Saturday 28 February 2015
Time for Rooibos
I am drinking rooibos at the moment, to be precise the blueberry rooibos from Whittard I blogged about before. Rooibos is my favorite non-alcoholic drink at night, and this one is my favorite rooibos because blueberry is the fruit of my region. Rooibos is one of the discoveries that make me wonder what I did when I didn't know it. Anyway, I may sound like an old man, but I love the times for rooibos.
Quand février achève
Nous sommes le dernier jour de février, le dernier vrai mois hivernal, enfin je le perçois ainsi. Je suis assez heureux de voir la fin de février, un mois que je trouve assez monotone. Heureusement c'est court. J'ai pris cette photo à Chicoutimi, en décembre ironiquement. L'hiver n'était pas très hivernal. Cela dit, j'ai cru que ça se prêtait bien pour une dernière photo représentant le mois de février. Plus gris que blanc et forcément plus mélancolique. Heureusement que le mois achève.
Labels:
Chicoutimi,
February,
février,
hiver,
melancholia,
mélancolie,
neige,
Saguenay,
Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean,
saisons,
seasons,
snow,
winter
Friday 27 February 2015
A new archetype in crime fiction?
I am reading at the moment Devils in Exile by Chuck Hogan, in translation (because my mother bought it from me and thus it is translated). So am I trying to get used to a translated text, which I now find an odd reading experience, but I this is not the topic of this post. I was pondering a year and a half ago about the return of the private eye as archetype character in crime fiction. Now I am wondering if I had not been wrong. When I thought this, I was referring to Spero Lucas, George Pelecanos' latest (anti)hero. Well, Lucas is also and especially a veteran of the Iraq war, former Marine a who basically brought his war experience and psyche back home. His private activity is only pheripherical to his character. What he truly is is a former Marine. So is Neal Maven, the main character of Hogan's novel. Who is not at all a private eye. So I am wondering if the youngish yet already disgruntle war veteran is not the true archetype that is making a comeback here. The war veteran may not be an entirely new archetype, but he is certainly finding a new life in our time.
Souvenirs des Bouquinistes
Bon ben nous sommes vendredi et je suis en train de chiller à la maison parce que je n'ai pas envie de sortir. Un début de fin de semaine comme un autre. Et je pense à certaines fins de semaines à Chicoutimi. J'ai blogué assez souvent sur la librairie Les Bouquinistes, commerce indépendant qui était ma source privilégiée pour garnir ma librairie. J'y allais surtout le vendredi soir pas trop tard et le samedi dans la journée. Il y a pas grand-chose de plus plaisant que de passer quelques heures dans une librairie qui vous est familière. Et pour moi, Les Bouquinistes est la librairie familière. La première que j'ai connue, je crois. Il y avait, il y a encore, un choix de titres que bien des grandes surface pourraient envier. Et c'est pas mal plus convivial qu'une gande surface. Et enfin bref, je pense que j'y serais allé ce soir.
Thursday 26 February 2015
A new supply of bagels?
Here are some good news for the hungry expat I am. I recently met for the first one of my colleagues from Montreal, basically he is more or less in the company my opposite number on the other side of the pond. Of course, as a fellow Montrealer, I asked him if he was more Fairmount or St-Viateur when it came to choose bagels. He was Fairmount, darnit. Well, nobody is perfect. But nevertheless, he was nice enough to offer me to bring some bagels from St-Viateur next time he is here! Which is likely to be April. I will ask for a dozen of them. I was lucky last time I bought a dozen bagels at their café on Mont-Royal Avenue: when I got home, I discovered that I had fifteen bagels! I call this fair accounting. Anyway, thanks to this generous way of counting, I still have a fair stock of bagels, now I know I can have a supply in April. I am happy.
Labels:
Bagels,
café,
comfort food,
Fairmount,
food,
gastronomie,
homesickness,
job,
mal du pays,
Montréal,
Plateau Mont-Royal,
Québec,
restaurants,
Saint-Viateur Bagel
Un faire-part
Ce n'est pas la première fois que je publie une oeuvre de ma cousine Amy l'artiste-photographe de la famille (du côté de mon père), mais c'est la première fois que je publie d'elle autre chose qu'une photo artistique. Alors donc, Amy se marie cet été et elle m'a envoyé un faire-part. Un faire-part qui est en fait pas mal plus original et créatif que toutes les invitations à un mariage que j'ai vues de ma vie. Y compris celle de mon mariage à moi. Tout est dans le ton, lequel est informel et amical. Quand on invite à un mariage, c'est d'habitude écrit de manière un brin solennelle, avec ce que ça amène d'austérité. Alors avec sa permission, j'ai décidé de publier un extrait du faire-part. Il ne donne pas d'information personnelle, je suis prudent. J'ai très envie de répondre positivement, même si malheureusement ce sera difficile pour moi. Pas seulement parce que le faire-part est original, mais parce que je n'ai pas vu Amy depuis des années. Cela dit, je peux au moins partager un peu de cette invitation conviviale.
Wednesday 25 February 2015
A double anniversary
On this 25th of February, I have not only one but two birthdays to celebrate. The first, of a lesser importance, is the seventh anniversary of Vraie Fiction. I started this blog when I was unemployed and bored, to alleviate boredom, it became one of my main hobbies. The second, which is far more important (and maybe kind of relate to the first) is the birthday of Anthony Burgess, my favorite writer. He would have been 98. I would say that these two anniversaries were designed by Fate, but as I do not believe in Fate I am forced to say that they are completely coincidental. To commemorate, I will watch and read some interviews of him, and I will flicker through his novels. And of course, I am blogging this. The picture on the left shows Burgess as I first saw him on the back cover of A Clockwork Orange: middle aged but not elderly yet, messy hair, smoking either a cigaret or a cigar, kind of geeky looking and with these deep, analytical eyes.
Labels:
A Clockwork Orange,
anniversaire,
anniversary,
Anthony Burgess,
birthday,
blogging,
blogue,
books,
February,
fête,
février,
livre,
livres
Question existentielle (255)
Aujourd'hui, c'est le septième anniversaire de "naissance" Vraie Fiction (voir pour se rappeler mon premier billet). Je me pose donc cette question existentielle:
-Comment célébrer l'anniversaire d'un blogue?
-Comment célébrer l'anniversaire d'un blogue?
Tuesday 24 February 2015
Rooting for the evil stepmother
I am not a fan of Disney movies, not for a long time anyway. I don't like the way they softened classic fairy tales and turned them into candy flavored movies. Cinderella is not my favorite fairy tale. Not dark and sinister enough. All the same, I am very eager to see the new movie version of the tale, directed by Kenneth Branagh. Because the evil stepmother is played by Cate Blanchett, my favorite actress. And she is amazing even in the most derivative film. I already watched the trailers and of course she shines through every bit she is in. A story is only as good as its villain, it is said. I already love this one. So I will go and see Cinderella and I know I will be rooting for the evil stepmother.
