Owner: Ma Vie Quoidienne URL:http://quotidiennement.blogspot.com/ Join Date: Sat, 24 Mar 2007 14:35:35 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: At 7 months pregnant I decided to leave our North London home for a new life up a French mountain in the beautiful Cévennes. All the fun, chaos and hilarity along the way. Bienvenue to my Blog
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Does licked cutlery count? 2007-03-23 21:29:00 Calling all mothers of 3 year old boys, “Au Secour”!! My 3 year old, (well 3 in May), has driven me to distraction today and had the tantrum of all tantrums whilst we were visiting friends for an alfresco dejeuner. A very windy alfresco dejeuner.Trying to get a snarling, toddler mid-tantrum into a car seat whilst doing the obligatory 3 kiss goodbye to all the guests is no easy feat. Yes, it is 3 kisses in the Cevennes so hello and goodbyes tend to go on………….All the way home I kept thinking, “just wait till Daddy phones tonight mister man”.Well they say timing is everything and just before Daddy rang, upon finishing his dinner, Théo came up to me and whilst giving me a huge hug said "me sorry Mummy, Théo happy, good boy now”. He then proudly handed me his licked cutlery and whilst opening the cutlery drawer said with pride, “Théo clean it Mummy”!Does licked cutlery count
as a heartfelt apology?
Playboy Bunny vs Dorothée 2007-03-20 13:56:00 This morning, comme d’habitude, I popped into our local Café for a cafe-crème and noted with interest and irony the 2 new pinball machines sat side by side.Being in true hunting country here, the most popular being chasse au sanglier, the first machine had 2 generously proportioned guns that invited you to hunt a range of game. The chasse started with fairly large sized bunnies popping up everywhere and then as your aim and testosterone levels rose along came the bears, sangliers etc.My three year old son, Théo, was fascinated and as he attends the local Crèche started making bunnies ears and singing that French favourite, Ce matin un lapin by Dorothée (Click here to watch original Ce Matin ....)Everyone found this most amusing and a kind gentlemen bought him a sirop de fraise for his efforts.His eyes then alighted upon the 2nd pinball machine with its ever famous Playboy bunny logo, “what’s that mummy”?Ah I said, “I don’t think you will be ready to play that bunny gam Read more:Bunny
Parlez vous Francais? 2007-03-19 19:38:00 When I arrived here the sum total of my spoken French was the ability to count up to 20, say please and thank you and …… well that was about it.So I unpacked my new set of language CD’s and started ………….. rien! I quickly grew bored so I decided to start listening to one of my local radio stations.Well I can only say that it was set circa The Jimmy Young show in the UK. It had hilarious phone-ins with “Recette du Jour” being the most popular amongst them. Caller after caller suggesting another thing you could do with asparagus or whatever legume happened to be in season. Hmmm, very useful you thought until about the fifth caller. Then you frankly felt like stuffing your asparagus where the sun doesn’t shine.However, my French was getting better as I became addicted. What exactly was a “Femme au Foyer” – housewife as it turns out. The presenter was also likely to ask every other caller if they were going to “profite du soleil” that day.Finally, I had to remo Read more:Francais
You’ve Got Comments 2007-03-17 21:08:00 I logged on, opened my blog and there it was – my first comment. Okay, not comments in the plural but still…….Was it as memorable for you as it was for me, I am referring of course to all you bloggers out there. You never forget your first!! So a big thank you to my first – Peter.Peter runs a local community website for anglophones in this part of the world. Please visit their forum at:http://www.the-languedoc-page.com/forum. Read more:Comments
It's a Whole New world 2007-03-15 22:16:00 Wow this is addictive and I am not just talking about the wine that accompanies these blogging sessions.In my first 24 hours as a blogger I have managed to post some background articles, work my way around changing the template and gather some photos.Has anyone ever watched the film with Meg Ryan called "You've got Mail" well I am now logging onto my computer and waiting for "You've got Comments"!Whilst not essential I really want to experience the power of the web personally. It fascinates me that anyone - literally anyone from anywhere - could stumble across my Blog and learn about my life. I am sure others want to be read for far more nobler causes but I am just very curious.As I am new to the world of blogging I have no idea how long that generally takes so I guess I will just have to keep logging on like an addict.Is blogging the new therapy, my mind was buzzing last night with all the things I want to write. Gone were the normal worries of my ever smelly fosse septique, my chil Read more:Whole
