Life on Mars

Marseille by night

2009-09-13T01:10:00.000-07:00

Marseille, the streets

2009-09-12T18:40:00.000-07:00

Vieux Port, Marseille by night (by scooter !!!!)

2009-09-12T17:34:00.000-07:00

You Tube "on the back of a scooter" clips

2009-09-12T17:31:00.000-07:00

So much has happened since April - there is no real chance of catching up everything - from the paradise month spent at my beach place in Narbonne, the highs and lows of the year, teaching and how rewarding it is, living in Marseille, not getting paid much and what a pain that is... Life goes on - the sun still shines... and the Vieux Port is a mere 4km away.

Some recent rides on the back of our scooter - giving you the real deal Marseille are available here or on YouTube from my MarseilleMum profile.

Marseille Castellane by night

2009-09-12T17:25:00.000-07:00

The George Foreman

2009-04-07T13:20:00.000-07:00

You know when your man is home when.. he leaves the sink sponge balancing on top of the grill - i mean "please!!!"

in all your life, my beloved man, how many times have u cleaned that grill?

i goddam hope never, knowing if you use THAT sponge on my goerge foreman grill it will probably need replacing - one requires a clean clean bleach and detergent free cloth - just a water powered dish cloth - clean the grill with that AND ELBOW GREASE - heat it a bit if you need to get the grease off and you can't quite manage - though i usually can. And thats the start really - as it would possibly mean something if the kitchen was a space that you spent some time and inspiration within !? or EVER used other than to make TOAST.

So for one night I have left the grill - and now two as I am writing this - though I really don't think it will be two - Im gonna gettup and clean it - never knew it was such a big issue.. and personally - for the record I loved my toasted cheese sandwich tonight - with a bit of a meaty flavour due to any residue on the grill - it was extra flavour very much enjoyed - but so so - got to go and get my sponge.
lol

Maybe What...?

2009-04-06T12:07:00.000-07:00

RECESSION: For some people it is the time for cutting down and cutting back. , Although I do this a little during the interim period, I come from a background of belief in myself, so I have to find a way to make more money and not do this, to ultimately live a better life in THIS situ or whatever situation... so.. time to beat the recession ..

Ebay - Tried that been there and the trouble is that if your 2nd hands good are label and brand name - they gonna shut you down quick time - and time and time again they gonna track you and shut you down - their charges are high - dont get me wrong there is profit to be made here, but with tons of patience... no time to waste here..
Next!....

On-Line Betting - Tried that too - tripled my money in a week - so it IS possible - but VERY risky - lost it all a few weeks later- really depends if your heart and your bank balance can take it and I decided to get out before finding out - could've been a millionaire, shoul've tried harder, would've had a chateau - all coulda woulda shoulda to me - I knew instinctively (and through forums) it wasnt a good thing.
Next....

Shares - So Far Very Exciting, far less risky, in fact perfect for someone like me - I quickly popped over to London and attended a little seminar to learn some more, got back, learned a bit and chose/earmarked some - they are rising! I am waiting to do it with REAL money. I bought a few shares last month before I knew how it works properly and thank goodness they are making money too... so all good but have to ACT NOW - GET IT WORKING!!!

Maybe its the answer - watch this space!

What do we do about the recession?

2009-03-30T10:56:00.001-07:00

For English minded people like myself, yourself perhaps? How does it feel - when 1e used to be 75p and now 1e is about a pound - and the French still have the audacity to put the prices up.

Im finding it hard - everything that used to be cheaper, or in Marseille at least relatively similar prices to UK, now its much more expensive. The budget I set for the following year, as I always do, has never been so over budget in such an early month in the year before in my life!

Does anyone else have any fantastic solutions at this time???

R.I.P Jade Goody

2009-03-23T07:54:00.000-07:00

For me and millions of others, you will never be forgotten as an icon - a regular Essex girl, who made it - for me Jade is up there with Posh!

I truly feel that this is one inspirational lady who got out there and did what she wanted to do - she worked hard to better the future of her children and fought for her life at the same time - right until the end she never stopped trying.

So what if you messed up your words and got slandered for racism, I think you all know you would grow from it, you learned from this incident, you weren't racist, maybe just a little at loss for what words to choose - people cannot be labeled so easily in this day and age. And now thats a miniscule fragment of Jade's life - but as the press won't leave it - I have to put this paragraph in for her defense.

Diagnosed and dying of cancer so young is a terrible sadness. My heartfelt thoughts go out to not just Jade's family for their loss, but to all the other people who are suffering quietly and their families too. Jade's idea of going through this illness publicly was far from a selfish money making plan, as many dare to now slander her with these lies - she wanted more awareness of what happens with Cancer and how the families deal with it - she has achieved this Nationwide.

To show the Nation how Jade kept happy, to fulfil her dream of marrying and to provide just a little bit more for those left behind is by no means a bad thing - its something we should have respect and remain in awe of.

As already said - Rest In Peace Jade Goody - during your short life, you have burst through some barriers despite all the criticism you were faced with... For me and the millions - we love you Jade xxx

PS and for the Millions of "others" who are still asking "what did she ever do?" in a spiteful heartless way - I really hope that your sister/mother/friend doesn't have cervical cancer at this very moment and isn't quietly suffering as those words pass your lips - who knows how many women Jade has given strength to? I imagine millions of cancer victims and their families - And at the end of the day if its more than one, she did something worthwhile.

30cm of Snow for Marseille

2009-01-12T09:12:00.000-08:00

A freak bit of weather passed last Wednesday morning, depositing 30cm of snow upon us within a few hours. Apparently its the first time Marseille has had snow like this in 13 years. Very pretty and pretty unpractical too! Just about everyone had the day off work (some two or three, joined onto the weekend making it like another week off - very french).

We now live in Marseille, St Barnabe, its the 12 district, I had two people ski past on Wednesday morning, then we took the sledge to the shop to buy some juice and bits. My young daughter was in her absolute element and managed to make four snowmen on the terrace - Snow Daddy, Snow Mummy, Snow Brother and Snow Me!

After digging out the car, a path up to our front door, the gates and then making half an igloo, I decided to retreat!

Its been a funny week of weather though - loads of sunshine since then - t-shirt weather in fact, yet plenty of snow is still resting in the shady areas.

Happy New Year

2009-01-04T13:46:00.000-08:00

Well its been an Fabulous and Eventful xmas, family over for festivities and merryment first, then secondly moving house to St Barnabe - a bit further into Marsielle.

All positive vibes for the new year.
Still many French things I will never understand though......

Why did they take all the turkeys off the shelves for the weeks coming up to xmas? Why is Pintade cheaper and more popular as a xmas meal?

A conversation I had 20 December:

"Bonjour madame, pardonnez moi je suis anglaise mais pourquoi toute la monde va chercher pour les pintade - on est au tradition pour manger dinde" I say in my 6 yrs still rubbish french..
"Ah parce que cette oiseau c'est beaucoup moullier pour goutier"
(OK I say, thinking its moister to eat - and yes turkey is a bit dry im listening)
"Quelle oiseau?" I ask
And plenty of impressions and giggling from ourselves later, I am none the wiser until I reach home for the dictionary and find it is in fact a Guinea Fowl ! aha

Two days later all the turkeys appear on the shelves at the normal(ish) prices - though some of them are indeed huge and all the families I talk to seem to be having 20 people to dinner so no wonder really. So I find a comparitavely tiny turkey at 3.5kg and make haste!

Parsnips arrived by la Poste curtessy of my Mum and Dad, Mince pies and Christmas Cake (thank you E!) by British Airways from Sister in law - Dinner was very English, and Boxing day lamb with safeways mint sauce and christmas pudding came over too.

So that was Christmas, and as this year my glass is half full I will not rant on about anything else tonight xxx

Alice Wifi Problem Fixed

2008-12-03T16:32:00.000-08:00

If you get trouble with "Acquiring Network Address" or it can't renew the IP address or it gives you limited or no connectivity or all that rubbish.

The easiest and best solution for me after trying hundreds of other really technical ones was to reset the alice box to its original settings using the "configuration advanced" tab in the control from the main PC. Then just rebooted all devices and fingers crossed - its all fixed :)

Hope this helps someone!

Avignon Weekend Break

2008-12-01T07:21:00.000-08:00

Super relaxing weekend in Avignon. We stayed at Hotel de Limas within the 11th Century city walls, close the the bridge to nowhere (Pont Saint Benezet). A very friendly quiet hotel with great contempary art mixed with the authentic french pieces of furniture.

Great to have a chance to recharge the batteries, rethink the next chapter, unwind and generally kick back. Time to talk. A time to cement what we have. Yes I am still in love.

I guess my only regret is that I could have stayed another few days and got another few hours sleep!

Avignon was a nice place that I would gladly revisit anytime.

Yummy English Apple Crumble

2008-11-23T11:38:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
4 large apples (any kind)
75g butter (soft helps)
2 cups of flour
1 cup of granulated sugar
a sprinkle of brown sugar
a sprinkle of granualted sugar

1. peel and slice some apples, then throw them in a dish with granualted sugar (big sprinkles of it - half a handful!)

2. to mix the crumble rub the butter, flour and cup of granulated sugar together with your fingertips until it looks like breadcrumbs

3. sprinkle the crumble over the top of the apples to cover them and then lightlys prinkle brown sugar on top

4. Put it in the oven for 40 mins at 180deg (medium heat)

(make sure it doesnt bubble over the sides as its a helluver job to clean the apple syrup off the bottom of the oven!)

Life Moan: The Mould

2008-11-20T06:03:00.000-08:00

Today is the height of the mouldy house situation - its been going on for some weeks since I notified the owner of the problem. But with his slow reaction and elasterplast fix we are now in a serious situation.

The whole house is 60% humidity in the air, I have mould floor to ceiling in some places and there is mould in every room. My room has 6m2 and it isnt possible to sleep in there. My daughter and I are sick from it.

The owner put in some dehumidifiers but it just isnt going to be enough. its very hard to find a rental in france at short notice especially as an expat who pays most of their tax in another country (the paperwork and cost is enormous) - but I guess im at the point where I might need to try.

Today I have had all the furniture, toys everything outside since this morning, while a lady cleaned all the mould off the walls with bleach, as a for the time being fix, another elasterplast, even though it will grow back because there is still too much moisture. By the time she finished 3 hours later it had already started to grow in a patch of about 2ft square. The smell of the mould and making my asthma bad, but the smell of the bleach is completely overwhelming, luckilly its sunny, so I come in for 5 mins tops and try to put two things back and then have to retreat back outside.

My stuff is all in garden waiting for the owner to lift it all back in and some of its a bit broken where its been moved (wardrobe for example) - Im patrolling the building like every five minutes as we are ground floor and have already had a few disappearances in the past with windows left open in bedrooms at the back - Im really trying not to let all this get to me. Which i might have been able to handle if I didnt have other worries - which unfortunately life isn't like that is it, it does all come at once sometimes!

We rent a house so that we dont have to worry about the maintenance of the property when my hubby is working away - to make life easier for us - this completely defeats the object and has been a real nightmare to endure.

I am seeing a property this afternoon in desparation but its more expensive, further from school and i dunno - well i will see - maybe its the only solution i can have today - at whatever cost - it gets our health back and there is really no price for that.

So I'm going to view it anyway right now - get out in the Marseille sun and listen to some tracks in the car - go back to the basic needs that get us on back on the right path - come on Tracy Chapman!

Life Moan: Teenagers..

2008-11-20T05:56:00.000-08:00

How do you? What do you? Where do you go when you are at the end of your tether? How far does this tether really stretch.. when you're sure its about to snap any moment. How long can we endure? What is the limit? AND when I reach the limit what option is REALLY open for parents like me?

I always thought bad kids were due to the parents.. with little ones maybe its true to an extent, but with teenagers, no matter how hard you showed them morals and the right and wrong way to do stuff, when they want to do something their way there are very few things you can do to stop them.

We reason, we talk, in fact I wrote a great poem explaining how it truly is to be enduring the parent of a teen. And its not a five minute phase they go through, but a really long thing- mine started at 11 with a few things, then the window smashing and a few more things, we've done therapy and boarding school and family holidays, we've tried living back at home now and at nearly 16 I can only say things have escalated in how much he thinks he has a right to do, he has a right to do this and that and to take what he wants and carry on with such an attitude.

