The view from my window

The view from my window
The view from my window

Sunday 7 February 2021

This and that!

When I was still going to my local MJC (community centre) for pilates classes I spotted that they had instigated "repair cafés" twice a month. Now I knew they had them in Geneva already but I wasn't aware of any here locally in France, so I was keen to stop in and see how they work. Amongst the myriad things that are "wrong" with this world, recycling is something that has always interested me. Oh lots of other things interest me too but since I don't feel that I, personally, can make much difference in the larger scheme of things, it's better to start local, right? Unfortunately the pandemic threw the world into chaos and everywhere has been shut down, opened up, shut down again and so on. But one thing I did do was join the group responsible for the repair café called "TransitionlaRoche" (or something like that). They seem to be pretty active on many fronts actually - encouraging the use of public transport rather than the car (difficult round here though), they've negotiated with the Mairie to offer up to €400 to anyone wishing to purchase a bike for commuting purposes, they are active in local government and so on - but it's the "zero waste/recycling" part that interests me. Anyway, since we're not in total lockdown (although still subject to curfew), I see that they are again holding repair cafés on Saturday mornings and will shortly be having another meeting on how to encourage zero waste, so I think I might go along. I am a bit leery of getting more actively engaged with such a group because while I'm happy to volunteer, pre-covid my life was pretty full anyway, and with a new grandchild shortly to put in an appearance my time will be more limited - but I guess we can see how it plays out. It's nice to find a group locally that appeals to your interests though isn't it!

On Tuesday I have my appointment with the Préfecture in Annecy to (hopefully) finalize my resident's permit. Apparently I only have to bring my passport and two photos but I will be taking a whole bunch of other stuff to justify my claim to residence "just in case". Mind you, seeing the photos I had done the other day I'm keeping my fingers crossed that they won't burst out laughing and just refuse me on the grounds that the don't accept "battleaxe" photos. I know you're not allowed to smile anyway but seriously, I'm going to be left with that mugshot for the next 10 years? Eeww!

On Wednesday my neighbour asked me if I wanted to get in a quick walk before curfew as she was going stir crazy so I thought why not. We stayed out of the woods though as it has been raining pretty heavily and we wanted to avoid the mud, so walked around the local neighbourhood and got in a good one-hour walk. Well that is until we passed a house just down the road from here where a dog came crashing out of the garden and bit me on the back of my leg! My guess is that someone had driven out and not closed the gates behind them, but this rather large hunting-type dog came snarling out and actually drew blood and ripped my trousers! While I wasn't hurt my neighbour yelled for the woman owner to get out here and take a look at what her dog had done. She apologized profusely and said she would pay for any damage (to my trousers or medical costs), but it was only a minor wound and as for the trousers - well, I'm not that bothered. But my neighbour read her the riot act about controlling her dog, particularly as it could have been a child that was attacked. My friend says I should report it to the police anyway but the jury's still out on that one! I probably will though, I just need time to think about it! That actually reminds me of when I was in Alice Springs on my "round Australia" trip in 1983. I spotted a nasty looking dog with froth coming out of his mouth and was just about to tell my friend to "watch out for the dog" when he turned around and bit me too (I guess my left calf muscle must look pretty tasty to dogs then). We went to the local hospital where the nurse told me that as my tetanus shot was up-to-date they wouldn't do anything as "they don't have rabies in Australia". It must have been true because I'm still here, but getting bitten by a rabid-looking dog is not particularly confidence-inspiring, I can tell you!

Other than that, there's not much going on of course. You know you're probably getting covid boredom when you're pleased that you can now recognize the sound of the post van coming down the road don't you! André came downstairs the other day and asked if I had seen the amazing colour of the sky - sepia coloured, he called it. And it was indeed sepia coloured, due, apparently to a phenomenon called the Sirocco Phenomenon (I did not know that, but then again there's an awful lot I don't know), which picks up sand in the Sahara and dumps it in Europe wherever the rain is heading that day. Mind you, when I saw the state of my windows and car, "sepia coloured" didn't immediately spring to mind. "Crap coloured" was more appropriate I think - you should have seen the line waiting at the car wash!


