Bonjour!!!
It doesn't look as though March is going to go out "like a lamb". It's been a "lion" the whole month.
Today is the 26th of March and it is still very cold here in France. By now there should have been at least a couple of days in the 60's F. I know that is the case in the States, too. They've had huge drifting snow in England, very rare. Everyone here says it's been an unusually long, cold winter here in Brittany. I looked ahead online to the long range forecast and even a week beyond Easter, it will still only reach into the low 50's here. Very disappointing. But hoping "spring" doesn't jump right into a steaming hot summer. There is no air conditioning here! Brigitte (my landlady) informed me that it isn't necessary as the summers are "cool-ish" and the house stays cool. Still, I might invest in a fan or 2. It is a humid place. There goes the hair!
The weekend was a little eventful for me. I had been looking in the classifieds for a used sofa to replace the "daybed" in the living room. Last week I found one not too far away. Brian Bird had also been looking on my behalf and he helped me get in touch with an ad I had found in AngloInfo.com
I made an appointment to see the sofa on Wed. and Brian and Ann drove me out into the country through a village called Guillac, 8 km from Josselin. It's real country out there with farms, crowing roosters, everybody in wellies and beautiful rolling green fields. We met another Derek (a popular English name) and his wife Evelyn and their Jack Russell terrier, "Jack", the owners of the sofa. Well, we learned their story of moving over just a month ago. So many British people have relocated here. Everyone has their own fascinating story. I am amazed at just how warm and welcoming all my British friends have been. Derek and Evelyn have even suggested I stay at their country place with Skippy when they're away. So generous. But I might feel stuck without a car anyway. But I mean, I just think that's so generous for just having met me, the stranger who bought the sofa. We agreed on terms for the sofa and they agreed to deliver it and so they did on Saturday morning!
I've been introduced to another new friend, Lucille, by my postman Guy (pronounced Gee). She lives just down the street on the steep lane leading down to the canal. She stopped by on Friday afternoon and we had a glass of wine and talked and talked. She lived for a few years in Chicago and also Las Vegas. But she has been back in France a long time. At one time she was married to a well known violinist. She is Parisian and speaks English very well. So, I have finally made another French friend!! We had lunch on Sunday just across from the Basilique.
Everyone was coming out to pick up their palms for Palm Sunday. I waited for Lucille to come out and then we went to lunch. I tried to be good and had a salade but it had large chunks of roasted cheese and walnuts so I wasn't so good afterall! Lucille had told me about a cousin of hers who is a very renowned actress who is now 99 years old!! She was excited because she is in a new movie just opened. She had invited me to go see it in Pleurmel on Sunday after lunch with her friend Penelope, and so I did!!! (Penny drove) The actress's name is Gisele Casadesus. The Belgian movie is called "Sous le Figuier" or "Under the Fig Tree". It was in French, no subtitles, but I was pleased that I was able the get the gist of the story without too much trouble. Not really by understanding the dialogue but just by the action and the visuals. Anyway, I loved the movie. Very sweet. Charming. Nice soundtrack. A little story very well done. Frankly, I would have made Gisele's hair a little messy at times, but I suppose she gets her way at 99. She is very beautiful. Penny, it turns out is another British ex-pat!! I took a picture of the cinema screen with Gisele's name on it.....but it's hard to see...Anyway, I won't give the story away, just in case........
This morning Sue stopped by to visit and see my new sofa. She helped me get the daybed up the stairs. I huffed and puffed and had to use my inhaler. But then, that's par for my course. We had a good talk and off she went to get her car which was getting new tires. Everybody is busy here.
Tomorrow is French class and Thursday we are going to Pleurmel shopping. We're also planning to go to Ikea one of these days to get meatballs!
So now you know what my days here are like. Aside from walking Skippy and sipping coffee. And puttering online. And reading.
My new sketchbooks have arrived and so I am excited to start working on things. It's just so darn cold out there.
AuRevoir Mes Amis!!!
OH wait, a really good PS here!! I mentioned the AngloInfo classifieds.......they really are very interesting and entertaining. Have a look......www.angloInfo.com.......click on classifieds, then click on Brittany for the items near me...........but lots of stuff all over, too.
Last week I saw a male goat..."looking for a home". haha I'm sure we have similar ads in our rural classifieds. But they are fun to read!! You can really find rare and fascinating stuff and also stuff whose names I don't even know. haha..... maybe next time I'll give you a list of stuff I find!!
AND here's a funny story on me.......Last week when Sue and I went into a second hand shop, I had in mind looking for a jug or ceramic container handy for silverware to keep on the counter. The drawer is too far away in the dining area. Finally I came across a greyish color jug with brown script lettering on it. It seemed just right. I asked Sue what it said but she didn't know. I paid 1/2 euro for it, or 50 cents. When I got home I looked up the meaning of "Remasse-Couverts". Haha, it means "Pick Flatware" !!!!! So it was specifically the very thing I had set out to find!!!
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