It looks like we're finally in winter right now. Not what I call "February/March winter" of the howling winds and freezing temperatures, but more the "January winter" of the grey skies and constant drizzle. To be honest it isn't always grey skies even if at the moment it's definitely "January winter", with the constant rain, rain, rain! I went over to Jordan and Jen's this afternoon (lasagna and garlic bread for dinner) and driving along the road next to the Giffre river I was amazed to see how fast flowing and how high the water is. It's beautiful fishing and rafting water, of course, but it's kinda frightening how the water levels can rise so quickly!
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| Le Giffre |
As I was setting off out this afternoon I noticed that this little red car is still on the island in the middle of our housing lotissement. It's been parked there for a few days now right next to the sign that says "please don't park on the island"! We keep the grass cut and the island tidy as it's a nice place for everyone to meet up (covid permitting), so parking on the island is discouraged, particularly given that there are plenty of parking spaces available. Still, there's always one isn't there!
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| The red sign says "please don't park on the island"! |
The French aren't known for being great respecters of rules but I have to say I've been pleasantly surprised at how people have been wearing masks and using the hand sanitizers available at the entrance to every shop. There's a UK blogger who I quite like and who is a tad eccentric (which to me is a good thing), but she is of the opinion that this pandemic is more or less an attempt by governments to "control the plebs" (maybe, maybe not) and that the virus is no more serious than the flu (on that I do not agree with her at all based on first-hand testimony from front line staff). She doesn't like wearing a mask and so goes shopping with a paper she downloaded from the government's website to say that wearing a mask causes her distress (which she is perfectly entitled to do)! She posts about this kind of thing occasionally but I'm beginning to suspect she does it to stir things up as while many people agree with her, a few slap back and tell her how selfish she's being. One lady commented that she presumed she wouldn't be getting the vaccine shot then since it was all a hoax and the whole bloody blog blew up into a fair old handbag fight! I didn't comment as I tend to keep my opinions to myself, but needless to say I don't agree with her stance. She wouldn't get away with not wearing a mask in shops here though because I'm pretty sure you've got to have a paper signed by a doctor in order to exempt you from having to wear a mask on health grounds, and again, to be fair, everywhere I go people seem to be following the mask and the curfew rules! I saw in the paper today a short article on how the Chinese might introduce "anal swabs" to better detect the virus - maybe the French follow the rules because they've also read that article. The "anal swab" visual gives pause for thought though doesn't it!
About an hour ago the French Prime Minister addressed the nation and surprisingly they are not ordering another lockdown. He said the curfew seemed to be working, although maybe not as well as they would like, but as from Sunday they are closing the borders to anyone coming from outside the E.U. (I presume that means also the Schengen area is exempt - i.e. Switzerland for us) unless the travel is essential or the person is a cross-border worker (like André). So the same rules apply: continued curfew, wearing of masks, any non-food shopping centres over 2,000 square metres to be closed (so small businesses can stay open), and mandatory covid tests less than 72 hours old for anyone having to enter France under one of the exceptions above. I guess the ski lifts are still closed, as are gyms, restaurants and the like but what can we do - at least we're not back in bloody lockdown! I do miss my gym and yoga sessions though as I'm starting to creak, but I recognize that those are very definitely first world problems!
After I got home tonight I saw on FB that there was yet another traffic jam on the motorway that I used to take to go to work. People were saying that it had taken them 45 minutes to do 1 km and again, I'm so, so glad I no longer have to do that journey on a daily basis!