And finally, in response to Northern Living Allowance's blog post (nice to see you back) about covid weight gain, heck I thought my dryer was shrinking my clothes - turns out it's my fridge!

28 comments:

  1. As always, you sound busy and constructive. Won't it be nice to get your residency permit? Preparing for that has been like a part time job for you!
    I've been bitten by dogs while walking and it's always a bit terrifying. Watch the wound for signs of infection.

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    1. It will be nice to get my permit (which I'm told should take about 4 weeks after they finger print me and I hand over the mug shot). To be honest it was always going to be pretty simple for me because I've been here so long but for some expats it's not quite so simple and I pity them as it must be very stressful!

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  2. I was out walking about a year ago and came upon a woman walking her (very small) terrier. We both stopped and I asked if I could pet her dog. She said yes but warned that it could be "snippy". Just as I put my hand out it lunged at me and nipped my calf. Totally my fault - she had warned me, but I thought it was such a cute little thing. It wasn't until I got home that I saw that it had left two puncture wounds! I assumed that because she seemed to be a good dog owner that it would also have had all of its shots. Like you, I'm still alive! I have also learned my lesson and steer clear of all dogs.

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    1. I like dogs but I find it's usually the smaller dogs that are the most aggressive. I never gave this one a second thought as I was just walking up the road but he turned out to be a nasty bugger too! Sadly you often can't tell (and to be honest, my son's cat is a far nastier specimen than any dog I've ever come across - although he may finally be coming round to me)!

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  3. Carlos and I are big on recycling. Paper, plastic, cardboard, cans; even food stuffs that go to feed the plants in the garden.
    Like you, I'd take everything imaginable because if you don't that's what they'll as for! Bureaucracy.
    Good on your neighbor. I love dogs, but they shouldn't be allowed to run rampant, especially into the streets and after people. You just never know ...
    I have never heard of the Sirocco Phenomenon and now I feel THAT much smarter!

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    1. I've seen this group handing out free compost at the recycling centre and while I know my own effort is barely a drop in the ocean I guess we all have to start somewhere don't we. And I'm so glad I made you feel smarter. You can just throw that into the conversation with Carlos one day - I bet he'll be dead impressed!

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  4. The dog thing would have terrified me and I love dogs! I think the owner should at the very least be told to get her dog better trained!
    I know what you mean about the photographs. I had to get a new passport a couple of years ago and the photo in it is awful! I was so upset as the previous photo had been a relatively nice one! Passport type photos are notorious for making us look like terrorists in my opinion! They should let us smile at least!
    The repair cafe sounds very interesting. Do they repair equipment or clothes or perhaps both? The only thing I won't let hubby even try to repair is the microwave. If it breaks it goes! Have a good week. It's freezing here. x

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    1. I know what you mean about passport photos, although my latest one isn't so bad, but this one!!!! Still, I'm sure they've seen it all before haven't they. Some people are naturally photogenic and I've never been - and of course age doesn't improve anything does it. For the repair café I think they will try to repair anything you bring along. I'm going to go to the next session and see how it works. Good for them anyway for attempting to do something positive!

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  5. I hope you are OK-please watch for any lingering signs. Pup and I were attacked, well pup was the target, wen he was just about a 8 month old. I through my body over him to protect him, screaming. I think that event has made him leery-maybe never got over it as he is growly and protective, when in a cranky mood. If we are out walking, , I will tell people and kids they need to just put their hand out, and if he wants, he'll come to them, but do not allow petting as I don't want him spooked. Bringing the bins back on Wednesdays, the mail pic up each day-those are banner events in life right now.

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    1. I think that's another thing that has put me off getting a dog. I've been out walking with my friend and her dogs and numerous times other unleashed dogs have come at them aggressively and I don't think I could deal with that. And talking of bringing the bins in, I just saw an article on a lady in the UK who has worn a different fancy dress outfit every week during the pandemic when she puts her bins out and has seemingly become quite the celebrity! Good for her - I like people like that!

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  6. A local lady got sepsis after being bitten while fighting off a dog that attacked hers,so please be vigilant As a teenager our Jack Russell was picked up by a greyhound while I was out walking him ( he was on a lead). It was terrifying. I was trying to prise the greyhound's jaws open to get him out( I didnt stop to think but just reacted) and a woman was hitting it with an umbrella. My boy was never the same again, and there was a patch on his side that he couldn't tolerate being stroked on ever again.

