To me, an antediluvian, dyed in the wool old Socialist, a double-barreled name is as much a symbol of the class war as is foxhunting. Over here things are different and quite ordinary people have such names.
The other day I was passing the Vets and saw a bloke putting up a new brass plaque and casually strolling by took a sly look. Our Vet, had obviously recently married her partner and had hyphenated his surname to her own.
This covers the whole of french society even our new first lady, Carla Bruni, on her marriage became Carla Bruni-Sarkozy. BUT what happens if two people with double-barreled want to get married, what name(s) do they assume?
Don't worry, as usual here, everything is covered; under new legislation they can adopt any one of the 4 names or any 2 hyphenated together in any order they like
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Monday, July 14, 2008
Water,Water everyhere
Every Saturday the youngest boy and I go down to our little market town and have a drink in Regis's Bar, usually splitting a bottle of local dry white. I usually go inside to order, whilst the boy arranges the dog under a suitable table. When the weathers hot Regis will often bring out a bowl of water for any doggy customer.
Now gold-en-re-triev-ers are water dogs and we quickly found out that she preferred to play with water rather than drink it and that anything other than a heavy earthenware bowl would be instantly tipped and paddled in! Last summer Regis bought out water in an old litre ice cream tubfor the dog. I explained but none the less he left it and over it went. Not too much bother as we were sitting out on the pavement. This happened 2 or 3 times until he got fed up with it.
This year on the first hot day Regis came out with our drinks and a big grin on his face; he'd bought with a new dog bowl but in plastic, 2 laps at the water and over it went, back to the drawing board! Last Saturday we sat under the porch on a tiled area in front of the bar, when I went in to order there was something going on and Mrs Regis brought our drinks out followed by Regis wearing a big get out of that grin and carrying a large plastic washing up bowl full of water. Again 2 laps of water and she grips it by the rim and heaves it over, his face was a picture! and there was water everywhere !
He went back inside and re-appeared with a large sqeegee on a broom handle. Typically another fun game of the dogs is to help with sweeping up or hoovering when she paws at the head making a strange noise between a growl and a whine! Regis joined in the game poking the squeegee at her and saying something like " come on then", which she did, taking three bites out of it. The squeegee looked some thing like this ___m___m___m___
Now gold-en-re-triev-ers are water dogs and we quickly found out that she preferred to play with water rather than drink it and that anything other than a heavy earthenware bowl would be instantly tipped and paddled in! Last summer Regis bought out water in an old litre ice cream tubfor the dog. I explained but none the less he left it and over it went. Not too much bother as we were sitting out on the pavement. This happened 2 or 3 times until he got fed up with it.
This year on the first hot day Regis came out with our drinks and a big grin on his face; he'd bought with a new dog bowl but in plastic, 2 laps at the water and over it went, back to the drawing board! Last Saturday we sat under the porch on a tiled area in front of the bar, when I went in to order there was something going on and Mrs Regis brought our drinks out followed by Regis wearing a big get out of that grin and carrying a large plastic washing up bowl full of water. Again 2 laps of water and she grips it by the rim and heaves it over, his face was a picture! and there was water everywhere !
He went back inside and re-appeared with a large sqeegee on a broom handle. Typically another fun game of the dogs is to help with sweeping up or hoovering when she paws at the head making a strange noise between a growl and a whine! Regis joined in the game poking the squeegee at her and saying something like " come on then", which she did, taking three bites out of it. The squeegee looked some thing like this ___m___m___m___
Friday, July 4, 2008
Rectal Repreive
Today I was supposed to have a biopsy to investigate the possibility of prostate cancer but luck was on my side. At my routine 3 monthly check with the G. P. I asked him to give me a presciption for another blood test, which test showed that that my PSA level had greatly reduced.
When I got to the Consultants and showed him the results he was surprised but said "This is good news; there's no need to do the biopsy" I think he decided it must have been an infection after all and has put me on a 3 week course of heavy antibiotics. Almost a worse result for a piss artist like me because there's very little chance of me stopping drinking for 3 weeks. 3 days would be difficult!
Now I'm hoping that the repreive isn't a temporary one; at first I was quite pleased with myself as I had told the G.P. that the Consultant had asked for the new blood test and the big man that it had been the G.P.s idea, one of my jolly wheezes! Now I'm worrying that I've only put off the inevitable temporarily and what damage could be happening if it is cancer!