In other news André came in the other night and asked me if I had bought a ticket for Saturday's lottery because someone in the local area had won €11 million. Sadly, it wasn't me - well I won €2.20 - but it's nice to see someone local hitting the jackpot isn't it! André has been off this week in order to use up some of his leave and it looks like he might finally have gotten all the paperwork sorted to get his Swiss car plates switched to French. He also made two trips back to the apartment he shared with Lily in Switzerland and emptied out the storage area/bicycle shed, so I leave to your imagination what my basement looks like yet again! In amongst the stuff he brought back was a box of his dad's paperwork that he left on the table when he upped and abandoned his rented farmhouse five years ago. Seriously, he just upped and left everything - even left coffee grounds in the pot and washing in the washer! I know I've mentioned this before but I went over to his place every weekend for two months to empty that and the two-car garage, so yeah, I had a good idea what was in that box as I had packed up and moved most of it! But, what I hadn't seen was some of the crap regarding his last DUI in March 2010. He left me and moved in with someone I affectionately refer to as "the fat-ankled skank with a face like the north end of a camel going south" in January 2010 and in March 2010 he wrecked not only his own car but also the car the garage had lent him while fixing up his car. So two cars in one week! When he had to appear in court he must have got some of his drinking buddies to write "testimonials" for him, saying what a great happy-go-lucky guy he always was, until recently when "he had separated from his wife and appeared very depressed". Well yeah, buddy, maybe the split with your wife had something to do with you shacking up with The Downgrade ("fat-ankled skank with a face like the north end of a camel going south" being way too long to write out every time). But meh, whatever. Well I was meh until I saw The Downgrade's testimonial. She wrote that he was staying with her "as a friend" (a kinda cosy "friendship" in the same bed though don't ya think) and "yes he was depressed by the break-up of his marriage" (not that she had anything to do with it of course, she was just his bar ho/drinking buddy) and "his depression had probably caused him to drink that night, exceptionally" (ha!), "something he very much regretted"! What this didn't explain though were the three or four other DUIs he had before he became "depressed" by the break up of his marriage. But get this, the bitchy cow, she also wrote that he had also "just found out about the high level of "hidden debt" that he and his wife were in, and she (The Downgrade) would like to point out that it was Madame who handled all the finances"! Sub-text, Madame (me) was syphoning off money and hiding debts. Ha!!!!! I wonder whose salary she thought was really paying for all those rounds of drinks in the ho bar, and wasn't it strange that when the assets were documented for the divorce Monsieur was driving a €60,000 car while Madame was driving a car generously valued at €1,000 (not that I cared). Also Madame didn't have 10 guitars and thousands of €€€€ worth of musical equipment lying around, her only "vice" being buying second-hand books off Amazon! Damn, he certainly spun a tale didn't he. Oddly enough, when Madame blocked his access to her salary quite a few of the friends dropped off the horizon as I guess he wasn't buying so many rounds. Indeed The Downgrade didn't last too much longer before she cheated on him! Oh dear, never mind, how sad! It's also telling that his pension is double that of Madame's, but the latest gf has had to get a job after initially thinking she could retire, and Monsieur has been training to become a school bus driver because he wasn't making it on the money he was bringing in! And guess who has a 25 year mortgage aged almost 60 and no money in the bank, and who has no mortgage and a decent amount in savings. Go on, I bet you can't guess! I tell ya I was furious when I read that this afternoon but in the end I just thought who cares, either that's what he was telling them (I know he told them I was violent), or that's what he truly believed in his alcohol-befuddled state. In the end there're no tag backs, I'm no longer his Chaos Manager, nor do I have to adult for a toddler in an adult body! Maybe I should suggest to The Downgrade that she gets her next covid swab in China!
And finally, after this epic rant, Anne in Alabam was saying that she is trying to learn Swedish but was finding it quite difficult as she "keeps getting her words wrong". Nah, learning languages is easy, particularly Swedish. If you don't believe me ...
I loved the Swedish Chef!! I thought you knew, in a divorce it's always the other party's fault! He sounds a lot like a Republican.
ReplyDeleteHa, he is a Republican Dave, how did you guess! And yeah, the divorce was my fault, not the fact that he had a gf! Still, it was the best thing I ever did!
DeleteYes I bet that was so maddening to read but also an acknowledgment of how much better off you are and living well is the best revenge!!!
ReplyDeleteTo be honest I had wanted a divorce for ages as I was desperately unhappy in that marriage so I never shed a tear when the divorce went through. My life now is SO much better since I'm no longer responsible for his happiness or financial health!
DeleteI’m getting the impression we have different lockdown rules for metropolis and country. In our local market town with a predominantly mature population, you would be an oddity not to wear a mask in the street and to thank everyone you pass when you both move a metre away from the other to do so. Anecdotally, from reports by friends in the larger town to the North or from daughter in London, chums of your blogging acquaintance are readily spotted and social distancing is something you have to practise personally. Meanwhile, thank heavens you were well and truly divorced before the concept of lockdown was even on the horizon.