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    1. I will watch out for it, thanks Scarlet. So far it's been fine though. I wrote a post not so long ago about my poor neighbours' doddery old dog that got mauled by an aggressive dog who was "kept in" by one of those electrical collars. Only thing is it didn't work this time and the neighbours' dog had to be put down. It is (was? I have no idea where it is now) a huge, nasty dog too so God alone knows what would happen to a child or even an adult if it attacked them!

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  7. A dog bite hurts! Ouch! I am glad it was not too bad for you. They say never to cover a dog bite wound. When I got bitten, I washed my hand under cold water and applied Neosporin and kept it open. No dressing, no band aid.
    As for ID pictures, I know how you feel. I just got my passport renewed and finally got rid of the wanted South American Cartel mug shot. I had a decent picture I brought with me 10 years ago, but of course, it was rejected and I had to have another picture taken at the premises of the government office. Yikes! What a horrid picture it was.

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    1. Ha ha, the "South American Drug Cartel" mug shot is funny - but we've all been there haven't we! When my mom turned 60 she got a free bus pass and the first time she used it the driver asked "where George was, you know, your husband?" My mom said "my husband's name isn't George - but why do you ask?" and he replied "you know, George and the Dragon"! It was a pretty terrible photo though!

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  8. There would have been a lot of screaming and yelling if I had been bitten. I don't suffer in silence:) If I were the dog owner, I would never trust that dog again. Are you on antibiotics? Hope you've seen a doctor at least.

    My little beagle was bitten by the neighbor dog, my dog's fault though, and $500 later, she came home. Bloody dogs.

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    1. I tend not to scream and yell and it didn't bother me that much - it was just a shock (and pissed off about my trousers), so no I haven't been to the doctor. I'll keep an eye on it but at the moment it's ok. If nothing else, I hope it makes these people keep their dog locked in!

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  9. Crikey..bitten by a dog? do you need injections of some
    sort? take care x

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    1. No I don't think so. It's been a couple of days now and I feel fine so I reckon it wasn't that deep!

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  10. I love the idea of repair cafes. Most things that break don't warrant the cost of paid repair but if we can repair them ourselves it will stop so much wastage and unnecessary production. And stop the loss of all that knowledge. I don't know how to darn a sock and have always meant to learn.

    I urge you to report the dog bite. Owners have to take more care and responsibility and a dog that bites will bite again. As others have said, what if it was a child. Or a more savage attack. Being bitten in Alice would have been frightening - while we don't have rabies, god knows what that dog had!

    Lucinda
    https://lucindasans.wordpress.com

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    1. Hi Lucinda, glad to see you "back" (not sure if you ever went away but I know I lost your blog when my favourites disappeared and then couldn't find you again). I think I agree with you about the dog (even though my leg is fine). I will stop in at the gendarmerie to speak to them after all. And I see we are of like minds about wastage. I feel so strongly about it but goodness knows I have a long way to go. You made me laugh though talking about darning. While my mom was a beautiful knitter she couldn't sew/darn to save her life and we tell a family story of when she "darned" my dad's socks one time and almost crippled the poor man as he had to walk around with something the size of a tennis ball on the sole of his sock!

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    2. Yes, that's what I fear. Having a sock that is too uncomfortable to wear. Love the image of your dad limping around!

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  11. I hope your dog bite heals quickly. Reporting the incident, Its a tricky one, the dog could be blamed for having a bad owner. I think I must have the same fridge as you!

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    1. I know it's a tough one and if I thought they would ensure he was locked in I wouldn't do it but ....

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  12. We got the most god awful photos recently for our 5 year biometric ID cards, it was just too difficult operating the machine in Italian so we both looked stressed and angry. Sign of the times, I blame Covid and I’m sure we all look much better in real life,

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    1. I sure as heck hope I look better in real life. You know how the cheeks start drooping as you get older (well the boobs also in my case, but I didn't need to photograph them) - damn, do I have resting bitch face that will now be my ID for the next 10 years!

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  13. We must have the same model of fridge!

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    1. Ha ha, it must have been a good year for evil fridges!

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