Labels:
acteur,
acting,
actors,
archetypes,
Cate Blanchett,
Cendrillon,
Cinderella,
conte,
contes,
Disney,
film,
Kenneth Branagh,
movie,
Tale,
tales
Les aurores matinales
Signe que février se termine bientôt et avec lui l'hiver (bien qu'ici l'hiver est une non-saison qui va de novembre jusqu'en avril): il fait jour non seulement plus tard en soirée mais également plus tôt le matin. Alors le printemps arrive... Et ça ne m'enthousiasme pas comme je le croirais. Parce que j'ai le sommeil léger, alors quand le jour se pointe il ne m'en faut pas beaucoup pour me réveiller. Je crois que me réveiller alors qu'il fait encore un peu nuit et que la lumière est diffuse est plus relaxant. En fait, je ne suis pas très printannier comme personne. Enfant, c'était ma saison préférée. Plus maintenant. Et je suis ne suis vraiment pas amateur de ces aurores matinales. Suis-je le seul?
Monday 23 February 2015
Hanging on (like a junky)
That is how I have been feeling for two weeks: hanging on by a thread. Because I have a darn cold and when I have a cold I am in a pitiful state: I cough like crazy, I sneeze, I have difficulties to sleep and I am cranky. My colds are always too long and nasty. And I use lots of rubbish medication, because I cannot find proper remedies to alleviate the effects of the cold. I thus feel like Wynyard, the junky frog (although he looks like a lizard) from Meet the Feebles. I have seen the movie only once, ten years ago or so, but the drug rant of Wynyard got stuck on my mind since then, especially the last shout about Vicks VapoRub (which is maybe my favorite placebo). And I always think about it when my cold gets worse. It is also very funny. So here it is.
Labels:
cold,
film,
frog,
grenouille,
hedgehog,
hérisson,
humour,
marionnette,
Meet the Feebles,
movie,
N'importe quoi,
Peter Jackson,
puppet,
rhume,
whatever
Café(s) montréalais
Ce café a été fait par mon plus jeune frère pour ma femme, lors de notre dernier séjour à Montréal, avec son awesome machine à café. Pas pour moi, je déteste le café cordialement. Cela dit, rien que pour pouvoir boire un truc comme ça, il y a des moments où j'aimerais aimer le café. Dans la présentation en tout cas (pour le goût je ne peux pas juger), c'est aussi bien que tout ce qu'on trouve dans le commerce, à Montréal ou ailleurs. Il y a une autre chose aussi que l'on a remarquée à propos des cafés (les lieux publics, pas les breuvages) montréalais: ils restent ouverts tard, à tous les soirs de la semaine. Et ça me manque un peu, pouvoir m'arrêter le soir dans un commerce qui est autre chose qu'un débit de boisson.
Labels:
café,
coffee,
famille,
family,
home,
home sweet home,
homesickness,
maison,
mal du pays,
Montréal,
Québec
Sunday 22 February 2015
Waiting for Spectre
People will forgive me for using an old poster of a nearly ten years old movie for the topic of this blog post. As my readers know since at least December, I am getting very excited about the coming of Spectre, the 24th Bond movie. Because it will see the return of a certain criminal organization of old, and very likely the return of its leader Ernt Stavro Blofeld, who is also Bond's nemesis. I have made a personal obsession about Blofeld, whom I consider one of the greatest villains of all time. I have been following eagerly the reports of the shooting. I did not have time before to make a post about it, so I thought I would do it now. We have been treated to our first behind the scene footage about two weeks ago. The return of Bond in snowy mountains makes me suspect that the story will be at least partially based on On Her Majesty's Secret Service. A novel which also featured Blofeld. We will see anyway, but as a Bond connoisseur, I have been so far quite good at guessing a thing or two about upcoming movies, if I may praise myself so blatantly. Anyway, I loved this behind the scene video. You can see/feel the sober glamor of classic Bond movies. So these videos and the glimpses of news we have will keep me patient until Spectre is released.
Labels:
Austria,
Autriche,
books,
Casino Royale,
Daniel Craig,
film,
Ian Fleming,
James Bond,
livre,
livres,
movie,
Spectre,
spy fiction
Une bière de matante?
J'ai jusqu'ici essayé trois bières de la Microbrasserie Archibald sur les trois achetées à l'aéroport avant mon départ du Québec. J'ai donc essayé la Matante. Une bière blonde, légère et... bien, une bière blonde quoi. Pas mauvaise, mais c'était jusqu'ici l'expérience la moins intéressante des bières Archibald. Bon, comme le dit la présentation sur le site de la microbrasserie, elle a une mousse onctueuse. Mais la mousse ne fait pas la bière. Je me découvre de moins en moins d'inclinaison pour les bières blondes. Alors je le dis sans méchanceté, je commence à trouver que les blondes sont un peu des bières de matantes.
Labels:
beer,
bière,
La Matante,
microbrasserie,
Microbrasserie Archibald,
microbrewery,
Québec
Saturday 21 February 2015
Return to the Wallingford bookshop
My wife and I went recently to Wallingford, one of my favourite towns (barely bigger than a village really) in all England. Of course, as it was open, we made time to go to the Wallingford bookshop. We didn't stay there as long as I wished, but I still had time to buy two books and enjoy the place. The staff is friendly and for a small shop it does have a decent choice. I even managed to get a great unknown line to immortalize on the blog. The person working at the bookshop that day was talking to some customers and she said: "I think one should judge a book by its cover: you pay good money for it, you want it to be appealing." Very true. So it deserves to be a great unknown line and just for it I decided to blog about the Wallingford bookshop today.
Quelqu'un se souvient de Ciné-Famille(s)?
Je me pose la question, qui deviendra peut-être une question existentielle. J'ai cherché partout sur Google, jusqu'ici je n'ai rien trouvé. Je ne sais même pas si ça s'appelait Ciné-Famille, Ciné-Familles, Ciné Famille ou... enfin vous voyez ce que je veux dire. Ca passait chaque samedi après-midi à Radio-Canada, on y présentait des films pour enfants, en général des dessins animés. Au générique, il y avait la musique, sans les paroles, de Love, love me do des Beatles. Et on voyait je crois un minibus ou un truc du genre. Il y a même une rurale dans la station de métro Jean-Talon où on voit le minibus du générique. Bon, qui s'en rappelle? Je n'ai pas rêvé, ça existait.