Bienvenue Théo 2007-03-15 13:42:00 Why was I appearing in an episode of M.A.S.H? Why was I lying on a hospital trolley in a medical supplies room? What was going on?Just then a doctor swept in and apparently there was a 4.7kg bundle of joy awaiting me, carefully cradled in my husbands arms up on the main ward. After 14hours of labour I had undergone an emergency caesarian and the result was a lovely bouncing baby boy called Théo.The next 48 hours passed in a blur, I was getting used to being a Mum and my poor husband spent much of his time on the road between the clinic at Ganges and our house.Pretty soon I raised the question about when I would be allowed to discharge myself. Mais non, as I was a 39yr old that had never changed a nappy it was baby school for me. I could not but help wonder if our local NHS hospital in North London would have provided this excellent and much needed service. Each morning, under a nurses supervision, I had to “top and tail” Théo and never was I more grateful for tuition. I did wince Read more:Bienvenue
Meeting our neighbours - the fleecy kind 2007-03-15 13:16:00 One beautiful Spring morning as I was preparing my "wake up" coffee, I heard excited barks from Oliver and the unmistakable ringing of bells.Just below our house are a couple of terraces and passing along the top one was a flock of sheep, in a terrible hurry. All my old townie instincts came to the fore, who should I phone, pest control, emergency services, etc . Where had they all come from?In plein panic and heading for the phone I heard a piercing whistle and the sheep as one turned their heads, and started making their retreat.An apologetic muscular, golden haired, young man then appeared from round the corner and told me that he had forgotten about the new people i.e us. He introduced himelf, the sheepdog and the flock. Apparently our local bergér would be passing our house regularly with his sheep during the Spring and Autumnal months. A piece of information that the previous owners had neglected to pass on! And there was I thinking that the terraces below us were merely to pro
Au Revoir Old Blighty. (my Blog is born) 2007-03-14 20:49:00 First Blog entry, so with glass of vin rouge in hand to fortify me I will let you know how it all started .........!But you are pregnant! This seemed to make my friends and family even more surprised at our latest news.It made perfect sense to me to make all the major life changes in one go. So at 7 months pregnant I packed our jeep with provisions, chinchilla, dog and hubby and set off for our new life in France.Many friends seemed to think that we should have a Channel 4 camera crew following us. With all the ‘Place in the Sun programmes’ proving so popular why not start that baby fund at the earliest possible opportunity?Our journey was, to say the least, interesting and although the Pet Passport papers were all in order for our loopy weimarener Oliver, the papers for our chinchilla Rafiki were apparently not. I did what any pregnant woman would do in the situation – cry – oh and ask for the nearest loo. Finally, after solomnely promising that upon arrival in France Rafiki w
Does my "boites aux lettres" measure up? 2007-03-31 14:02:00 As mentioned in a previous blog entry of mine, I am always occupied with some type of paperwork for a dossier. If you move here, be warned, dossiers are part and parcel of everyday life. Paperwork can be required for the most suprising items.This week a visit from my Postman left me speechless. He arrived with a 2 page form, drawings included! to check if my “boite aux lettres” was “regulariser”. Well was it, apparently the answer was yes by a centimetre.As the measuring of the box, two page form and the cup of coffee had already taken up the best part of the morning, I did not dare to enquire what would have happened it my post box had not measured up to standards! Any idea anyone and why is it important?