When I got to the Consultants and showed him the results he was surprised but said "This is good news; there's no need to do the biopsy" I think he decided it must have been an infection after all and has put me on a 3 week course of heavy antibiotics. Almost a worse result for a piss artist like me because there's very little chance of me stopping drinking for 3 weeks. 3 days would be difficult!
Now I'm hoping that the repreive isn't a temporary one; at first I was quite pleased with myself as I had told the G.P. that the Consultant had asked for the new blood test and the big man that it had been the G.P.s idea, one of my jolly wheezes! Now I'm worrying that I've only put off the inevitable temporarily and what damage could be happening if it is cancer!
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Health Matters
Health matters, well it does when things aren't well !! Have got to have a biopsy next week and things don't look too promising. It all started back in 2005 when the Doc added a "PSA" test to my annual blood test, this measures PSA in the blood and is an indicator of prostate problems (the old farts disease!).
That year it was UP so I had to go for a ultra sound scan. You walk into the lab, and there in the corner is this big High-tech machine ticking away, with a screen,keyboard and an instrument tray. Discreetly tucked away in the corner of the tray is this huge prick shaped instrument; one glance is enough to tell you that THAT is going to (shall we say?) go where the sun doesn't shine.
2006 was DOWN; 2007 was UP so another date with destiny! Presumably to offset the discomfort and embarrassment you leave the lab. with the pictures; not a pleasant subject I know but pictures of ones own back passage are difficult to describe but will be familliar to some Townies, especially to those from E and SE London. Imagine the Rotherhythe Tunnel, the oldest,dirtiest,dankest river crossing on a dark,foggy november night and you'll get some idea. BUT I've a jolly wheeze in mind!
The last 2 years DIYing has been finished in minimalistic mode-white walls,white ceilings,white wood and minimal coloured fittings. I'm thinking that the black and white images I've got from my 2005/7 visits to the lab could be framed in simple black surrounds. I'll hang them just inside the front door, in the front passage and when people come in and say "Oh! that's interesting what are they?" I'll say "that's the BACK PASSAGE"
Joking aside, this year the readings are SKY HIGH, hence straight to a biopsy which I am not looking forward to nor am I coping very well with the thought of "probably" (the Doc, not me) of having cancer. I'm thinkng about making a will. I'm laying awake worrying about what will happen to the dog if I croak. I'm really low and despondent. Iused to enjoy walking the dog, as much as for health reasons as doggy needs but can hardly be bothered. I have other even more morbid thoughts but then I realise that the medical dictionarys definition of morbid is "illness" (I think!!)
That year it was UP so I had to go for a ultra sound scan. You walk into the lab, and there in the corner is this big High-tech machine ticking away, with a screen,keyboard and an instrument tray. Discreetly tucked away in the corner of the tray is this huge prick shaped instrument; one glance is enough to tell you that THAT is going to (shall we say?) go where the sun doesn't shine.
2006 was DOWN; 2007 was UP so another date with destiny! Presumably to offset the discomfort and embarrassment you leave the lab. with the pictures; not a pleasant subject I know but pictures of ones own back passage are difficult to describe but will be familliar to some Townies, especially to those from E and SE London. Imagine the Rotherhythe Tunnel, the oldest,dirtiest,dankest river crossing on a dark,foggy november night and you'll get some idea. BUT I've a jolly wheeze in mind!
The last 2 years DIYing has been finished in minimalistic mode-white walls,white ceilings,white wood and minimal coloured fittings. I'm thinking that the black and white images I've got from my 2005/7 visits to the lab could be framed in simple black surrounds. I'll hang them just inside the front door, in the front passage and when people come in and say "Oh! that's interesting what are they?" I'll say "that's the BACK PASSAGE"
Joking aside, this year the readings are SKY HIGH, hence straight to a biopsy which I am not looking forward to nor am I coping very well with the thought of "probably" (the Doc, not me) of having cancer. I'm thinkng about making a will. I'm laying awake worrying about what will happen to the dog if I croak. I'm really low and despondent. Iused to enjoy walking the dog, as much as for health reasons as doggy needs but can hardly be bothered. I have other even more morbid thoughts but then I realise that the medical dictionarys definition of morbid is "illness" (I think!!)
