#maisonpourtous

[des-trucs-et-des-bricoles]

En vous attendant je flâne sur la plage de la #maisonpourtous #stbonnetdemure #stlaurentdemure #soiréetropicale #mpt #soleil #coktail #opailleenqueue https://www.instagram.com/p/B5vOVGToZpN/?igshid=1bfyx65hk1jzg

[yvanpostel]

Et pendant ce temps là, y'a François qui chill tranquille à solidays avec la bédé que j'ai dessiné avec les histoires des jeunes de la maison pour tous de octeville.... #bd #manga #sidaction #Cherbourg #cherbourgtourisme #maisonpourtous #dessin #président #Françoishollande #instagood #instart #solidays #laclasseadallas

[theretirementstory]

CARNIVAL 2018 The weather has been a mixed bag this week, some days no heating needed until very late afternoon and other days even the dining room (where I tend to spend my time) was not too warm. It was back to class and to be honest two weeks away does not help me improve. However, I must have improved as I cracked a couple of jokes in French at the Tricot Club. One of our ladies was telling us that it had been her 47th wedding anniversary and that was Cashmere. She had kept telling her husband "cashmere", "cashmere" to which I quipped "so did he buy you a goat?" Then she was saying her daughter looks after 11 children. I said "I only had two sons and this is what happened to my hair!" (it is very grey). All of the ladies are very appreciative of my attempts and are so pleased that I now form longer sentences. I also asked about a dress-making class and blow me down there is one! Meets on a Tuesday, Room 9, Madame Antoine. It coincides with my French class but I have arranged to go to French on Tuesday mornings. Paying a visit to CPAM (again) as the lady last time told me just one month and I would hear something. On Thursday, the lady told me to be patient! That word does not loom large in my life but I guess it will now. Preparing for my jaunt down to Carcassonne, everyone I have spoken to tells me how beautiful it is, well in my mind it will have to go some to be as beautiful as "my town". Anyway, according to the forecast, my jaunt is going to coincide with snow (again!!). I am looking forward to seeing Bernie and Paul and their home. I have not packed a swimsuit, truth is I don't have one!. Great news.....Thursday afternoon the men were back playing cards in the bar. Oh what joy to hear the arguments (well that's what it sounds like) and to be able to chat (a little) in French. So yesterday was the Carnival and as every intrepid reporter should be, I was there in the rain. Well I would have been if I hadn't checked the town website and found out that due to the weather the event would take place in the Market Hall. I arrived (early) as the photos show and finally made my way to a bench to sit and watch people arriving. It wasn't long before I was accosted by the two cats. I asked if I could take a photo and then they headed off. A short time later the "white" cat came back and told me it was my friend from Tricot (the one of the "Cashmere" anniversary). It was really lovely to see that her and her husband (the grey cat) are willing to participate and in fact they were in the dancing group which was really lovely to see. Apart from that dancing group there were also line dancers and as I was leaving they were getting people up to dance from the audience. I was introduced to a lovely family from Libya. The lady goes to the Maison Pour Tous for French but she goes to the morning class. Hopefully I will see her again when I turn up on a Tuesday. To say it has been a busy week is something of an understatement. I still have some jobs to do before I head off, so I will wish you a "bon dimanche".

[theretirementstory]

First of all I would like to explain a couple of things about the photograph. The amaryllis and the conifers were to be in place of a Christmas Tree, unfortunately the amaryllis has only just flowered and I am still waiting for the hyacinths to flower. Also I know I have been living here over 5 months now, so you may be asking why the bare lightbulb!! Well, as this is only a "stop gap" I didn't see the need to put in new light fittings. Now with that off my chest I can tell you about my week. My head has been full of lots of things not just the return to class, from which Jony was missing on Monday but returned on Tuesday. Unfortunately, our teacher for Thursday was due to have an operation and so we only had two classes. A trip to CPAM on Tuesday confirmed what I knew: I was out of pocket yet again with the refund of monies - well what is money compared to your health!! I also made a Sticky Coconut and Lime Loaf (the recipe is in the 2018 Ringtons Diary) to take to Tricot. I must admit that 10 faces watching expectantly as I opened the tin which contained a fully iced traditional Christmas cake and the Sticky Coconut and Lime Loaf was a sight to behold. All of the "ooh la las" when the plates were passed round and the cleared plates at the end were a boost to my confidence. Now I just have to translate the recipes into French to take to the next class. My eldest son and his girlfriend who are due to be "Mummy and Daddy" this year flew out to Florida on Thursday for a holiday and for my son to meet his girlfriends father. My youngest son had had a couple of days in York with his girlfriend. Apparently he hit the sales hard. Jony and I arranged to meet for a coffee and a chat. It is nice to have someone to speak to in English occasionally. I am still looking for trains to Carcassonne and feel that my best chance is to go and see "my friend" at the station. Just in case you are wondering I have been to my bar to have a coffee and do the wordsearch in the newpaper. My new task is translating the words I do not know and writing them in my book. I may need to use them one day. Until next time. Au revoir.

[theretirementstory]

So many things have been happening that I just dont know where to start. Let me start by saying that work has started on the renovation to Eglise Saint Maclou which is viewed directly from all the windows in the apartment. That is really good news, the bad news is that parking is now a problem and I am now having to park in the car park near to Eglise Saint Pierre (pictured above) which is THREE streets away from my home. Fortunately, when I have shopping I can unload the items at my home but then must move the car. Shopping I had last Saturday after a trip to the out of town shopping at Saint Parres aux Tertres just outside of Troyes. I had been previously on a "scouting" expedition so that I knew the road when I was driving in traffic. I set off early, 9am and guess what not a lot of traffic. I had such a great time that it was 2.45pm before I got home with all my bags. Monday saw me back at "school" and I am beginning to enjoy these classes more and more as we have now progressed to speaking phrases. So if you want to say "I wash the floor with a mop" I am your woman!! Tuesday morning saw me bright and early at CPAM as I had noticed errors on the document sent to me. I was rehearsing all the way the things I wanted to point out and to surprise the ladies by speaking in French without the aid of my translation app. When I got there I was surprised to see a man at the other side of the desk. I told him I was English and to my surprise he asked which language I wished to converse in. What a relief! He was so helpful and took my documents and told me to wait for the new form. Wednesday should have been Tricot club but the man from EDF was coming to upgrade my system from 6 - 9 amp. He arrived at 3.50pm and left at 4.10pm. I won't say I ran (couldn't run to save my life) but I walked fairly quickly to the club just in time for cake and cider. At least it gave me a chance to see my friends there too. Wednesday/Thursday saw the Xmas decorations going up in the Rue Nationale. It was lovely to come back from the bar with the Xmas lights glowing. I guess it won't be long now!! Tonight could be another new adventure - there is a "Spectacular" on this evening in a building I have never visited, it starts at 8.30pm (now that is late for me to be going out) and it will be about 10pm when I arrive home. However, I am only going if Jony (my Syrian friend from "school") is going. Otherwise it could just be a pop to the bar to chat to my friends in there. Well with all this chat about Xmas, the thought of going out this evening and making plans for "le weekend", I had better get a move on and get some housework jobs done.

[patrycjaplich]

La nuit de l’Instant

Update error video - exposition in Maison Pour Tous

9-10 June - Marseille, France

http://lanuitdelinstant.tumblr.com