Its very hard. We have had a couple of police incidents and a few more that they probably should have known about but we dealt with inside the family. Everybody wants the best for the child but they are so draining - now im finding that everyone's patience is used up. My blog is for the good the bad, the moans and the groans - and after all - This is My LIFE!!

I never thought I would lock up my things or suffer some of the stuff he has been doing - and the problems it causes between the parents when a child behaves like this are unavoidable. The whole family is suffering the teenage curse.

Its hard hard hard. I want help, there isnt really any. In France he is legally stuck to us until he is 18 though he has already tried to leave (at 15). I want some respite and thankfully have some friends who can offer me a weekend here and there to get some sleep and time to think and maybe one normal weekend with my man who only makes it home about one weekend a month).

Hmmmmmm - Life's Tests Huh!

My Organized Meal Plan Shopping Lists for Busy Moms…

2008-11-16T15:11:00.000-08:00

TIPS TO REDUCING THE SHOPPING AND THE HASSLE OF THINKING WHAT SHALL WE HAVE FOR DINNER TONIGHT:

1. Look through the leftovers in the freezer and start the meal plan by thinking of meals to use that stuff up (also saves on how much stuff you need to buy)
2. Write simple meals – do easy quick meals and take-aways on the days we have no evening time or only 15 mins to cook for example.
3. Shop for the whole 2 weeks, only topping up fruit and veg after week 1.
4. Go to the butchers to get the meat – better quality and usually cheaper
5. Go to LIDLs get everything possible – their prices are good!
6. Go to the other supermarket to get anything you couldn’t get yet.

I often find that using this method I get a free week – where I have overcooked or not cooked or find that I have enough excess food to do a whole week without shopping at all…

Week One Menu

Mon - Homemade meatballs and pasta
Tues – (do Pizza for 3 girls after private lesson)
Wed – Fish, wedges and peas
Thurs – Chinese chicken and rice
Fri – Spaghetti bolognaise
Sat – Chicken pie, veg and small potatoes
Sun – Roast beef, veg, rice, roast potatoes – apple crumble

Week Two Menu

Mon – Mackeral in scrambled egg with chips and salad
Tues – (do Pizza for 3 girls after private lesson)
Wed – Seafood pie (prawns and white fish) with mash topping and peas
Thurs – Chicken kebabs with rice and fruity sauce
Fri – Fish chips and sweetcorn
Sat - Beef casserole, carrots, potatoes, celery, swede and rice
Sun – more casserole with rice and roast potatoes

Week 1&2 shopping list example:
Butchers: mince x 2, chicken fillets x 2, beef for the roast, beef for the casserole
LIDLS: bolognaise sauce, pasta, 3 cheese pizza, 2 tuna pizzas, onions, potatoes, lettuce, lemon, garlic, frozen green veg, frozen peas, rice, curry sauce, herb de province, tin of fruit, brocolli, carrots, apples, nectarines, flour, sugar, juice x 12, milk x 6, crème fraische, beer, wine, bread x 4, butter x 3, cake mix, snacks for kids x 2 packets, 6 cokes for son, lemonade x1 bottle, oil for fryer (3l), 2 bags croissants, 2 bags chocolate brioches, 20 fruit corners, choc cereal bars, sandwich bags, cling film, black bags, oven cleaner, cheese x 2, coleslaw, washing powder, carton drinks, ice cream, eggs, hot sauce, frozen white fish (bag of 1kg), fish fingers and frozen chips (backup).
Other supermarket – for anything u could get.

Week Three Menu

Mon – Honey chicken, rice and runner beans
Tues – (do Pizza for 3 girls after private lesson)
Wed – salmon salad and wedges
Thurs – Shelphers pie and brocolli
Fri – Turkey in pitta with crème fraische sauce and salad
Sat – Beef loaf, wedges, peas or veg
Sun – Roast chicken, rice, veg, Yorkshire puddings, roast pots – fruit pie

Week Four Menu

Mon – Tuna burgers salad and chips
Tues – (do Pizza for 3 girls after private lesson)
Wed – Stir fry chicken, beansprouts, peppers, onions, noodles
Thurs – home made moussaka, wedges, brocolli
Fri – curry chicken, pineapple and rice
Sat – fish and chips
Sun – Roast chicken

Week 3&4 shopping list example:
Butchers: chicken fillets, turkey fillets, chicken to roast x 2,
LIDL’s: 2 x cake mix, salmon slices, mince x 2, eggs, chips, crème fraische, brocolli, chilli peppers and hot sauce, rice, potatoes, cucumber, pineapple, tomatoes, lettuce, onions, carrots, frozen peas, apples, bananas, pizzas x 6, brown bread x 4, curry powder, dishwasher tablets, honey, chocolate mousse, snacks for kids, biscuits, butter, beansprouts, tins of tuna x 4, coleslaw, sweet and sour sauce, marmalade, powdered brown sugar, coffee, black bags, 4 x orange juice, 4 x apple juice, muffins x 8, 2 bags of croissants, chocolate brioches x 10, waffles x 1, crisps x 2 big packs, yoghurts x 18, beer, wine, lasagna slices and aubergine for moussaka,
Other supermarket – for anything u could get.

Week Five Menu

Mon – Homemeade apple and beef meatballs with rice
Tues - (do Pizza for 3 girls after private lesson)
Wed – Fish, wedges and salad
Thurs – Spaghetti Bolognaise
Fri – Jacket potatoes, salad and chicken burgers
Sat – white fish with pasta and salad – crispy garlic bread
Sun – Roast chicken

Week Six Menu

Mon – Beef loaf, mash, peas gravy
Tues - (do Pizza for 3 girls after private lesson)
Wed – Chicken stirfry with noodles
Thurs – Kebabs
Fri – Fish n chips and sweetcorn or salad
Sat – Chinese or roast (depending on man’s flight schedule!)
Sun – Roast or leftovers with pasta and bread!

Week 6&7 shopping list example:
Butchers: 3 chicken fillets, chicken to roast
LIDL’s: pizza 2 tuna 2 beef 2 cheese, eggs, butter, chips, potatoes, garlic, brocolli, carrots, cauliflower, caugettes, flour, sugar lumps, coffee, ice tea syrop, cokes, cartons not orange, chocolate spread, marmalade, wine cartons, port and brandy for xmas stock, limous champage (3.99!) frozen baguettes x 2 packs, burger buns, 2 x choco breads, 2 x bags of croissants, 4 x sliced bread, cheese x 2, coleslaw, yoghurts x 20, 8 orange guide, 4 apple juice, 2 any juice, milk x 6, toilet roll x 12 min, toilet duck x 3, crisps, noodles, snacks for kelisse, tin sweetcorn, tin mushroom, cooking oil, olive oil,
Other supermarket – for anything u could get or prefer their brand: mayonnaise, mice, ginger root, frozen peas, black bags.

Marseille's Famous Sunday Fish Market

2008-11-16T04:44:00.000-08:00

Down at the Old Port every Sunday there is a fish market. The fishermen pull up in their boats and unload the fish from the nets - you can't buy much fresher than that.

Plenty of different varieties, some I have heard of and plenty I hadn't: Loop, Merlon, pink fish, rock looking fish, squid, and even the remains of a tuna (its tail fin) that had obviously been cut up during the morning.

A great sunny Sunday morning thing to do in Marseille at any time of the year. A quick wander around the port watching the bustling fishermen and their wives selling, gutting and chopping to order. Another Marseille Must Do!

Rain, Rain and More Rain...

2008-11-04T16:11:00.001-08:00

When the sea level rose..

Today I was at the Veille Port of Marseille and the sea was flapping over the edge of the port onto the pavement. I am not really surprised as it has been raining and storming heavily for about two weeks now, we have had lightning, thunder almost everyday and plenty of rain. About another foot and the metro will be flooded out by the main Old Port entrance alone!

(I left there (by foot) after a lovely Mussels and Chips to see the Van Gogh and Monticelli exhibition - A MUST! - and surely another separate blog!)

But after that it rained and rained and rained and surely Marseille is flooded by now? Water wasn't going down the drains, but spurting out of them where it could not cope anymore!

Thank goodness I live on a hill - PHEW!

IKEA marseille la valentine

2008-11-01T17:18:00.000-07:00

First we Visited the market - a local one, dropped daughter at horse riding and at Plan de Cuques we visited a superb market for clothes, shoes and stuff, reasonable prices, like La Pleine without having to visit centre ville! I will be back and Mum did manage to treat me to one or two things while we were there - great little market. Could do more time next week!

And wow! How easy it is to do a makeover with IKEA - u can think it, look it up, go get it easily and fix it up same day - for peanuts! - I AM LOVING THAT. The whole house has had a makeover except my daughter's room. So, with 2hrs to spare today I took my Mum. I have got to say even for marseille that is the most packed I have ever ever seen IKEA at La Valentine! a wet week, near to xmas, during the holidays, it waas mahem! Still with some determination we managed to find the necessities and a bit more to take the final room in the house to another level and returned to deal with the usual IKEA click clack flip flap furniture that I will finish tomorrow. Can't wait - Tidy house, tidy mind!

I am in it with IKEA, i know the layout the floorplan, where u can get that, what aisle, if u can get it downstairs, i am miss IKEA, so i can rush through or even check the map and do a left to miss out the kitchens, u know u have to be like that if you have kids or limited time! lol. Mum wants to browse and though its nice, before I realise it we are at 1hr to go until child collection and I know the till will be ram! I try to put the pace on, not to lose mum but to speed up somewhat out of browse mode into get it done get out on time mode. We do, but when we get out its 5 on a saturday and the traffic is BAD!, lucky i did get to my daughter ontime and I wasnt really stressin but imagine Mum, I need to give her more of a holiday chilled experience even though she does love to be a part of sorting my life out and making it better - which this is..

And, this week, I AM LOVING MY MUSIC - as an expat I think sometimes u gotta make yourself feel at home and comfortable, MUSIC MUSIC MUSIC is such a healer, for everything - I am really feeling some!

I'm glowing inside, maybe not enough on the outside, I'm really loving my man, I'm really appreciating my music, and most of my life really tho I admit it is tough at times and there are areas that test us more and more, for all of us in whatever way, its a struggle but lets LIVE IT!

Change to ALICE

2008-10-30T18:21:00.001-07:00

Well, I have done it, reduced my calls and internet by more than half. Alice offer a great deal, though they promised not to interrupt my service, they DID leave me in a 48hr techy suspension. But all is well and I am so far, pleased with the service.. 8/10 and superb for reducing the cost of surfing and calls worldwide. 36 countries free and 4hrs french mobiles free and broadband unlimited for just 30e/mth. I should be paid for this advert LOL!

Babylon

2008-10-30T18:06:00.001-07:00

Well, life is life.
We have children - we never knew what it would be like, its beautiful and at times its really tough - we work with that - we endeavour to. Now, "Son pushing 16 proves difficult" would be my headline (and that would be mild to all the things I could say but am not ready to admin publicly). I would love to start my blog with something else, but its prevelent maintenant. Feeling it like "The Family" - Have u seen that show!? Yes thats how it is! And really now for the first time I don't blame the parents.

So, thats why I am up at 2am listening to David Gray and SWV on the headphones - some tranquility, some time to think, get things in perspective. This is it. Being strong enough to realise no matter how long it lasts that I am stronger. I don't want to lose this child after so long of nurturing and instilling the right things, but dammit - you can lead the horse to water.. but you can't make him drink right?

So Babylon, A place of peace
God help me

I passed my TEFL

2008-10-02T12:43:00.000-07:00

WOO HOO PASSED THE TEFL

Wow, apparently Im ok to Teach English as a Foreign Language now... as I have officially passed the TEFL, AND the additional grammar module.

I have already started teaching at my daughter's school - scary really that they didn't require some level of qualification other than being English. But ok, so far I am loving it! I start teaching privately on Tuesday, a couple of the girls from school are coming for an extra hour lesson at home!

All Good!

Apparently Life Begins at 40

2008-09-24T15:44:00.001-07:00

Apparently life begins at 40...

