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Monthly Archives: December 2011
‘Beware the Horizon’ by Simon Parke
Is being a seeker one of the least spiritual things we can do? Quite possibly. One of the problems with seeking is that we may well find what we seek, but become blind to everything else. We see what we … Continue reading
The Daily Mail
Although loudly despised by staunch ‘down with the people’ (heavy irony here) liberals, and if you can take the hysteria about immigration etc with a pinch of salt, there is (love it or hate it or swing both ways) actually … Continue reading
Posted in Writers
Tagged Chris Tookey, Craig Brown, Quentin Letts, Simon Parke, The Daily Mail
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Les mots croisés
I am lucky enough to be able to start most days by doing a crossword puzzle (les mots croisés). I would recommend this to anyone able to do this for two main reasons. Firstly, you do not have to get out … Continue reading
Radio Times
Am I becoming a shopaholic (une accro du shopping)? Having been unable to resist buying the Christmas issue of the Radio Times, I have now taken out a subscription (first eight issues £1 – rush them to my door). I can … Continue reading
French accents
For a beginner in a new language, accents can perhaps look a bit daunting. In fact, apart from ç (c cedilla – see below) the three main accents (here shown with e, as being the most used): è = e … Continue reading
Posted in French
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‘Sans les lignes’ par Simon Parke
Il n’y a plus de lignes au milieu de la route ; aucune indication peinte en jaune et blanc ; aucune enseigne au néon indiquant le nombre de kilomètres qui restent à suivre ; aucune flèche qui montre le chemin … Continue reading
Avoir du pot
And on a more cheerful note than the last entry: ‘Avoir du pot’ (there are too many translations of ‘pot’ to attempt a literal translation) means to be lucky. ‘La poudre de Perlimpinpin’ is a magic remedy or fairy dust. ‘Piquer un … Continue reading
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Faire un croche-pied
Faire ‘un croche-pied’ otherwise known as ‘un croc-en-jambe’ is to pull a fast one on somebody or to trip somebody up. And two similar words that are easy to confuse: Couler : to flow, to sink/couver : to smoulder, to … Continue reading
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Maurice
Quand il venait à Paris, Maurice avait un programme et un seul. Voir le plus de films possible, et, cette fois, on a eu droit à l’accompagner. Il a posé ses conditions : il choisissait le film et la salle. Et … Continue reading
Cinq mots (5)
Five more French words: Maussade(s) : sullen, glum, morose (person), gloomy (sky), bleak (conjecture), sluggish (market). Un menton : a chin. Un menton en galoche : a jutting (strong) chin; un menton fuyant : a receding (weak) chin. Un mécène … Continue reading
Posted in French
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