Happy Easter 2007-04-06 10:56:00 Well as it is Easter
this week my Postman has been kept very busy delivering parcels from the UK. All of which have happily fitted into my boites aux lettres that has been deemed “regulariser” (see previous blog – “boites aux letttres”). One parcel came with a sticker on it that stated “Import France A Flasher”. Cant’ wait to open that one!Théo has been busy at créche drawing eggs, making Easter chicks and cutting out bell and rabbit shapes. The house is looking very Eastery at the moment and we are on the count down to the “chasse aux oeufs” on Sunday.In France they have the traditional Easter bunny and also a "Cloche volant" , Flying Bells. French Catholics believe that on Good Friday all the church bells in France fly to the Vatican in Rome carrying the misery and grief of those who mourn Jesus' crucifixion on that day. These flying bells then return on the morning of Easter Sunday bringing with them loads of chocolate and eggs.So whether you believe in a fly Read more:Happy
, Happy Easter
Un Veritable Cauchemar 2007-04-12 17:43:00 What is going on with the universe? Everyone I know seems to be having an extremely bad week. Our run of bad luck started with the combi microwave/oven breaking down, the clutch then went on the jeep, the loo stopped flushing and poor Théo has just come down with a "maux de gorge"!What fun and frolicks I am going to have tomorrow. If you happen to be in a Mr Briciolage or Darty and see a woman babbling mauvais francais with accompanying mime routines - it's me.So hope a security camera does not capture mime titled "replacement flushing system for loo required". A sure entry for Video Gag on TF1Quelle cauchemar!
Election Fever 2007-04-26 12:56:00 Quel différence between the election apathy in the UK and election fever over here in France. Whatever your politics, you can only be impressed and swept along by all the fervour. There are 236 people in our village eligible to vote and during the first round 216 of them had ticked a box.This election is an extremely important one for the French - the country is at a crossroads. Which road will they choose to go down?Below is an extremely interesting article titled "Unlike us, the French do it all wrong but still get life so right " published in The Times on April 22, 2007 by Simon Jenkins.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------Both France and Britain are about to change their leaders. The French will do so by ballot, the British by bistro.The French are staging a raucous two-ring circus to elect their new president, involving a first vote today and another in two weeks’ time. The British have already been told who is to lead them. It was Read more:Election
, Fever
Out of the mouths of babes!!! 2007-05-30 06:42:00 My adorable 3 year old son Théo jumped into our bed this morning and started giving me a cuddle. What a nice way to start the day I thought as he started stroking my hair and face."Mummy, what's that?" he asked as one of his chubby little fingers came to rest upon my cheek. Before I could answer he said, "I know - it's a crack". That woke me from my revery. I would love to say I cracked up (ha ha), but I didn't. Well out of the mouths of babes.....
La fin de l'été 2007-08-19 15:07:00 Ok here come the excuses : people staying, fête after fête after fête, devising 1000 ways to entertain a 3 yr old during the school hols etc etc. But finally, I have some "me" time to devote to my blog.I once read that at one American school the teachers returning for the 1st day after the Summer hols were met by Mums holding a banner saying "welcome back - we have missed you!". I know how they feel ....Not only am I looking forward to the new school term I am also looking forward to only seeing the number plate 30 around the town, getting a seat in my local cafe, my favourites breads, quiches and patisseries not having sold out by 9.45am, no queues in our local supermarket, managing to walk around the local farmers market once more. Oh the list is endless. I am turning into a moaning minnie!The season of "mists and mellow fruitfulness" will soon be here and I for one cannot wait. New wines to be sampled, chasse au sanglier, scouring the woods for cepes and other members of the f
La Rentrée - (with junk mail) 2007-09-11 10:13:00 Back in May I put the finishing touches to my school dossier,(yes another one!), to ensure that my son was enrolled for maternelle.In our village La Rentrée actually takes place during the last week of August as the children here do not go to school on Saturday mornings.So far, all has gone well - although why shouldn't it when according to my son all he does is play velo! I am sure there must be slightly more to his day than that.Whilst I expect the normal school notices of after school activities what I can't believe is the amount of publicity that goes into all the pigeon holes. All sorts of leaflets about childrens reading books, language courses, back packs, bedding. I get enough junk mail in my normal boîtes aux lettres at home.I am thinking of putting a huge notice up, alongside the rather cute painting of a lapin that marks out Théo's place, saying Pas de Pub - NO JUNK MAIL.