So at 37 I am thinking of making a life decision
that I should stop trying to be a millionaire
a fashion model (LOL) or anything like that

I should spend 3 years preparing myself to start life!
Then I can become a millionaire..
Right now..I need to keep in shape, maybe even give up smoking (no really!)
Have a bit of cosmetic surgery here and there
Learn to play the piano!?
Get my wardrobe sorted - I mean really do that and find "the look"
Find my HAIR, my stuff, find myself again after having children.

Its a time in life I am going to shock out - like in my 20's
Though this 40's malarchy is meant to be more fun

Well I will be in tip top shape, with my french properties
and my English Teaching, Website Designing, Fun Loving, No Smoking me!!!

Sounds like a good idea!

TO: ALL EMAIL USERS - ESPECIALLY MY DAD!

2008-09-17T13:42:00.001-07:00

Its kind of common courtesy on email to say thanks or let me know that you have received my email to you - not with the marketting companies but certainly with any friends or family - so that they know u received it and will continue the email conversation.... (SO PLEASE SEND A REPLY - EVEN IF BRIEF LIKE "I GOT IT")
Thanks Dad, Love You xxx

La Rentree De L'Ecole

2008-09-17T13:42:00.000-07:00

Lifes ok.. JJ is at the Lycee, he had a little scare with the "not working so good" scooter today (when apparently th accellerator got stuck on and it wouldnt brake on the way the hill to school and he fell off with a few leg and hand scrapes) - sounds like God is giving him a little reminder to behave and im glad to say he will be cycling to school tomorrow. Likes the new school, has some friends and is joining in with activities as far as i can tell. I don't need to document his recent teenage behaviour and how much it has enraged and violated me as a parent - but you can imagine - he is 15 for gods sake!

On a more positive note: On deciding to teach English at my daughter's school and then watching a show about how bad English teachers are in England, I decided that I needed some kind of skills to teach English, even to 6-7 year olds, that I should set myself up to succeed in this... so...

I have bought my TEFL course, Dad its ok, i dont want u to pay half but you can take me to the Peldon Rose for a slap up meal next time I am over and I will proudly show you my certificates in:
TEACHING ENGLISH AS A FOREIGN LANGUAGE
TEACHING ENGLISH GRAMMAR
TEACHING STUDENTS ONE TO ONE
TEACHING 6-12 YEAR OLDS
TEACHING BUSINESS FRENCH
TEACHING LARGE CLASSES

I am loving the course so far - bought it on Monday, they said 2 wks possible to complete it but more likely 4-6 weeks - I am on Module 4 (of 11) of the Main TEFL and Module 3 (of 4) of the grammar course already.
Ordered some books from amazon to back up my grammar, teaching and general stuff (and a couple of "chicken soup for the soul" books for jordan) I think i will start teaching next week - tues morning and thurs afternoon or similar. Spoke to the teacher at parents evening last week and I'm due to teach two thirty minute lessons each week (she has me pencilled in for 52hrs this year!)

I am off to go and see my good buddy (my English friend who I have known since i was just 17, back when I was in the UK and now we both live in France.. long story... but she is a few hours south of here)... so tomorrow - to go to quillan house (that my partner still owns, and I visited in the summer) where i forgot to turn off the electricity and water, so will go and drain out the water so that the pipes dont freeze over winter, a quick stop into TOPLA on the way to pimp my ride (buy an air freshener and seat covers and maybe a steering wheel cover !) And I might pop in to see Chloe for lunch if I have the time and will toodle on to stay at Rachel's house and have a good girly catch up. Drive back Friday.

Kelisse's cold is still there, but I will take her to school tomorrow, and hopefull she will be ok - I have told her to soldier on! Got her signed up to Dance for Thursday nights and Theatre now Monday nights (starting at the end of the month) and I might go to line dancing in the same place while she is at theatre.. I decided not to pay for mine on the sign up date (with risk of no places left but I doubt it), and to go along on the first night with my doctors certificate and ask if I can try it out (with full intention of paying for the trimester if i like it)... I am just not sure if I can really handle that country music for an hour and a half - though im sure it should be a laugh!!!

So, feeling positive (about my course), and feeling like i have neglected lots of other stuff: like the scooters were on ebay and sold but both the buyers did not take them, the other stuff i have on ebay only sold like 25 percent of it, didnt go to the I.T. recruitment interview i should have done this morning, havent planned how I am actually going to survive this year financially.... but you know... 8hrs driving can put a lot of things into perspective huh!

LA RENTREE!!!!

Mum's Been to see me

2008-09-07T14:59:00.000-07:00

My Mum came to visit me at a busy time.. I loved every minute of her company, could only have wished to have been a little less busy at that time.

I know I managed to give her a good rest from all the usual menial tasks us women have to do, and Im sure she has had a good time.

We had a great week for weather, which pleased Mum as she had spent a lousy week in Spain earlier in the summer and of course she lives in UK, so went back to torrential rain this week.

We visited La Pleine, I have to take everyone there now - its my favourite market in Marseille. We ate out at the Old Port and I took Mum to the beach too.

Apart from that Mum (thankfully) doesnt mind mucking in and living the life I do.. which this week meant buying a car, getting the children back to school and all the normal life stuff...

YES - I bought a VW POLO to runaround in, do the school run, shopping etc etc, its cheaper on petrol than the Jaguar and suits me fine.

YES - Son got into the Lycee I wanted him to, after some administration mess up earlier in the year he had been on the waiting list, but at the last minute he was given a place and will start tomorrow morning.

So I think the next holiday when Mum comes over should be spent at Narbonne, where I am not tied up in everyday stuff and have a bit more listening and sharing time - oh gosh i love my mum.

I was strong at the airport saying goodbye, and waving her onto the xray thing, but when my man gave me a hug as we walked to the car, tears filled my eyes and all I could blub was.. "Thats my Mum, I hate it when she goes..."

Im sure Im not the only one who has to say goodbye to their loved ones.. Im usually pretty good, but Mum and Dad, thats hard... my Mum isnt sick or old, but you just never know when you will see them again if you live in another land.....

LOVE TO ALL THE MUMS OUT THERE!

Best quote from Mum to keep me positive.."Look, I often wonder if your glass is half empty or half full, look around you, you should be saying its full to overflowing!"

Our Beach Holiday

2008-09-07T14:58:00.000-07:00

Superb week spent at my apartment at Narbonne Plage...

Quick summary:
Day 1: Beach Pool Chill
Day 2: Trip down to our other house in the Pyrenees - visited a few friends, Kelisse lost her first tooth
Day 3: Joined by Daneka for two nights - fantastic beach day + Superb Castles!
Day 4: Beach Pool Beach Pool Daneka, Chloe, Rachel, Elaine, Mia and US- Superb Castles
Day 5: Pool and Aqua park Restaurant
Day 6: Gruissan Plage - Crabbing - Kite Flying - Superb Castles + Pool Restaurant
Day 7: Beach Pool Beach Superb Castles Pool Restaurant
Day 8: Same
Day 9: Same and came home in the afternoon

I ABSOLUTELY loved it - less than 5 mins walk to the beach through two alleyways.. the pool is great if you dont want to get sandy, windy or walk too far.. superb surveillance on the children from there. The apartment is basic but has everything I needed for that holiday - we werent cluttered with baggage or food and nowhere to put it, there was ampul space to eat lunch for 6 adults on the busy lunch day.

The children quickly made friends, next year I will have to go for two weeks.. in fact I am already thinking of buying another one!

***** FIVE STAR ACCOM at Narbonne! www.beachinfrance.com

My Family Visiting Me

2008-09-07T14:55:00.000-07:00

WOW - fitting 8 of us into my 3 bed "Rez de chausse" (ground floor apartment) would have been tricky - if the weather had not played its part.

In fact it was superb, able to eat outside every mealtime (for which I am eternally thankful to God for controlling the weather as I had nowhere else to seat 8!) and using the garden like an extra room most days.

A chilled out holiday for my brother and his family, and us really.. we did all the tourist stuff around Marseille -

I guess the highlights were:

Visiting the Portail d'aix (the mini arc-de-triomphe), the Old Port, taking the little train up to the Mont de... (the church on the hill), walking back through the little streets from La Pleine.. fuzzing our way around on the metro/bus/tram system - great stuff..

Another day at Grimpozarbes - for anyone who has not experienced this delight of Marseille its a must.. a climbing park - great for kids and certainly an adrenaline high for adults too (so I hear from my brother, as I carefully chose a summer dress and summer shoes and was not able to partake (PHEW - im not that into heights - even when clipped on and harnessed!!!)) A great picnic area in the shade of the trees left us well fed and ready to continue after lunch.

And.. Borely Park and plage. While my sister in law and I took a leisurely stroll towards the Botanica Gardens, which were unfortanely closed until later, we saw the filming of La Plus Belle La Vie (the equivalent of French Eastenders) - that was interesting... We left my brother in charge of a pedal bike for 4 or 5 and all the children.. later, we found my brother alone on a bench, like they done away with him... I began to be somewhat concerned at where my 6 year old was and her two just teen cousins were, but it was all fine, we re-grouped, had a picnic by Chateau Borely and headed to the beach for the afternoon!

Many happy times chilling at home with the view of the vineyards, a glass of wine, good company and the children entertained on the wii or the trampoline.

A happy summer visit.

Standard Visit Parents England Trip

2008-08-10T11:40:00.000-07:00

Well, that was what I thought it would be, but it actually resulted in me destressing, playing and chatting with my kids AND my parents. No disputes, no stress, no rushing, had a really chilled visit.

I think it was mainly due to me not planning to see lots and lots of friends, I stuck to seeing the mother in law, and my sis-in-law and our mutual friend with kids the same age.

Did all the usual stuff, stocked up on Worcester Sauce, Brown sauce, Jelly and that dried cheese we like to sprinkle on our bolognaise. Couple of pairs of trainers, watches and jeans combined with a MacDo breakfast (something the French don't do) - we were set!

Great to see Mum and Dad, had a good time with Dad asking loads of questions on the PC, and for once Im able to help him - that course I bought for his birthday did him the world of good. And Mum, always my biggest supporter in life, within about a day she has made me feel so much better about some of my biggest worries.

Had a bit of a rememberance to why we left UK when a man in Superdrug cleared off with a whole shelf of deoderants before my very eyes. But overall, the vibe was very chilled, I visited Battersea park for the first time, Hylands, Maldon and the local village park - all superb places to visit in G.B.

Back in France now, was great to be hit by that HEAT!!!
yes it was great, but now hubby back from work early and Brother's family due tomorrow - kind of sorted.. kind of ready.. havent hosted for a bit though!!!

Have a car to see locally and some courses in mind for the coming year - along with WORK ideas ! yes really!

Tour de France Winner 2008: Carlos Sastre

2008-07-28T03:06:00.000-07:00

Spaniard Carlos Sastre said he had fulfilled a childhood dream by winning the 95th Tour de France. The 33-year-old stayed among the pack during the final stage to win cycling's premier event by 58 seconds.

"It's a dream coming true - ever since I was little I've been thinking about this moment," said the CSC rider. For me, another fantastic race comes to a close, the blood, sweat and tears wiped for another year.

Cavendish out of Tour de France

2008-07-20T03:22:00.000-07:00

A big pat on the back for making it this far and winning another stage - giving him a total of 4 stage wins.

The 23 year old struggled to cope with three mountain stages in the Pyrenees and missed out on a final sprint during Saturday's 14th stage, he lost touch with the peleton on the last stretch home. Hence Mark Cavendish has pulled out of this year's Tour de France.

Well done to a proper British Athlete and better luck next time, Mark!

Le Tour de France 2008

2008-07-18T00:12:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Mark Cavendish, 23, won his third stage of the Tour de France (232 Kilometers in just 5hr 27min 52sec ending in Narbonne). There is talk of having a British Team next year which would be great.

Also, the Cobra, Riccardo Ricco, winner of the first stage this year, was the third rider to get tested positive for performance enhancing drugs and hence have his whole team (Saunier-Duval), disgraced and disqualified. So far Spaniards Moises Duenas Nevado (team Barloworld) and Manuel Beltran (team Liquigas) have already been sent packing.