Labels:
Beatles,
childhood,
Ciné-famille,
enfance,
film,
fin de semaine,
movie,
nostalgia,
nostalgie,
Québec,
Radio-Canada,
samedi,
Saturday,
weekend
Friday 20 February 2015
Pasta and sausages
This picture was taken during my last Christmas holidays, at my parents' home. My parents have a set of bowls that are perfect for Italian pasta dishes, like this one. I made the pasta sauce. I blogged about the recipe before. You need sausages, a tin of tomatoes, garlic and balsamic vinegar. Oh and a spoon of sugar to soften the acidity of the tomatoes and the balsamic vinegar. Be careful with the vinegar: I made the mistake to throw a huge drop in my wife's vegetarian version, and the sauce was black. I am too ashamed to show you the result of this one, but I am proud of my sauce overall, so decided to upload this picture. I am often a lousy cook, the few meals I can actually make I like to display them.
Labels:
aïl,
balsamic vinegar,
comfort food,
food,
garlic,
gastronomie,
Italie,
Italy,
pasta,
pâtes,
vinaigre balsamique
Allons tous à Jérusalem
C'est le premier vendredi du Carême, alors afin de célébrer proprement, j'ai eu la géniale idée de télécharger cette chanson classique de La fin du monde est à 7 heures. Je sais, je l'avais déjà téléchargée il y a trois ans environ, mais cette fois-ci c'est l'originale, trouvée sur YouTube. Ca sonne tellement mais tellement comme les chansons stupides que l'animateur de pastorale nous faisait subir dans mon adolescence toujours catholique. L'horreur, l'horreur. Mais cette chanson est décapante, contrairement au genre qu'elle parodie.
The BBC News embarrassment
I watched the BBC News headlines today and among them was this piece of news: "Who is the killer on Eastenders and did you watch the show last night?" I fell down my chair. Can you find anything more unworthy of reporting on national news than this? More unworthy of being in headlines? I knew the BBC was sycophantic towards the royals, I didn't know their shameless behavior extended to their soaps. This is not journalism, this is crass, biased infomercial. Who is the killer on some stupid soap, did you watch that stupid soap last night? Here's the right answer: who cares?
Labels:
BBC,
controverse,
controversy,
Eastenders,
téléséries,
tv series
Un bienfait du Déluge du Saguenay
Petite nouvelle de ma région d'origine, ça fait un bout de temps que je n'ai pas blogué sur le sujet. Enfin bref et sans plus attendre, j'ai récemment lu cet article sur un bienfait inattendu du Déluge du Saguenay de 1996 sur l'environnement: les sédiments charriés par les eaux ont recouvert le fond du Saguenay, lequel est pollué par le mercure. Ironique qu'une pareille tragédie, l'un des plus importants évènements de l'histoire de la région, ait pu avoir des effets bénéfiques. Bon, quand même, la rivière Saguenay est plus propre.
Labels:
Arvida,
Chicoutimi,
river,
rivière,
Saguenay,
Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean
Thursday 19 February 2015
Dragons, Gods & Spirits from Chinese Mythology
I have learned that today is the Lunar/Chinese New Year. Strangely enough, I bought two days ago, completely randomly, the book Dragons, Gods & Spirits from Chinese Mythology. I walked in a second-hand bookshop, it was there, I bought it. I spent five minutes in the shop, if that. I promised myself to go easy on books purchases, as my bookshelves are full, but I simply could not resist. And to rationalize it (by insights), it was far cheaper than what I would have paid on Amazon). The worst thing is, I have this book, in its translation in French, since my childhood. It is from the same publisher and the same collection as my book on Viking mythology. I just wanted the original.
So I will revisit, again, a childhood memory. You can see on the cover Sun Wukong fighting a dragon. I blogged about him before, here and here. This was I think my favorite story in the whole book. But I will happily re-read all of them. I am kind of tempted to get my hands on all the books of this collection, which were real treasures. Until then, I will read this one eagerly.
So I will revisit, again, a childhood memory. You can see on the cover Sun Wukong fighting a dragon. I blogged about him before, here and here. This was I think my favorite story in the whole book. But I will happily re-read all of them. I am kind of tempted to get my hands on all the books of this collection, which were real treasures. Until then, I will read this one eagerly.
Labels:
books,
bookstore,
childhood,
China,
Chine,
Chinese legend,
dragon,
enfance,
Johnny Pau,
légende chinoise,
librairie,
livre,
livres,
monkey,
nostalgia,
nostalgie,
singe,
Sun Wu Kong,
Tao Tao Liu Sanders
S.P.Q.R. et Obélix
Petite anecdote que je savais déjà, mais qui m'est revenue en tête ce matin, allez savoir pourquoi... L'acronyme S.P.Q.R., en latin "Senatus Populusque Romanus" (le Sénat et le Peuple de Rome), a été transformé dans les albums d'Astérix traduits en italien par "Sono Pazzi Questi Romani" ("Ils sont fous ces Romains"). Morale de l'histoire: il va me falloir lire Astérix en italien.
Wednesday 18 February 2015
Ash Wednesday
It is Ash Wednesday today, the beginning of Lent. And that's it. When I used to be a good Catholic boy (a very long time ago), it meant something. Not anymore. Well, not quite: it is a sort of countdown to Easter. I say this, and it is at least an honest Catholic commemoration, as I mentioned before. I wanted to find a picture to commemorate Ash Wednesday, but I couldn't find anything. Last year there was the dodo, I guess I cannot beat that. But hey, it is Ash Wednesday. Only forty days until Easter.
Labels:
Ash Wednesday,
Carême,
Catholicism,
catholicisme,
Lent,
mercredi,
Mercredi des Cendres,
Wednesday
Le Chandail de hockey
Les trésors que l'on retrouve sur YouTube, je le répète ad nauseam. J'ai trouvé cette adaptation animée de l'histoire de Roch Carrier, immortalisée notamment sur les billets de 5$. J'ai connu le court métrage avant de lire l'histoire. C'est plein de nostalgie et c'est mignon comme tout. Il m'est aussi arrivé une mésaventure semblable, moins dramatique mais tout aussi enrageante: on m'avait un chandail des Nordiques à ma fête.
Labels:
books,
Canadiens de Montréal,
childhood,
clothes,
enfance,
hockey,
Le Chandail,
livre,
livres,
Maurice Richard,
Montréal,
nostalgia,
nostalgie,
Québec,
Roch Carrier,
vêtements
Tuesday 17 February 2015
The legend of Rose Latulipe
We are the evening of Shrove Tuesday, tomorrow it is the beginning of Lent. This always reminds me of The Legend of Rose Latulipe (or Latulippe) an old Québec tale about a maiden tempted by the Devil on the eve of Lent because of her love of dancing. It was a cautionary tale that made an enduring impression on my people. I always loved it, especially in its most sinister version, when evil triumphs. Rose is often saved in the nick of time and narrowly escapes damnation, which I find frustrating. In the first version I read, Rose Latulipe ages of 50 years after being kisses by Satan. You can find a rendition of it in French here. I also found this short non-animated version on YouTube, by a certain Rae B, which I found quite cool. Not as sinister as I wished, but still fun to watch. Anyway, I hope you enjoy, I have been wanting to find a version of the story in English to share for years.
