Iron

There are many many things I have done in my life and should probably regret but then my life would be so much more boring without having done them ... donning a swimming costume and goggles in front of 800 of my students and 40 military personnel and swimming in my school swimming gala is probably one of these activities. Apparently I swim like a 'fer à repasser' (an iron) which is the French equiv of swimming like a rock, but hey, dignity was created to be lost, non?

I spent an hour pre swim taking photos with the above camera (a Nikon D700 belonging to my very trusting photography teacher) and lets just say I don't think I will ever be able to look at my little Cannon 450D in the same way!

Oh and by the way; that last photo is about as much swimming costume exposure you're going to get, donning a cossie in front of 800 students is one thing, but putting them online, ha, do you think I'm totally stupid?! In fact, don't answer that ...

Fail. Fail again. Fail better!

So I'm not exactly the worlds best skier (see above photo for confirmation of how I spend most of my time on the slopes ... and yes I actually landed like that!) but the sunshine, the snow, the laughter and of course the après ski make it all worth while. I got out skied by my bosses 6 year old daughter on Sunday, indeed she stopped numerous times to help me get up off my ass and proceeded to give me tips to improve my technique. I'm heading off skiing with the military on Saturday for a week so it's going to be a daily case of fail, fail again and fail better! Anyone have any recommendations for a good health insurance program?

Ce matin

So it looked like this when I woke up this morning. Provence rocks my boat dudes!

People outtakes from Jan

Tea with me, hats with Nat, jumping with my club photo, snow with Pierre, beating Muriel and MV's crazy eye shadow. Been a dam good start to 2010!

G-unit

Today is my Grans bday and she is without a doubt the coolest and most generous person I know. Love you!

Mountain hiatus

Mont Sainte Victoire, le barrage de Bimont, Cezanne's love child!

Looking down on yesterday

Ordered coffee, took gloves off, drank coffee, craved leek soup, bought pretty soap. Dimanche, fait!

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Aix shadow

I forgot how much I used to like taking photos of my shadow!

2timer

I have been living a double life for the past few weeks; splitting my time between my southern ginger nut and my French militaires. I like living chez Alice, she brings me tea, encourages extreme eating and makes it acceptable to drink wine at lunchtime. Yum yum yum. Thanks for being such a sport Fal!!!

Reading

I'm currently reading a series of books called Le Petit Nicolas. It's not exactly War and Peace ... as theoretically speaking it is a kids book ... BUT dudes, its genius! Detailing the life of a 7-year-old Parisian boy, it captures the imagination of any child with its mini anecdotes of adventures and practical jokes carried out by Nicolas and his friends, playing upon the longwinded and magical story-telling habits possessed by children. Yet, on the other hand, adults are drawn into the books' more subtle humour as Nicolas frequently exposes the flaws of adult perception with his untarnished and simple view on the world. In layman's terms; its like a French ogreless version of Shrek. Is it wrong that it makes me want to be a boy in 1950's France with a kickass briefcase, shorts and knee socks? Probably! But then again I don't really care :-)

Images : here

Missing

Just been out for coffee with my former Montreal roomie (who also coincidentally now lives in Aix) aaaaand it made me miss Canadaland a lot ... so I came home, looked through old photos, sniffled a bit, ohhh and ate a whole bar of Milka chocolate to compensate. Yum! Photo of a photo from a HEC reunion in Paris last year, funtimes!

Auguri Natalie

Friday was my coloc's birthday and we celebrated by sitting outside in -7 weather eating Moroccan food and then by sitting inside drinking tea and smoking shisha. Haha Nat, now you're old!

???

Apart from the fact any Brit currently visiting/living in France is being monetarily abused by a horrendous pound/euro exchange rate they (when I say they ... it's really like a royal they and I'm totally just saying I) are also perplexed by the post Christmas sales and the regimented disposal of unowned, unwanted and most probably fashionably offensive clothes. Winter sales start on the second Wednesday in January (the 6th this year) and last for 5 weeks with fixed nationwide opening and closing times. In fact les soldes are the only time of the year where shops are legally allowed to sell merchandise at a loss. But seriously you're asking me .... she is rambling about annual govermment-regulated sales in a blog post ... but in fact it amuses me how a) my 54-year-old work colleague has gone weak at the knees at the prospect of his first biannual discounted shopping day of 2010 and b) the fact that my "France in the global economy" lecturer talked solidly for a university semester about how France had moved towards some superior version market-oriented capitalism, with considerably less direct state intervention. Liar liar bums on fire.

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Anyway despite my perplexed ramble into French commercial practices it doesn't actually affect me as I am avoiding retail outlets like the plague ... saving the pennies for (hopefully) a trip to Alaska in the summer and I'm finally going to upgrade my Canon kit lens with this baby. Happy shopping Frenchies!

And what if I did have a book down my trousers?

Apparently Wednesdays in Allan in January and not the same as Wednesdays in Allan in July ... you're meant to close your eyes and imagine sun, heat and lavender (but under no circumstances are you to think skipping). However in my humble opinion Wednesdays in Allan in January as just as nice as those in July, especially when it means life involves hot chocolate, castles, ice-skating in Converse, whole meals consisting of cheese and sunsets.

Despite the fact that Provence is currently "spoiling" us with weather parallel to that of Siberia, life manages to continue in the most charming of ways proving once again that continential Europe need not shut down for 3 inches of white power falling from the sky! Thanks P!

Aix according to Marta

Okay; the idea was to raid some of my roommates photos to try and present a different side of my life in Aix, however if you didn't already think we like to party these photos kinda confirm it. I do promise that we do other things ... there just doesn't seem to be much photographic evidence of me in daylight. Don't worry I wouldn't trust your kids with me either hehe.

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Tomorrow

Anyone else hungover, aching and slightly confused about what they might have done last night past about midnight ... if so put on a big woolly jumper, make yourself a cup of tea or hot chocolate and veg for 12 hours straight in front of the telly. Don't bother with the whole resolution thing today, 2010 can start tomorrow for all I care ;-)

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