Reading Mugs at The Little Bookshop

You may remember that I bought a "Go away, I'm reading" mug back in 2017. Well, I was happily surprised to find the same mugs in The Little Bookshop in Cookham, during our first and so far only visit there. I know they are available online as well, but it's nice to know we can buy reading accessories in the bookshop as well, and invest in an independent business without hoarding books. Now I won't buy more, because our cupboards are even more crammed than our bookshelves. That said, if my mug breaks, I know where to go to replace it.

Val-Jalbert

Mes parents ont récemment été au village fantôme de Val-Jalbert. Je sais, je sais, on l'appelle maintenant le village historique de Val-Jalbert, mais pour moi, ce sera toujours un village fantôme. Un de ceux qui hélas n'a pas d'histoire d'horreur à son nom (pas que je sache en tout cas), mais qui devrait. Enfin bref, je regarde cette photo et je crois qu'il devrait y avoir un fantôme ou deux qui s'y cache. Est-ce que Val-Jalbert fait quelque chose de spécial pour l'Halloween? Si non, il devrait. ENfin, dans tous les cas, je vais bloguer plus de photos du village envoyées par mon père.

Sunflowers

I saw a lovely sight yesterday, while we were getting Wolfie from school: in the front garden of one of the houses there, two sunflowers growing. When I was a very young child, I mean very young, before my youngest brother was even born, my father had two sunflowers like these growing in our then very bare garden. I loved them. For me, sunflowers is a sign of autumn, either autumn that has arrived, when they are fully grown, or autumn coming, when they are growing. So it is another sign that reminds me of my favourite season. It helps me to stay patient.

"La pièce qui tourne mal"

 Des fois, on donne à des choses des titres prédestinés. Enfin bref, j'ai appris dans la grosse Presse, grâce à mon frère PJ, qui m'a refilé la nouvelle, que le comédien Guillaume Lambert s'était blessé à Drummondville lors d'une représentation de... La pièce qui tourne mal. Ça ne s'invente pas. C'est pour ainsi dire tenter le sort. Blagues à part, je lui souhaite un prompt rétablissement. Autre détail anecdotique: j'ai déjà connu un Guillaume Lambert. Mais non, ce n'était pas le comédien.

Superman in Milton Keynes

 I know there is a new Superman movie in the theaters now, but I am not blogging about it. I haven't seen it and don't know know if and when I will. But something showed up on my newsfeed that made me want to blog about the superhero: this BBC article about Superman IV: The Quest for Peace. For two reason: first, it is the very first Superman movie I saw in cinema (and only one of two, I might add), on his release in 1987. Second, some of the film was filmed in Milton Keynes, Buckinghamshire. And I lived there for a little bit. Not very long, but I do know the town. I only ever watched the fourth Superman movie once, maybe twice, but I have been wanting to re-watch it ever since I learned about this little bit of trivia. I watch the pictures of the shooting and I can easily recongise the Milton Keynes' train station (doubling at the UN building I believe). It feel a bit surreal, knowing I have been where Superman was. Oh, and for the record I know the film is terrible.

Le 14 juillet au travail

 Aujourd'hui c'est le 14 juillet, donc la Fête nationale française. Un jour intéressant quand comme moi on s'intéresse à l'histoire et au moins un peu à la Révolution française. Je le souligne à chaque année. Mais ça veut aussi dire autre chose pour quelqu'un qui, comme moi, travaille au moins en partie en contact avec le marché français, mais vivant hors de France, ça veut dire une journée tranquille au travaille. Pas ncéessairement plus plaisante, parce que se tourner les pouces, c'est épuisant aussi. Alors aujourd'hui, je risque de trouver le temps long. Et ça se pourrait que ce soit tranquille demain aussi, pour des raisons évidentes.

Mental State: Spooky

Is it too early to think of Halloween? Is it? Of course it isn't! And I'm so glad to see that I'm not the only one to think like this. Anyway, I saw a meme yesterday on my feed and, well, it was this one. It's both very cute and very me. It may not be autumn yet, far from it, it certianly does not look like it, but I will very soon be reading horror stories and this will kickstart my countdown to Halloween. I need to think of something else than summertime, I am officially done with it.

Promesse de pluie

 J'ai pris cette photo il y a une semaine seulement, juste avant que la canicule nous tombe sur la frippe. Nous sortions d'une canicule et la température avait soudainement baissé de manière dramatique, à mon plus grand bonheur. Il a fini par pleuvoir, assez pour nous rafraîchir, mais pas assez pour faire verdir la nature: partout l'herbe est encore très jaune. Ils prévoient encore de la pluie dans quelques jours, mais je ne retiens pas mon souffle: je sais que je risque d'être déçu. C'est trop long l'été...

Spy Activities

I love Usborne books. And I always look for new and old books from them. A few weeks ago, in a local shop (though ironically not the local bookshop, I stumbled upon Lots of Spy Activities, a book of, well, activities and games for children. I didn't know they had such book. I did not buy it, I swear, I restrained myself. However, I took a picture of it, as a reminder, and to show it to Wolfie. I asked him if he wanted the book, and he said yes. So I think he might get it for his birthday.

