elean
r freewheeling
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Today is French Mother's day and voting day for the referendum. I didnt really take part in either. Last weekend I did not write because I went to Paris. I managed to get to the Musée d'Orsay and just as I reached my favourite Degas's sculpture of the...
Susie and Manu and their kids, Eloise and Raphael came to dinner. It was good to see them as Susie reminded me, she broke her waters after dinner in this apartment just before I left to study in USA four years ago. So Raphael is now four years old. I...
Rachel and I went to Paris by Eurostar. We set off quite early at 6am to catch the train to Euston - we nearly got locked up in the lift instead when the lift in my block of flats jammed. Luckily Rachel got it opened and we hopped off to the station....
First of all, I would like to congratulate (if he gets to see this post) Coventry's own hero - Simon Stevens who won UK Catalyst award 2008 (community awards for social technology). The Revolutionary Award - Wheelies For something that makes people in...
I found these two short video clips about what it means to be Chinese in Britain. Sometimes we integrate or appear to integrate so well, that people do not realise that there is a big cultural difference. It is not a question of not being able to speak...
This is the last course. Henri-Jacques Stiker was there with Cathy and we had an evaluation of sorts. I enjoyed this class most - people spoke what they felt. Some people spoke when they had not done so before. We had drinks afterwards in the bar across...
This afternnon I had a meeting with Brian W from the University - I wanted a few answers about how to get my degrees into a kind of equivalent status. I've known Brian before - he's helped me by giving me access to the university's English department...
Back in Strasbourg with a bang - I was only one day from Malaysia/ Singapore when I got involved in the freedom drive. Here are some links to the event- http://www.vie-independante.org/ (French) http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=71786 (EN)...
Coventry on sunday is a very boring place. The shops open at 10 am but not the restaurants. It has something to do with the Sunday trading laws- they are not allowed to be open more than 6 hours or something so the only places to eat at are pubs...or...
I knew I had an appointment with l'AFPA (Association Nationale pour la Formation Professionnelle) at 2pm to discuss my French lessons. The lady gave me all the instructions how to get there-including bus numbers. I decided against using GIHP. The tram...
I have been waiting for John to go with me to buy a Christmas tree. I still have this old fashioned notion that a Christmas tree is to be decorated on Christmas eve and it is a family activity. John baulked at the idea and he said there were no more trees...
Dominique, a French Alsacian wheelchair user, told me that I should attend a day of information about the law and the disabled at the CEP. He is a translator (French/ English and German) and I ve known him and his wife for some time. He also said that...
I have always functioned better when it is warm - not hot and humid but warm in the higher 20's C. Suddenly my energy level seems to go up and I am more positive in my outlook. Colleagues in the office have the fans on and they wilt in the heat. To be...
I nearly missed the train to Paris this Tuesday. However the SNCF staff at Strasbourg came up trumps - they got me on the train. I am supposed to be there half an hour before the train is due out but one thing or another I was delayed. And I had not got...
According to this website, they cater to disabled passengers in Paris - Taxis G7 G7 HORIZON est un service de commande de taxis parisiens dédié aux personnes à mobilité réduite pour leur déplacements en Île-de-France. Besoin de vous déplacer dans un cadre...
My local parish church has merged with another - its been happening for a long time. And most of the important services are held in the Christ Resusité which is rather inaccessible. I wanted to go to the Easter Virgil. It is the most dramatic of services...
I left in mid August and flew with Singapore Airlines - it all went smoothly - there was about 60 films to choose from so i did not sleep at all. The worse of the haze from indonesia had lifted and i was met at the airport by my brother and the kids and...
I went for a short weekend to Rome - to meet up with John, my godfather, to celebrate our birthdays together. John was a formative influence in my youth and he was a mentor and all sorts, listened to all my teenage woes and shared with me his philiosophy,...
Today Naomi and I packed a picnic and set out for Memorial Park. It is the biggest park in Coventry and looks suitably big on the map. It didnt take very long to get there - however, it was harder than expected because we could not find dips or ramps...
Morpheous doesn't seem to be eating much-its not like him. And it seems to be time for him to go to the vet for that "special operation" castration. Anyway the vet's receptionist said there was a free slot. So I rang John and got ready to go with Morphy-not...
written beginning November... back in Strasbourg before the move and the window in the lving room in the flat my bedroom Naomi in the flat One week in Coventry now… Martin and Jon came over and did a marathon drive to Strasbourg in a hired van to pick...
I knew I had to do some exercise to stay reasonably fit but did not have a clue where to go. Its not like I can turn up at my local gym for keep fit classes. I was very happy to find that when I joined the Wellness membership at the Coventry Sports and...
It should'nt have taken that long but it did. I had wanted to see Jane for some time now and with Naomi since Jane is her godmother, it seems like a good idea. I did the recommended thing..I rang the Rail Enquiries for assistance as recommended and booked...
Cote d Azur I flew into Nice on Saturday 23rd . It was a smooth trip except for a slight incident. The attendant who came to help me off the plane at Nice asked me a question that had me floored. I have been to quite a few airports but this is the first...
I went with Martin and had dinner at My China last night and the owner, Charles Lim told us that he was in the papers because they, the traders at Priory Place, were not getting enough traffic, Sam the maitre'd gave me a dinner voucher £10 off for 2 for...