Labels:
Carême,
conte,
contes,
contes québécois,
devil,
diable,
folklore,
Lent,
Mardi Gras,
Québec,
Rose Latulipe,
Satan,
Shrove Tuesday,
Tale,
tales
Mardi gras
On va trouver que j'écris beaucoup de billets sur la bouffe ces temps-ci, mais bon, toujours est-il que c'est Mardi gras aujourd'hui. Ce qui veut dire que j'ai fait des crêpes ce matin pour déjeuner, couvertes de sirop d'érable. C'est à peu près la seule façon pour moi de souligner le Mardi gras. Demain c'est le Carême et ça ne fera pas une bien grande différence, car je suis un impie. Mais enfin bref, comme j'ai vraiment bien réussi mes crêpes cette fois-ci (pas un exploit, vous me direz, mais je suis un cuistot plutôt inégal), je voulais vous montrer le résultat.
Labels:
breakfast,
Carême,
comfort food,
crêpes,
Déjeuner,
food,
gastronomie,
Lent,
maple syrup,
mardi,
Mardi Gras,
Pancake Day,
pancakes,
Shrove Tuesday,
sirop d'érable,
Tuesday
Monday 16 February 2015
Changes at the train station
This is a (bad) picture of the model train station at the DIY shop, which does not exist anymore. I don't think I have used this particular one yet. It represents, or represented (as sadly it is no more) the train station as it was about a century ago. Now it is merely one single track, one single platform, with some seats and that's it. It is not truly a station anymore. So this model, that is no more, represented a railway station that is also no more. Back when this town was not the end of nowhere, but a place leading somewhere. A time when there were many railways, leading to at least three different towns nearby, when the nearest pub was in fact the station hotel (also beautifully reproduced in the model), a time that of course I never experienced. Now, the station is busy a few hours in the morning and about an hour evening, then the rest of the day and night trains show up every hour or so. It makes for a very quiet bit of town, except for rush hours.
And well, I have learned that things might change at the train station. There will be more services during the day and I think they might be building something new for the station. They certainly are building something next to the station and I have read somewhere that Travelodge is considering building a hotel nearby. I doubt it will ever look like the railway station of old, but it could actually end up being something closer to a proper station. As I love train traveling and love the atmosphere of an... atmospheric railway station, I am welcoming these new developments.
And well, I have learned that things might change at the train station. There will be more services during the day and I think they might be building something new for the station. They certainly are building something next to the station and I have read somewhere that Travelodge is considering building a hotel nearby. I doubt it will ever look like the railway station of old, but it could actually end up being something closer to a proper station. As I love train traveling and love the atmosphere of an... atmospheric railway station, I am welcoming these new developments.
Un calembour atroce (surprise)
Tiens, un calembour atroce qui m'est venu ce matin en tête parce que mes toasts ont roussi un peu trop: "Mon détecteur de fumée est trop sensible. C'est alarmant." Je sais: ouch!
RIP Michele Ferrero
English below...
Michele Ferrero est décédé. Il était l'homme le plus riche d'Italie, mais pour la plus grande histoire, celle de la gastronomie, c'était le père du Nutella. Des générations d'affamés et de déprimés lui doivent cette source d'endorphines qu'on peut notamment étaler sur les toasts au déjeuner. Je ne lui dois pas autant qu'au créateur du beurre d'arachide, mais je fais bon usage du Nutella et j'aime l'Italie, alors je lui rends hommage. C'était à sa façon un homme de génie.
------------------------------------------------------
Billionaire Michele Ferrero is dead. He was at his death the richest man in Italy, but history will remember him as the father of Nutella. Generations of hungry people and depressed people own him a lot, this rich source of endorphin which can (among other things) be spread on toasts for breakfast. I don't owe him as much as the inventor of peanut butter, but as I make a fairly good use of Nutella and love Italy, I had to honour him. He was in his own way a genius.
Michele Ferrero est décédé. Il était l'homme le plus riche d'Italie, mais pour la plus grande histoire, celle de la gastronomie, c'était le père du Nutella. Des générations d'affamés et de déprimés lui doivent cette source d'endorphines qu'on peut notamment étaler sur les toasts au déjeuner. Je ne lui dois pas autant qu'au créateur du beurre d'arachide, mais je fais bon usage du Nutella et j'aime l'Italie, alors je lui rends hommage. C'était à sa façon un homme de génie.
------------------------------------------------------
Billionaire Michele Ferrero is dead. He was at his death the richest man in Italy, but history will remember him as the father of Nutella. Generations of hungry people and depressed people own him a lot, this rich source of endorphin which can (among other things) be spread on toasts for breakfast. I don't owe him as much as the inventor of peanut butter, but as I make a fairly good use of Nutella and love Italy, I had to honour him. He was in his own way a genius.
Labels:
breakfast,
comfort food,
Déjeuner,
Ferrero Rocher,
food,
gastronomie,
Italie,
Italy,
Nutella
Sunday 15 February 2015
Staycation (the word of the day)
This is a new word, a neologism, which Cynthia made me discover on a comment on this recent post. Staycation is basically a holiday you spend at home, where the activities you will do will be within a short driving distance. This is what I am going to have this week. And staycation is the word of the day. In fact, it is the word of the week. It is not the first time I will have a staycation, it is however the first time I know of the word.
Coup de coeur (la photo du mois)
Ce mois-ci, parce que la Saint-Valentin et tout ça, le thème de la photo du mois était "coup de coeur", choisi par Brindille. Je me suis rendu compte trop tard que j'avais dilapidé la photo qui aurait été idéale en la publiant le 17 janvier. Tu parles d'une erreur stupide. Mais alors là vraiment stupide. En désespoir de cause et parce que je voulais rendre justice à l'endroit, j'ai décidé que mon coup de coeur serait Fat Lemon, le café-resto végétarien de Totnes dans le Devon. Parce que ça a été mon coup de coeur lors de ma visite et parce que bon, ça a été mon coup de coeur gastronomique lors de mon séjour là-bas.
Et vous, quel a été votre coup de coeur?
