A walk in the rain and the mud

 Last Sunday, we went to Pub in the Park and we didn't take the car: we decided to walk it. The nearest parking was at a ten minutes walk from the main event and about the same time away from home. So we walked. It was supposed to be a rainy day, but I foolishly said Wolfie didn't need his rubber boots (called wellies in this country). So... when we arrived atthe park, it started raining a lot and we quickly got soaked. And our shoes all got very muddy. Wolfie was very grumpy. Like pretty much every Englishman I know, he hates rain. Which is a kind of tragedy, in this country. It made the experience more exhausting as well: walking in the mud does that, as if you spend more energy for each step. And it feels like the rain drains you too, if that makes sense. We ended up enjoying ourselves, but my boy and I were glad to walk home a bit earlier, while his mummy stayed when her friends. Moral of the story: always bring boots. And I need proper wellies myself.

Guille et les pantoufles

De tous les personnages de Mafalda, c'est son frère Guille qui est sans doute mon préféré. Je ne sais pas trop pourquoi, peut-être qu'il a un peu le même nom que moi. Mais enfin bref, je le trouve à la fois drôle et adorable )même quand il est grognon comme ici). J'ai donc décidé de partager un nouveau gag le mettant en scène, rien que pourle plaisir. Mafalda pouvait être très profonde, mais parfois c'était une comédie de situation, qui ne perdait cependant rien de sa justesse.

South African Flag

We went to a "pub in the park" event yesterday (more on that in future posts). I was surprised to see the South African flag floating there. Probably at a stand serving biltongs or something of the sort, but I did not have time to check. It felt a bit strange, because my brother-in-law (the brother of my wife), who is half South African, has been recently trying to get his nephews interested about that part of their national heritage. In fact, no later than that very morning he had send usa video of Pata Pata to share with them (but Wolfie knew about the song already). So seeing that flag was a strange moment of synchronicity. Or it is Fate telling me that Wolfie is at heart, like his daddad, very much South African.

Les cigares

Nous sommes allés à une journée spéciale hier, une journée "pub in the park" dans un parc local. Comme un grand pub à ciel ouvert, avec des kioskesqui offraient de la bouffe, tous les alcools imaginables, des boissons sans alcool, etc. Comme de raison, il a plu à boire debout. Il y avait même un stand qui vendait des cigares. Je déteste le tabac et encore plus le tabagisme, mais j'avoue que j'aime l'odeur des cigares, même si je me sens incapable d'en fumer (voir cette anecdote pour en savoir plus sur le sujet). C'est encore drôle de voir que les cigares sont encore glamour (ceux-ci sont même roulés à la main). Je n'ai pas vu qu'une seule personne en fumer un de toute la journée d'hier, cela dit. Et une femm assez âgée, qui plus est. Je ne sais pas trop quoi en conclure.

The Adopted Teddy Bear

A few weeks ago, my wife and Wolfie went to a garage sale nearby. The money from the sales was given to a charity (for Ukraine?), so it was all for a good cause. They didn't buy much, but they bought this little teddy bear. Wolfie got really fond of him. He called him Good. Sometimes Wolfie gets suddenly into teddy bears. I used to be like this at his age. But I also find it kind of altruistic, if that makes sense, that we "adopt" like this teddies and give them a second life in a good home, where they will be loved and cuddled.

L'horloge du Jura (encore)

 Voici une photo de l'horloge du Jura, prise par mon père à Québec. J'en ai mis d'autres ici l'an dernier. Cette horloge me fascine, je ne suis pas certain pourquoi. Peut-être que c'est simplement parce que ses murs sont en verre, ce qui crée un effet de distance et de proximité à la fois.

Happy birthday Cate Blanchett!

Well, she will most likely never stumble on this blog, but I have to mention it anyway: today is the birthday of Cate Blanchett. As you know (and if you don't, you most likely have guessed), she is my favourite actress, bare none. Because she shines in every role she plays (and steals the show when she is not the main character). Oh and I found this picture on this fansite, which I might visit more.

Trop chaud, trop tôt

Mes parents vont à Montréal en fin de semaine, juste quand une canicule historique s'annonce. La canicule la plus précoce depuis qu'on enregistre les données, paraît-il. C'est dans ce genre de moment que je m'ennuie moins du Québec. Je sais qu'il peut y avoir des températures estivales au mois de mai, mais c'est pousser la note un peu trop. C'est trop chaud, trop tôt. Et ça n'annonce rien de bon pour la planète ou pour les mois qui viennent.

Friday the 13th: an anniversary

Well, it is Friday the 13th and I hope nobody here is superstitious. For me, 13 might actually a lucky number: it was on the 13th of May last year that I started my then new job. Since then I have changed account, but I still work for the same company, which is great. I needed a bit of professional stability after the tumultuous years that were the years 2017 to 2020. This is what I was hoping for when I started working for them, and this is what I got. As it is Friday, I might actually do something to celebrate.

Georges Brassens - Le parapluie

Il a plu passablement il y a quelques jours, alors pour une raison quelconque ça m'a mis cette chanson de Georges Brassens en tête.

A portrait of Marilyn Monroe

Sometimes I kind of follow news about art and auctions, not sure why. But anyway, you have probably heard about it before and I know I am late in the news, but one of Andy Warhol's portraits of Marilyn Monroe has been sold to a record sum of $195m. I used to be a big fan of Marilyn Monroe, I still quite like her a lot as an artist and an icon. But never cared all that much about Andy Warhol, I must confess. And as a great artist as he was, I prefer Marilyn Monroe witthout weird colours added, or on black and white. Be that as it may, if I had that much money, I'd keep it for something else and watch one of her movies instead.