ReplyDeleteThe point about the blogging lady is that she does not wear a mask INSIDE shops, I'm not talking about outside in the street. She wouldn't be allowed to wander round any shops here without a mask. If I'm outside I try to keep my distance but if it is crowded I will wear a mask even in the street. I think for the most part it's common sense isn't it. And you know, I hadn't even given a thought to being stuck in lockdown with my ex because he left 10 years ago. I'm sure latest gf is THRILLED but then in the States they don't seem to be having lockdowns the same as we are having here. He's still free to come and go as he pleases so I guess the strain of enforced confinement is not there! But no my circus, not my monkeys!
DeleteHere it is mandatory to wear masks at all times and the police issues tickets when they see someone who does not. The curfew is still in place too. We are also obliged to use an app which generates a code that shows whether we are sick or not before entering government offices and malls. I am happy to report that my area was high risk for a long time. It was a red zone. Now, we are considered amild risk zone and most of the red markings on our area map have dissapeared. There are still some hot spots though. I am so glad you have walked away from a toxic relationship with such a liar. Isn't it awful that, despite so many years after such a relationship the bitterness and the anger can still surface like that? I have those moments too. My ex-boyfriends were not physically abusive but they still managed to hurt me.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad for you that your area has "downgraded". I think it should be possible everywhere but everyone would have to do their part wouldn't they. As for my ex, I generally don't think about him at all, but reading yesterday what that cow wrote about how "I was stealing his money" sent my blood pressure through the roof - for about five minutes - and then it was "bah, who cares"!
DeleteWell that WAS an epic rant! I'm so glad you got rid of that skank meister. My ex had a few beauties, himself. But he's turned into a nice guy over the years and I give all credit to the very fine woman he ended up marrying.
ReplyDeleteFor the sake of my children if nothing else, I am grateful to her. And actually, I like her.
I still think deep down that he was a decent guy - to begin with. But he's a lousy, angry, violent drunk. The temper was always there and if I had known about it before we married I would never have married him. The person he's with now got with him after our divorce and I hope they can work it out. BUT I should have slammed down those boundaries right from the beginning. No, it is not acceptable to scream in your wife's face. No, it is not acceptable to call your wife a "f....ing c..nt". No it's not acceptable to push, shove, slap - and then kick and punch just because you're stressed/tired/frustrated/angry. We just spiralled out of control. For my kids' sake I don't hate him any more and can be around him if I have to, but any more than that - nope, no thanks!
DeleteOh my gosh-am I an awful person if I told you I loved that you let loose in your post and ranted, and how you described the downgrade? I guess I better be extra nice to DH as his annoying habits are buying hamburgers when he takes a drive to the cabin rather than packing a perfectly good leftover lunch for himself. I know who you are talking about-I agree. I do think she now just adds things to stir up a hornet nest. I used to enjoy her blogs when she discussed her animals, her walks, her past as a lorrie? driver, but when she decided to be chair of the conspiracy theory tin hat wearers, enough. She ranted that she was not going to post any contradictory comments, but that must not have been enough fun-I pop over every once in a while to see how ridiculous her blog has gotten and how she moved form being frugal because she had to be to now basically bragging about being cheaper than convenience store toilet paper and the damn yellow sticker. Yes, I'm a bitchy cow I guess.
ReplyDeleteYou can "bitchy cow" all you want with me. Sometimes it feels good doesn't it. I used to like the lady blogger in the past 'cos she was bound and determined to quit work at 60 and she did, but I tend to agree with you that now she's part of the tin foil hat brigade. Trouble is, if you are deliberately provocative I don't think you should act surprised when people kick back. As for The Downgrade, she was/is 13 years younger than me but definitely "plain" (he asked to come back after three weeks and I told him where to shove it) and I think all he saw in her was a drinking buddy 'cos she could put away a bottle of whiskey in a night (I saw her once at my friend Stan's). I don't dispute that they may have liked each other but I think she saw his pay check too! Oh well, she did me a favour in the end and the trash took itself out!
DeleteWhat a box of papers to find; perhaps it should be mailed off to him and out of your life (and your kids) forever? That or a bonfire. I know which blogger you are talking of and I had to quit reading her. Followed her for years but now it just seems she's gone off on a bent that I certainly don't want to listen to
ReplyDeleteI just started going through that box today and have his DUIs listed by date order (yes it was that bad). It's all stuff I will keep just in case, but he left things like his US taxes and I haven't gotten half way through just two files. Yeah, he was in such a hurry to be with the next gf in the States that he left France with five days notice! I have a file of his stuff in my filing cabinet and if he ever wants it he can have it. I'm not mailing it and last time I tried to burn it I set the compost bin on fire!!!