It is, unfortunately, a fact of life that some athletes choose to take these kind of drugs despite the possible consequences to their chances of making it through the tour without being found out, despite their health and, of course, the future of their teams in whatever sport it is. Cycling is no different - if not worse.

So the real question is - How many riders really make the gruelling 3500km without a little something? All comments welcome.

Shopping Therapy - The "East Street" Market of Marseille

2008-07-17T04:34:00.000-07:00

Having lived here for over a year, I still crave shopping in the cheapy markets of London, where you can still get a dress for two pounds and some shoes for five. Every visit back to UK involves a lot of shopping and picking up essential outfits for children etc..

But today, my prayers were answered, and my son showed me a superb little market La Pleine. Two stops on the tube and we arrived at my heaven in the sun.

A colourful bustling array of fruit, clothes, toiletries and all the everyday stuff we need to be buying at budget prices. The photo above doesn't do justice - I will take my own next time.

Kids Birkenstock style for 5e, adults same and real Birkenstocks for 30e. Dresses and tops galore from 1e-5e - even the most expensive designer items were a mere 20e or so...

My son and I went to buy trainers... we didn't find them but... despite me saying I wouldn't buy anything..

I bought him two pairs of shorts and a top, my daughter 3 pairs of shoes and a shorts set. Hubby some 3/4 linen shorts and a nice t-shirt, and myself 3 dresses a pair of shoes and a bijoux (necklace). So much for not spending any money LOL - but it was great. Feel like a new woman!! He bought himself some RayBan sunglasses.

My son got off the tube two stops before me with his new t-shirt and shorts in a bag ready to meet a friend and go straight off to the beach! - ah what a life.

This market is open Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday mornings - I will be back!

How to get round your Ebay Ban ...

2008-07-16T06:14:00.000-07:00

Forget paying 20 pounds for the information in an e-book - if you like what you read below, please click on one of my adsense links on this page.

So, you are reading this because you have probably been banned from Ebay like I was a couple of times... mostly totally my own fault selling my old designer goods without the receipts so the ebay police think that they are dodgy. And then the last shutdown was totally unfair - awarded by four bad feedbacks - from the same buyer who wanted me to reduce my postage by an unreasonable 23 euros.

So can we start again?
YES

1. You need to clear the cookies on your PC first.

On your internet browser to to TOOLS - CLEAR PRIVATE DATA - and check - CLEAR COOKIES..

This gets rid of the massive 59 cookies that Ebay manages to set on your system.

2. Get a new email account

Use hotmail or yahoo, simple and free

3. Get a new paypal account

Use your new email address to open a new paypal account.
(Add a new bank/credit card so that you will be able to trade on Ebay - if you only have one bank card you will need to go into your old paypal account, empty your funds and close the old paypal account with that card attached before you continue)

4. Open a new ebay account

Use the new email address, the new paypal account and you should be up and running straight away.

After all these times of being banned and trying to reopen my account by getting one or the other of the above sorted out - I realise that you DO need to go back to the root and delete the cookies and get new everything to proceed on Ebay without incurring repeat problem within 48hrs or so.

BUT - HEY IT WORKS - AND MY INFO IS FREE - PLEASE CLICK MY ADSENSE IF YOU LIKED THIS!

France Telecom - "Extreme Shopping"

2008-07-10T03:41:00.000-07:00

WOAH - this is "extreme shopping" - to buy something from France Telecom. It should be like one of those Japanese game shows, to see how much humiliation you can endure in one shop!

I bought a simple item from France Telecom yesterday, queued for an hour to get served, then it took about half an hour to process the sale on their computer system and then when i left the shop I was told, it will activate in the next hour or so.

Waited for the rest of the day, the night and the next morning went down there again. Big queue, at least 5 people in front wanting to buy stuff, so took my not working item to the desk and explained that I have actually been waiting nearly 24hrs seems a little unfair to wait 2 more while they sell some more stuff that doesnt work.

A man came out with some bingo tickets to organize the queue, he gave me the first ticket, then proceeded to the rest of the people, gave them out tickets and came back to me and said that I would be served after the rest as I came in last - despite the fact mine is an after sales problem and that I queued yesterday. I suggested that he organized the queue into after sales problems and new sales as it might be a bit fairer - he looked at me like an alien.

Waited best part of an hour, then when it was my turn, they tested everything, re-registered it and told me it will work in the next 24hrs (but they all looked uncertain that this was reality). I said that its not good enough to leave me like this, petrol and time are expensive and I will not leave the shop without a piece of paper that gives me the right to jump the queue if there is the need to go back to the shop again.

Oh this was a big problem - the alien wants something from outside of the box ! - but in the end the manager signed something and I have left it like this. They expected me to say thanks and be happy - even though the item I bought, that has already taken up 4 hours of my time, is STILL NOT WORKING and now I must wait 24hrs and still there is still a big chance I may need to go back to the shop and do it all again!

Talk about banging your head against brick wall some days!

grrr

PART TWO:
Called Orange this evening as I just can't imagine going back to the shop and keeping myself composed - they said the card is not registered properly and there is nothing I can do but go back to the shop, call Orange while I am in there, and don't budge until its fixed...
I have a plan - to go in - they will recognise my alien self (and anyway I have my priority queue jump ticket from this morning) - I will leave them with the problem to sort out and tell them what the Orange man said tonight, go to Lidl's and shop, then come back and call the man, if they haven't fixed it... (which you already kind of know they won't have, they will put it to one side until I get back most probably)

grr - how can buying a small item take up so much time and effort? only in this land!

How to get a rental property in Marseille...

2008-07-09T12:37:00.000-07:00

It is really difficult to do anything in a timely fashion in France
and it is practically impossible to do anything without a lot of paperwork and hassle. Renting a house here is no exception. I think someone needs to give out some real advice, so before you decide to rent a house in Marseille - read on...

People are snapping up rentals before they are even on market - most houses get rented out by word of mouth and are never ever with an agent or in a paper. By the time the property gets on any on websites - it is usually already let.

I spent a few weeks viewing, I would see a house in the morning and be told that I must say yes or no by 12 midday or there would be no chance etc etc

THEN when we have finally found somewhere thats ok..
there is the dreaded paperwork:

These are the documents they want:

copy of passports for all adults to live in house
letter of reference from existing landlord
receipts of last years rent from existing landlord
copy of all tax documents
proof of last three years salary
copy of electric bill
copy of insurance
bank details
direct debit order
big three page form

and the dreaded - can only be a french thing -
BANK CAUTION* this i will explain in more detail:
to get the bank caution alone,
i have to handwrite some two page document and we both sign and send to the bank
the new landlord has to write a project plan for it and a long handwritten letter also which we both have to sign and send to the bank - then i give them a years rent (yes more than 15 grand) and they put it in a holding account at the bank in case we do a runner or dont pay for some months. AND its not free, they are likely to charge us a few hundred euros per annum for the pleasure of letting them have our money in a blocked account - i really dont like it! On top of this there is also a caution - a deposit of two months rent. AND WE STILL HAVE TO PAY THE RENT ON TOP OF THAT

Its madness - its like buying a place - to put 15 grand down in an account and be unable to use it?!? Only the french.

This is just to secure a new place to rent in france - headache mad paperwork - its taken me a few whole days to get this lot in order, copy it all and I will still wait a further week or so to find out if it will be accepted by the landlord's insurance company. It was quicker and easier and less paperwork to buy all of the houses we have ever had here. Much!

Meanwhile the current landlord is getting didgy and wants to be sure we will comply to french law, which we of course will, not by paying the 3 months notice, but by telling him that we can reduce the 3 months to just 1 (some loophole in french law that thankfully I have been able to find) as long as hubby has lost his job and got a new one, which thankfully he has!

Phew! - got to go and do a bit of filing now - all this paperwork creates a whole heap of paper and needs a fair few minutes of filing!

Fingers crossed for getting the bank caution and getting into the new house!!!

My Son has passed the "BREVET"

2008-07-08T10:28:00.000-07:00

Great news - Jordan has passed his Brevet. An examination taken at age 15 at the end of college before Lycee. I am really pleased and pleasantly surprised that he passed. His results are (thankfully) accumulated - obviously top marks in English and surprisingly very good marks in French too...

Phew! He was really laid back and it took at lot of hard "parenting" to get him to start revising properly - but well worth the effort and the look on his face tonight!

France - Life beyond the croissants...

2008-06-24T00:51:00.000-07:00

Sometimes from our sleepy villages and slow siestas the world could almost pass us by.. thats why its not a bad idea to find out whats going on in the news from time to time - to remember we are in 2008, living in a supposedly democratic society, its an olympic year and many people in the world are at still at war, suffering terrible famine or fighting the backlash of natural disaster.

China are boycotting Carrefour after the fiasco with getting the olympic torch through Paris. They have over 100 hypermarkets in China so this will undoubtedly affect finances. There have already been protests outside some of the stores and the Chinese are taking it as a very serious insult from France.

Nicolas Sarkozy (Mr Boombastic for those of you who watch Headcases - The new spitting image) is not helping the situation with his refusal to rule out a boycott of the opening ceremony. But Im sure his wife will look good in her kimono eh!?

And sadly, just last night half a ton of canabis was seized coming here to the South of France from Morrocco... in a helicopter! - these guys are high tech and they have money to jet set in private helicopters - I am surely in the wrong game with my green fingers! 600000 euros worth of smoke that will not be hitting the streets of Marseille and Cannes this summer - bit of a shame for the mellow laid back vibe really!

Well off out to the real Marseille, to face the long queue in the supermarket even at the swipe and go counter - I actually think they have programmed their checkouts and tills to work slower to suit their pace of life.. Next stop this morning to get some forms filled out by various members of the community (doctor, mairie, bank, insurance - this is just to get an application for my son to get to Lycee in September - though you really would have thought this would be mandatory, and perhaps done for you in the education system - oh no! another folder of paper commences! lol)

oooh oh oh got to go - everything still shuts at 12 you know! and soon it won't reopen til 3pm because of the intense heat! ah siesta life!

Sex and the City Film 2008

2008-06-13T13:20:00.000-07:00

First and foremost... Thankyou Screamish..
Your comment follows: (for anyone who needs a catchup..)

"Oh yes...the European Cup...I am also suffering..tonight is Italy I think, so I'll know what to expect (another night reading a book in the bedroom)!

I CANT TAKE ANY MORE SPORT!!!!"

I almost love you already LOL - here I am wondering very little about if France will beat Italy or whoever it is tonight, and just really wondering how many other wives and girlfriends will be cleaning out their closet, washing their hair, or generally hiding in the bedroom, occasionaly making trips to the fridge and wine cellar!?

74 minutes in and i hear shouts of "aaaw gawsh" and "(some other banned words too)" as Holland (yeah i told u i wasn't even sure who was playing!) score again against France !! 3 - 1 now I think.

There is no loyalism in my house - especially toward the lazy french.. I'm pretty sure whoever France are playing, my boys are supporting the opposition - maybe because England are not in it, though they dont even get all Patriotic with England, I think in the World Cup my son supported Brazil and hubby Camaroon!!! Who really cares though? Let us not forget it is just a game with a ball.

I did hear some earlier comments, on one of my refill runs, to the tune of "he must be having trouble with his girl man, look how he is playing, i have never seen him so bad, he isnt getting anything..." or similar.. I guess thats an international cuss? hey why not blame the other sex?

Well, the good news is that I have medicine for us Football Widows:

Watched the new Sex in the City film tonight - its a MUST, I won't spoil the plot for those of you have had not yet had the pleasure, Just to say its a MUST MUST MUST - Im now wondering how to afford 400 dollar shoes every week and how I can get Carrie's new walk in - its to die for!... when you watch the film and you know my life, you will know it brought up lots of other emotions in my life about love, committment, relationships and friends.. I will watch it again for sure!

There are times I feel like Carrie, other times Miranda and often Samantha, never like Charlotte though, oh so pretty nearly perfect Charlotte!

Maybe later tonight if I get a chance to control the TV!

Get it on a torrent x An ABSOLUTE Must have for 2008! Like a LV Bag.