A chaque jour sa photo, A'icha, Agathe, Agnès, Akaieric, Alban, Alexinparis, Amy, Angélique, Arwen, Aude, Autour de Cia, Ava, Bestofava, BiGBuGS, Blogoth67, Blue Edel, Brindille, Calamonique, Cara, CetO, Champagne, Chat bleu, Chloé, Christelle, Christophe, Claire's Blog, Cocazzz, Cricriyom from Paris, CécileP, Céline, Céline in Paris, Dame Skarlette, DelphineF, Destination Montréal, Dr. CaSo, El Padawan, Estelle, Eurydice, Eva INside-EXpat, Fanfan Raccoon, François le Niçois, Frédéric, Galéa, Gilsoub, Giselle 43, Gizeh, Guillaume, Homeos-tasie, Iris, Isa ToutSimplement, Isaquarel, Josette, Josiane, Julia, Jülide-Trognon de pomme, KK-huète En Bretannie, Krn, La Fille de l'Air, Lau* des montagnes, Laulinea, Laurent Nicolas, Laurie, Lavandine, Lavandine83, Lecturissime, Les bonheurs d'Anne & Alex, Loulou, Luckasetmoi, Lyonelk, magda627, Mamysoren, Marie, Marmotte, MauriceMonAmour, Milla la galerie, Mimireliton, MissCarole, Morgane Byloos Photography, MyLittleRoad, Nanouk, Nicky, Philae, Philisine Cave, Pilisi, Pixeline, princesse Emalia, Renepaulhenry, Rythme Indigo, Salon de Thé, Sandrine, Sinuaisons, Tambour Major, Tataflo, Testinaute, Thalie, Tofashionandbeyond, Tuxana, Utopique-Lily, Voyager en photo, Wolverine, Woocares, Xoliv', Yvette la Chouette.
Labels:
café,
comfort food,
Devon,
Fat Lemons,
February,
février,
food,
gastronomie,
La photo du mois,
restaurants,
Saint-Valentin,
Totnes,
Valentine's Day
Saturday 14 February 2015
Marilyn Monroe for Valentine's Day
To celebrate/commemorate Valentine's Day, I thought about uploading a song. Performed by Marilyn Monroe in Some like it hot, one of my favourite comedies and one of the movies I love to watch around Valentine's Day, partially because it was freely inspired by the Saint Valentine's Day Massacre. So here is I'm through with love. Because there are a lot of single people in the world who find today depressing. I remember how I felt that day when I was single anyway (not that it is that great when you are not single, but I digress). And because Marilyn Monroe has a beautiful singing voice.
Labels:
chanson,
film,
I'm through with love,
Marilyn Monroe,
movie,
music,
musique,
Saint-Valentin,
Some Like It Hot,
song,
Valentine's Day
Question existentielle (254)
En passant, personne n'a encore répondu à ma question existentielle précédente. Mais voici la 254e:
-Comment souligner la Saint-Valentin sans se stresser ou être trop quétaine?
-Comment souligner la Saint-Valentin sans se stresser ou être trop quétaine?
With love and bullets! (?)
I did not upload a cover from Detective Tales since November. I was not sure to continue this tradition, but for some reason today I decided to give it a go. It is Valentine's Day, and people might want to read something appropriate for the day. Instead of some soppy romantic stories, how about some crime fiction? Something old with a healthy cocktail of Eros and Thanatos. With love and bullets. So I found this cover, from February 1953 and it has this great title, fitting the day (and hence I used it for my own post title): "With Love and Bullets!" The title is worth the cover. I have no idea if this image is related to the story itself. But it is a neat one: an exotic beauty cornered by two men, one police officer in uniform and another one in civilian clothes. Is she a femme fatale, a damsel in distress? Is she both? Are the policemen corrupted, or doing their duty by cornering her and I guess threatening her (the one in civilian is holding a menacing finger, in a warning gesture). It is deliciously ambiguous.
Saint-Valentin
C'est la Saint-Valentin, alors mes sympathies à tous. Je dis ça parce que je trouve la Saint-Valentin pénible: elle est déprimante lorsqu'on est célibataire, elle est angoissante lorsqu'on est en couple. Et peut être assez dispendieuse, merci. Pour moi, elle se résume à acheter une boîte de chocolats, juste parce que. En général en forme de coeur. Celle-ci date de l'année dernière, elle vient de Mark&Spencer. Une valeur sûre. Cette année, le choix n'était pas vargeux nulle part, alors la boîte de chocolats est une banale boîte. Vivement le 15, quand tout sera réduit.
Labels:
chocolat,
chocolate,
comfort food,
dessert,
February,
février,
food,
gastronomie,
Marks and Spencer,
Saint-Valentin,
Valentine's Day
Friday 13 February 2015
Holidays in a nutshell
I told today one of my colleagues that I was going to be on holidays this coming week. She asked where I was going. I said I was going nowhere, just chilling at home. She then said: "Oh, no alarm clock days, I love those!" The expression pretty much sums up the kind of week I will have. And it deserves to be a new great unknown line. I hate the alarm clock. to have it out of my life for a week will be pure bliss.
Lexique québécois
J'ai trouvé cette photo sur la page Facebook d'un ami, comme je trouve bien des niaiseries qui inspirent Vraie Fiction. Comme vous le voyez, c'est un lexique d'expressions, de l'anglais jusqu'au joual québécois. Bien entendu, tant l'anglais que le français sont écrits "correctement", on ne nous donne pas du slang ou de l'argot. Mais j'ai trouvé que le lexique avait quand même de l'allure. Bon, c'est parfois un peu vieux, surtout dans la prononciation et ça peut sembler bête, mais l'épellation de certains mots me laissent un peu dubitatif. J'écrirais "entéka" et non "antéka", par exemple. Mais bon, sinon c'est quand même un assez bon petit lexique québécois.
Labels:
English language,
langue,
N'importe quoi,
Québec,
whatever
13!
English below...
Je sais que je l'ai fait avant, mais bon. Nous sommes un vendredi 13 février et je publie ce billet à 13:13. Je dis ça comme ça...
----------------------------------
I have done it before, but what the heck. We are Friday the 13th of February and I am publishing this post at 13:13. Just saying...
Je sais que je l'ai fait avant, mais bon. Nous sommes un vendredi 13 février et je publie ce billet à 13:13. Je dis ça comme ça...
----------------------------------
I have done it before, but what the heck. We are Friday the 13th of February and I am publishing this post at 13:13. Just saying...
Labels:
February,
février,
Friday,
Friday 13th,
vendredi,
Vendredi 13
Wednesday 11 February 2015
Remembering Montreal in February
I have a nasty cold that is, like all nasty colds I have, particularly nasty. And long. My colds last forever. Which reminded me, like trivial things often do, about something of my past. I usually catch a cold in February, it is like a yearly doom. I remember particularly the ones I had in Montreal. Because the cold, wet and nasty air of Montreal winters is particularly nasty. And it is also very grey this time of year. See the picture, taken on the Boulevard Saint-Laurent. I spent most of the month of February back there sneezing, coughing, wishing I had more time to sleep and finding the journeys from the apartment to university and back little bit of torture. I told you, winter in Montreal is nasty when you have a cold. But when you are inside it's OK. So anyway, I haven't seen Montreal in February since 2006. It is not my favourite month, there or anywhere else. But I find the month more enjoyable in Montreal. Maybe it is the homesickness speaking, I don't know.
