet your life I will work it into my conversations. It might have to join verklempt on my list of favorite words.

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    1. Can you imagine my frustration not being able to use that word because I live in France!!!! Oh the trials we face!

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  8. How did I miss this post-and a whole week late! I love the pictures. I too agree-you are nicer than I probably would be. The guy is a big Mared Tete!(spelling so bad I know but I think you will know.)

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    1. I have mixed feelings about my male neighbour but I can only say they have both been very good to me, him particularly after my husband left. And if you're meaning he's a "shit head" I think his wife at least would definitely agree with you!

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