Climate Change

2008-06-10T00:58:00.000-07:00

So far this year has been a big let down on the Sun front - We seem to be ever expectant that summer is here and the weather is breaking, or soon will be - Sadly, summer seems to have been really good at "cache-cache" (hide and seek). We are normally baking and burning near the Med from around the end of March, popping down to the beach from then until October. This year I have been to the beach for two hours between thunder storms and that's it!

Lately: There has been so much rain, inches and inches of the stuff, small lakes have appeared in normally drout striken gardens, lush greenery replaces sandy earth and barren dry grass. The ferocity of the electric storms, though wonderful to watch, has sometimes been quite frightening and the noise of the thunder some amount of decibels. The wind coming from Africa has been said to leave deposits of sand in swimming pools, it has moved and removed items from the garden and blown some washing into the abyss... Our climate has definitely changed.

Speaking quietly: Today is in fact a scorcher, just sat outside having my coffee at 8:45am burning in my jeans - but scared to change, as every time I have changed into something that I could tan my legs in - the big black clouds appear and the heavens open. I won't tempt fate for everyone today, staying in my jeans heading to the supermarche!

Lets hope the Sun really has his hat on and is out to play for the whole summer starting from now!!!

Holidays

2008-06-09T08:10:00.001-07:00

I have missed updating my blog whilst I was working earlier in the year. And then hubby had time off too, so you know there was no time for blogging!

So back in April I learned to ski at La Joue de Loup - a little resort in the Alps a couple of hours drive from here - it was greeeat!

My beautiful daughter turned six years old - we celebrated with a party at Macdonalds.

I bought a little BEACH Apartment for holidays and rentals...
... and made a little website:

CHECK IT OUT... 20% DISCOUNTS AND MORE - JUST ASK ME!

Football Widows

2008-06-08T12:56:00.000-07:00

Here we are again... What is it? - the Champions League - No no no, thats finished and apparently it's the end of the season HOORAY us women say
But hang on, there is still tons of football on the telly - So really the end of the season just means the UEFA European Championship is starting!!! It's not the end of the season... is there ever an end or is it just like a mirage on the desert horizon?

My man will be here at home, or at work and away, and SOOOOOO glued to the telly that we will only get to have sex, (that will be if the team he is supporting does win, if they don't - maybe rough sex or probably just forget it LOL! ) Its madness, the meals, kids homework, trips to the laverie, supermarket and Everything (with a capital E) will now revolve around the UEFA timetable!

I can understand we all have a passion for our hobbies - For example I love to paint, but its something I would do by myself, not inflicting it on the family - not something that changes the whole routine and involves a lot of noise and jumping off the sofa from time to time...?!? (you know what I mean girls!?)

From a lady who was not born like Helen on Soccer AM, and has never really had a passion for the WHOOOAAAAR GWAAAN MY SON OOOH WHAT A SHOT kinda stuff, I find football a right pain in the "slender brown would love to show it off in a thong... side".

What gets my goat the most is the money thing... they earn HOW MUCH? and they do what really and truly..? what.. they play a game with a ball, is that IT? - my kids could do that from about 8 months... !!

All this transfer, buy a player and keep him on the side kind of rubbish.. The only thing football clubs could be (possibly) good for in my eyes is shares.. and even those are hard to come by. I tried to buy some Liverpool shares for my "waiting after 15 years still to be husband" recently and they were impossible to purchase.. if anyone knows how to get them please tell me now.

Yes all this money getting paid to players who do nothing, some of them have been sacked and they still get paid megga bucks - its ridiculous really. I mean good luck to them and their wives (especially their wives - how many Jimmy Choo's and Manolos could a day's money buy? that would be like heaven I suppose!) but look at all the supporters and the people who watch on TV from their 1 bedroom council flat.. is it really fair that football heros kick a ball and get that versace outfit in a minute? Really? Please can someone justify this for me.

So for the next month or two, a football widow I am, please feel free to email me direct at: ypountney@hotmail.com and we can compare notes.. I'll print your dillemmas too on here as more evidence against the game!!!

Gone - to flick between UEFA/Tennis/F1 and Cricket - oh what a "superb" choice! LOL

Monet or Monet

2008-05-26T11:27:00.001-07:00

Which one is the real one? Can you tell?

Amsterdam Boat Holiday

2008-02-23T03:41:00.000-08:00

Arriving in Amsterdam from Eindhoven was fine, plenty to see on the train journey, a real peaceful feeling warmed inside me when I saw the flat fields rolling away for miles, the windmills and familiar flowers. Met by my partner, who has been working there for six months now and has his own apartment, situated just one tram from central station or a hundred yards from his local coffee shop, he kindly brought supplies: some food and a large spliff for the train.

I have visited "The Dam" several or twenty times before, mostly in harder times when my partner's sister and I have scraped together our giros, got the ferry, and driven over from UK, sleeping the night in my old beemer: -4 degrees and big duvets, all for the love of our herbs.

Never before had i visited Amsterdam as a tourist with children in tow, but for me I was really just happy to be there. We exited the train for the metro and dragged our cases out at his nearest stop, where there were thousands upon thousands of bikes parked up at the station. A short walk later and we were in his cosy apartment, kids exploring while parents smoking.

Next we popped to the market (see separate shopping in Amsterdam Blog!)

That evening we slept at the Novotel, just minutes walk from the apartment but with enough space for us all to sleep comfortably. Returning to the apartment for breakfast, more playing and smoking. In fact a nice family sunday chillout, which to be honest, is something we really miss while Daddy is away so often.

After lunch we checked into our canal boat, where we were staying for the rest of the week. A huge boat, just 5 minutes from central station, with a picnic bench on the roof. Inside was clean and tastefully decorated with a huge living area (or dance studio as my 5 year old declared) and a bedroom at each end of the boat, one ensuite.

After a short time of unpacking we were off for a walk into town, buying some sweets and treats for the kids (to sustain the moaning of car-bred children having to walk for more than 100m at a time).

We were really lucky with the weather as the sunshine had followed us from Marseille. I could have walked for hours, taking it all in, the shops, the hustle bustle, the cosmopolitan mixture of people buzzing past. After an hour or so we stopped for some refreshment, coffee for us and hot chocolate to warm the children. It was a sports cafe, that happened to also be a coffee shop (how convenient!). Of course we enjoyed the smoke (at a separate table), and the children enjoyed resting their feet, colouring and tv for a while. We only stopped twice like this for half an hour during the whole week... was this such a bad thing (please see the article from hubby's blog... entitled Are we the new McCann's)

Next Day we hired bikes, one for Jordan and one for me with a large wooden box on the front, for Kelisse to sit in and our picnic/munchies .. (to fight the cold I put her in a holdall with her fur coat covering her knees and she loved it). We whizzed about for a few hours, up and down canals, passing Anne Frank's house and some other attractions on our way. Lunch at the boat, sitting on top, feeding the ducks and passing seagulls, sipping wine and smoking a head... really chilled out.

In the afternoon we headed for the zoo park, but found that our legs were failing us somewhat, after several years without much exercise to walk and cycle two consecutive days was taking its trial, and we decided to hit the supermarket, forget the zoo and head back... The bike piled high with shopping and child proved too much for me, so my young, fit son had to take over the pedalling challenge - at this point i realised that I really had been doing a work out all day - as his bike was light as a feather and it felt like i was in flight all the way back!! If I lived in Amsterdam I would definitely use a bike all the time.

Late that day we met my partner after work in the lively Waarmerstraat again, where this time Kelisse had Egg and Chips in our favourite coffee shop.. (this was the second and final visit to a coffee shop for me). We wandered back to the boat through the streets of the red light district, an eye opener for my 15 yr old Im sure, but hell, the way we look at it, its better for your kids to have knowledge of the temptations in life with our introduction and explanation, rather than fumble along later and getting into a whole heap of problems. During the walk, I don't actually think my daughter noticed the girls in the windows, she was too busy counting bikes, canals, lampposts and all the other distracting conversations that I engineered. Got back, and I cooked Red Thai Curry.

Next morning we rose early to be first in the queue at Anne Frank's house. It was quite a long walk, much further than it looked on the map, maybe 40 minutes or so, but we didn't have to queue and I think we all enjoyed the experience and gained a little knowledge of what it was like during the war for the Jewish community. The kids had their pre-printed questionnaires that I did for them, giving me the space to take it all in and read my way around the museum in peace.

At lunchtime we met Daddy from his workplace, meeting a couple of colleagues, which left me thankfully with even more inspiration and more bells ringing for me to do my own sites, as these guys are making their thousands from private websites, and have houses in paradise already - they are going to work for? ..fun? i suppose!

That evening we ate at the Pancake Bakery - a nice place, which offered a delicious choice of sweet or savoury pancakes, though the service could have been a little quicker.

On the final day we went to the Nemo Centre (see separate blog entry)

Sad to leave Amsterdam, and certainly could have stayed for the whole week, (even with kids). Before we travelled, I was aprehensive about finding enough things for us to do all week. But now I realise it was a great city to visit, with or without children and will definitely be saving up for another stay on the boat this year.

Amsterdam Shopping

2008-02-23T02:29:00.001-08:00

What heaven it was to find the market near to CentreBaum... like how East Street used to be in the better days before it went downhill. An abundance of boots, clothes, watches, handbags, underwear, cosmetics and traditional stuff too. A really lively market, where you could get just about anything for a very decent bartered price. Of course my partner had already bought an abundance of things for me, so we browsed only and decided to come back to that market and those shops later in the week. In fact there are several great shopping areas in Amsterdam, of which we only explored this one, so I always have another excuse to go back to this city.

On returning to the market, Tuesday, I managed to buy 2 pairs of boots, 2 pairs of shoes, a dress, skirt, several tops, some jewellery and a few other bits.... It was SUPERB! Forgot to buy presents and postcards - does that make me shallow?
(sorry to all family and friends - but i hell i look good LOL)

Ryan Air - Broken Belt

2008-02-22T16:14:00.001-08:00

Getting up at 4am to fly at 6.55 is bad enough, but when you get to the airport in good time (just after 5am), there is no way you expect to have to run for the flight, worrying that you may miss it... But that IS what happened.

If you are familiar with Stansted you will know that zone H has around 20 check in desks and serves mostly Ryan Air flights. On the morning of our flight their baggage belt broke, sending chaos among the airport supervisors, clearly completely inequipped to deal with any incident of this type.

They had asked passengers to form an orderly queue and had begun passing bags manually through to the outsized baggage area. The queue was easily 300-400 passengers long and we waited patiently at the end for at least 15 minutes.

Though soon seeing that there was no organization and knowing it to be unlikely for RyanAir to delay any flights, I decided to DO something. I instigated a Ryan Air Riot LOL, I got my cases and went to the front of the queue, with another family in tow and a few taggers on from our check in desk - and I stormed the front of the queue. Yes people shouted as expected "oi luv, ye canye do that, weve been waiting ages" etc etc.

I just replied "Its called being pro-active, you can wait ages if you like, but your plane won't wait for you, and me personally, im not waiting to miss my flight"

With this we fled to security and blagged our way through the fast track system and sprinted to the gate - just making our flight.

The flight was still delayed an hour as someone else didn't make it and their bags had to be offloaded, but thankfully and very surprisingly our cases did get there with us on same flight this time!

Another Right Royal Ryan Air Mess up!

London Office

2008-02-22T15:54:00.000-08:00

Scheduled a day in the office en route to my Amsterdam holiday, at the start of the French school holidays, to coincide with NHS Doctors and Dentists appointments (that multi tasking thing never lets up!)

Having never known anyone to wear much other than ripped jeans and hoodies in the office, i donned my best prada lookalike jeans, new boots, matching dior t shirt and top, then a few other layers (as UK is roughly 7 degrees colder than Marseille) and took a taxi to Witham station in the dark.

As you commuters know, its like an expert thing to know which sign or flower pot to stand opposite to have any chance of getting near enough to the doors of the train to acquire a seat for the 40 minute ride into the city. I am that expert and had no problem getting a seat.

Arrived on schedule for my first meeting - at Mcdonalds: the 8.15 hash brown, egg muffin and a copy of the Metro... (France may have great croissants but they don't do McDonalds breakfasts).

9am meeting with my boss - (obviously I wouldn't want to forfiet my job by disclosing top secret company details here), but needless to say that my boss has engineered a couple of not too testing projects for me, that I am happy to run with.. whilst still working from home in South of France on London money!

