My "fish-furnace"" 

If you've seen the photo, (and if you haven't - go further down this page), you may know what I'm going to talk about! This monster, called a "sandre" in France, a "zander" in Germany, and I think a "sander" in UK took me 3 days to de-scale, filet, make the fish-stock from the carcasse, and the sauce from the reduced juices. It took me 3 hours to prepare and cook it, cover it with the delicious sauce, decorate and serve to a brigade (roughly 20 people) of brigands, who took around 15 minutes to completely destroy everything, and ask for seconds! You non-cooking people out there - you are savages! You do not appreciate the time, the effort, the knowledge required, and the creativity used to put these things in front of your heathen eyes/forks/knives. Mind you - if it gives you pleasure - that's what us "Great" chefs de cuisine are there for! It was whilst I was de-scaling the fish/monster, that the 3rd part of my title sprang to mi

MY fish!! NOT his!! 

abrivado 

again 

in the streets 

close for comfort! 

A lot of people are not aware that Bullfighting is not only a Spanish thing, so I thought I'd put the image straight! The first photos will show you the bulls in the streets , here in Vauvert, a small south of France village, on their way to the arenas, which are shown after this story, as well as a matador having pleasure! As you can see, the areanas are new, and cost a lot of public money, showing the importance of what is called "taurine" industry. There is mainly no "mis a mort" (killing of bulls in the arenas) here, unlike Spain, but it does exist, particularly in the large cities arenas, like Nimes or Beziers etc. In most small arenas it exists also, but is considered as a different sport to that practiced normally "jeu Camargaise", which consists in younger males trying to put rings onto the bulls horns, or take them off the bulls horns. In both cases, there are cups and financial awards to be reaped, and there are professionals who make a good

again 

new arenas-vauvert 

happens to us all 

Belgian/welsh grand prix 

Schumis driving licence. 

oops! Where did that come from? 

Chinese grand prix 

Schumi before the race! 

And off they will go again, round and round in circles for hours and hours and laps and laps!! And they call that "A grand prix" - I agree that only people qualified as the last of these three words participate! BUT.......... my mate chippie and tinkerbelle, his wife, like this "sport" so it can't be all bad! I reckon they like it because of the smell of burning rubber (which recalls bath nights) and freaky fuel (which recalls just before bath night cocktails), together with the sight of fulminating and exploding champagne bottle, ejaculating their contents all over the place (which recalls VERY long times ago)! Anyway - enough of that - have fun, and the photos above, are meant to get you in the mood!!

And this is what you should all say to Elodie!! 

This is Elodie! 

Elodie, my little French friend, was told I had promised a message, from her, to you all, and all she could say (with a full mouth) "No time - too hungry" - so it's me again, to keep you amused over this dreary week-end! On one of my favourite themes, the various "National Health Systems" particularly in Europe, and today with one of them with which I have a lot to do at the moment, the French!! Having had dealings with numerous systems in Europe, I consider the French to be the absolute worst. The French, however, consider it to be the absolute best!! HENCE THE TITLE: not at all wise not at all wise wealthy To my mind, it is outdated, doesn't refund anything like the actual costs, is run for the most part by incompetent (generally career females) idiots, who are not there to work, but to fill in the time between taking the kids to school and going back to pick them up! And yet: They throw back at any criticisms ,normally, the same

There are, apparantly - thousands of people, all of the female sex, out there, who are (and I put it bluntly as usual) as thick as the proverbial ???????! They giggle, shrink within themselves, squirm (either with pleasure or delight, or maybe horror) when Mr. le Marquis du Galipot performs his usual greeting. "La baise-main" or "Kuess die Hand, madame" or simply "Hand-kiss", is something which is still a part of politeness - respect - and what is left of chivalry! Now - there are certain (and they are not few in number) females, who adore this custom, and who feel simply great, on the rare occasions nowadays, that they are subjected to "the treatment". They are the ones who know what it is all about, and for the others, I publish this VERY SHORT GUIDE on the kissing of hands!! (It could be of use to people like Chippie/WB/BB etc): 1). WHY DO IT? You could make an impression, or simply make someone happy. You could stamp your way of life, a

pope/papa/vater/father/holy pope/papa/vater/father/holy These are the only ones I could find, or create - I don't think they are very appropriate!! pope/papa/vater/father/holy BUT DON'T SAY THAT Mr le Marquis isn't up-to-date!! (Look at the date and time of this article!!) Let's start again: That better? In any case, I know that all over the world, the following things are being said: Bloody Pope's a kraut! That was quick - it must have been rigged - He's a German after all! Who the hell is the pope? These are things which God, not man, arranges! Time for a pint? And many more! My cat (the much quoted "Granite de l'Oasis") whispered in my ear: "El papa esta morte- papa! - any more tuna fish going?" (In fact, she whispered "God" instead of "Papa" - after all who gives her all her food?) Cunning, intelligent and beautiful is my cat! Anyway, I note th