Frites et mayonnaise

Mon père a fait des frites patio (voir ici pour la définition) récemment et il m'a envoyé des photos. Des fois il aime m'envoyer de la food porn, que j'aime ensuite partager sur ce blogue. Je sais pas si c'est cruel, ou masochiste, mais enfin bref. J'ai rien d'autre à dire que ça a l'air vraiment bon, surtout avec de la mayonnaise. Hélas, la mayo n'est pas maison, enfin je ne crois pas, mais c'est très mangeable pareil.

Tea by the gallons

I have a new manager at work, because I work on a new account, with a new team. Nice guy, pretty smooth, gives us all the space we need to work, does not breathe over our neck (although since I work from home, I guess that would be hard anyway). But I digress. At one of our team meetings, I saw that he drank from a huge bottle of tea, like one of these big travelling tea mugs. So he's a big tea drinker, which is always a good sign in my mind. He told us he gets through the bottle in his working day. I don't drink nearly as much tea, not these days anyway, but maybe I should. When it is cold in the office (or at your home home), when there's a lot of work to be done and you haven't slept enough the night before, well... Tea is like the proper working fuel. Productivity fuel, even. Unlike coffee, it keeps you awake and alert. So yes, I might just try to find myself a big bottle like that and drink it through the day.

Le gazon... encore

J'ai tondu le gazon dimanche dernier, pour la première fois depuis l'automne dernier (je crois que c'était en septembre). Seulement le gazon de la cour avant, pas la cour arrière. En fait, quand je dis cour, je veux dire la jungle qui tenait lieu de jardin. Je déteste tondre le gazon, je sais pas trop pourquoi, toujours est-il que je le remets au surlendemain, mais parfois il faut le faire. J'espère pouvoir en être quitte pour le mois prochai. Cela dit, il va me falloir raser la jungle qui est le jardin d'en arrière. Et je n'ai plus l'excuse d'attendre que la clôture soit remontée: c'est fait.

Beauties and the Beasts

Oh the manyt reasures one find in the local bookshop. Things I would never thought to look for, because I never suspected they existed. So last time I went to the local bookshop, I behaved and only bought two books, including this one. An anthology of tales and stories following the themes and plot of Beauty and the Beast. Which is truly a tale as old as time. I have already a lot of books on my reading list, so I have no idea when I will read this one. Be that as it may, my motto is buy now, read later. You don't want to miss buying a book when you see it available.

Rouge Burger Bar

J'ai un nouvel objectif lorsque nous retournerons à Chicoutimi: manger au Rouge Burger Bar. Mes parents y sont allés avec des amis il y a peu de temps et ils m'ont envoyé des photos. Même la salade de ma mère était... copieuse. C'est le moins qu'on puisse dire. Voir la photo si vous êtes sceptiques. Le seul ennui, c'est que je doute que ma femme, qui est végétarienne, apprécie l'endroit. Et je ne crois pas que ce soit le genre d'endroit pour petit loup non plus.

The Snakes

If you remember, I blogged about a month ago about these plastic snakes we played when we were kids, you held the end of their tail and it slither like the real thing. They were cheap toys we really loved. Well, I did not receive them for my birthday, so instead I bought a pack. I received five for the price of four, there were two yellow ones in the bag. That makes for a rather nice bunch. Of course, Wolfie absolutely loves them. He has the blue one, that is "his" snake and I have the green one. His mummy has the red one. They are generally up to no good and when we play with them, they go for all sorts of mischief. I love having a son.

"Ménage du printemps"

 Mon père a pris cette photo pour son petit-fils, parce que Wolfie aime ce genre de grosses machines. Il l'a intitulée "Ménage du printemps". À noter: il y a encore de la neige (très sale) au sol. Le printemps, c'est pendant longtemps une saison un brin dégueulasse.

Anti-Terror Forces

 We went to the local May Fayre yesterday and Wolfie played one of these special games when he needs to catch a rubber duck to win a price, a toy of his choice. He chose this "Anti-Terror Forces" toolkit, basically police equipment (a gun, a knife, handcuffs, a badge, etc.) Wolfie is getting obsessed with the police these days, he even told us he wants to become a police officer when he grows up. So his games have become more brutal as of late, involving police officers (himself and mummy) and badguys (me). It makes a change from the vehicles he still obsesses about from time to time. And it also reminds me of my own childhood games. At his age, I loved police and robbers type games, I was also fond of such cheap toys, especially weapons, that usually didn't last long. This kit was very cheap, £3.50, and already the gun's trigger has broken down. Oh well, it can still be of use. Anyway, I hope Wolfie's choice has nothing to do with the rather, *ahem*, interesting looking policewoman on the top right corner of the packaging.

Premier burger sur barbecue

Nous sommes allés au May Fayre hier et ce fut pour moi l'occasion de manger pour le lunch un burger sur barbecue. Le premier de l'année, si je ne trompe pas. C'est une tradition pour moi lors des foires: je mange un hamburger. En fait un cheeseburger avec oignons frits en veux-tu, en voilà, moutarde "américaine", et sauce barbecue. Des fois il faut savoir se faire plaisir. J'ai mangé de meilleurs burgers, mais juste le fait qu'il soit sur barbecue, ça le rend spécial.