Coming into work really was like meeting old friends, hugs for Dara and pleasantries with the new faces.. though within half an hour, once the fresh croissants were all out on the plate and coffee in hand, we were like old friends too... I find it so refreshing to be around like minded people, and even noticed their dress sense had smartened up quite a lot now in the main building! (much less rips)

The new faces in my team couldn't have been more welcoming - designer who has lived in France for 4 years and has a couple of houses here and a developer who is obviously well set up too. In case I never mentioned it, im a developer, building websites. My colleagues spent the rest of the morning showing me pictures of their houses and we talked cars and geeky stuff about how to get around the new download laws and the internet costs - it was great.

Then lunch with my boss and my friend Dara. Great food in a nice little restaurant in Bourough. Two bottles of chardonnay, talk of finding investment properties and a taker for the Private Island Deal (see previous entry) later we returned to the office!

2 coffees, a croissant, more talking about geeky stuff and my day at work drew to a close, quite sad to be leaving so soon really. So sad that I managed to stay for their regular Friday Wine Down to finish off the day :)

Smiling Hard on the train home, knowing I have to make this project extend into something more longterm... then life could be really sweet!

What a great start to my holiday in Amsterdam - really feel like I will enjoy it!

Back to work… Marseille style

2008-02-08T17:09:00.000-08:00

I know that when you act and think positive things it is true that good things happen to you…

Well, now I’m working from home for a bit, the same same contract website work from London without the grey sky. Fantastic, what I have always thought COULD happen while living out here but never has. A short contract but enough for a taste, something I won’t give up easily and perhaps a chance of extension or future work (after the long summer on the beach)!

So, what IS it like to work from home in the South of France – watch this space and I will let you know – so far so good – no pressure for the first week AND probably some hectic days to come will compensate for that…

As UK don’t really log on until 10am my time and certainly not really chatty til 11 ish (midday my time) – And, bearing in mind I'm up and free from early – like mid-dream for people in the UK…

My week went like this…

Monday – everything I wanted to do, as didn’t have any logon – Nails, shopping, Ikea...

Tuesday – 2 mins on MSN, wardrobe clearout, complete clean through

Wednesday – 5 mins on MSN, Taxi-mum, theatre show, Chronicles of Narnia movie

Thursday – Centre of Marseille to get Jag plates and car service - 2 mins MSN + 2 min phone call –

Friday – Yes got logon, also 4 washes, bleached the bathroom and got the metro to town to look at a lycee, still managed to access all the databases, get a brief and have idea of the project b4 weekend.

Also managed to find time to chase everybody for everything – this is France no further explanation should be required on that one.

To set up a network, buy a video camera, check out dishwashers, look for some holidays, plan a paradise island, nurture/discipline children, speak to mates, book flights, some other stuff and even meet a man about a .. erm dog..

Anyway – phew hard week at the office LOL…!!!

SOMETIMES I REALLY LOVE I.T. – no really I DO!!!

Is PARADISE within our reach?

2008-02-08T15:55:00.000-08:00

A bit like the show on telly without the eco friendly too much, I'm looking satellite connection, wifi on the beach! We want to enjoy this place it will be Paradise - as it already is - certainly a better view and weather than we have right now in Europe!

Yes of course it’s a risk, isn't everything in life? It’s the man who never took a risk that never fell over or got hurt, he never experienced life - me, I like to take a few knocks along the way but hell I am going to enjoy IT ALL....

So this is Project Paradise V style

I have found an Islan in Bahamas with a LAGOON... its awesome You will in just a few moments have all the access and rights to rush ahead and buy it outright without me ... if that’s what you want... of course i will be gutted, but I’m thinking that you can see my honesty by offering the REAL URL and telling you how it is EXACTLY.. i only profit from having a piece of island like you at the end - nothing extra! (hell - i may even ask for some help with the paperwork here and there)

My plan involves a few sensible earners who really are in the 5% of us that know whats happening to dip in their pockets and say - yeah thats a good investment. And then we will all have a piece of paradise... I am totally for real - ask anyone who already knows me!

Depending on the bids/offers/considerations (we are friends/associates don’t forget that - this is for paradise) and depending upon the level of serious interest, I will find a way to make this work..

I should already assure that the highest bidder is guaranteed acceptance... after that We will, with legal assistance, decide if its possible to run co-ownership or some timeshare and part ownership possibilities, or whatever paperwork it takes to make this PARADISE happen .....

So .... let me know what you think...? – Don’t worry about the price remember I HAVE A PLAN... that will pay all the mortgages... and give profit! A superb investment.

Owning an Island in the Bahamas

http://www.privateislandsonline.com/little-hog-cay.htm

If UR interested in PARADISE send me a comment or an email and I will explain the deal further... just remember its not out of our reach, nothing is , we are all human, the same...X

Over n Out

Paradise Possy

Mad Wednesday Schedule

2008-02-06T14:33:00.000-08:00

My Mad Wednesday Schedule

On Wednesday’s – when the rest of the parents with primary school age children whom do not have school on Wednesdays get to have a bit of extra time in bed… I’m up – earlier than the rest of the week.

I love my life, especially when its full and busy and at the end of the week or month I can easily see what has been achieved in my life and with my family.

6:30 Tea in bed

6.45 Peeling mango, chopping pineapple for a fresh smoothie - appreciating sunrise in South of France

6.55 Quick carpet sweep

7.00 Breakfast and chat about what’s happening today with my 5 year old

7.20 Clean the microwave, liquidizer, coffeemaker, kettle, sink, tout!

7.30 Showering us both and cleaning the bathroom

8.00 Tidying up and theatre practice

8.45 Sitting in the chemin outside our house wondering why it takes 25 French guys and three large vehicles (blocking the exit) to cut down just 3 or 4 trees…. Explained I need to come in and out three or four times this morning and they said – sorry they are not there to amuse themselves – slowly they moved the vehicles and I got away at

8.50 Drop Kelisse off at theatre for a final rehearsal

9.10 Arrive back at the house and decide to ascend to the house up a rickety track to avoid the tree men – walk up to check the post box and the certificate of conformity is here from jag, go in and copy it and study it a bit.

9.15 scan sons mock exam results and put them on personal page for hubby to see

9.20 ah coffee and logon – quick email and blog update

9.22 make beds

9.25 contact the Narbonne Marie to check she has sent the compromise du vente

9.30 makeup and video camera check – batteries etc

9.45 leave again (down the rickety track exit) to go see the theatre show

9.55 arrive at Theatre and converse in French about the kids etc for 5 mins

10.00 The show – where my daughter is mother hen (with a fantastic chicken suit mummy made from a sheet and a few other bits and bobs) the show lasts actually 5 minutes and is run 2.5 times due to it not being up to scratch according to the teacher!!

10.50 Quick chat with one of the parents who is building a website for his wife’s hairdressers, mostly in flash but might need some techy advice.. swapped emails

Reminded me a lot of one of T’s friends, and spoke very good English, must make those two link up next time T is back.

11.00 Quick refreshments and change Kelisse’s clothes, run to the hall at the back and set her off into Twae Kwondo

11.15 Drove up to the hill to see the sea and take a few sun drenched photos of the jag. (Just cannot stand the thought of driving down the chemin and disturbing those treecutter road workers (now about 25 in total with big sand pile, i can see as i drive past) twice in twenty minutes no no no... sun and jag photos rock

12.00 Back as parent taxi again, having picked up from Twae Kwondo – yes still using the track (cannot imagine the wear on my 200e/each tyres)

12:30 Prepare lunch with left hand, surf on laptop, checking for access or work, with right hand- have lunch together

12.37 Flicked on the hotpot for tonight’s dinner

13:00 Poppet playing outside mummy cleaning the kitchen and looking for holidays and filing the bank statements and bills that have arrived this week and updating accounts file.

13:30 Quick update with Daddy on MSN, called Jaguar to check on a detail of the paperwork and decide to head off to the prefecture.

14:00 Leave for the metro… get there cannot park within about a mile of the place… decide to drive into town and park in the underground car park…

14.20 get 2 mins towards the centre of Marseille and realize that it the greves – the strikes and the whole 8 lanes 2 way motorway into Marseille is blocked with taxi’s… decide its not the best day to head down town and head back home.

15:00 get back, Kelisse happily making me tea (muddy water) and stones (biscuits)

I’m happy putting the video clips on, baking for later in the week, cleaning the bathroom, trying to continue my networking and a few other bits…

15.45 Moi decide to clear out my room and have all the ebay stuff out and reorganize it all, whilst popping out to have tea, and chatting with T and my boss once or twice…

16:00General tidy for Kelisse, instructed by me while I did my own tidying in my hotmail and around the house...

16.30 Watch Chronicles of Narnia with Kelisse (and finish up tidying my room in the less scary sections) Popped out a couple of times when it wasn’t a scary bit to clear up etc…

18:00 got some salad ready and served up the lamb hotpot with mint sauce

18.30 washed up cleaned the kitchen, let Kelisse watch TV after tidying her stuff (supervised)

19.00 supervised madam to get to bed, wash, brush teeth, etc

19.05 swept the kitchen

19.15 read story

19.30 say prayers goodnight

19.31 clean the bathroom and toilet

19.35 glass of wine and time to have a smoke

19.40 online email checking work, msn everything

19.45 setting what’s on TV Real-time tonight and what do I want to download…

Proposed:

20.00 A quick Porno moment for my hubby then

Laptop and TV – soon Music… music and music and then

21.00 10 mins MSN with son about coming home tomorrow arrangements mostly.

22.30 Tea and Book

23.30 Sleeping….

A day in the life of…Marseille Mum!

You could check hubby’s blog on the link below to see how his hard day\s at work are. not that im in any competition or in any doubt about how us women can multi-task, in fact im sure I have left loads of bits out!!!

Beach Apartment

2008-01-28T05:55:00.000-08:00

WOW, my WAG life isnt too bad. Left Marseille after theatre and twau kwondo, hit the road about 12:30. Spent the afternoon having a bbq on a boat of a friend of mine's on the Canal du Midi. Great experience, just how you imagine it to be, tree lined canal!

Kids running round fine and us enjoying an aperatif and some bbq food sitting mostly whilst watching a beautiful sunset in this sleepy part of france... fantastic!

Started early today, viewed 20 apartments. Isnt it always the first u see u buy.. the first agent took me to a nice place with sea view just, and a pool, great place fresh with mezzanine and bedroom.

Narbonne Plage/St Pierre la mer.. beautiful unspoilt beaches for miles and miles.. sandy no big waves just perfect south of france beach and that is .. perfect for me!

Stopped to eat blue shark and chips at the local port bar creperie tabac u name it we dow it store. Mulled it all over and viewed some more then went back and made an offer on the above pool apartment a short walk from the glorious beach.

Phew.. 5:30 with a three hour journey ahead of me, i stopped at the park for my so patient, handled the whole day 20 viewings, in and out of strange cars, tired but keep seeing beach and pool but cant go on beach or pool, poor little princess having to have a day off sick and trail round with me.. but she did it.

Today was a good day and I managed to speak french all day, even now some of the things i want to say i dont know, have to think twice how to say that in English.

Thoughts

2008-01-22T17:12:00.000-08:00

I know not many people are going to understand this feeling inside me that enables me to forgive a man who may not in everyones eyes deserve to be forgiven. But its a love greater than that that flows and flows and gushes and makes it all worthwhile - a happiness from within to to the outside. Without it i feel like a normal human, with it I am empowered beyond this life to do WHATEVER i want to do, to really see myself acheiving everything i ever wanted and more for the betterment of myself and my family. I got to make it work - i know i love this man and this is the way.

This moment when i am waiting on my beach front apartment to come through, my s type jaguar to roll up, a job thats in limbo but im sure could work very well... im still very happy and confident - strollin in life, striving for the best no matter what the weather. (which incidentally in Marseilles is pretty good, very sunny at this time of year but windy)

Theres nothing more than i could ask for my whole family to be happy and me to be working partly in Marseille and partly in London, driving Jaguar S and visiting my beach apartment in Narbonne - wicked! Got to sleep on that thought and about do i deserve this...? im already sure i do... :)

Weekend Investment Property Search

2008-01-22T00:04:00.000-08:00

Another weekend jolly - thats what its like when you live in the centre of Europe, you are served by some of the best autoroutes in the world and you aren't restricted by living on an island!

