Beaune, Actually

I stole that title from Stephen Clarke who wrote a book called Merde Actually and also the book,both recommended by Mary, called A Year in the Merde , which I am reading now and which is an hillarious account of a young fellow recruited from England to Paris to open a chain of tea shops. I think it is vaguely disguised truth. Well, as our PET would say " Life is unfolding as it should". Today is my chore day.. I finally need clean underware etc so having a "go" at the washing machine...one thing to try out a new washer but then another thing to follow directions all in French. But then there is the universal language of signs and that seems to be what I am following...it is going and has been for at least 40 minutes.. it will be exciting to iron tonite as I have not had many of those chores of running a household...my hands are so soft and not a cream on them. So a bit of things to say first...to Lynda and Bryan Bradbury...you have all the "y's" in your names like Ardythe..it must have been the rage for our parents...anyway fine that you passed on the blog to your friends who are coming. I spent last evening with your wonderful daughter and son-in-law..Laura and Franck and those two delicious granddaughters...Charlotte so cuddly and Camille such a pixie. I received lots of good-bye and goodnight kisses ..it was wonderful!! They wore their Barbie sneakers...not called sneakers but running shoes ..which you gave them..on our walk to the cave where the Resistance Fighters hid during the Second World War and where someone from a small Village denounced them and six were gunned down by the Nazi's. It was very moving and a beautiful tranquil place. There is a plaque with the names of the killed fighters and their ages ..of course they were 19-24 years ...it made me think of Afghanistan and also Iraq where young men are serving and dying. Here are also Roman Gallo ruins in the area and we visited those. They were destroyed in 259 AD...but now in the process of a slow restoration...there are so many of these historic sites throughout Europe it must be difficult to provide funds for them all. The Village where Franck and Laura live is charming and made me the most nostalgic for home since I arrived.Being alone and without a car I know I need to be close to stores etc...but I certainly miss the sunsets which those of you who have been to my home know are magnificent..and the rural quiet which is not part of city life. Here is a question?It is another wonderful day here high 28 and I have these fantastic windows open ..no screens and no flies coming in...I mean at home even with the windows shut and with screens, in the Spring the rooms can be full of houseflies and no seeums at night... and pretty soon those pesky blackflies? What is La difference? Every once and awhile a bee will explore the top area but I have yet to see one venture in.
After our walk yesterday afternoon I was served a delicious dinner of a quiche and salad..the quiche was a recipe of Franck's grandmother's..too many "s' there... we had wines from the area both from Domaines just a short distance away....a rose and a white...the white was a favorite as it had that flinty taste I am really enjoying in wine from Burgundy. I will need to win the lottery in order to continue to drink them in Nova Scotia. So just a very nice evening and I thank you Laura and Franck for inviting me to your home!!!
Going back to Monday I went over to a famous wine negocient's cave Champy et Cie to have a look at their wine selection... I was impressed and would like to go back for a degustation but they frown on singles....the life of a single...but they did have a pamphlet listing their wines and the prices per bottle...it will be intersting to collect all this info and see how much our Goverment raises the prices on these wines. Mary tell me the name of the Burgundian wine you so enjoy year etc and the price.
For my Pharmacist friends Rita and Jim.. I thought of you on Monday when I visited the Hospices de Beaune www.hospices-de-beaune.tm.fr built in the 1400's to look after the sick and the poor. You were there last year were you not Rita? It is the central tourist site in Beaune and I spent the afternoon taking a very leisurely tour. That is the positive of being single..."as you wish". Anyway it was a great spot for making up the drugs from herbs and plants and even some animals and for surgery..ugh..the instruments were pretty gross and remember they had not yet discovered how diseases spread and so still were not sterilizing instruments. My wash has finished and so I must go and look at my handiwork...but let me tell you about a small panic I had. I was getting short of money and set out for the bank machine I had used when I first arrived.... I could not find it...around and around I went ..up and down streets...there are lots of machines but I had to find one with the right logos to jive with my bank...10 minutes 20 minutes and Istill cannot find it...so I start walking home and lo and behold there it is ..just a few blocks from the apartment.. I have the place memorized now as iIwould not be surprised if it is the only one in Beaune compatible with RBC. Now for the dryer A Bientot Ardythe