DeleteSometimes you need to get stuff off your chest just to feel better. I would say it sounds like you are MUCH better off now.
ReplyDeleteOh I am indeed much better off now in every respect Barb. I rarely think of him and that rant was only provoked by what The Downgrade had written about how I had "ruined" him financially. Ha, big joke! The thing is, I stand every chance of seeing her around town because she lives near here. Still, I don't think people like that can ever be happy actually so I just keep on living my happily single life! Her latest boyfriend, while nice enough from what I saw, earns a pittance so he may well be with her for the same reason she was with my ex! Karma right!
DeleteI know the blogger you mean and I stopped reading her when she first said she refused to wear a mask. My daughter and I were talking about the exemptions recently and both of us felt they should only be distributed by a doctor and not easily printable on the internet! Plus, people who can't wear masks could at least use a face visor surely. I've said it before and I'll no doubt say it again, would these same people not wear a mask if they were told it was poisoned gas? I think most would find they could suddenly wear a mask. As for governments trying to control us! Thats a laugh, since when could governments agree with each other about anything far less every government in the world agreeing to control their 'plebs'!! Seriously, some people need to read some history books!! That's my rant over now lol. I think you are very entitled to rant about your ex and his behaviour. I'm glad you don't think much about it now and can be civil if required in his company. I was always told if you actively hate someone it means you still have feelings, the best revenge is actually to be indifferent to them. That's much more annoying to them! You had a lucky escape I think. x
ReplyDeleteI agree 100% about the mask business. I had a hard time at the beginning but the masks that I made myself were just too thick. Now I'm fine with the disposable ones - still don't like them - but I agree, being able to print your own exemption online is a cop-out! If you have a genuine medical issue then presumably your doctor knows about it and can sign your exemption. And regarding governments controlling the plebs, hell the EU can't even agree on the right shape for carrots! Re my ex, I'm so glad the absolute fury that I had regarding him has finally died down. Resentment for the physical beatings, the financial hits and the absolute sense of entitlement that allowed him to think he should be able to do all the terrible things he did. I once read that the opposite of love is indifference and I'm truly indifferent to him. I don't wish him anything. I don't wish him ill because I don't want my kids to be hurt. I just wish him absent from my thoughts, which he is mostly until something like today happens!
DeleteLove the comment about poison gas! What I don’t understand is that blogger did wear a mask back in June - one she made herself and made her feel “very safe” going to the shop.
DeleteI guess she changed her mind then. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion of course just as we/I am entitled not to agree with it.
DeleteI might have gathered a group of friends and picked the red car up and moved it somewhere else, and left a note inside: DON'T PARK ON THE GRASS!!
ReplyDeleteI just got home from walking with my neighbour and her husband said he'd called the gendarmerie who said to send round an email to everyone asking the owner to move it (it hasn't been reported stolen and the owner lives about 30 minutes from here). So Philippe sent round an email asking if anyone knew who it belonged to because he couldn't get them on the phone, failing which the Mairie will have it taken to the pound this week! Ha, I knew it would annoy a couple of the men round here pretty quickly! But we do try to keep the place looking decent so I agree, these eejit's should be more respectful!
DeleteI’ve just wandered over from the bloggers blog to see what they were talking about - I think you’ve hit a nerve! Going to stay for a read, while I’m here :)
ReplyDeleteHi Karen, and welcome to my blog. As I said I liked this blogger but I don't agree with her stance on covid (nor do I have to) because sadly I think covid and its dangers are very real!
DeleteTotally agree, I’ve been very bemused by some of the more recent posts on there. Shame really...
DeleteAbsolutely!
DeleteI've also come here from the blogger's blog link and must say, having now read a few of your previous posts, that I feel that she might have done me a favour. I feel much more at home away from all the dangerous unscientific nonsense that she is now promoting. Minus one reader for her, plus one for you :)
DeleteWell it's very nice to have you here, so welcome!
DeleteI am Swedish and I do not understand a word of what he is saying.
ReplyDeleteJag är svensk och jag förstår inte ett ord av vad han säger./ Marianne
Oh darn it, and here's me trying so hard to copy him! I love to listen to Swedish though - it's so "sing-songey"!
