Hi all, we had a really good night out. The food started with a fish cake and the waiter remembered from last month that I dont eat fish and asked me if I would prefer melon. Would I, hell yes. He brought me a bowl of 3 different type of melon balls topped with melon sorbet. Lovely. The main was stuff turkey leg and as I was tucking in I realised it was 20% turkey and 80% stuffing sat on a mound of mashed potatoes. I ate the turkey and the stuffing and avoided the mash. Because I was hungry I had 2 small chunks of baguette. Our team (me hubby and 2 strangers we sat with) can joint first and had a tie breaker. It was what was the length of the titanic. We said 300m they said 290m and they were the closest, so we lost. However, the compare announced we were the winners before rectifying his mistake and it felt good to be a winner for just a few minutes. Hey ho, maybe next time.
Anyway, I have gained 1lb, which seems a lot for 2 bits of bread but it will be fluid. The weather is warming up so I am hoping to be swimming later today – the pool temp has dropped from 28 to 22 so is a bit on the cold side.
Margaret, we did find it very difficult to learn the language. Before we came here I did GCSE O level and got a B+ but, ask Wendleg, the French don’t recognise half of what we were taught. Also, because we were retired (early) we didn’t meet people like at work or at the school gates and the French are reluctant to get into conversation due to feeling exactly how we feel – scared or nervous we are not going to be understood or know what to say. Anyway, over the years I have had multiple lessons both private and in groups. I took the French Alliance exam and have a DELF B1 (diploma education language French- to say it back to front) which is classed as the level of an independent speaker – someone who shouldnt need help in daily life or dealing with officials (tax man etc). However, then you get out of the classroom and still people don’t speak to you, or if they do they want to practice their English. Anyway, that is why, after 18 years I am still learning formally, not just relying of immersion i.e. absorbing it just by being here. If you want to do a bit of adult learning look at the website I mentioned or just go onto YouTube and search for CommeUneFrancaise.com Geraldine Lepere. If you subscribe she will send you a weekly video of everyday things i.e. going to the hairdressers, buying baguettes with some of the history and culture thrown in. Short and easy, fully subtitled or explained 10 to 20 mins. She is lovely and all the lessons are free. And it is the French real French people speak. Or you could come and stay with me for a week 🙂
Sorry to have gone on a bit. Hope it is not too boring for most of you. Enjoy the week and I look forward to being 1lb lighter tomorrow.
Just come back to say, I didn’t have any alcohol last night and the funny thing was no one on our table did (hubby had an AF beer) or I would have gained 2 to 3 lbs.
