Vive La France - or perhaps not!

We are in the grip of strike action here. which has been goimg on for a while, but it has suddenly escalated.  Now we are faced with a major fuel shortage which will affect the ability of flights to re-fuel at airports.  So my family, who are due to fly to the UK on Friday, assuming they have enough petrol to get to the airport, face cancelled flights. 

Now, whilst we all find this extremely tiresome, I find myself having some sympathy with the action.  As I understand it everybody here retires at 60 with a state pension.  The government is proposing raising the retirement age to 62, but if workers retire at that age they get no money for 5 years, if they want to retire with a full state pension they have to work until they are 67, to me this seems unfair and it certainly represents a massive change for the French.  Even people I know who are Sarcozy supporters are indignant. 

On the other hand, I can see his point and this is where the dichotomy which is France is truly illuminated.  Sarcozy, like all political leaders in W. Europe, is faced with the increasing cost of a population that is living longer, but a population that resists change with all its might.  This stems from a revolution culture - there is a huge emphasis on the citizen and his/her rights and anything which threatens this is fiercely resisted.  Hence we have a President desperately trying to progress and citizens diametrically opposed to that. Donc, impasse!

Never mind cricket ...........

I have just been gripped by 3 days of the Ryder Cup golf.  I came across it by accident whilst channel-flipping on Saturday, I watched one shot and was totally hooked!   In a year I usually watch the British Open because it was a family tradition - we always seemed to be watching it whilst packing to go on holiday so it became symbolic.  I have never watched match-play golf but I found it absolutely riveting.  I can't wait for the next one in 2 years time - 2 years!  O well I suppose there's always the Ashes.




Not quite so riveting is the Tory Party conference. In fact I can hardly find anything to comment on.   I suppose the headline grabbing family allowance thing could potentially stir up the dust.  But, as in all party conference announcements, it is just that - an announcement.  There are so many anomalies and uncertainties about it as policy and they will have to be ironed out.  I wait with baited breath to see what today has brought. 

I have mixed views about the issue.  The arguments for and against a universal benefit such as this are many and both have strengths and weaknesses.  My personal feelings are that I remember how, as a mum, I relied so much on my family allowance  to provide ready cash to give the kids  pocket money or to save for Christmas.  I'm sure there are many mums in relatively high earning families who can relate to that.    I have no doubt that this topic will come up again.


I am sitting on my terrace writing this, the sun is just beginning to go down.   It has been a glorious October day, sunny and 23 degrees - this is what we live here for.

Mists and mellow fruitfulness..............?

Well - we arrived back from hols on Sunday and it was freezing!  We lit the fire, turned on the heating, got the duvet out again - brrrr!  Its not even the end of September!  However today the temperature has gone back up to 21 degrees so maybe it was just a blip?

As far as current events go I am fascinated by the brothers Miliband.  Firstly, I was amazed that Ed won, I was so sure that David would but even more interesting is the way David has been unable, despite great effort, to keep his feelings under wraps.  I was never fooled by the loving brothers act but why would you fuel the media frenzy by making your anger and disappointment so plain?  I think he thinks he is doing a great job of hiding it but I have to say he has failed dismally. 


I know that it must seem that my favourite (indeed only) topic is the media but I am constantly irritated and frustrated by what is regarded as news.  Whilst on holiday we bought a Daily Mail because none of the broadsheets had arrived due to strike action by air traffic controllers in France (a topic for another day I think).  On page 3 there was a 'fascinating' news story about Kate Winslet, her new boyfriend, her childcare arrangements with ex-husband Sam Mendes and her attire - apparently tracksuit, trainers and no make up one day and designer dress the next day - the former to picnic in the park with Sam and the children and the latter to attend a glamorous function with new boyfriend.  Absolutely amazing piece of news this!

Les Vacances

I'm going on holiday; this is where I am going.  Its in Spain and is beautiful, peaceful and all the things you want - good food wine etc.

This is who I'm going with:

     

*****************

I've been wondering over the last week why the Magpies in my garden (of which there are many) have been making so much noise and literally attacking other birds to get them out of the garden.  Today I have realised the answer.  I have two fig trees full of ripe fruit at the moment - Magpies love them and are trying to make sure no-one else gets any!

Anyway, I shall be away for the next 2 weeks - no doubt I shall find more to say when I come back.

                   

Its just not Cricket 2

So ....... the News of the World again - in case it hadn't noticed there is a major flood disaster in Pakistan, soldiers dying in Afghanistan, global warming etc etc., but what is on the front page on Sunday? Wayne Rooney of course in an alleged sex scandal.  I'm not shouting but WHO CARES?!!!!!
Please, people, stop buying the tabloids with their voracious appetite for salacious gossip and maybe just maybe they'll put proper news on their front pages.  Faint hope methinks!