DeleteThis post and its numerous comments has really got up someone's nose. I read the post dedicated to it yesterday but it's been edited today. I agree some things are being said for a reaction which is a shame. Take care Anna x
ReplyDeleteIt's highly doubtful that we will all agree on everything isn't it, particularly about something as divisive as the pandemic, so sometimes we just have to agree to differ!
DeleteI think the blogger you mentioned is unreasonable if she thinks she can talk so strongly on a subject as sensitive as covid without expecting people to challenge her views. I think when she reads anything critical she gets really rattled lol.
ReplyDeleteAlso the fact that she won't say whether she'll have the vaccine or not speaks volumes.. (if covid isn't dangerous surely one wouldn't need to consider having the jab??)
Well I was just expressing my opinion of how that would go down here. We don't all have to agree do we - that's why we live in relatively free society, thank God!
DeleteI made the comment on her blog that people disagree on the internet on all sorts of things.. I don't think it's that surprising. If I was that worried about other peoples' thoughts then I wouldn't run a blog or social media.
DeleteI also mentioned that she seems to refuse to publish comments that go against her views on absolutely anything, which is fine as it's her blog, but she can't complain about people making reasonable comment on other blogs over which she has no control.
I think she’s actually just plain bonkers. The people she believes are ridiculous. Anyone who doesn’t believe science needs their heads examined.
DeleteQuite! I also don't think I was particularly critical - I just don't agree with her. I responded to her cut and paste from my blog that "to clarify matters, my calling someone a bitchy cow referred to my ex-husband's mistress" and she chose not to publish it. That's her prerogative anyway. But in the end, I really don't care. Life's too short to stuff a mushroom!
DeleteYou are right about not publishing views that are contrary to hers but, as you say, her right it is her blog after all. She can publish whatever crazy ideas she wishes as long as it isn’t illegal.
DeleteI can’t seeing the lying Jen’s posts....how frustrating,
A nasty bunch of bitchy women, apparently.
ReplyDeleteOh well, I'm sure my husband's girlfriend has called me worse!
DeleteThe eccentric person has got what she wanted - she says she's had over 2000 views. A bit strange really as she's previously professed to write her blog for herself and doesn't care about how many views it generates.
ReplyDeleteI feel a little sad for her really, she's previously said she spends about 4 hours a day on her computer, that seems like the sad life of a loner to me and dependent for happiness on the number of people viewing her blog and you tube videos. People living on their own are having a hard time during lockdown, I'm on my own and I'm very thankful for my family and friends keeping in touch every day. She doesn't seem to have any close friends just acquaintances that she sees when walking. For instance a conversation with Stan the library van driver seems to be a highlight whereas to someone with family and lots of friends we'd have a conversation with him but it wouldn't be something we'd feel the need to highlight on a blog. It's a shame that she seems to alienate people with her views but the abrasive manner certainly doesn't help either.
I've recently found you and am looking forwards to reading through a few older posts.
Hi Pauline, and welcome to my blog! Well I certainly stirred up a hornet's nest didn't I, but if I can't express my opinions on my own blog well .... nuff said! Until very recently, when my newly-divorced son moved back in with me, I had been living on my own since January 2010 and you know what? I love it! Oh sure, there are a few times when I miss the close company of a partner, but they are few and far between, compared to the times I think "thank GOD I don't have to put up with that any more". So anyway, welcome to my blog and I hope you'll stick around. Cheers.
DeleteThank you for the welcome! A hornet's nest indeed! But there's a big difference in expressing opinions in a healthy manner and in ramming those opinions down others throats with an obsessiveness that borders on paranoia, all done to stir things up and get more attention I suspect.
ReplyDeleteI read that you've gone through hard times but I'm glad you're now happy again. My own circumstances are different due to ill health of my partner but I'm gradually getting more used to being on my own and there's a certain sense of freedom that comes with it although it's not what I would have wished for.
I'll certainly stick around, thank you, I might not always comment but I'll be here reading.
I don't comment very often on blogs, but felt I had to say that without the link on the blog in question I would never have found your blog, and thus your commenter's blogs. I feel much more at home here than with anyone who wants to put it out there but doesn't seem to expect any kickback when their comments appear to be deliberately controversial, and actually quite insulting to those of us who wear masks to protect others, and possibly also ourselves.
ReplyDeleteHi Sara, and thank you for popping over here. It was never my intention to stir anything up but what can I say. Still, I'm glad you're here and if you read some of the comments from people who regularly comment on my blog you'll probably find some really nice people, so I hope you'll stick around!
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