Author Archives: Tournesol

Talk(sport) radio

Posted on 24 October 2011 by Tournesol

Apart from laughing at the Haka, I can’t say I am missing the rugby which finished yesterday. But bravo to France for getting to the final, and to New Zealand for winning. For myself I welcome the return to ‘normality’ of Talk(sport) … Continue reading →

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‘La Noyade’ par Simon Parke

Posted on 21 October 2011 by Tournesol

La noyade: “Il est tombé à l’eau !” s’écrie le petit garçon en accourant vers son père. Il veut que son père sauve l’homme qui est maintenant complètement disparu sous l’eau, coulant vers le fond, mais personne ne bouge, tout … Continue reading →

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Muammar Gaddafi

Posted on 21 October 2011 by Tournesol

Un tyran de moins – one tyrant less. Quiconque se servira de l’épée périra par l’épée – he who lives by the sword dies by the sword. Now I’m waiting for a smart alec (M. Mme. Mlle je-sais-tout) to tell … Continue reading →

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La gauche molle

Posted on 19 October 2011 by Tournesol

‘La gauche molle’ is an expression I heard a lot of yesterday on europe1 French radio from Paris. I bridled up, thinking the political commentators were calling the French ‘left wing’ ‘feeble, soft, spineless’. The names of François Hollande and … Continue reading →

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Sabatier

Posted on 16 October 2011 by Tournesol

Le lit de la Merveille    by Robert Sabatier: J’étais seul, l’autre soir, au Théatre-Français. On ne jouait pas Molière mais une pièce de Friedrich von Schiller écrite dans sa jeunesse: Intrigue et Amour. Arrivé au théatre fort tôt, selon … Continue reading →

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Un porte-monnaie

Posted on 16 October 2011 by Tournesol

Rather than ‘money’ ‘la monnaie’ is actually ‘small/loose change’. The French for ‘money’ is ‘l’argent (nm)’. So ‘un porte-monnaie’ would literally be ‘a carry-change’ and is ‘a purse’. Expressions using ‘monnaie’ :       émettre/retirer une monnaie : to … Continue reading →

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‘The Wider Path’ by Simon Parke

Posted on 14 October 2011 by Tournesol

The Wider Path: You make time for inaction each day, to protect your actions from being mad. You remove your watch, turn the clock face away and escape for a moment the slavery of time. You remove your shoes, because … Continue reading →

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(Se) boucher

Posted on 14 October 2011 by Tournesol

The two main meanings of ‘boucher’ are ‘to cork, put a cork in’ and ‘to block (up)’. Expressions: J’ai les oreilles bouchées : my ears are blocked;            boucher le passage à quelqu’un : to stand in somebody’s way;           boucher la … Continue reading →

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Mon hautbois…

Posted on 12 October 2011 by Tournesol

Mon hautbois… Par mon hautbois, j’avais le pouvoir d’accompagner la musique de mes disques ; je devenais le passager clandestin et l’exécutant invisible d’un concert ; je transformais un quatuor en quintette. En voisin, j’avais fréquenté le festival de Montreux. … Continue reading →

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Book Launch 01.11.11

Posted on 9 October 2011 by Tournesol

If you can be near The Coronet (Wetherspoon’s) pub in Holloway Road, London N7 (the middle bit near Hollway Road tube (Piccadilly line) on Tuesday 1st November 2011, this is your chance to meet your favourite author – no not me … Continue reading →

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