Do you know what’s better than Christmas in a warm, sun drenched, blue skied, endless-horizoned space, one with swims to cool down in, listless insects hovering over icy glasses of Chenin Blanc, braai fires and garlicky prawns, rolling highveld thunderstorms, and a setting sun with golden fingertips reaching over the west coast ocean, tumbling down … More A Christmas Carol, Version Y2K22
Hey All, No, it’s not your typical sense of dĂ©jĂ vu that you would expect if you’re a Matrix nutter like me…or perhaps it is, but the last week has set me back somewhat, and it took a bottle of Alsace bubbles with dear friends to claw my way out of my miz-mood. I’m not sure … More A Glitch In The Matrix
This weekend marks our two year anniversary of living in Strasbourg. Yes, somehow we managed to tie it close enough to Bastille Day, and the hottest time of the year. I can write that with conviction, because I have two very definitive memories of that weekend. We arrived on a Friday. I was wearing jeans, … More Two Years
I know, I know… two in one day, you must be wondering! I’m sorry. “What are you letting your children do while your husband is away, and you get to do all this writing?” you may ask… Well since I have just seen le petite monster throw a cup of water over an electric fan … More Back to School-update
I have got so much on my mind to tell you about, but since school re-opened last Monday, I have been otherwise ensconsed in French lessons, school trips and the news. Â What with OP’s murder trial and a missing Boeing 777, my newspaper browser has never been so active, well at least not since last … More French Admin
 In the recesses of my mind, there is a rule of fairly random nature that I am often forced to remember these days: When speaking French, you do not verbalise the last letter of any word. A classic example would be ‘filet mignon’, as you and I both know it’s pronounced “fil-ay min-yoh” with … More ParlĂ© vous francaise?
Several decades ago, before the advent of Google apps on our clever phones, Google on our aging laptops, or even the Britannica in the school library, my Mum bought us Carr children a junior version of an encyclopedia- Childcraft. It had 15 hard covered, large print, easy to read for a 10 year old encyclopedic … More Christmas Traditions & Lore
Is it just me being my over-analytical self, or could this be a topic for discussion? Before you cast this aside as something you are not interested in, stop and put yourself in my shoes for a little while. Take yourself back as far as you can remember. Your friends have always just been THERE, … More Making New Friends
Pinot, Bretzels, and Cathedrals 