Author: Kathleen Hall

Trying Anything

It is a sunny day, at last.  It has been raining and cloudy since May, but now summer seems to have arrived.   The High Street is bustling with shoppers in short sleeves, buskers singing and playing guitars whose cases, sprinkled with starter coins, lie open in front of them.  It’s like a spring fete,  people … Continue reading Trying Anything

Angiogram –

I’ve been neglecting this blog, lately –  lots of visitors have been here, especially Jono and family from Uruguay, some heallth issues, and generally my spirit has not been available.  I have been nervous about this angiogram, though I know it isn’t really a big deal.  But wait a minute.  How can a wire going… Continue reading Angiogram –

Health Care – UK, France, US: Krugman and Me

Health Care Terror  By PAUL KRUGMAN  These days terrorism is the first refuge of scoundrels. So when British authorities announced that a ring of Muslim doctors working for the National Health Service was behind the recent failed bomb plot, we should have known what was coming.  "National healthcare: Breeding ground for terror?" read the on-screen… Continue reading Health Care – UK, France, US: Krugman and Me

Rye Bread

Furious baking is going on in my kitchen since I returned from France. It’s my way of putting down roots. When I’ve cleaned the kitchen and baked some bread, I am home again. I made two loaves of rye bread a week ago which were heavy enough to break skulls, yet chewy in the middle.… Continue reading Rye Bread

The Wedding Reception

  The ceremony, such as it is, is concluded, the papers signed by the married couple and four of their children.  Outside, some of the men have lined up on either side of the entrance to the mairie, tennis rackets,  decorated with flowing white ribbons, raised in salute and joining at the top to form… Continue reading The Wedding Reception

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More Weekend Wedding

Au revoir a la vie de jeune fille – that’s a hen party in UK English.  I don’t think we’d say that in US English anymore.  Not PC enough.  I must admit, I don’t much like the phrase, Hen Party, suggesting as it does a flock of mindless, fluttering pin-headed cluckers, but "good-bye to your… Continue reading More Weekend Wedding

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RAIN

It  has rained everyday since our return from France, and it was rainy before we left.  Mind you, the weather wasn’t perfect in France when we were there,either,  but as far as I know, France has been spared the destructive downpours and floods which are devastating some towns in Yorkshire. I like rain; like the… Continue reading RAIN

Les Villages Perches

The "canton" of Fayence is made up of several villages perched atop neighboring mountains.  The village where I owned a house for many years was called Tourrettes par Fayence to distinguish it from all the many  other villages named Tourrettes in the south of France.  Fayence is the largest of the villages in terms of… Continue reading Les Villages Perches

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Into the home stretch –

Behind the  steering wheel  in France, even though it is on the right side of the car,  I am not the wimp I am when I drive in England.  I don’t know whether to chalk it up to many years of experience driving in France, or the disorientation of driving on the left side of… Continue reading Into the home stretch –

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