February 5th 2009
On our 6th day of rain, stuck in a cloud with no end in sight. No I'm not writing this from Potters Bar, but supposedly sunny Cote d'Azur. Everyone is saying it's the worst winter here they can ever remember, typical that it had to be our first. The flip side is that it is also the best early snow the alps have seen in many, many years so we are taking advantage of the fabulous ski conditions. There is two metres of snow at the top of Greolieres, 40 minutes drive away, and the snow ploughs are out in force every day clearing the roads. It's quite amusing watching the UK news and seeing the entire country in complete shutdown mode due to a few feet of snow when it's business as usual here.
When we arrived last summer, my cynical London sensibility quickly mellowed into a naive 'I live in a pretty village, what could possibly go wrong' mentality. This is a small, friendly close knit community in the hills, and feeling very safe here, I was soon leaving the front or back door unlocked or the main gate open to do the half hour school run. That is, until a few weeks ago, when one of the school mums came panting up the hill at home time to announce she had just seen a gang of thieves battering down the door of a nearby house. Worse, they spotted her but instead of running off, they carried on breaking in, safe in the knowledge that by the time she raised the alarm they would be long gone.
Keren ran to tell the local gendarme who mans the school crossing and he radioed for help but it was over half an hour before the police arrived, by which time the gang had made a clean getaway with their spoils. This is the second burglary in the village in the space of a few weeks, so it's back to being vigilant, locking doors and not taking any chances.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Twit Twoo
February 3rd 2009
I have just been initiated in the joys of Twitter, a new social networking site where everyone talks about what they are doing. A week ago, that sounded quite banal to me, but actually it's scarily addictive. Keep finding myself sidetracked while supposedly working to check out who is on, and who is following me, which is why I don't do social networking as it really gets in the way of working for living! One of my girls pointed out that you only need to change one letter to make Twitter a really rude word and the younger one immediately wet herself laughing while I struggled to keep a straight face. They're so well brought up. Actually that word leads to quite a few rude variations, not that I'm sharing that info with them.
I have just been initiated in the joys of Twitter, a new social networking site where everyone talks about what they are doing. A week ago, that sounded quite banal to me, but actually it's scarily addictive. Keep finding myself sidetracked while supposedly working to check out who is on, and who is following me, which is why I don't do social networking as it really gets in the way of working for living! One of my girls pointed out that you only need to change one letter to make Twitter a really rude word and the younger one immediately wet herself laughing while I struggled to keep a straight face. They're so well brought up. Actually that word leads to quite a few rude variations, not that I'm sharing that info with them.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Lovely Sunday
February 1st 2009
How lovely to tap in the word February, January is too depressing. Issy is sitting beside me, we've had a lovely chilled out Sunday, ate roast chicken (bought from rotisserie in Mandelieu so I don't even have to cook it, France can be very civilised), watched the movie Wild Hogs (a bit silly but quite funny) and just now she yawned. Tired? I asked. No, I'm just getting some more oxygen, she deadpanned (I kid you not).
Have just finished the most brill book, if you fancy a real belly laugh (and we all need one right now) go and buy How I Paid for College by Marc Acito. It is the funniest read since High Fidelity, one of those books you don't want to finish. Also discovered a very funny (well, depends on your sense of humour, mine is quite sick) blog today courtesy of the NY Times, daba.wordpress.com (dating a banker anonymous). It's unreal ...check it out. Worst thing is, I think these banker girlfriends are for real, moaning about how their facials are now only once every six weeks instead of once a month and how they don't get weekends in Bermuda since their banker BFs lost their bonuses. Truly another world.
On Friday we cracked open the champagne at Lucy and Wayne's to celebrate the launch of our new online lifestyle magazine Riviera2Day.com. We are going to cover all the hottest news, events, comings and goings, festivals, fashion, shopping, restaurants, bars, beaches and anything else you can think of on the Cote d'Azur. Lots of work to do and the site should be up in March, so all very exciting.
Meanwhile a picture of the finished bit of the house.... see above
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