Facebook logo Español: Logotipo de Facebook Français : Logo de Facebook Tiếng Việt: Logo Facebook (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) As you probably know, I have just returned from the USA (there will be an account of our nightmare return voyage later) and I published a link on Facebook which met with a certain amount of agressive commentary. By chance, further down my FB page I found this: http://thoughtcatalog.com/2013/10-things-most-americans-dont-know-about-america/  ...having read it through (written by an American) I decided it merited a place on this blog. This decision will probably provoke further animosity, but that's what writing is all about......make people think. Related articles http://thoughtcatalog.com/2013/this-is-why-she-will-leave-you/ (ponderfulthoughts.wordpress.com) My opinions on The angels share (marissatorpvw820.wordpress.com)

That long awaited day is approaching rapidly!   This is going to give way for this   and these bottles....      ........! 90 days..... sounds like a jail sentence , but in reality, it wasn't so bad....yes, everybody starts to miss home and habits, after a while, and we were no exception. Of course, we started with the sad event, on our arrival, of being informed that the lady we had come to see had passed away whilst we were over the Atlantic Ocean, so the whole procedure was required, legally and so on. It's quite difficult to get mixed up in the family affairs of a family that you aren't really a 100% member of, but I was made very welcome and, in general, I was amazed and astounded to what extent I was accepted, and how quickly. Here are a couple of photos to illustrate, we will be doing a slideshow style production once we are back home, and the link will be published here, on this blog, and on Facebook....Now, I'm afraid it's back to PACKING...

In Action Just so happens that I was invited and taken to one of the many places "sweet suzi" and her group play their music.......! If you are a liker, a fan, of this style of music, keep your eyes open - she and her boys are on tour in Europe (UK) very shortly...... Sweet Suzi  

 Seems like the USA  is pulling out all the stops to show me the possibilities.....! In fact, the wind speeds given are lower than the actual, via the TV reports, which are giving them as around 50 - 60 miles per hour . Right now, there are only a few drops of rain in the wind, but they forecast this evening's rushhour as "mushy". Well, I hadn't planned on going anywhere today, so I guess I'll try to get some snapshots from INSIDE the house! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tropical_cyclone    

Gourmandise de mr le marquis: Friday...fishy time.... :   Friday merits fish ....Firstly because the choice is larger, secondly because the fish is fresher, thirdly because the prices are lower and...that said, you should try to buy your fish on the Thursday - the products are present on the slabs, there are fewer people who want the ' debris '....  This 'debris consists in general of the left overs, skin, bones and so on from filleted fish . It is becoming rarer and rarer, but you can still find it - if you ask. You are probably wondering what good it is - well it's to make a ' fish fumet ' otherwise known as a fish stock   which is used to poach slowly your fish but in general is used to make the fish sauce to accompany the cooked fish, and beleive me - it makes a difference to the taste. It's also used to replace some of the water used in cooking a paella, or to reduce the amount of white wine used to cook fish and make sauces......try it.....you'll b...

Due to a booking that had to be cancelled, the following is available in Brittany for the month of June - try mailing for the exact dates available (see on page): http://www.farmhousegites.com/     Welcome to our traditional stone Breton farmhouse which was built approximately 200 years ago, set in the tiny rural Hamlet of La Coudrais, surrounded by the relaxing countryside of Southern Brittany which borders the Loire Valley . The beautiful Gulf of Morbihan with its popular beaches are approx. 35 minutes drive away. Visit the inland port town of Redon (10-15 mins) set on the confluence of the river Villaine and the Nante/Brest canal, There are numerous shops, bars and restaurants, all within easy reach and a leisure centre with 3 indoor pools. RENNES is just 35 mins away, VANNES is 1 hour, ST MALO is only 75 mins. (for the rest, click the link)      http://www.farmhousegites.com/ (Don't forget to mention mr le Marquis and Paul Chapman when...

  http://www.about-squirrels.com/what-do-squirrels-eat.html Now, these little grey things are in multitudes here, and just about everybody knows they are/were responsible for the near extinction of its' European brother, the red squirrel .   http://www.about-squirrels.com/red-squirrels.html The only reason I interest myself in them (because they are not edible so far as I am aware although try this US Lady's point of view:  http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/01/22/why-eat-squirrel-really/ ) and this one from ENGLAND.....  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2086571/Anyone-grey-squirrel-pie-Victorian-delicacy-enjoys-revival-bid-save-red-cousins-extinction.html  ) is because there are many that come into the garden, and right now, in spring, I wondered what they ate! Amazing the range of stuff they pack into their little stomachs! Wonder if they ask for a doggy bag......? From my perod of living in Upper Bavaria, Germany , I had quite a few encount...

 This little guy is happy about it all,  but after this lunch, I'm NOT! http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kosher_foods     The problem is hat a "Kosher" diner not only does not have any pork, but the one we just went to doesn't have anything I would call food - at all....! First problem, as we chose, we were told that she (the waitress) would have to check to see if they had any! Now - even sausages can be obtained made from beef, and I haven't seen the pig that lays eggs.....yet! These are great, beef sausage meat with a hard boiled egg on the inside, breadcrumbed and deep fried - they are called " Scotch eggs " and would qualify!  There are hundreds, indeed thousands of Kosher recipes, but not where we were........and everything burned!   I'm sure there are good things to be found, but just not here! This is what I really went for, but of course they didn't have, and hadn't had it for years - since a change of owner  Lox on rye....... Ne...

Let's start off with New York , since that's where we are based. One of those typical places you could spend a whole life and still not know it all!  It seems that Ellis Island was the first place immigrants saw in the "new world" now it's " JFK " Airport - at least going from the lined up queues I found myself in on arrival! Of course here are certain symbols as every city has, here it's Yellow Cabs (in London they are black) a hot dog on Times Square is a must (just on the side) - in Munich it is a bratwurst, in Paris a meter long "jambon beurre" - You munch on all these things whilst wandering through the streets looking for a Restaurant....... New York, like ALL large conglomerations, world wide has had its catastrophies, maybe even more than its fair share, between hurricanes, earthquakes and other natural disasters has also been the aim of International terrorism, and - almost every time   the world has watched, mainly horrifi...