The English Armchair Abroad

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A Midsummer Night's Dream

What a joy.  We were given two tickets for the Footsbarn Production of A Midsummer Night's Dream and it was fantastic.  It was part of the Festival d'Anjou which takes place annually during June and early July.  Footsbarn is a small English theatre company that travels around Europe and they have a base in the Auvergne.  However, the actors are from all over the place:  English, French, South African, Japanese and probably others.  You can find out more about them here (Apologies - the Click for Full Details on the picture doesn't have a link)

 

I haven't seen Midsummer Night's Dream for years.  I remember we had to do it at school when I was 11 and I was Oberon - my best friend was very upset because she was the Wall!  So not the best introduction then!  But on Wednesday it was wonderful.  Donkey's head was HUGE.  Lots of bawdiness - but not making enough to make it unsuitable for the youngsters in the audience - and just a tiny amount in French which added enormously to the humour of the play within the play.

 

Keeping Cool in the Heat

In 2003 France, like much of Europe, had a heatwave (canicule) that lasted about two weeks.  At night the temperature stayed up around 27 degrees and during the day it was not far off 40.  We are fortunate to have a swimming pool but, ridiculous though it sounds, the 100 metre walk to and from the pool really made the very warm water swim not worth the trouble.

We made many mistakes in 2003.  We live in an old, 14th century house with thick stone walls and shutters on the inside of the windows.   Not knowing any better my husband opened all the windows and doors which of course let the hot air in and once warmed up this house was not going to cool down.  Boy, we learnt from that mistake!

This last week has also been very hot and today we have had temperatures up in the 30's.  All the windows have been shut all day and the house is pleasantly cool - a relief from outside.  It's now nearly 6pm and I thought it was about time to "get some fresh air into the house".  I opened the sitting-room window ... and was blasted by the heat pouring in!  It's now firmly shut again and I'll wait for dark if necessary.

But the problem comes with visitors.  They don't realise that leaving their bedroom window open all day is actually the worst thing they can do.  I spend a lot of time checking their rooms and closing windows.  And poor blind Granny - her joy is to sit next to an open window and listen to the birds outside and her talking book inside.  She gets quite ratty when I shut the window despite the explanation and despite the fact that she can't cope with the heat (which is, of course, why she's sitting inside in the first place!).  The house is fairly dark and despite being blind her eyes are sensitive to light so again, an open window is important for her. 

Granny will be joining us at the end of July for a fortnight.  Let's hope it cools down before then!

Buzzing Brits

When we first came to France my sister lived an hour north of us and as the road to the ferry port when directly past her front door I used to see her quite regularly.  Sadly, she and her family moved to Ireland and thanks to a new motorway we no longer had any need to take the "old" road.  Which is a shame because driving through La Sarthe is particularly beautiful at this time of year.

Last night I received a telephone call from someone who had a problem with a swarm of bees that had decided his attic was the most perfect des res for bees.  Or more particularly between the roof and the plaster board.  Could I try and help?  Well, of course I'll do anything to get more honey bees and off I went this morning all prepared.  I knew they would be inaccessible and I was going to leave a bait hive in his garden.  This is a small nucleus hive with frames inside but also a little closed tube of pheromone - dead sexy and irresistible to bees!

 Long story short - they weren't honey bees at all but (I think) carpenter bees and of no use to me.  It's always a risk that people mix up different types of bees;  sometimes (as in this case) they just don't know or realise there's a difference...a bee's a bee's a bee;  and sometimes they just hope you'll get rid of whatever it is for them anyway (which I won't!) as it saves them the cost of calling out the pompiers.  He asked me what a honey bee looked like and as I find it very difficult to put that sort of thing into words I suggested we look around his garden as they would be sure to be out collecting nector - except in his lovely big garden he only had about three plants and they weren't the bees' favourites.  Oh well;  I can't live without flowers in the garden but I guess it takes all sorts.

But I wasn't too miffed at the wasted journey.  He lived just off the road which I used to take to my sister and just passed the most beautiful part - a sort of wooded valley.  The sun was shining, the birds were singing and all was good with the world!

Out of the mouths of (19 year old) babes...

My son is currently taking a Gap Year before going to Exeter University in September.  He's a bright lad - he won a scholarship at 13 so we could almost say gifted.  But that's in maths.

At the moment he's earning some money for his next lot of travels by working for a Silver Service Agency in London and taking the opportunity to stay with his Grandmother.  The other day the agency called him to say he had a job in Hyde Park on Friday night and to be there at whatever time.  They told him fairly precisely what the job was but, being H and being young, he didn't really take it all in.

Before he went out Granny asked him where the job was and what it was for.  This, with a little (but not much) license was his reply:

"Some bloke from South Africa is celebrating his 90th birthday in Hyde Park.  There's a pop concert too - wish I could do that for my birthday."

  

Well, of course, Granny, being 81 and slightly more worldly wise, realised immediately what the occasion was and although time was short thought a quick lesson on the history of Nelson Mandela would be appropriate!

Beautiful Cards from Polly

A little while ago my friend Polly from Polly's Peri-wrinkles & Piercings ran a competition which I won!  The prize was some of her home-made cards and yesterday they arrived.  They are beautiful.

I will get my camera organised and try and take some photos of the ones she sent me but in the meantime have a look at her Etsy Shop (Vinca) where she sells them.  My favourite happens to be on sale there right now and I've taken the liberty of using the photo from the shop:

This is not the best photo but you can just see the embossed dogs.  I love it!

Incidentally, all the cards came with envelopes and individually wrapped in plastic see-through envelopes.  They really are lovelly - take a look!