View from a desk ...

I never like to think that Tim is quicker thinking than I am, but he was when he bagged first pick of the desks in our office! Tim’s looks on to the window and garden beyond, whereas my view is of a bookcase and … Tim! He doesn’t have a glare problem with his laptop screen but I do. Come to think of it he also has a proper office chair while I’m making do with an old director’s chair with a cushion.

His work yesterday included …

Green woodpecker

Jays

He did leave his desk to walk up the hill to photograph the mist rising over Le Petit-Pressigny. It didn't quite live up to Tim's expectations, but I like it.

I believe we should swap desks so that Tim can better concentrate on his day job. So, all I need to do now is work out exactly what to say to convince Tim! Any ideas?

Our first bluebells of 2012...

Always a magnificent sight! These bluebells, which I’m told are the Spanish variety, were found along the bief at the bottom of the garden.

I can feel a woodland walk beckoning.
Watch this space …

Two posts in one day, but ...

I don’t usually manage two posts in one day. Apologies for the mix of metaphors but something is on my mind and I need to get it off my chest - immediately!

Why does time pass more quickly when I’m at Le Pre Vert?

Ever the scientist I have been searching for a factual explanation rather than one related to my joy at being in France. I recall an interesting factoid about the space missions which found that astronauts are younger after a space mission than if they had remained on terra firma. At a constant angular velocity, the relative speed of Le Pre Vert is greater than that of the Old School due to  Le Pre Vert being at a lower latitude because it is further from the Earth's axis of rotation. This faster surface velocity means that time passes more quickly.

QED

So to take this to the extreme time will pass very quickly at the equator and not at all at the poles. Perhaps this is why there is a proliferation of Health Spas springing up all over the Arctic and Antarctic regions.

I gather there is now a vacancy at Cern to lead the team looking for the Higgs boson particle. Do you think I should apply? 

Dead or Alive?

When we arrive at Le Pre Vert one of the first things we do is take a turn around the garden. Today we were keen to see the work which had been done at the bief of the Aigronne which runs along the bottom of the garden. In January we were told that work was to be carried out to cut down some of the larger trees and clear the banks. None of our trees were affected by the cull, although some plots adjoining ours have had some very large trees cut down and stacks of cut wood are in evidence.

On one of the plots a lorry was being loaded with the larger trunks. I’m sure that as we walk the area we shall see more evidence of this work.

The ‘big freeze’ seems to have taken its toll on our garden. We’ve lost a number shrubs and trees. Perhaps you can confirm our diagnosis? 

  

Tea on the sunny terrace…

Some things never change; Tim at work on his computer, but, if you look carefully, you can see that as a concession to being on holiday he is wearing his shorts...

We both slept better last night ( after a night at the Premiere Classe in Boulogne, who wouldn’t?)  and are looking forward to a delicious lunch with our friends John and Maureen at Le Breuil. I wonder whether  we’ll get a sneak preview of the preparations for the BIG party …

Busy packing ...

We are busy getting ready for our next trip to France. When we first bought in France the idea was that we would be able to ‘travel light’. Needless to say this hasn’t ever happened!

Our apartment in Thollon-les-Memises was about the size of the guest apartment we currently have in the sous sol at Le Petit Pressigny. Our buyers were very insistent that we also sell them our furniture, which was of typical chalet style. After a millisecond of deliberation we agreed! It would have been the worst kind of nightmare to even contemplate moving the furniture down in the lift from the third floor, let alone half way across France. Little did we know then that we would be dragging even more furniture from the UK!

 

Our trusty old Discovery (220,000 miles on the same engine and gear box) towed out the contents of our house with the help of a hired trailer, through the course of five return journeys. In retrospect a removal van from the UK may have been more cost effective, but we have never liked to take the easy option!

Our current car is smaller and whenever we travel we are packed to the gunnels – whatever they are! Packing usually stresses Tim, so my preferred stress-buster is to pile up everything I think we need and a bit more besides. I then set off for work, leaving Tim to pack the car in my absence!

Watch this space for more news of our loading for the coming holiday ...

Remind me again ...

Why it is that the Government think people who earn hundreds of thousand pounds a year and more need the incentive and motivation to work hard and not avoid paying tax, whereas people on far less are told that since we are all in this together we must all pay more?

Lower rate threshold moved up, higher rate threshold moved down, top rate of tax lowered. Sounds like a squeezed middle to me.

This isn’t meant to be a political statement and I don’t want to lose any friends. I’m sure that whatever colour the Government there were painful decisions to be taken.

We all want to be rid of benefit cheats and tax dodgers, but we shouldn't demonise people in receipt of benefits nor higher earners. 

Sometimes I wonder whether we really are all in this together …

Remind me ....

What it’s called when on a sunny but cold Sunday afternoon you carefully unwrap the standard bay trees, which have spent the winter insulated, only to be followed on Sunday night by a ground frost and temperatures of -2ºC????