Anglicisme syntaxique
Dans mon billet d'hier, je disais que ma dernière question existentielle "n'a pas été répondue". Ca a fait tiquer mon père. Assez pour qu'il m'écrive un courriel me disant que j'aurais dû écrire "on n'a pas répondu". Il a bien entendu parfaitement raison. J'en ai honte, parce que j'ai enseigné le français pendant des années. Je n'ai rien à dire pour ma défense, sauf que je vis depuis trop longtemps en anglais. Je ne sais pas trop si je dois corriger le billet ou simplement le garder tel quel pour me rappeler que je suis coupable d'anglicisme syntaxique. C'est honteux, vous dis-je.
Labels:
blogging,
blogue,
English language,
langue,
N'importe quoi,
whatever
Tuesday 10 February 2015
A February break
This week at work is very long, because next week I will have a short holiday. My first since Christmas. I rarely take holidays in February: the month is short, dreary and grey and it does not feel like a month to take holidays. And I have no idea what to do next week of my free time. So suggestions are welcome. That said, I am looking forward to it all the same. It is strange how much you crave holidays, even during a time of the year you don't care about in general, when you actually have the possibility to have holidays.
Souvenirs du Carnaval de Chicoutimi
(Soit dit en passant avant d'aller plus loin ma question existentielle 253 n'a pas été répondue). J'ai trouvé cette photo par hasard sur Google, elle n'est pas tout à fait centenaire, mais ça donne une idée de ce à quoi ressemblait Chicoutimi à une époque très lointaine. Même la rivière a l'air différente et néanmoins tout a l'air familier. Enfin bref, j'ai récemment reçu un commentaire d'une blogueuse d'origine chicoutimienne sur mon billet à propos du Carnaval-Souvenir de Chicoutimi. Le défunt Carnaval du bout du monde. Et elle m'a même fait découvrir cette vidéo sur YouTube, que j'ai mis à la fin de mon billet. C'était vraiment une autre époque et c'est assez surréaliste de savoir que je l'ai vécue. Le plus triste, c'est que mes souvenirs sont assez diffus en ce qui concerne le Carnaval-Souvenir de Chicoutimi. Je me rappelle de la course en traîneau à chien et de celle des portageurs. Et des célébrations à l'école. Et des contes et légendes québécoises que j'ai découverts lors du Carnaval. Et des déguisements. Ah oui, et il y avait l'Opérette. Le Carnaval a alimenté mon imagination durant mon enfance, de plusieurs façons. On faisait moins vite le tour de Chicoutimi durant le Carnaval du bout du monde. Et on avait vraiment l'impression d'être au bout du monde et à une autre époque par dessus le marché.
Monday 9 February 2015
Just another Monday
"Only fifteen minutes since I have been here and I already lost my will to live!" This is what one of my colleagues told me last Monday morning. It was a hectic one. This Monday was no different. I did not have such desperate state of mind, but the line is good enough to be a great unknown line and describes Mondays pretty well. Many Mondays anyway. When it comes to evoke the atmosphere and general state of mind one has on Monday, I always thought that the song Manic Monday by The Bangles was its epitome. I am not a big fan of 80s pop music (or 80s music in general), of 80s pop groups or the 80s as a decade, but I do have a soft spot for this song. And there is at least one other song of The Bangles I like, because it was the first dance song for my wife and I at the wedding reception. Anyway, I often listen to Manic Monday at the end of the first day of the week to exorcize it. So here it is.
Labels:
chanson,
grandes répliques inconnues,
great unknown lines,
job,
lundi,
Manic Monday,
monday,
music,
musique,
song,
The Bangles
Question existentielle (253)
Une question existentielle d'une profondeur qui me surprend moi-même:
-Quel est le meilleur bois pour faire un feu de foyer?
-Quel est le meilleur bois pour faire un feu de foyer?
Labels:
existential question,
feu,
fire,
question existentielle
Sunday 8 February 2015
Dreaming of a home
I took this picture in Devon, during a walk between Totnes and Dartington. I took apicture because it is the kind of dream house I would love to inhabit, if I had enough money to afford it: it is old, spacious, with plenty of garden and in a quiet neighborhood. I am kind of fed up with where I live these days. Yes, I kind of like/liked living in an attic, but I dream of having a place where there is an attic and the entirety of home is not only the attic. Well, that it not very realistic to hope for such home, but I do think I would like at least a change of scenery. Which may be slightly more possible.
Quand le soir tombe moins vite
C'est la seconde fois que je télécharge ici une photo prise par ma femme au crépuscule à Heathrow. Pas aussi belle que la précédente, mais elle accompagne le sujet de ce billet. J'ai donc remarqué depuis le début du mois de février que le soir tombe plus tard que d'habitude. Assez pour que je le remarque. L'hiver commence peu à peu à ressembler au printemps. Je ne sais pas si j'en suis heureux: je trouve plus reposant qu'il fasse noir tôt. Et puis ce n'est toujours pas plus le printemps, même s'il fait clair plus tard.
The Interrogatory
My wife and I went to the birthday of the daughter of one of her friends yesterday. One of the guests, a friend of my wife's friend and the mother of one of the children at the celebration, was wondering where I was from because of my accent. I say wondering, but as it often happens she assumed I was American. Her partner thought I was Italian. When I told them I was Quebecker, first she didn't know what it meant (it happens) and when I told her I was (French) Canadian, she said joking that she did not believe me. She said: "No, I am really not sure you are from Canada, I think you must be one of those spies passing as some other national when they come here." Just for the bizarre, out of the blue assumption, I think it deserves to be a great unknown line.
So she decided to give me an interrogatory, basically ask me trivial questions about Canada she got from a questionnaire online. They were stupid trivial questions, like for all these online questionnaires. There was one question about New Brunswick ("what is the only official bilingual province of Canada?"), about Quebec City ("what is the oldest city in North America?"), one about the number of oceans surrounding Canada (three), a few abut sports (tricked question: what is the national sport of Canada? No, it's not what you think. I knew the answer, by the way). I knew them all, except one about Wayne Gretzky (because I don't care how many points he made in his long career). Moral of the story: apparently I am not a sleeper agent from a criminal organization and it was a rather convoluted way to demonstrate it.
So she decided to give me an interrogatory, basically ask me trivial questions about Canada she got from a questionnaire online. They were stupid trivial questions, like for all these online questionnaires. There was one question about New Brunswick ("what is the only official bilingual province of Canada?"), about Quebec City ("what is the oldest city in North America?"), one about the number of oceans surrounding Canada (three), a few abut sports (tricked question: what is the national sport of Canada? No, it's not what you think. I knew the answer, by the way). I knew them all, except one about Wayne Gretzky (because I don't care how many points he made in his long career). Moral of the story: apparently I am not a sleeper agent from a criminal organization and it was a rather convoluted way to demonstrate it.
