Dull and cold. The weather that is. Elsewhere the weekend had a brighter outlook. Another trip to the pub on Saturday produced a happier walk home, even if horrible déjà-vu twice flashed darkly across my vision when the Villains pulled a goal back.
Sunday afternoon we were questioned by the police. Something we submitted to voluntarily I hasten to add. During our habitual weekend stroll along the river, we stumbled across a bag, apparently abandoned close to the water. Tentative investigation (with gloved hands - been watching too many policiers on TV) revealed a diary and a cheque book and other sundry items. Figuring it had probably been stolen then discarded, we decided we ought to hand it in. Which we did at the closest poste de police we could think of, the one in the park. The chap on duty duly donned rubber gloves (see!), checked the contents and took our details. Probably the last we would hear of it, so we thought, but this afternoon I received a phone call from the suitably grateful owner. Good deeds sometimes have their rewards.
Back home, la bienheureuse tired herself out making flapjack and christmas cake (spoilt, moi?) and left me to venture out solo into the freezing evening to watch some live football at Gerland. After a non-event of a first half, the second eventually burst into life when OL's left back Cissokho gave them the lead. However, PSG soon equalised and seemed to have stolen victory when Cissokho's match of extremes ended with him giving away a penalty and getting sent off at the same time. Fortunately his ten teammates survived a couple of scares one end and equalised at the other three minutes from time when the Parisian keeper fluffed a clearance straight at OL's much maligned striker. Even he couldn't miss.
29 novembre 2010
Dark nights
Nightmare November continues. The cold weather on Tuesday evening almost dissuaded me from a trip to the pub, but a lack of decent internet feeds tipped the balance. Wish I'd stayed at home in the warm. Another capitulation abroad. Wednesday, the OL match was on TV so this time I did stay in the warm. Another capitulation abroad. The European seasons of les gones and les gooners have matched each other this year. First three games, three wins, all hunky dory. Next two games, both away, two dire defeats apiece. The difference is that OL are through to the next round, thanks to Tel Aviv, the whipping boys in the group, beating Benfica. No such help from Partizan Belgrade for AFC.
Meanwhile, just to deepen the gloom, winter has arrived early. After 20C less than two weeks ago, today the maximum forecast is 2C. November can't end soon enough...
Meanwhile, just to deepen the gloom, winter has arrived early. After 20C less than two weeks ago, today the maximum forecast is 2C. November can't end soon enough...
22 novembre 2010
Recurrent nightmares
Sometimes ideal worlds implode. It happens often enough to a football fan that you might have thought it would become banal. Not so. Recurrent bad dream, part n, occurred on Saturday. And it had all started so well; at half time the 2 goal lead was scant reward for forty-five minutes of total dominance. Unfortunately, with it came complacency, and with complacency came barely believable reversal. And afterwards we had to endure a journey home sardined into a train along with thousands of fellow gloomy gooners. Barely enough room to blink away the tears.
The rest of the weekend kept to the ideal plan. Flights both ways landed early, the outbound one early enough for me to catch a train that was due to depart simultaneously with the plane's arrival. I thus made it to Cambridge by 10pm, enabling me to surprise Professor Margarita and H in a cosy dinner for two. A bumper breakfast the next morning preceded the nightmare, then dinner afterwards started the recovery period. Delicious fare at Cocum, in the convivial company of J&J.
Sunday morning I awoke with a faint glimmer of hope that it had all been a bad dream. Alas no, but the weekend continued to get better. Canonier conferères J&C had recovered sufficiently from the previous day to come out for a yomp through the fields and along the river, and then the builder-chef treated us to home-made bean soup and bread for lunch before kindly chauffeuring me to the airport.
I returned to Lyon to find la bienheureuse introducing the bump to 'Arry Pottère part 5, and to find that les gones had had a better weekend than les gooners. A 3-1 win at Lens puts them in 8th, a mere two points off the top. Ligue 1 is even tighter than the Premier League.
The rest of the weekend kept to the ideal plan. Flights both ways landed early, the outbound one early enough for me to catch a train that was due to depart simultaneously with the plane's arrival. I thus made it to Cambridge by 10pm, enabling me to surprise Professor Margarita and H in a cosy dinner for two. A bumper breakfast the next morning preceded the nightmare, then dinner afterwards started the recovery period. Delicious fare at Cocum, in the convivial company of J&J.