Une voile

Photo prise par mon père à La baie en 2023, je faisais le ménage dans mes photos quand je l'ai trouvée. J'aimerais qu'il vente comme cette journée-là. Et être près de l'eau.

Sake

In recent years and for a number of trivial reasons I cannot be bothered to dwell on just now, I have started developing a certain interest about Japanese culture. This is kind of new, but you might have noticed it on this blog. So yes, a few days ago, looking at the stocks of alcohol we have, I was wondering if I should not try sake again, if I can find any good quality sake nearby. I say try again, because I did drink sake once, back in 1996(!), in a course about world's literature(!!). The teacher had given us samples to try at the end of a class. I had not been impressed then: I thought it had a papery taste. But my tastes in alcohol have evolved a lot since and I am wondering if I should give it another try. If you have any suggestions, please leave them in the comments. Also, tell me if you have any experience drinking sake.

Question existentielle (397)

 Question existentielle d'une importance vitale ces jours-ci:

-Comment survivre, mentalement et physiquement, à la canicule? 

Non mais c'est sérieux. 

Coolcation

Sometimes I discover new concepts, thanks to internet algorithms. A few days, I stumbled upon an article about the best coolcation destinationsin Europe. The term coolcation is self-explanatory, but I think it's the first time I ever came across it. According to AI, a coolcation is "vacation taken in a cooler climate to escape the summer heat". Which is exactly what I need right now. It is exactly what I need every summer, come to think of it. Anyway, be that as it may, it is a nice concept and the word of the day. I might come back to this article in the future. In the meantime, if you have any suggestions for coolcation destinations, please tell me in the comments. I need them.

Festival des vins de Saguenay

J'apprends au hasard qu'il y a un Festival des vins de Saguenay. Et que c'est commencé aujourd'hui. Alors, voilà, annonce d'intérêt public: c'est du 10 au 12 juillet.

Where is Café2U?

Some of my very long time readers might remember that a decade ago or so, I sometimes used to blog about Café2U. It was, it is, a franchise of coffee vans delivery coffee and other hot drinks at offices. We used to receive the visit of the van every few days, back in my old, old job. I mean the job I had between 2010 and 2017, so four employers' ago. I loved their very decadent hot chocolates and sometimes I treated myself with one cup of them (as I loathe coffee). Now that I work from home, I don't buy myself treats from coffee vans, but I see them sometimes around in the neighbourhood, going to the various business estates in our little town, while we are on the school run. But I haven't seen a Café2U van in a decade or so. I checked their website, and the company still exists. So where are the vans? If you know the business, if you once drank their coffee, or their chocolate, tell me in the comments.

Fraises en dessert

 Mon père a fait ce dessert il y a quelques temps. Enfin, je dis "faire"... Il a mélangé des fraises, de la crème, du sirop d'érable et du sucre d'érable. C'est simple, c'est bon.

New Scotland Yard, New Mr X

A few days ago, my wife said that we should play board games more often with Wolfie. We have a few, but we seldom take them out. And there are a lot which I would love to own. Among them, there is of course Scotland Yard, my all-time childhood favourite. I recently discovered that they have updated the look of the game, or at least the box, with a more modern take. It's a very contemporary London and Mr X looks far darker and more menacing, even though he sitll wears the rather anachronistic hat. He looks like he belongs to a spy thriller, which I guess Scotland Yard could be, as much as a crime adventure. Anyway, while I love the old fashioned look, I must say, I think the game's antagonist gives a proper sinister vibe.What do you think?

Du nouveau sur le Salon du livre

C'est encore tôt, peut-être, mais j'aime être prévoyant et faire de la publicité pour l'évènement d'avance. Alors donc, j'ai quelques nouvelles sur le Salon du Livre du Saguenay Lac-Saint-Jean, parce que je regarde de temps en temps leur page Facebook. La 61e édition sera du 25 au 28 septembre (jusqu'ici, tout est normal), mais dans un nouvel emplacement: au Place Centre-Ville de Jonquière. Oulà, pas certain... Il me semble que l'ancien Roussillon, c'était mieux. ais je suis un incorrigible nostalgique. Enfin bref, j'aimerais y être cette année, comme à chaque année. C'est un pèlerinage qui me manque.

The Chess Player's Bible

When I go to the local bookshop, I often find treasures. Actually, that's not true: I always find treasures. In fact, I find so many treasures that I cannot buy them all. So yeah, I stumbled upon The Chess Player's Bible in the children section, of all places. I blogged about chess recently, it's one game I used to be quite into as a child, but I stopped a while ago. I suggested to buy it to Wolfie, but he was not interested. A shame: one of his best friends loves chess and I know they've played a few times together. But anyway, I just thought it was nice to have it in the children books section.

Orchidées

Autre photo des orchidées de mon père, une photo que je n'ai pas partagée jusqu'ici. Enfin je ne crois pas.