Les affres du vin rouge
Je crois qu'il va falloir me résoudre à abandonner la consommation de vin rouge. Enfin bref et donc, je m'achète du vin rouge vendredi, parce que je nous fais, à ma femme et moi, un spaghetti tunisien. Ca va mieux avec du rouge. En fait, quand je bois du vin, je préfère le rouge, point. Résultat: monumentale crise d'éternuements moins de trente minutes après avoir bu la dernière gorgée. Pendant une heure environ. Et après, durant toute la soirée jusqu'au matin, une congestion comme si j'avais un mauvais rhume. C'est à cause des sulfites, me suis-je laissé dire. Ce n'est pas la première fois que ça m'arrive: depuis deux ans, c'est pas mal l'histoire de ma relation avec le vin rouge. Ce qui fait de moi quelqu'un d'un peu bête pour m'entêter à en boire au lieu de changer mes habitudes de buveur et être plus responsable. Vous pourriez dire que je suis un con gestionné (calembour atroce ici). Quoique là, je crois que je n'ai guère le choix.
Saturday 7 February 2015
The Huevos Rancheros from The Giraffe
As it is a weekend tradition, I am plugging a meal from a restaurant. This time it is a breakfast, from The Giraffe, a quirky chain specialised in... I guess eco-friendly, fair trade food? I went there last time on the first day of my Christmas holidays, at Heathrow. I had been there once before, but never had their breakfast and had not been overly impressed. But this was different. A Mexican breakfast is just exotic enough to make the experience unusual, yet it still feels and tastes like a breakfast, if I make sense. I love how it tweeks the traditional elements of breakfast: the eggs are there, but there is spicy chorizo instead of bland sausages, tortilla instead of bread, black beans instead of the disgusting beans in tomato sauce the Brits have and you have all the unusual vegs and the avocado. It was filling, spicy and it felt healthy.
Labels:
breakfast,
comfort food,
Déjeuner,
egg,
fin de semaine,
food,
gastronomie,
Mexico,
Mexique,
oeuf,
restaurants,
samedi,
Saturday,
The Giraffe,
weekend
La dragon aux pieds de Sainte Marguerite
Cette photo a été prise lors de mon premier voyage en Bretagne, en 2008, lors de notre visite edans la forêt de Brocéliande. Je l'ai prise dans une église, je ne sais plus laquelle. On y voit un dragon aux pieds de Sainte Marguerite. J'avoue avoir été assez peu intéressée par la sainte, c'était le dragon que je voulais immortaliser. Il faut le donner aux églises françaises: elles ont le don de rendre pas mal plus intéressantes les histoires saintes.
Labels:
Bretagne,
Brittany,
Brocéliande,
Catholicism,
catholicisme,
church,
dragon,
église,
folklore,
forest,
forêt,
France,
monster,
monstre,
Saint Margaret,
Sainte Marguerite
Thursday 5 February 2015
"A bloody big ship"
I took this picture in a pub in Totnes, Devon. A painting that was right above one of the fireplaces. I cannot remember which one right now, but it will get back to me eventually. It is one of the things I remember most about this pub. It struck me then: "That's a bloody big ship". I was of course thinking about a scene from Skyfall, the first meeting of James Bond and Q (played by Ben Whishaw). Okay, the paintings are not exactly similar, but the subject is the same on both. And I think of this scene every time I see the picture, or I think of this painting I saw in a pub in Totnes every time I watch the scene in Skyfall. In any case, it is a great scene, so here it is. Tell me what you think about it.
Labels:
art,
bateau,
Ben Whishaw,
boat,
Daniel Craig,
Devon,
feu,
film,
fire,
Ian Fleming,
James Bond,
mer,
movie,
pub,
pubs,
sea,
Skyfall,
Totnes
Un coucher de soleil
Ma femme a pris cette photo à Heathrow lors de nos dernières vacances, celles des Fêtes, quelques minutes avant d'embarquer dans l'avion. Un coucher de soleil magnifique. Je n'ai pas d'autre raisonde le publier que, ben, c'est un superbe coucher de soleil, qui fait que même Heathrow est un peu joli. En fait, j'aime bien Heathrow, comme point de départ en tout cas. Comme point d'arrivée, je trouve l'aéroport assez lugubre. Mais enfin bref, c'est un bien beau crépuscule.
Labels:
Angleterre,
England,
entre chien et loup,
holidays,
N'importe quoi,
vacances,
whatever
Wednesday 4 February 2015
The fox on on the railway
As some of you might remember, last year I posted about a fox I saw by the railway, when I was waiting for the train from work. Since that end of May, I had been hoping to see a fox again around there. Well, it happened last Friday, as I was again waiting for the train. It was already night time, but because of the station's lights I saw it very well running on the railway, then into the shrubbery by the tracks. A reddish flame in the night. I had a good look at it. And... I could not take a picture, I was too slow, the fox too quick. So instead of an authentic, live pictures of the fox I saw, you have one of a fox's statue, taken in my weekend in Derbyshire. I feel a bit ashamed not giving the real deal on the blog. But I thought this post needed a picture.
La farce de Matricule 728
Je suis étonné de n'avoir pas blogué à son sujet lorsque les frasques de la patrouilleuse du SPVM Stéfanie Trudeau, alias Matricule 728, se sont produites en 2012. C'est étrange, parce qu'elle m'a mis drôlement en colère. Le Matricule 728 représente tout ce qu'il y a de pire dans une certaine culture policière, au SPVM et ailleurs. Une brute épaisse et fascisante (et je n'utilise pas ce mot à la légère), qui hait les citoyens du Plateau Mont-Royal qu'elle avait le devoir de protéger et qui ne méritait pas de porter l'uniforme, encore moins une arme. Mais bon, mieux vaut tard que jamais, j'apprends que son avocat essaie de la défendre en accusant le ministère public d'avoir laissé tombé les accusations contre ceux qu'elle a brutalisés, alors ça me met suffisamment en rogne pour bloguer à ce sujet. Je sais, un avocat de la Défense, ça doit bien défendre son client, mais j'aurais aimé qu'il ait la décence de lui faire plaider coupable. Je suis naïf comme ça. Alors bon, je pourrais simplement rappeler et commenter les faits, mais j'ai pensé que la moquerie et la dérision sont encore les meilleures armes des civils qu'elle déteste tant. Et il n'y a pas meilleure dérision que la chanson de Laurent Paquin. Je ne suis pas son plus grand fan, mais je trouve que là, il a su donner le bon ton de sarcasme et de méchanceté. Il avait retiré sa chanson peu après l'avoir mise sur YouTube, sous prétexte que ça avait choqué certaines personnes à cause de propos soi-disant homophobes et misogynes. Je ne trouve pas du tout. La satire permet certains raccourcis et la grossièreté n'est pas interdite pour dénoncer les brutes. Et je suis heureux qu'elle soit disponible sur d'autres comptes que le sien.