Sunday morning I awoke with a faint glimmer of hope that it had all been a bad dream. Alas no, but the weekend continued to get better. Canonier conferères J&C had recovered sufficiently from the previous day to come out for a yomp through the fields and along the river, and then the builder-chef treated us to home-made bean soup and bread for lunch before kindly chauffeuring me to the airport.
I returned to Lyon to find la bienheureuse introducing the bump to 'Arry Pottère part 5, and to find that les gones had had a better weekend than les gooners. A 3-1 win at Lens puts them in 8th, a mere two points off the top. Ligue 1 is even tighter than the Premier League.
18 novembre 2010
French lessons
Red letter day in the lyonnais calendrier today - le beaujolais nouveau est arrivé. Similar party mood amongst the French at Wembley last night, where les bleus gave England the blues. Much satisfaction this side of La Manche, and no little consternation about the lack of aggression displayed by the Premier League cloggers. Four fouls in 90 minutes, surely that's not the English way? Coach Blanc's decision to give in and play two creative midfielders paid off handsomely. Now let's see if he's brave enough to stick with the same tactics in a competitive match…
On Tuesday, Monsieur le Président gave one of his marathon interviews on the three main national TV channels. Ninety minutes of lecturing to the public, most of whom seem to have remained unconvinced that he's learnt any lessons from the recent discontent. The TV appearance was ostensibly to explain the government reshuffle over the weekend, which finally put an end to any pretence of a broad centre-right consensus. Out went representatives of the more moderate, minor parties (Borloo, Morin), and those from further left (Kouchner, Amara), in came a clutch of Sarkozy loyalists. Also shown the door was Eric Woerth, victim of the discontent over the pension reforms he guided through parliament, but more particularly of the Bettencourt affair. And further corruption suspicions over the sale of a hippodrome.
There is more trouble looming for Sarko too. A former defence minister, in office at the time of a controversial deal to sell submarines to Pakistan, has admitted that backhanders and bribes were paid to ease the deal through. It seems to be widely believed that a small proportion of the money ended up in the campaign fund of Eduoard Balladour during the presidential campaign in 1995. Said campaign fund was managed by one Nicolas Sarkozy. Relatives of people killed in the 2002 Karachi bus attack are demanding that Sarkozy answer questions, in the belief that the attack was a reprisal for the ending of the kickbacks by Jacques Chirac, elected in the '95 election.
On Tuesday, Monsieur le Président gave one of his marathon interviews on the three main national TV channels. Ninety minutes of lecturing to the public, most of whom seem to have remained unconvinced that he's learnt any lessons from the recent discontent. The TV appearance was ostensibly to explain the government reshuffle over the weekend, which finally put an end to any pretence of a broad centre-right consensus. Out went representatives of the more moderate, minor parties (Borloo, Morin), and those from further left (Kouchner, Amara), in came a clutch of Sarkozy loyalists. Also shown the door was Eric Woerth, victim of the discontent over the pension reforms he guided through parliament, but more particularly of the Bettencourt affair. And further corruption suspicions over the sale of a hippodrome.
There is more trouble looming for Sarko too. A former defence minister, in office at the time of a controversial deal to sell submarines to Pakistan, has admitted that backhanders and bribes were paid to ease the deal through. It seems to be widely believed that a small proportion of the money ended up in the campaign fund of Eduoard Balladour during the presidential campaign in 1995. Said campaign fund was managed by one Nicolas Sarkozy. Relatives of people killed in the 2002 Karachi bus attack are demanding that Sarkozy answer questions, in the belief that the attack was a reprisal for the ending of the kickbacks by Jacques Chirac, elected in the '95 election.
15 novembre 2010
Warming pictures
What a difference a week makes. La belle-mère comes to visit bearing gifts, and suddenly things are looking up. Unseasonably warm weather and plenty of sunshine for the long bank holiday weekend, and a warmer glow to the football season too.
mardi 9: l'AG continued. After some confusion over venue and indeed whether the meeting was taking place at all, we troop upstairs, listen to the man from the syndic report on progress made on various issues and eventually decide to give him a second chance. Contract extended for 18 months.
mercredi 10: collect la belle-mère from the airport after a fruitless drive through town in search of a petrol station. Usual one closed down, next one closed temporarily by road works. Which are currently all over Lyon. Sufficient fumes in the tank to make it to the garage at the airport.