Frrrreeezing France 2008-03-10 07:40:00 I left for a trip to London on 3rd March, weather was sunny and 20 °C. Flew in yesterday to 9 °C and rain! Where is the sun? Our unusually warm Feb had me packing up Winter and getting fully into Printemps.Oh well a few bracing walks are needed; as always I caught up with all my friends over boozy evenings. With bacon butties to cure the hangovers and huge Starbucks lattes I need to shift a pound or so.Oh I love the odd visit to Old Blighty. Read more:France
Recette du Jour for you budding Chefs 2008-02-25 12:52:00 C'est moi qui l'ai fait !Really great blog with easy to follow recipes. This blog also contains great pics and video demonstrations of certain recipes. Bon AppétitC'est moi qui l'ai fait ! Read more:Chefs
"Underground, overground, Wombling free The Wombles of Wimbledon Common are we..." 2008-02-21 10:37:00 I wonder what cultural icons most Brits have bought with them to France? Well my son is in the process of teaching all his friends in Maternelle about The Wombles.During their outings to the park, forest etc all the children are taught to have a respect for the countryside and its animal inhabitants and that includes not dropping litter. My son is now very keen on playing spot the litter and thanks to a DVD that my Mum sent over from the UK he thinks that the Wombles are needed over here.After a visit to a local charity shop Grandma has managed to procure one of these elusive creatures and my son is taking him to school after the hols. Apparently all his copaines et copines remain a little confused. Can't imagine why. All descriptions of exactly what a Womble is, en Francais, would be very Read more:Wimbledon
, Common
Deep in the Merde – and only the best will do! 2008-02-16 19:55:00 During the last couple of weeks there has been the smell of bonfires in the air as everyone in our voisinage has been burning the last of their garden debris. This week the air has a completely different smell, poo! Literally. All preparations are under way for the potager. For anyone not familiar with the potager please see below.According to my neighbour Henri not any old poo will do – take it from someone who has one of the best potagers I have ever seen – the secret is to use sheep poo. Now as readers of this blog know, this is a delicacy for my weimaraner Oliver, he has been in seventh heaven this week eating and rolling in it! I have had to hose him down after nearly every walk this week, that is of course after I can catch him as he runs around the garden on a herbal high.We re
Flat pack - send it straight back! 2008-01-29 15:57:00 It had looked so colourful in the catalogue, just what my son needed to keep his books in order. On wheels too, what fun. Not so much fun now that it is all in pieces in front of me with accompanying bags of screws.The instructions had 2 people holding hands with a clock underneath saying 45 minutes. 2 people who are magicians maybe. 2 people consisting of a 42yr old and a 3.5 yr old, I think not. Actually, Théo put the wheels together whilst I was working with pieces 1 and 2 and the bags of screws A and B.3 glasses of Bordeaux and 2 silkcut later I was sorely tempted to throw the whole lot in the nearest pubelle. Théo, who by now had given up to and was watching me from the sofa with Ollie (our Weimaraner), said that I should have bought one "already made, Mummy." Out of the mouth of b
It's a Jungle Out There 2008-01-25 08:04:00 Last weekend myself and a friend took our children out to a park in one of the nearby villages. We headed for the play area and let the children run off to the slide whilst we sat on an adjacent bench (IN the play area). After 20 minutes I just could not bear it any longer. WHERE WERE ALL THE PARENTS. OUT of the play area it seemed. For some the childrens play area is a place where you simply leave the darlings whilst you have a smoke and a coffee elsewhere. Preferably at a distance so the shouting and screaming does not interfere with conversation. I am all for parents having rights to and getting their chance to relax but I think it is super mean to achieve that by dumping all responsibility for your offspring onto unwitting strangers. Mediating between young children is difficult anyway Read more:Jungle
The Older Woman 2008-01-21 05:29:00 Our neighbours daughter had her fourteenth birthday this weekend and we were invited along to the celebratory Goûter.My son, who is 3 and half years old, was memerised by all the giggling girlies who were trying out the new make up, music and hair accessories. It was all glitz and glamour and dancing to Mika, until someone suggested football.Now that really impressed Théo, an older woman who looked good and could still kick a ball!
