In Which The Weather Is Miserable....unlike The Finished Book

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

I must admit that though I'm not a summer person, it's depressing when a day is spoilt because of the weather and there's really nothing to do. Tuesday has been exactly that. Raining from the moment I woke up and though dying out has still not stopped at the time I'm writing this.The greyness that so infected the past two months seems to have equally moved towards the beginning of this one. I shall regale future generations with the summer of 2016. All two days of it.

For my wife and daughter this didn't matter. Their day was made with the arrival to a new edition to the "family" and went to the hospital to see the baby girl. I didn't come along, if only because didn't think we should come in mob handed. And besides the baby is (extend lungs) my wife's brother's partner's daughter's daughter. Making me step uncle which I reckon puts me somewhere near the bottom of this family's tree.

I cannot really say that a lot was done. I've finished off watching the political drama Spin (Les Hommes De Les Ombres) and am now starting on the next French TV series Résistance about the French resistance during World War 2. So far on two episodes I'm impressed.

But at least a book was finished.

The American by the late Martin Booth was the thriller written in 1990 I bought, let's not forget, in of all places Poundland. So let me begin by saying that I loved it.

The book it reminds me of is The Eiger Sanction in the sense that it's about a man with refined tastes but a shady occupation. But although Trevanian's novel is entertaining in a seventies bestsellery kind of way this is by far the better book. It's slow burning, building with every chapter as you learn of the complex central character and what he has to face. I was gripped. 

If there is one criticism I would level it's about the title. Originally the thriller was called A Very Private Gentleman. However in 2010 there was a film of the book starring George Clooney and the title of both became The American. Now I have no problem with the title as it relates to the film. It's a movie after all starring Mr Clooney so it would be difficult to convince the cinema/DVD world that he could be from anywhere else but the USA.

However in the book the nationality of the character is as shady as his occupation. Although there are hints that he's English nothing is made clear. As a consequence I felt a bit cheated by the revision. Haven't checked but hope that any subsequent reprints went back to the original title.

Let this not hide the fact that it was one of the best books I've read this year.

And I bought it at Poundland!

Until the next time.

In Which Learning French Begins....

So the Kindle yesterday is opened. I've half an hour before lunch and the afternoon/evening shift at work. Teach Yourself French by Gaelle Graham begins. Even though this nation is moving towards little Englander status I refuse to follow this trend I won't go into the comforting arms of the femme fatale that is splendid isolation. I won't go à la mode. Au Contraire. Instead of going Bon Voyage to Europe I've become more Bonjour.It's a fait accompli.

I've tried to get into the mood. In the early morning I watched another episode of the political drama Spin (Les Hommes de L'Ombre). I like it. though it's really what you would expect from similar political dramas,intense looks,backstabbing,dark cars with security detail moving fast...just with added Gallic.

I drink black coffee, no café au lait for me. Carte Noire to be precise. I've seen the ads. Stylish French people do stylish things (including drinking coffee of course) in the stylish backdrop of Paris in black and white film. Of course real life is different. I'm drinking it whilst cajoling my daughter to move herself in time to catch the school bus. No style involved here, just slowly rising annoyance mixed with panic.

I've got my list of French radio stations ready. Yesterday it was France Culture. Hardly understand a word but that's not the point for the moment. For now the point is just to absorb.

So the e book is opened. In the beginning Ms Graham makes points I already understand and remember from school. A sense of  déjà vu overwhelms me but then I stop when she makes the point that there are a number of words that have transferred from French to English and gives us examples. This is the moment I start writing it on a notepad. Words I know the meaning of and how to spell. Seems like a good first step.

So far nothing has seemed avant-garde. No liguistic art déco or art nouveau here. Which is fine by me. I want rules. Carte Blanche worries me

Soon the half hour was up. Time for lunch. No apéritif or après ski. Just a sandwich and a hot drink before work. That drink of course being black coffee. Work next....well.... c'est la vie. 

Monday will be the next time I'll be learning French. I know I'm not deserving an encore yet but let's see what the future will bring.

And as I'm sure you've guessed now the words I've put in italics (apart from Bonjour) are the ones I've written down.

Until the next time.

in Which I Take French Lessons, The First Viewing Of The House And Buying Presents

Hello there. Hope you're feeling well today.

Yes,yes I know. I've resuscitated my old Welsh textbooks, starting to learn Polish and now on a Monday learning French?

Well.....yes.

But racist crime has got worse even since I last posted about it. I read an article that a car was attacked because it had French number plates. As I have said before the dark ages have begun.

So decided to add two more languages to the list. Picked because I've a petit knowledge of either. French which is of a sub O level standard and Italian of whose remote vocabulary gleaned almost organically. They've been taken off the remote bookshelves of my mind, the dust blown off and so Je vais.

And gradually my intention is to be more French than French, Polish than the Polish etc. It seems to me that if I want to listen to Verdi rather than Elgar then I should without nobody questioning my choice because it's not British, and more specifically English.

Because that is the insular society we are potentially facing now. Particularly if the Labour party keeps looking at its navel and then begins to cut itself open. Leaving Britain at the mercy of the right wing. In the meantime the cleverest politician in the Conservative party Theresa May has about to become Prime Minister simply by staying relatively quiet as her opponents blunder their way out of the race.

I have a timetable for learning these languages.....oh yes I do.

Monday/Tuesday: French
Wednesday/Thursday: Polish
Friday/Saturday: Welsh
Sunday: Italian

So I start watching online the French drama Spin on the Channel 4 strand Walter Presents. The same strand that showed the Polish series The Border I mentioned in an earlier post. Watched the first series before but now am on it again to listen as well as see. Actually it's French title is Les Hommes De L'Ombre or Shadow Men, Things sound better in French or Italian than they do in English. For example there is a Ligue 1 football team, I can't remember which, that is sponsored by Mutuelle Du Soleil which even the most ardent Brexiteer must admit sounds better than Sun Mutual.

The book I'm starting with is Teach Yourself French by Gaelle Graham. A woman who is not only a teacher and linguist but works for a trade union and is a commentator for French radio about English education (!!). Clearly a lady who takes multitasking to the next level.She's from Brittany originally though with talents like that perhaps she's Britainiche,

More French chat tomorrow.

So the first viewing of the house. I was in the car parked at the opposite side of the road like a private eye having given the estate agent the keys. It was early afternoon so no danger of schoolkids invading the street.

I saw a couple, late twenties/early thirties being led into the house. There they stayed for about forty minutes. In between gazing at my front door I started reading Michael Palin's diaries. The length of time made me feel rather nervous,not sure with excitement or fear. Surely I thought they must be interested?

Well perhaps,or perhaps not. Apparently the couple loved the upstairs but not the downstairs, Too small for a family of two children apparently. That surprised me. Their ultimate view, according to the estate agent was a maybe. I'm going to assume a no unless proved otherwise.

Final proper thing I've done today is to go  with my daughter to buy proper birthday presents at Macarthur Glen (a retail outlet complex just outside Bridgend) for my mother, who's coming down this weekend.

Daughter picked a Yankee Candle and a fancy holder. Personally the popularity of scented candles is something that has just passed me by as I'm always on the slow lane to fashionable. I get them when the smells are simple, say orange or strawberry. But it's when they get all descriptive, for example I remember a Yankee Candle called Christmas Eve. Since when did Christmas Eve have a smell ?

I played it safe present wise. Bought a Marks and Spencer gift voucher......and this

I know you want one

It's a cheese grater. Probably the oddest looking cheese grater that you will ever see. And come the weekend it will be my mother's. It's Marks and Spencer also. And you wonder why they're in trouble.

Until the next time,