Labels:
chanson,
controverse,
controversy,
humour,
Laurent Paquin,
Matricule 728,
Montréal,
music,
musique,
Plateau Mont-Royal,
police,
scandal,
scandale,
song,
SPVM
Tuesday 3 February 2015
Fruits at work
There is a new trend at work which I wanted to blog about: some Tuesdays, not every Tuesday but some, there are baskets of fruits available in the kitchen in the morning. I don't know who had the idea, but it is a sort of scheme to make us eat better. The fruits are mainly bananas, apples and pears. All of them are a bit too raw, but all the same, it makes a nice change from the chocolates, biscuits and cakes that are usually available, so I usually grab a banana and a pear. It makes my breakfast healthier. And, while I have yet to truly enjoy a banana that is not ripe, I get used to the raw pears.
De la neige en Angleterre!
Surprise ce matin au réveil: il a neigé la nuit dernière! Ce qui fait qu'ily avait un peu de neige ce matin au sol. Bon, ce ne sont pas les neiges québécoises, mais on ne boudera pas son plaisir, il y avait quand même de la neige. De manière assez étonnante, il n'y a eu aucun retard dans le train que je prends pour me rendre au travail. Tout est allé rondement. J'en étais d'ailleurs un peu déçu: j'avais secrètement espéré un peu plus de temps à apprécier la neige. J'ai pris cette photo à la gare, afin de commémorer. Ce sera peut-être la seule et unique neige de l'année. Vers midi, à peu près tout était déjà fondu.
Monday 2 February 2015
Anecdotes about groundhogs
Today is Groundhog Day. Which means very little to me, as I associate the second of February with Candlemas, still celebrated a lot by French people, and at uni I had lots of French friends. In a way, both celebrations have the same Pagan roots. Both celebrations are supposed to forecast the weeks to come, if winter will be longer and harsher, or not. But well, I don't really do anything special for Groundhog Day. I never even watched Groundhog Day. And anyway, I do not even associate groundhogs with winter. I associate them with any season but winter, in fact. You see, groundhogs come a dime a dozen in the Saguenay region where I come from, and the otherwise urban city of Chicoutimi where I grew up has plenty of them: on my way to and back from school, then cégep (college), I used to see them in the vacant lands and bits of woodland by the road. Every season but winter, as I said. There was even one that ventured on the family backyard. My father set a trap for it, I don't know if it caught the groundhog in the end.
I hope not, as I like groundhogs. I find them kind of cool, not too shy, they keep their distance but never go into hiding if you see them and keep your distance, they'll just stare at you. Québec, we call them "marmottes" or the more Quebecker term of "siffleux", which means "whistlers," because they look like they whistle, the way their mouth open to show their front teeth sometimes. I don't think they have any kind of voice. I understand they are supposed to be aggressive animals, but I never experienced it and groundhogs are among the rodents that I actually like.
I hope not, as I like groundhogs. I find them kind of cool, not too shy, they keep their distance but never go into hiding if you see them and keep your distance, they'll just stare at you. Québec, we call them "marmottes" or the more Quebecker term of "siffleux", which means "whistlers," because they look like they whistle, the way their mouth open to show their front teeth sometimes. I don't think they have any kind of voice. I understand they are supposed to be aggressive animals, but I never experienced it and groundhogs are among the rodents that I actually like.
À la Chandeleur...
"À la Chandeleur, l'hiver passe ou prend vigueur."
C'est la Chandeleur... Et je confirme qu'ici, je crois que l'hiver va prendre vigueur, comme le dit le dicton. Enfin, pour autant qu'il y ait un hiver anglais. Il fait froid et humide. Et chez vous, c'est comment?
C'est la Chandeleur... Et je confirme qu'ici, je crois que l'hiver va prendre vigueur, comme le dit le dicton. Enfin, pour autant qu'il y ait un hiver anglais. Il fait froid et humide. Et chez vous, c'est comment?
Sunday 1 February 2015
First of February
Well, in case you haven't noticed, it is the first of February already. It has been a very grey and dreary beginning here, which is fitting, because the month is grey and dreary. I don't like February much because of this. It really has very little special days, except Candlemas (which I often misspell Candlemass, will need to correct this) and of course Valentine's Day, which I never liked much (more about it here). But at least, it is a short month, so you don't have to suffer it too much.
Labels:
Candlemas,
Chandeleur,
February,
février,
Saint-Valentin,
Valentine's Day
Drame hivernal saguenéen
J'ai lu cette nouvelle régionale aujourd'hui dans La Presse en ligne. C'était un des articles les plus lus. Des raquetteurs en excursion au Saguenay ont été ensevelis sous une avalanche lorsque la neige s'est dérobée sous leurs pieds. Étrange sensation lorsqu'un drame régional se produit et que je suis si loin de la région. Ca paraît idiot, mais j'ai passé à travers le tremblement de terre de 1988, le Déluge de 1996, j'ai été témoin lointain de mille drames régionaux, petits et grands, j'ai aussi suivi les affaires criminelles saguenéennes... "C'est arrivé près de chez vous," ça évoque en moi un peu tout ça. Et là c'est arrivé très loin de là où je vis, même si c'est arrivé... chez moi. Enfin, il semblerait qu'il n'y ait eu que des blessés, alors le drame est relativement limité, ce qui est rassurant.
The Tomb of Merlin
This picture was taken by yours truly during our visit of the ancient and legendary (I would even say mythical) forest of Brocéliande, seven years ago. I was watching the pictures and reading my old blog posts about the forest and saw that I had not uploaded this picture yet. Shame on me. This is the tomb of Merlin. For a medievalist specialised in Arthurian literature like me, this may not be the Holy Grail (no pun intended), but this is a very special place. Unfortunately, there was no ghost of Merlin who manifested himself, no visitation of any kind and this tomb is empty because it was never inhabited. All the same, it is its association with the legend that makes it special.
Achille Talon
Tiens, je viens de trouver tout à fait par hasard un site web consacré à Achille Talon de Greg. Je ne sais pas s'il est officiel ou non. Achille Talon est l'une des premières séries de bande dessinée que j'ai lues. Je crois même l'avoir fait avant Tintin, c'est dire. Ca a forgé mon vocabulaire et ça m'a aussi bien fait rire. J'ai d'abord lu ses aventures complètes, parce que c'est ce qu'on avait chez nous, puis j'ai emprunté à la bibliothèque municipale les recueils de gags. Ici, je n'ai qu'un seul album, acheté au marché français il y a environ cinq ans. Il faudrait bien que je me refasse une collection.
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