Give a Mum a laugh and pass this on ............ 2008-01-14 12:20:00 My friend Sally e-mailed this to me. Have not stopped laughing.FOR ALL THE GREAT MUMSI was out walking with my 4 year old daughter. She picked up something off the ground and started to put it in her mouth. I took the item away from her and asked her not to do that."Why?" my daughter asked. "Because it's been on the ground, you don't know where it's been, it's dirty and probably has germs" I replied.At this point, my daughter looked at me with total admiration and asked, "Mummy, how do you know all this stuff? You are so smart." I was thinking quickly. "All mums know this stuff. It's on the Mummy Test. You have to know it, or they don't let you be a Mummy."We walked along in silence for 2 or 3 minutes, but she was evidently pondering this new information. "OH... I get it!" she beamed, "S
A p.s to my post (Homework - Cahia de Vie) 2008-01-14 06:18:00 I came across an interesting website called has a section called Your Guide to the French Education System. Full of interesting facts.Now for interesting true stories I suggest you check out this: has a section called: Parents in France/French parentsCould hardly believe what I was reading concerning the maitresse in the maternelle section of this school:There are also many things said about his teacher, not just from English people, one of which was that something was stolen from class (by 3 year old) and she sat them all down and told them she was going to the police and they were thieves, she had most of them in tears even when their parents came to collect them, and many didn't want to go back! So far we have had a positive experience with our local Maternelle but I would really be i Read more:Homework
Homework night - Cahia de Vie 2008-01-13 14:48:00 Sunday evening is homework night at our house - well not really homework as such but my son, who is 3 and a half, sits down with me and his cahia de vie.Théo is in the petite section at Maternelle and each Sunday we sit down with his cahia de vie and review his weeks work, look at the announcements and then fill in a couple of pages of things he has been doing of interest over that weekend with family and/or friends. If you have anything especially exciting to report then you bring it to the teachers attention on the Monday morning and your child then talks about it to the class.What a system - fantastic. It bridges the gap between his school life and home life in an interesting and simple fashion. Your child also gets an opportunity at public speaking at a very early age! Furthermore, as Read more:Homework
Watch out Sangliers about 2008-01-11 06:30:00 Comme d’habitude, I popped into our local Café for a cafe-crème with another Mum after the school drop-off. She was looking a little shaken and told me that her car was at the mechanics because of a run-in, literally, with a sanglier.My friend had been on her way to Nimes at 6am, driving at 80km/h when a sanglier came into contact with the left, front side of her car. Will she be eating daube de sanglier tonight, (wild boar cooked in a thick red wine sauce)? Apparently not, after making contact and wrecking the side of the car, the sanglier carried on running aside of it for some distance. I said to my friend that he was probably making sure he could get a good look at her and memorise the number plate!There is an on-line magazine called which reccounts this popular urban myth. One ev
Oliver the Weimaraner 2008-01-10 07:12:00 Have just been blog browsing and came across one by a guy in the South of France who posts a daily pic of his Weimaraner called Oliver
. Well, well, well.Here is a tribute to my gorgeous Oliver, who lives in the lap of luxury, in the Cevennes. If you are interested in learning more about this noble breed, considering having one as a pet and are interested in rescuing or adopting a Weimaraner please visit:
Bonne Année 2008 2008-01-08 05:49:00 Goodbye crappy Christmas of 2007 and a huge welcome to the New Year.All my best laid Christmas plans got torpedoed by bugs of the gastro, flu and bronchiolite type. Hubby coming down with the "man flu" had me dreaming of serving him divorce papers 3 days into his life threatening illness! When I staggered into the Pharmacy on the 27th December for yet more supplies, I thought they were having a belated Christmas Staff Party. It was heaving with people chatting happily, but all on a mission as it turned out for sick friends and relatives.So with relief I listened to the church bells chiming in the New Year, and wished everyone everywhere a Bonne Année and Bonne Sante.Welcome, welcome 2008
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