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
Back on the Blog again
So I'm back on the blog again after a sort break in sunny Scotland, not taking the piss! it was lovely and sunny; terrible cold wind but OK in shelter. Met up with some old friends and all their family, a special sort of re-union cos he's not well. I think he saw this as a last get together and wanted to pay for everything, this is not the townies way even old farts insist on paying their way!
So I dreamt up this jolly wheeze and said "Look, on the 18th (April) I will have been retired exactly 18 years and 18 days and would like to buy the dinner that night" So thinking this an amazing co-incidence they all agreed; not a one realised that on the 19th next year it will, of course, be 19 yrs and 19 days !!!
We did a bit of walking, but one day it was a bit too steep for me so I said "I'll meet you back in that Belhaven pub we passed, I want to renew my aquaintance with Belhaven Bill" (this a ref. to the only other time I'd been to Scotland and had collected beer mats in the shape of a sailor i.e Belhaven Bill-I think they are still in a box over in the little house!).
I walked into the pub and up to the only real ale pump on the bar to see that it was labled " London Pride, brewed by Fullers in Chiswick" I was born in Shepherds Bush, which is next door to Chiswick !!!!
So I dreamt up this jolly wheeze and said "Look, on the 18th (April) I will have been retired exactly 18 years and 18 days and would like to buy the dinner that night" So thinking this an amazing co-incidence they all agreed; not a one realised that on the 19th next year it will, of course, be 19 yrs and 19 days !!!
We did a bit of walking, but one day it was a bit too steep for me so I said "I'll meet you back in that Belhaven pub we passed, I want to renew my aquaintance with Belhaven Bill" (this a ref. to the only other time I'd been to Scotland and had collected beer mats in the shape of a sailor i.e Belhaven Bill-I think they are still in a box over in the little house!).
I walked into the pub and up to the only real ale pump on the bar to see that it was labled " London Pride, brewed by Fullers in Chiswick" I was born in Shepherds Bush, which is next door to Chiswick !!!!
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Demonstrations
As in London there have demonstrations around the Olympic flame in Paris and given that the first parade of the flame was organised by hitler to legitimise the 1936 Games it seems quite appropriate that the chinese would do the same! BUT they have over-shadowed others here in France; the new government, set up by a new President committed to social and finacial reforms, are beginning to announce their spending plans. Or rather cutting plans! Committed to reducing Public Spending they have announced their education plan, which reduces the number of country schools and generally reduces the number of classes and therefore the teachers as well as increasing class size. The whole world is on the march and blockading schools, teachers, parents and students all involved, this closely following protests against the closure of local post offices.
Down on the coast there's trouble too, the government is reducing the number of life-guards by 9000 staff, this wont cause redundancies as they are generally part of the Gendarmery, which in itself is a brigade of the army; they will be redeployed. Seaside towns are seething about beach safety and threatening to close beaches off peak.
There are also cuts in the health service, one of which is that the state national health service no longer fund services related to circulatory problems like say varicose veins. On this one I think the government is on a winner; by the very nature of their complaint it seems unlikely that they will be making protest marches !
Down on the coast there's trouble too, the government is reducing the number of life-guards by 9000 staff, this wont cause redundancies as they are generally part of the Gendarmery, which in itself is a brigade of the army; they will be redeployed. Seaside towns are seething about beach safety and threatening to close beaches off peak.
There are also cuts in the health service, one of which is that the state national health service no longer fund services related to circulatory problems like say varicose veins. On this one I think the government is on a winner; by the very nature of their complaint it seems unlikely that they will be making protest marches !
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
The Battle of the Pharmacies
There's an English comedian who starts his act by shouting "Where would we be if we didn't have ANY rules?" and the audience shouts back "FRANCE!" Nothing could be further from the truth; even the location and number of the corner chemists shop is regulated.
National regulations stipulate that there can be one chemists shop for every 5,000 people and a regional tribunal sits to determine any variations to the population in relation to the number of shops. Recently a village on the other side of Tarbes (our departmental town) applied for and got permission to build a new chemists. An appeal by a chemist in another village went to the tribunal, who re-did their calculations and found they had been mistaken, so they ordered the new chemists to close and close it did! It is of course possible that the tribunal is made up of existing chemists!!!! This is France after all!