I popped down to my favourite beach area of the south of france... some seven kilometre beach, just south of Montpellier, that is so wide it never feels crouded. I have been searching for the perfect property to use during the summer months, rent out, and basically to become a better growth investment than the small interest that money gains in the french banks.

Driving down Friday, and staying in a Hotel Etap - always handy, and in fact perfect accommodation for three people, as they always have a double bed with a single bunk above.

Up early and looking at a few properties - none of which were perfect for the purpose required but nonetheless the information gained from the estate agent was worthwhile.

After that, picking up a friend in a small village between Narbonne and Carcassonne, we toiled our way up the mountain hairpins to look at a car that i saw on Ebay - but alas it wasnt to be.

Had a good gossip and catchup with my friend, and a Mairie of a mountain village whom we know very well, god thats like therapy in itself. Returned to Marseille Sunday, in fact the drive back from her place took only 2.5hrs, so am making a mental note to see more of eachother in future months.

More property searching this week and hubby looking at cars.

Summary - Positive Week

I realise that flowers need watering and maybe thats just how it is for us women sometimes.

I also remembered that its good to clear out your basement - all those old bills and paperwork - rubbish really - reduced to a handy little lever arch file - phew what a clean up! After that things are easy - life seems simplified - see it big keep it simple

Spent a mad weekend on a mission searching for a beach investment property and a car. Neither is in the bag but im so much further forward having fully utilised the weekend viewing properties and going for one car (that didnt work out).

WAG again

2008-01-14T12:39:00.000-08:00

I had a difficult and doubtful Christmas starting 2008 with a few too many question marks but…

After a good deal of moaning, thought, wine and Martell. I’m feeling like a WAG again.

Spent a superb weekend being spoilt and treated, staying in a top hotel suite overlooking Marseille Port with partner and the kids in their own suite.

Fantastic to wake up and see the famous fish market going on on the Vieux Port quayside, people strolling around for coffee or over to their boats, a great Marseille atmosphere on a Sunny Sunday morning in January.

Still smiling.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

2008-01-14T12:38:00.000-08:00

In our relationships we have the Good, or we wouldn’t be there.

In most relationships we have the Bad, sometimes a little, sometimes a lot

And when we see the Ugly … something has to change…

I regret the end of last year when our relationship got lost and nearly hit rock bottom to the point of no return, gee its hard enough to live apart – to LOVE apart we have to be stronger – I learned a lot about myself from this time…

Thanks to my family and friends support and my man finally appearing from his cave there is once again hope for 2008.

Xmas in UK

2008-01-14T12:13:00.000-08:00

The Xmas holidays went like a flash, doesn’t it always though?

We flew into UK and stayed with my Parents for the two weeks. Went to the village church on Christmas Eve for carols round the crib. Had a great Christmas Day with my family, 9 of us got together, presents, turkey, wine, Christmas pudding, all as good as expected and better.

We were still over for my Mum’s 65^th birthday and had a proper kid’s party for her, as she never had that when she was small. Pass the parcel, musical statues, balloon games, cakes and jelly. I think we all enjoyed it as much as Christmas day!

Visited a friend of mine at her lovely new house, her hubby and children and spent some time hanging out together. Finished up spending New Years Eve with my partners family in London – that was a great opportunity to catch up and see the London fireworks without going out!

Glad to get back in January, though it’s cold and windy in Marseille

Still more Baggage...

2008-01-14T12:00:00.000-08:00

Ryan Air having such helpful guidelines as mentioned in an earlier article. People can take 10K in hand luggage and 15k in your checked luggage.

So on our return from UK, I knew we would be overweight, so I decided to pack another suitcase and pay ten pounds for the extra case.

I tried to change the booking online, it wouldn’t let me, I tried calling but didn’t get through - so arrived at 7am at Stansted with my extra suitcase...

No, no, no, said the lady at the desk, its still only 15k per person, which you have used, so we will now charge you ten pounds for the bag and another seventy seven pounds for the weight inside it!!!

87 pounds lighter, and they even lost that bag and another within the next two hours, but that’s a whole new histoire!

I'm going to sweep my chimney on the 20th

2007-12-17T16:23:00.001-08:00

Some funnies from the past...

When we moved house in France I spent one whole very frustrating day ringing all the services, France Telecom, Internet provider, Mobile phones, EDF, Water, Local Council, EVERYONE...

I said quite clearly in my broken french
"Je ramonage le vingt Decembre"
I got little response from anyone, a few guffled chuckles, no assistance, nothing, so i went on to ask: "Je pense je besoin vous appeller pour changer mes details?"
And each and every on of then said that really wouldn't be necessary.
"Mais je ramonage" I pleaded
And they still weren't interested...

When my son got home from school I told him why I was so fed up at wasting my time and struggling on the phone all day, and that's when i realised that

Ramonage doesn't mean to move, that would have been demonage and actually I spent the whole day telling everyone i was going to sweep my chimney on the twentieth!!!!!!

Ebay Shop - Ebay warning!

2007-12-17T16:03:00.000-08:00

For about six months I have been building up a lovely little ebay Boutique as we call it here in France, selling my designer tops old and new, venturing into gadgets and electricals and finding it to be a fairly profitable way to experience all the NEW things on the market.

My shop was ticking over nicely when BANG

Ebay decided to shut me down for the sale of chanel tops.. which maybe they were counterfeit - who knows, i bought them in good faith and they were lovely garments which people were quite happily bidding on... my car was up there with bidders too...

I read on google that its almost impossible to get re-opened once this happens. But having been suspended in the past i was determined to get my account opened, sent at least 10 emails to ebay and was then instructed to send a fax confirming my details, which i did and I'm fairly happy to say...

My account has been reopened HOORAY

I am still fighting with ebay for all my adverts that i had already paid for to put up in my shop that no longer exist, watch this space for further advice...

mummyspooner (my ebay name)

Video Clip of Marseille

2007-12-17T15:53:00.001-08:00

Go check out my clip of the Old Port at the bottom of the page - I will be adding more of my favourit tourist attractions...

If you are a friend reading my blog and I took you on a tour, leave me a comment on how it was?

Airport - The Baggage Issues

2007-12-17T15:44:00.000-08:00

Should you ever travel with a woman you know she might bring too many clothes, well I'm not as bad as all that... i wouldn't say so anyway

In comparison hubby likes to travel with just his newspaper and mp4 player. Whilst when the family travel, we look like we run an import/export business, using every valuable kg and space of our hold luggage and cabin baggage, travelling with limited clothes as mum has a washing machine, but maximum wine, cheese, croissants, perfume, gin, what ever is on request! and on return to France, we travel to the maximum kgs with marmite, hardo bread, crumpets, Heinz baked beans, Charwoods anything, flavoured crisps (aah for a packet of salt and vinegar or cheese and onion!) and all our UK favourites.

I started wrapping up about 100 presents for 3 hours solid, for the family and friends in UK that I will see (hence i didn't post them), AND they all need to fit in the suitcase.. so this year its presents going over (2 cases full i think) and probably the same on the way back!

As a packing professional though, i will have the full 10ks of hand luggage each (yes even my 5 yr old will pull her share along - for about 5 minutes until my son takes over to speed up the pace) and the three suitcases ram to the brim with 15ks, might even try 16ks and don't mind having to leave two bottles of 65 cent wine at the airport with the lady on the desk, cheaper than excess and a real nice gesture as a frequent flyer (more likely to get that bottle through next time!)

RYAN AIR BAGGAGE ALLOWANCE / RULES

15KG in the hold (if you already paid for your bag)
if you didn't already pay its about 10 pounds each way (so cheaper to book it before you reach the airport)
AND
10KG in hand baggage, but no liquids and it must fit into that little metal frame (apparently)
there is no charge to take hand baggage - but you only have one piece!

TV Catchup - An expat's dream website

2007-12-17T15:29:00.000-08:00

QUICK WEBSITE REVIEW:

TV CATCHUP

A fantastic site where you can watch all the latest tv and most of a series if you want to find something you can just watch for a few hours - its great. Its free and theres no downloading necessary.. just click and watch

This site gives you Eastenders, Coronation St, basically everything from BBC ITV CH4 ITV2, all the reality shows, many kids shows too... panorama... what do you want! it really is like that!

Only small drawback is that i seem unable to enlarge the size of the feed and sometimes like now, the streaming is a bit jumpy (but hell that could be my hardware (said in an American drawl like i know what im talking about!)

www.tvcatchup.com

Go there - catch up! You don't need to live in another country to need this!

My Top 5 Reasons for Living in France

2007-12-10T17:40:00.000-08:00

In true traditional form, my TOP 5 reasons for living in France, in reverse order are as follows:

5. The delicious Croissants and many varieties of Cheese

4. The clean streets and great outlook - its less populated and more beautiful.

3. Laid back lifestyle - Beach / Scooter / Fetes - too many things to list
that come into this category and lead to a much better quality of life

2. Fine wines for 50 pence, like this nearly champagne at 65centimes - just mail me for any orders!!

AND AT THE NO 1 HOTSPOT FOR REASONS TO LIVE IN MARSEILLE:

THE SUNSHINE - we have max sunshine - yes some cold windy spells but in betwen in the sunshine you can be out on xmas day with t-shirt - sun is 90 percent of the time shining and for anyone with S.A.D. thats FANTASTIC

MY AWARD GOES TO GOD FOR PROVIDING THE SUN!

To kiss or not to kiss?

2007-12-10T17:15:00.000-08:00

That is the question..

As an english woman.. its not "comme habitude" (normal) to kiss up ten or so friends on the 50m walk from the car to the school, but im getting used to it!

So, my take on the whole kissing thing has been very laid back, only kissing when being kissed other than that offering to shake hand maybe even hug or touch arm...

And now... well im kissing
I have made a lot of new friends by applying the kissing technique, one has to apply plenty of maquillage (make-up) as a kind of protection at least double otherwise you will have a patch... and plenty of lipgloss, to ensure you stay gleeming until the bell goes...

Once acquiring a parking space, as im sure moms of the world will know is a tricky thing.. i choose to park and walk a little extra - saves headache to get out again AFTER the bell..

and make the walk maybe encountering one or two mums i met when i helped to set up the lotto - kissing freely along the way - still no blemish (thanks to my friends clinique and L'oreal)

then i arrive near to the gates, and decide which group to join, usually my core hope to be friends who all live nearby and have kids in the same class, which obviously involves eight (x2 each cheek) kisses to say hello to the group....

then we have a conversation in french which generally goes way to fast for me until one of them repeatedly asks a question like "tu a visiter la marche hier?" and i realise i should answer... and in a fluster i say something silly like OUI et NON... lol

well thats how it is.. i try to explain but i know i lost it! give it time - we still on kissing terms at least....

so to kiss - in the end - yes it breaks down barriers
but with discretion - really not into the beret whisker ones...

Apology Letter from the Government

2007-12-10T17:09:00.001-08:00

Did everyone get their apology...,.

I especially like the bit that says that they might still have the disks on their property.. but they dont know?????

hehe

Airport Taxi

2007-12-10T16:06:00.000-08:00

One of the great things about living somewhere hot if you are english is that you get a lot of visitors which is all good as i miss my friends and family like crazy.. but upon checking my diary I now realise that I have driven to the airport no fewer than 58 times this year so far - YES FIFTY EIGHT- and thats just the trips i noted... no, before you ask i am not a commercial driver, air hostess or a minicab, this to-ing and fro-ing IS just collecting our FRIENDS and FAMILY...

If i was a taxi charging around 50e a time (each way) - i would have earned some 5800euros this year... nearly a new taxi... where is that!??? lol

And coupled with the regular daily school bus and then mr weekender up the mountain.. im due a good 10 grand in fares i believe

dare i even mention the activities schedule - at what age should the children start to chip in for the petrol...??

To be honest - the last couple of weeks i have subjected my daughter to a chilly ride on the scooter to her wednesday activities - a hairy brrrrrrrrr on the 50cc hairdryer as im not brave enought to take the 125 yet, great buzz, child in between my legs, safety sitting at the front(?), and very economical - takes about 4e (2.50 pounds) to fill up the tank and that lasts all week!!!