Just to return briefly to the Hague baseball cap my son-in-law Jason says 'it reminded me of the Libertines song 'Time for Heroes' - 'There are fewer more distressing sights than that of an Englishman in a baseball cap' - Thanks Jase - brilliant!

 
 
 
 

I just received 3 text messages from my daughter who is stuck up the lane from our house behind 3 evil black sheep just like this one.  Her dad has just gone to rescue her!!






My thoughts are with David Cameron and his family whose father is seriously ill in France - best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Its just not Cricket!

I agree with all the commentators that the current scandal in cricket re match fixing is bad for the game.  But I think we have to look at a bigger picture here.  Pakistan as a country is fanatical about cricket.  Boys play it on the street, on any spare piece of land like boys in Brazil play football.  In Pakistan 24% of the population lives below the poverty line (only 1% less than India).  One Pakistan player told the News of the World that he was offered so much money he could 'live out his dreams'.   If you consider that most of these players probably come from poor backgrounds, you could see how tempting this must seem.  Don't get me wrong I do not condone this practice in any way shape or form, but I do believe that it is important to contextualise these things.

Following on from my comments about Hague and his cap Chris Addison (of In The Thick of It fame) made a comment on Andrew Marr's show yesterday re the photo I posted the other day - something about looking a bit silly when you're aged 40 and wearing a baseball cap!  (Apologies Chris - a very rough paraphrase).

Duckin' and Divin'

He doesn't help himself with the ubiquitous baseball cap!









The story of William Hague and his 'special advisor' is one of the strangest political tales in recent times.  I don't find it strange that they shared hotel rooms - I have shared hotel rooms with female colleagues on business trips and male colleagues have done the same.  No, what I find strange is that someone who was Hague's driver suddenly becomes a 'special advisor' - what does this mean exactly?  However, strange as it may seem I agree with Anthony Seldon in the Guardian today that none of this is in the public interest.  It is another example of our seemingly national interest in the private lives of our politicians.  How can we restore interest and faith in politics for the average voter if we pay more attention to rumour and speculation than to what they stand for and how good they are as MP's?


To quote Seldon   'It's in the interest of journalists trying to sell newspapers, but not the public interest. When are we going to grow up as a country and judge people on their honesty and decency, and not on matters of public prurience?'  (http://www.guardian.co.uk/)



I'm sorry to bring up Tony Blair again but I just have to talk about this book of his.  I gather it is full of revelations about his political relationships but I also hear that there is an account of a passionate night with wife Cherie!  Eugh!  As BBC Political Correspondent Nick Robinson observed there is a lot in the book we want to know but also some things we don't!

French life .......

This a raclette-grill, we have just acquired one.  It one of the best things we have ever had.  Basically, you plug it in and you melt special raclette cheese in the little pans which slot underneath and cook things like bacon on the grill on top.  We have cooked prawns, mackerel fillets and even steak and all have turned out brilliantly.  It is very French! Does anyone know if they are available in the UK? If not they should be and every one should have one!




The hunting season has started here.  This means that it becomes very dangerous to go for a walk on a Sunday!  Everywhere there are men in orange baseball caps and the sound of gunfire.  They shoot anything that moves but what they are really looking for is wild boar.  Quite often these hefty animals will crash through hedgerows on to the road trying to escape the guns. Bad luck if one hits your car!

Pretty eh?














The other big thing which happens tomorrow is the 'rentrer' (literally to re-enter) - returning to school!  This may seem a small thing but, believe me, here it is the focus of attention.  This is probably because the summer holiday  is very long - my grandchildren finished around the middle of June!  All mums will be celebrating!

Knowledge is power?

Why is it that doctors - or more particularly specialists - can turn you into a jibbering idiot?  Here am I, a reasonably articulate politics post-grad with two degrees under my belt (not to blow my own trumpet) who at a neuro consult this morning found myself feeling like a child on my first day at school! Every time I promise myself it won't happen and every time it does.  Oh well better luck next time!



Sugar and Spice .........

This is my granddaughter Thalia Rose aged 4 - yesterday she informed me that when she grows up she and her mummy are going to get married!

Patrick and Tony - there is no comparison!

How can anybody not love him?

On the other hand .........

 This is the photo of Blair after he made his totally disingenuous donation to the Royal British Legion.  I cannot believe he really thought it would atone for entering into an unjustifiable war - but I am sure he feels better about himself.  Personally, I think I'll just go back to gazing at the photo of PD!