jeudi 11: jour ferié, the sun is shining, the day mild and we take advantage with a stroll round the park to test the newly presented toy. The leaves are falling, the colours fading, but plenty of pretty pictures to be had before the clouds roll in.
vendredi 12: bridging day, so la bienheureuse is off work again. The exception to the good weather theme. Overcast but dry, so the ladies go shopping, taking a break to meet meet me for a nice pique nique en ville. Roast lamb and a rather palatable Côtes du Rhône for dinner.
samedi 13: stunning day. 20 degree sunshine in the middle of November can't be bad. We jump in the car and eventually find our way to the domaine de Lacroix-Laval, a large area of parkland just outside Lyon. Another opportunity for more autumn snaps with the new appareil photo reflex. Lovely stroll through the park and grounds of the publicly-owned château, then home for a late lunch and a lazy afternoon. Defrosted fish dinner, tasty fare even so.
dimanche 14: still very mild, but very windy too. The sun is less in evidence but we venture out up to the Croix Rousse for the view and a stroll through the market. Home to wolf down lunch in time for a rather more satisfactory visit to the pub, leaving la bienheureuse et sa mère in the kitchen. Second battling away win of the week. The boys are toughening up. Roast chicken awaits my return, then I fly the coop again in the evening, this time for live football. OL grind out a 1-0 win in the wind.
lundi 15: end of the fine weather interlude. Rain all morning.
mardi 9: l'AG continued. After some confusion over venue and indeed whether the meeting was taking place at all, we troop upstairs, listen to the man from the syndic report on progress made on various issues and eventually decide to give him a second chance. Contract extended for 18 months.
mercredi 10: collect la belle-mère from the airport after a fruitless drive through town in search of a petrol station. Usual one closed down, next one closed temporarily by road works. Which are currently all over Lyon. Sufficient fumes in the tank to make it to the garage at the airport.
jeudi 11: jour ferié, the sun is shining, the day mild and we take advantage with a stroll round the park to test the newly presented toy. The leaves are falling, the colours fading, but plenty of pretty pictures to be had before the clouds roll in.
samedi 13: stunning day. 20 degree sunshine in the middle of November can't be bad. We jump in the car and eventually find our way to the domaine de Lacroix-Laval, a large area of parkland just outside Lyon. Another opportunity for more autumn snaps with the new appareil photo reflex. Lovely stroll through the park and grounds of the publicly-owned château, then home for a late lunch and a lazy afternoon. Defrosted fish dinner, tasty fare even so.
09 novembre 2010
Baked consolation
Never was my favourite month, nasty November. It was dry on Saturday, allowing us a stroll in the park, but the dull light didn't allow full appreciation of the colours of autumn. Sunday it rained all day, I splashed through the streets of Lyon to the pub to watch a typical November performance from my favourite team. At least the rain hid my tears.
Consolation as ever was found at home. La bienheureuse spent a large part of the weekend baking. Chocolate & beetroot cake, red cabbage & bacon soup, home made bread, onion & goat cheese quiche. And baked beans on toast for lunch. Comfort food for a moody month.
Consolation as ever was found at home. La bienheureuse spent a large part of the weekend baking. Chocolate & beetroot cake, red cabbage & bacon soup, home made bread, onion & goat cheese quiche. And baked beans on toast for lunch. Comfort food for a moody month.
05 novembre 2010
Dull autumn routine
A mundane week of mild, drab autumnal weather. Tuesday, chez le medecin to get jabs updated in anticipation of forthcoming period of non-travel. Evening in front of the TV, watching les gones unravel in Lisbon: the players on the pitch, the fans the habitual "Demission!" banner in the stands, despite minor redemption in the form of three goals in the last fifteen minutes. Wednesday similar story in the pub, watching complacent gooners in Donetsk present an old boy with another goal, less well-received this time. Friday morning, sixth month checkup, tout les deux vont bien, apart from lack of sleep for the carrier due to energetic little load.
