“A government that is strong because it is free, and confident because it is just, has nothing to fear in granting refuge to exiles.” – Alexander von Humboldt (1769 – 1859), German explorer and polymath. – – – – – – – Well, that explains a lot doesn’t it? As a general rule, we like…
It couldn’t really be anyone but the Rolling Stones for the letter ‘R’. Not only were they around in my formative years but – against all odds – they’re still going strong, at least on the basis of their performance at Glastonbury in 2013. It’s one of my biggest musical regrets that I never got…
First time for everything – even participating in Stream of Consciousness Saturday. This week’s theme is ‘book title’. I try always to have a ‘proper’ book on the go and make a point of reading at least a few pages every day. I spent a couple of years working my way through the Guardian list…
Originally posted on theonlyD800inthehameau:
As one of France’s leading utility companies, EDF (Électricité de France) supplies something without which modern civilised life would be quite impossible. As well as electricity. Cee’s Odd Ball Photo Challenge Week 19
I got on a bus recently. Let me tell you, my life is one long party. I had a suitcase with me so, wanting to stay close to the luggage rack, I flopped down in the nearest seat, only noticing a couple of minutes later that it was one prioritised for the elderly and infirm. My…
Today, 24th June, is the 1,000th day since I retired from working life. I know this because I have an App that counted down the months and weeks towards my retirement date and then forgot to stop. 1,000 days. That’s about 33 months. 143 weeks. 24,000 hours. You can slice and dice it as finely…
‘Granpa, do you miss being a kid?’ Not the sort of question you expect to come, à propos of nothing, from a seven year old tucking enthusiastically into his breakfast. Nonetheless, a fair enough one, and deserving of a measured response. ‘Well no, because in my head I still am a kid’ was my eventual reply. ‘But…
The Universe, we are told, is a very big place and we are a very insignificant part of it. That’s fine by me. I love all those TV documentaries about the origins and unimaginable scale of the Universe, quantum physics and the nature of reality. Although this serenity is probably just a consequence of my inability…
Originally posted on theonlyD800inthehameau:
I recently visited Monet’s Garden, in Normandy. You’ve probably heard of it, and of Monet himself, the founder of Impressionism. The garden itself is rightly famous, although I was surprised to discover that almost all of the plants there are quite common varieties, rather than horticultural curiosities. What grabs the…
“I’m as mad as hell and I’m not going to take this anymore.” The filling protocol of petrol stations in Belgium defies both belief and logic. For the benefit of my North American reader, I should just explain that over here a petrol station is what you would call a gas station. Why you would…