DO ALL US MUMS FEEL LIKE THIS ABOUT THE TAXI MALARKY???? lol

all comments welcome!

La Poste ou la banque?

2007-12-10T15:13:00.000-08:00

Well.. they make me laugh..
An average day (of an ebaying mum) involves a trip to La Poste, not the quickest establishment in the world as you can imagine.. open with very strict hours and as im finding rules too...
You could be in line for up to 40 minute while people pay in 50 euros and draw out 20.. its incredible....

The gucci lady at the post office down the hill says she CANNOT send anything other than a letter at letter price... which involves a colissimmo at 4.30e minimum but the older lady at the village up the hill one can send whatever for whatever... to a point, so i may send a couple of items for 3 stamps.. like 1.62e or whatever.

Then... the next time i have to pick up an item and it happens to be down the hill so i decide to send my 2 parcels while im there... madame gucci sets some rules.. she is going to be on her own behind the counter like every afternoon and one morning so dont be coming here with more than one colissommo at a time, none of my usual 10 parctels to send... i always arrived totally organized having got the slips the last time and filled them out prior to my arrival, all she has to do is weigh and scan and add and take the money - its really not rocket science, and SHE IS A POST OFFICE AFTER ALL - but it IS too much to ask!

At this point i pinch myself and check, yes I AM IN THE POST OFFICE, and yes I HAVE WAITED HALF AN HOUR, and most of the people before me have in fact been dealing with their POSTAL bank accounts.. it hardly seems fair.

I want to send parcels and now i will be restricted to only some afternoons to do this!?

Now, mostly I only go to La Poste up the hill be i feel that they may have had their xmas lunch or met up as she has stopped accepting parcels as letters and i now have to pay the full price.

So.. i have a new scam.. i buy stamps and put them on and post things in the box outside after i have paid for the obviously too large to fit through the post box slot items. I know its silly but somehow I have to stand up for my principles and my mum always said count the pennies and the pounds will come.. though im not sure about how true this is! LOL

Nearly Noel

2007-12-10T14:36:00.000-08:00

Well for all the year's trials and tribulations im still here in the sunshine, now running my ebay business, had to find some way to make some money from home while hubby still contracting, now in Amsterdam and kids at school.

Hubby and son were home this weekend, J 15 now, and again they are back for the Liverpool vs Marseille match here tomorrow night. Xmas presents and post office runs for ebay goods in full flow, but kind of back pocket so already searching for some more prospects while hubby working away ...

Life is OK, making some more friends at the school, on kissing terms with at least 10 people, but dont really make that a habit! lol still english at heart! Firming some friendships too.

Had a few car problems, edf problems, france telecom problems, but thats life isnt it!...

tonight its just cotes de provence rose...
mmMM

Saturday - another day in the life of..

2007-11-17T15:56:00.000-08:00

Saturday - another day in the life of..

Got the car all washed and hoovered and photographed in the crispy sunshine the other afternoon - np

...have now got 6 broken fingernails though, appointment not til Tuesday but weather is still bad enough to go about with gloves on!

Got up today and helped K with some homework, then we went to the park where i had to pretend to be this and that, to get on the roundabout, you know the drill... i drew the line at climbing the tree though. Back for some playing tidying ebaying playing etc, cooking together was really good fun making up our own prawn burger idea and it worked really well...!

Nearly all my xmas shopping done, online or whatever, some ebay stuff sold and lots more bought.... going fine though and feeling quite on top of things.. even got the car online for sale (thats been on my list for a long time!)

Would like to spend some time getting my admin up to date and definitely up for swimming tomorrow morning with Kelisse.

Cant really think to write any more blog - as I think the people upstairs are perhaps playing bowling all around the house - its 1-30 am and they started around 7pm...damn

Going to finish watching my drama on bbc1 - yeh im a UK girl livin in France, wouldnt give up my uk telly though - even download east enders by torrent if i miss it!

Gnite then x

A day in the life...

2007-11-17T15:46:00.000-08:00

A normal day so far in the life of marseille mum..

just going around doing and thinking and thinking and doing..

went to the post office to send off a couple of ebay shop items and collect some - collection ok - a deisel tshirt that i thought i had been knocked on and a G-unit tag that wasnt worth what i paid for it. The items to post ok except i had completely misjudged how much one would cost and decided to come back home and ask the buyer for a few pounds more to save any loss..

next stop bank - usually a very friendly place since ive been here but a new lady was training someone on the caisse and also chatting to her friend on her mobile, so took ages to ask simple question, which resulted in me needing to have an appointment to ask! will go next thursday (this is why some things take so long here!)

next stop car wash - nah maybe not - a bit cold still after the SNOW this week - YES SNOW - first time in 3 yrs they have had it YUK..

next stop geant to check out their cheap digi picture frames - fantastic buy bought 10 - will give some as presents and sell some... back to 1, 2, 3 euro shop (which im not sure why its called this as i always spend more than 20 euros when i go there!) - bought a million small items for presents and ebay shop and came out xx euros lighter as usual... struggled across the car park who's queue was now backing up into the main road through marseille and headed home...

ok so i didnt make the car wash - so, one large cuppachino and big spliff later - got my washing up bowl out and washed it anyway - its a 15 minute job really being a convertible its only like half a car to wash - fab - job done - took photos to sell it...

only now i need to clean the inside to get a few roof down shots... am pschying myself up for phase two with another coffee and another ...

ebays going ok but need to make more profit and quicker profits.. have a few d&g jackets for sale in the next couple of days so will have to see what prevails...

no more thoughts for right now, but i like this bloggy thing... living here with no one to chat to except myself some days gives me a little outlet... clears a space for a little more thought..

gone now
to do car interior (using pledge - hope thats ok)
get the roof down and take some pics
(im sure the people who live upstairs already think im mad so it wont matter to be putting the roof down on such a frosty day)

EDF

2007-11-15T16:16:00.000-08:00

EDF probably dont actually exist, they may be Extra Dormir French - i asked them to come out and read the meter as the woman on the phone insisted that the reading could not be true, it could not be possible that we have consumed that much (now im worried and in my best french i tried to explain that i need to know if there is a problem as i dont intend to pay some huge bill if there is).

They said they couldnt possibly fit me in before the break for summer which would be may to september and gave me a date in October.

The date of the appointment came and went without their visit, i called and made another appointment, same again. Im still paying their guestimate direct debit some minimal monthly figure that they gave me and i immediately doubled.

So i guess at the next bill we may have war. This is so typical of the French, not to tell you until afterwards how much something will cost.

Hmmmmm

HOLIDAYS

2007-11-15T15:38:00.001-08:00

Its been quite a good year for holidays, so many i might accidentally miss some out...

Visited UK early in the year to work for three months returning to France every weekend and then i had my holiday fund...

May - Portugal (with a friend and her children and one of mine - very windy and not much sun, she always has bad luck with weather on holidays, in fact she was in a hurricane last time, nobody else would dare to travel with her!) July - UK, Euro Disney August - Pyrenees, Monaco September - England again, Amsterdam... yeah i do like to travel - UK for xmas.
And of course in between my many trips i have had many visitors friends and family over, so then home isnt like home as you are in holiday mood for them... great to see everyone though (two more arriving this month, mother in law just departed)

Already taking and making bookings for next year - its a good life really.... South of France with holiday options all checked.

STARTING MY BLOG

2007-11-15T15:36:00.000-08:00

I decided it was high time i had somewhere to laugh cry and share all that with the world - so i tried to join blogger, which is when i realised (heres the blond me) that i already have a blog, its just been a long time since i have posted.... didnt sound much calmer then than i am now.. but i will take it from here...
Very hard to backtrack the whole year - lifes been ok, its hads its highs and lows... some stuff still isnt fixed or sorted, but loads of other stuff has happened too...

Still Pending practical frustrations!

2007-01-08T03:35:00.000-08:00

Life in France always sounds so ideal... until you actually live it and then you have to realise the real frustrations presented to you with a country that barely manages work on a Monday and always stops between 12 and 2 every day, sometimes longer when its too hot.

When describing how french systems and administrative bodies in france work the words flow, momentum, continuity, actually getting anything done... are totally unheard of...

The practicalities of getting stuff done can be very draining.

Frustrating examples of the week - my daughter still isnt able to start the school yet - why? its all a paperwork issue...
i visited the mairies special office for people who want to register their children in schools here - this is back in December - around the 20th i think, they demanded a some paperwork, assuring me that they are open until 6pm on the friday and as long as i return with that and the special letter of radiation from her old school (which fortunately i had managed to get from the teacher on the last day of school there), yes as long as i return, they will give me the name of the school that has a place for her and all the stuff for her to start in January (TODAY)... So, i revert with everything that day before lunchtime, and they say sorry the person to sign the paper isnt available until January, i revert there again before school started (last week) to see if its been signed - oh sorry no not yet - i call today - the day she should have started at school and it MIGHT yes might get signed today....
my daughter is currently reading and writing and doing her own home schooling in her room!

The the bank - the bank who had some kind of mix up and decided to block my account before christmas, they arent sure why they did it and it was impossible for them - a small mountain branch to do anything about it - even when i phoned them the cashier said - im sorry im serving a customer you will have to call back in 10 minutes - the bank yes the bank said that!!!
I went to the local bank here and thankfully they were more than helpful and managed to deblock my account immediately. Needless to say i have changed my account - well am in the process of doing so - apparently it will take 2 to 3 weeks.

The notaire - he should be named and shamed really - Monsieur Lemarque of Belveze who took nearly four weeks to pay me the money from my house sale - who was very unattentive during the sale when i had questions that needed answering and eventually had to bypass him who was supposed to help me and go directly to the authorities concerned for help and n0w he has taken nearly a month's interest from my tidy sum - its no wonder these notaires dress from head to foot in versace huh! I have my money now and will never recommend his service to another.

EDF - after four phone calls to EDF to open my new account here they finally decide that they can manage it. WOO HOO!

France Telecom - 20 minutes passing from one number to another just to order a phone book - the direct number you need for that is 0810 810 767 - i hope i save someone 20 minutes.

There are countless other professional bodies who really should feature on this list but i need to open some more files and start some more frustrating processes now, like getting listed at the Doctors etc.

So now onto the niceties... im planning a holiday in February - looking for flights to the UK to use the family babysitting services and then my man and I are flying off somewhere warmer (without the kids) - can't wait!

First month in Mars

2007-01-03T05:54:00.000-08:00

Just about to find my feet on my second European Emigration!! We came to France as a family 3 years ago, hubby is in I.T and is always working overseas, so its me and the kids to find our way - J my son is 13, yes a typical teenager and Kelisse is 4 years old.

So we used to live in the sleepy Pyrenees, close to Spain. We bought a huge character village property on a hill and renovated it, although a great experience, not one I am planning to repeat in a hurry, and i don't want to break any more nails now! We moved because we needed a bit more life - whilst the Pyrenees is a great place to live if you are retired or havent many demands other than great wine and great scenery... we need a bit more to life - like football, dance, yoga, life and even a bit more sunshine wouldnt go a miss..

So, we are installed in Marseille.. some four hours down the coast, one of the bigger cities in France. I have found us an apartment that also overlooks vineyards, so its a bit like home from home having moved from wine country (something im becoming quite a connisseur of nowadays). Its cosy, we had to downsize and declutter and its actually been a very refreshing experience. I hadnt realised how much time and energy that old house had been eating up from me.

We had the pleasure of my husband to be (of fifteen years) company to help with the moving - The moving involved a little convoy of our cars and our moving truck taking the four hour drive (375km) from our old house. Then of course he was home to experience our first christmas here together - which was great.

Plenty of christmas cheer - presents, chocolate, mince pies, christmas pudding, cranberry and of course sprouts - this year we didnt manage to get parsnips - but no one seemed to notice!

Now we have celebrated the new year beginning and im really ready to get sorted out with work and everything - its all pending - god i hate pending! lol Kids will be back at school next week - Jordan to his boarding school and kelisse to a new school here in Allauch, on the edge of Marseille.....

Watch this space to see how we get along!