On the home front, minor bit of bricolage (shelf for home entertainment electronics); on the political front, seasonal affective disorder seems to have put a brake on public & political disorder. The unions are calling off any strikes from Monday and have scheduled a final day of demonstrations in two weeks. Sarko appears to have won the battle, albeit with the help of underhand methods. Allegedly. According to Le Canard Enchaîné, he has ordered the state intelligence services to tap phones of journalists known to be working on stories injurious to the government's health, at least four of whom also happen to have suffered break-ins and computer theft in the last few weeks…
On the home front, minor bit of bricolage (shelf for home entertainment electronics); on the political front, seasonal affective disorder seems to have put a brake on public & political disorder. The unions are calling off any strikes from Monday and have scheduled a final day of demonstrations in two weeks. Sarko appears to have won the battle, albeit with the help of underhand methods. Allegedly. According to Le Canard Enchaîné, he has ordered the state intelligence services to tap phones of journalists known to be working on stories injurious to the government's health, at least four of whom also happen to have suffered break-ins and computer theft in the last few weeks…
01 novembre 2010
Liquid fall
A bit of research suggests that the closest French approximation to Sod's law, is la loi de l'emmerdement maximum. A good example occurred last week: beautiful sunny weather, albeit rather cold, up until Friday evening. The weekend comes around, and it rains solidly for two days. More rain was forecast for the Toussaints bank holiday today, but it seems they were erring on the pessimistic side, because we had lovely sunshine for our morning constitutional along the banks of the Rhône.
Of course, rainy weekend weather has its benefits: la bienheureuse consoles herself in the kitchen. Delicious walnut carrot cake (thanks DenEboy), tartiflette, parsnip soup and the promise of lamb tajine this evening. And yesterday morning, I had the annual vignerons independants wine fair to console me. Tasked as usual with purchasing provisions for the annual skiing holiday in January, we set off early and arrived before the doors had opened. And spent the next ten minutes queueing in the rain with a couple of hundred other early drinkers. In less than two hours we were in and out, twice, which also meant two soakings while ferrying numerous boxes of wine back to the car.
With la bienheureuse unable this year to partake in the degustation, I adopted targeted tasting tactics, having more or less decided beforehand what we were going to get. Result, nine cases of wine, four of which are reserved for the skiing holiday. That was after going in with the idea of only acquiring two or three cases for personal consumption. I blame the non-drinker for encouraging me. She drove home even though a breath taste before leaving put me under the limit. Not that I felt it…
Saturday followed a familiar course. Pub in the afternoon for me, watching the righteous men of the true faith eventually find a winner against the one-time academy of football. Then straight home and straight back out with la bienheureuse to Gerland, where OL eventually ground out a 2-1 win against Sochaux, which did nothing to appease the fans. Following the failure to beat the bottom team the previous weekend, the "Puel: demission!" demands have got louder again, and on Saturday (after chairman Aulas confirmed coach Puel in his post) they gave up asking politely and demanded that he be sacked instead: "Puel: licenciement!"
The protests of more import, those against the retirement reforms, seem to be petering out, squashed by the coincidence of school holidays and the law being officially passed by parliament. The petrol refineries are back at work, as are the ports, and 80% of trains are running. The day of protest last Thursday saw half the number of protesters than the previous one. There is one final resort due this week, when the constitutional council rules on a challenge by the opposition to the law, and then the final protest is scheduled for next Saturday, a week or so before Sarkozy is due to definitively write the law into the statue books.
With la bienheureuse unable this year to partake in the degustation, I adopted targeted tasting tactics, having more or less decided beforehand what we were going to get. Result, nine cases of wine, four of which are reserved for the skiing holiday. That was after going in with the idea of only acquiring two or three cases for personal consumption. I blame the non-drinker for encouraging me. She drove home even though a breath taste before leaving put me under the limit. Not that I felt it…
Saturday followed a familiar course. Pub in the afternoon for me, watching the righteous men of the true faith eventually find a winner against the one-time academy of football. Then straight home and straight back out with la bienheureuse to Gerland, where OL eventually ground out a 2-1 win against Sochaux, which did nothing to appease the fans. Following the failure to beat the bottom team the previous weekend, the "Puel: demission!" demands have got louder again, and on Saturday (after chairman Aulas confirmed coach Puel in his post) they gave up asking politely and demanded that he be sacked instead: "Puel: licenciement!"
The protests of more import, those against the retirement reforms, seem to be petering out, squashed by the coincidence of school holidays and the law being officially passed by parliament. The petrol refineries are back at work, as are the ports, and 80% of trains are running. The day of protest last Thursday saw half the number of protesters than the previous one. There is one final resort due this week, when the constitutional council rules on a challenge by the opposition to the law, and then the final protest is scheduled for next Saturday, a week or so before Sarkozy is due to definitively write the law into the statue books.
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