I've heard it said that the richest person in a country town is the chemist not the doctor nor the notaire nor local businessmen and I have never seen a tatty chemist shop they always look as though they were re-furbished last week. Under the 5000 rule our canton qualifies for and has 2 chemist shops. One for the 5000 who live in the town and the other for the 5000 in the dozen or so villages spread around it; both are located in the town.
One shop is in centre ville the other is located on the edge of town but right next door to the Doctors group practice, this meant that practically everybody had to pass the second shop with their prescription hot off the printer clutched in their hand. Madame Mathise had also had the presence of mind (or eye for a business oppotunity) to splash out on a piece of land which she made into an off street car park next to her and the Docs. All was going very well for her until the Doctors moved into a new purpose built heath centre on the other side of town; this meant that about 75% of the population had to make a detour IF they were to visit her shop!
All was going very well for Monsieur Duval in the centre ville shop (as you can imagine!). He aquired the shop next door and expanded into it, this must have been an expensive move as his origional shop had very ornate stonework round the doors and windows and this had to be replicated. A comprehensive internal re-furb including new and additional computer stations took place and he even got in an english teacher to teach all his girls "chemists english", to corner that market.
The battle had swung his way (but not for long!) and it's begining to resemble the battle for market share between the big supermarket chains in the UK !!
I (being English I suppose) had always stayed loyal to Madame (except,that is, for Tick Treatment which is vastly more expensive at her place than chez Duval). I have to drive past her place on my way in and out of town so I suppose that makes loyalty relatively easy.
On my way to the Doctors for my 3 month check-up last week I was surprised to see her shop had closed and as I got near to the surgery saw that in a cunning midnight swoop she had relocated to a different shop only 50 yards from the Docs. This seems to have been done in secret, I visit her shop at least monthly and none of her girls had even hinted they might be moving!
Earlier I mentioned computer stations, this is because chemist shops here have them instead of counters. The health system works on a plastic card with a micro chip which is read by these computers
National regulations stipulate that there can be one chemists shop for every 5,000 people and a regional tribunal sits to determine any variations to the population in relation to the number of shops. Recently a village on the other side of Tarbes (our departmental town) applied for and got permission to build a new chemists. An appeal by a chemist in another village went to the tribunal, who re-did their calculations and found they had been mistaken, so they ordered the new chemists to close and close it did! It is of course possible that the tribunal is made up of existing chemists!!!! This is France after all!
I've heard it said that the richest person in a country town is the chemist not the doctor nor the notaire nor local businessmen and I have never seen a tatty chemist shop they always look as though they were re-furbished last week. Under the 5000 rule our canton qualifies for and has 2 chemist shops. One for the 5000 who live in the town and the other for the 5000 in the dozen or so villages spread around it; both are located in the town.
One shop is in centre ville the other is located on the edge of town but right next door to the Doctors group practice, this meant that practically everybody had to pass the second shop with their prescription hot off the printer clutched in their hand. Madame Mathise had also had the presence of mind (or eye for a business oppotunity) to splash out on a piece of land which she made into an off street car park next to her and the Docs. All was going very well for her until the Doctors moved into a new purpose built heath centre on the other side of town; this meant that about 75% of the population had to make a detour IF they were to visit her shop!
All was going very well for Monsieur Duval in the centre ville shop (as you can imagine!). He aquired the shop next door and expanded into it, this must have been an expensive move as his origional shop had very ornate stonework round the doors and windows and this had to be replicated. A comprehensive internal re-furb including new and additional computer stations took place and he even got in an english teacher to teach all his girls "chemists english", to corner that market.
The battle had swung his way (but not for long!) and it's begining to resemble the battle for market share between the big supermarket chains in the UK !!
I (being English I suppose) had always stayed loyal to Madame (except,that is, for Tick Treatment which is vastly more expensive at her place than chez Duval). I have to drive past her place on my way in and out of town so I suppose that makes loyalty relatively easy.
On my way to the Doctors for my 3 month check-up last week I was surprised to see her shop had closed and as I got near to the surgery saw that in a cunning midnight swoop she had relocated to a different shop only 50 yards from the Docs. This seems to have been done in secret, I visit her shop at least monthly and none of her girls had even hinted they might be moving!
Earlier I mentioned computer stations, this is because chemist shops here have them instead of counters. The health system works on a plastic card with a micro chip which is read by these computers
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