29 jui - 10 juillet

Mercredi, 29 juin

Un petit verre d’amitié

Last week Wilf went to the aid of one of our neighbours whose electricity had cut out the night before. She tells us she’s 90 years old and didn’t really want to go climbing up a ladder to have a look at the fuse box, etc. Two other neighbours helped as well and tonight we’re all (plus partners) invited to Mme 90’s flat for “un verre d’amitie,” (a glass of friendship) so she can thank those concerned.

Despite her age, being hard of hearing and using a walking frame, Madame has nevertheless organised drinks, nibbles and a man to open the three bottles of champagne which we managed to drink our way through while hearing tales of various terrible things that have happened over the years (the garage was never properly cleaned after the work was done), several small businesses across town twenty-odd years ago (we’re too late to enjoy the best patisserie in France) and the various changes made to the flats.

Two hours later, we totter home, feeling very friendly.

Jeudi, 30 juin
J’ecoute la radio

Without a tv, I’ve been listening to the radio. My original choice had seemed to have a lot of news about Brussels and, after hearing them say septante instead of soixante-dix and have seemingly incessant phone-ins about child-care, I gave up and found something that had less chat and more local interest.

It plays “music for all the generations” and as such, has a wide-ranging playlist: popular music from about the 1940s to the present day, dance music (ballroom and Latin through to house and ska) and ballads. There are even programmes of Italian and Polish music, thanks to an influx of miners from those countries after WW2.

Of course, a lot of songs are French versions, though it’s not always immediately obvious. Because I don’t know most of them, after a while they start to sound alike. This morning I was pleased to hear Bob Dylan’s “Lay, Lady, Lay” but it’s taken twelve hours to get another remotely ok one: Yesterday Once More.

Two in twelve hours doesn’t seem like a good enough rate. Tomorrow I’ll see what else I can find before I feel I need to start learning the accordion so I can get fully into the real life of France.

Vendredi, 1er juillet 2016
Je cherche des Bs
I decide to go a hunt for some roads beginning with B. There’s a cluster very close to home so it shouldn’t take me long. The first is “our” square, a minute away 

and the second is the Impasse des Brigittines, only a few houses on it but with a very French sign near the entrance.

 

Further on I find the Rue du Beguinage, a former convent, but try as I might I can’t find the Enclos du Beguinage, shown on the map as being a side road. Up and down the road a few times, then I give up.

Samedi, 2 juillet
Je trouve l'Enclos

The weather’s lovely and I set out for a quick walk before the market with no plan in mind. Almost straight away I see the sign for the Enclos du Beguinage and follow the path. How I managed to miss it I don’t know as it has four entrances from three different roads. It’s almost like a little village: narrow streets with doors opening onto them, tucked away into a corner of a quiet part of town.

My success needs celebrating so I take Wilf out to show him and we decide that it’s a good day for lunch out and end at our “local” restaurant for a lovely meal a lot cheaper than in the UK.

Dimanche, 3 juillet
Je fais un instrument musicale

My target for July is to walk at least two miles a day, as I feel I’ve been getting lazy. There’s a “country fair” event across town and though I’m not that keen on the idea, I go because it’s far enough away. 

On my way I check that there isn’t an elusive water-trough on the Rue de l’Abreuvoir and go to the park, passing people in seventeenth-century costume dealing with horses as I go in. There’s lots going on: theatre, games, crafts and sales tables of various crafts. There are four stalls connected with local history and more where you can make things. I decide not to make a version of a seventeenth-century fascinator and instead try the stall that involves pieces of wood and a metal rasp. I have to report that I am the creator and proud owner of a very fine kazoo which, to date, has only played the first two lines of La Marseillaise. 

As I set off late morning and have taken longer than anticipated, I’m starting to get hungry, so feel it’s only right that I should make the most of the produce on offer and queue for a waffle. It’s very good, so I rejoin the queue and have another. The monk taking the cash comments on the fact that I’m on my second in five minutes and is pleased that I like it but judging by the people working on the stall, it’s not news to them.

Jeudi, 7 juillet
Je fais du yoga

Late afternoon, and I hear the sound of a brass band playing in the park. The weather’s lovely so I wander up to listen. It’s the Oxford University brass band on tour and they have a wide repertoire, from Handel's Water Music (including "I love to go to work upon a bus"), to Nelly the Elephant, finishing with Rule Britannia. I wonder if it’s a political statement. 

I can’t stay too long as there’s a trial yoga session on offer. Wonderful! It’s given in English by an Indian man then translated into French. Not only can I understand, but I learn some new French vocabulary. I am, though, as inflexible as I suspected. Work to be done.

The French are playing Germany. We know they’ve scored a goal, then another, which means they’ll be in the final on Sunday. Car horns (but no 1-2, 1-2-3 rhythm), cheering, La Marseillaise, rockets, fireworks, all over the town.  Sunday should be interesting if they win. We won’t get much sleep.

Samedi 9 juillet
Je vois deux mariagesMarket day again. You've heard of Where's Wally? This is Where's Wilfy?

Out on my walk, finidng the last of the Bs, and I hear car horns so go and see why the traffic's at a standstill: two wedding parties having photographs taken in the park. I don't like to intrude but it's lovely seeing everyone dressed up in their best so take a sneaky photo from a distance.

Dimanche, 10 juillet
Il fait beau

I'm on my way for the bread and see two motorcyclists in hi-viz, then hear another motorbike, and another. I start counting but we're all going the same way and it's making me dizzy so I stand still and watch. Because I'm watching, a few wave and sound their horns. I carry on counting: about a hundred in all. Perfect day for their ride.

My walk is a big loop. I'm looking for places beginning with C and one of the first ones is Place Weenston Churcheell, which is a traffic island.  The building on Rue Comtesse has lovely tile and brick decorations but one third of it is derelict.

This is Rue Cabot and has no dwellings on it. Our flat is one of the block you can see in the background but round the other side.

France lost to Portugal in the final. It was still noisy but didn't last as long.