Monthly Archives: February 2012

Seriously? They Would Consider This Food in France?

We are currently living in the land of Fabulous French Food and loving every minute of it. The sheer amount of choice in the grocery, the cheese shop, the butcher, the baker, and the greengrocer infuses you with a sense of well being.

As I mentioned in a previous article, “Lovely Lengthy Lunchtime In Lisle-Sur-Tarne” — the concept of slowly and lovingly digesting each bite of food seems to be ingrained in the French soul. The government offices and many businesses close for a few hours each day so that a proper lunch can be enjoyed. Even the tradesmen here take a 1-1/2 to 2 hour break for lunch. People everywhere love to linger over their plat du jour at mid-day. So how in the world does that mesh with eating food from a dispenser that arrives in 3 minutes?

Pizza from a hole-in-the-wall dispenser in Villedieu-les-Poeles, France

We had gone into Villedieu-les-Poules for the afternoon and we were walking back toward the car when we spotted the oddity above. A hole-in-the-wall pizza dispenser??? In France???

At least that’s the closest to anything like fast food that I have seen since we last visited England. May I just say, “Mon Dieu!” Followed quickly by, “Tres YUCK!”

A New Facebook Page to Click On LIKE

Just set up a Facebook Page for this website A Wanderful Life — Around The World and Around The Neighbourhood Travels.

So if you are already on Facebook or planning to sign up, please DO go over there and click LIKE so I can get the minimum 80 LIKES this weekend and begin being indexed. Thanks ever so much!

HERE is the link for the FACEBOOK page!

Below Zero in Brehal, France

This may be the Normandy coast of France and yes, I know that our temperatures here are a few degrees warmer than they are at our friend Polly’s house 35 minutes inland from here. But the below zero temps we’re having are a shock to the body!!!

Oh my! It is below zero in Brehal, France!

Brrr!!! It is below zero and windy in Brehal, France!

Deborah is smiling in the sunshine in spite of the below zero temperatures in Brehal, France.

Each and every puddle in the road that is left over from last week’s rains is frozen solid and the pond at the end of the lane looks like a small skating rink.

Iced-over puddles in Brehal, France

We kept the walk with the dogs briefer than usual because every intake of breath was a bit painful. As you can see in the photos above, I was bundled to the eyeballs and underneath that heavy wool coat, long wool scarf, wool hat, and lined leather gloves that are visible, I had on lots of layers — leggings, a thick pair of baggy track pants, a long-sleeve thermal shirt, a turtleneck, a long-sleeve cashmere sweater. I was still freezing and my face ached!

Mark seemed fine as he wrangled with the spaniels, but he did admit that his face was feeling icy.

Mark walking the spaniels on the beach in winter in France.

I can’t even imagine sailing on a day that was so cold, but the sun was bright, the skies were clear, and this man with the red sailboat was dressed in waterproof sports clothing and he decided to give it a go. Unfortunately, the boat seems to have been hit by a wave and shoved onto the beach a bit too far up the beach from the preferred destination. So, after making certain that the small boat was firmly wedged against the sand and it wouldn’t float way, the sailor gave up and walked down the beach to get his truck and boat-trailer.

Walking away from a red sailboat to get the boat-trailer

Ah well — back to the sofa with a blanket around my legs while I edit photos!

Photo Of The Day: Faded And Flaking

Sometimes only a black and white (and many shades of gray!) approach will do the subject justice. These faded and flaking fishing boats, lying on the shingle (gravel) beach at Aldeburgh in Suffolk, England, were a perfect example of that.

Faded and flaking fishing boats on the shingle (gravel) beach at Aldeburgh, Suffolk, England