Bitten by a Bee (or Wounded by a Wasp)

Medical issues when you’re away from home sure make life a bit more complicated.
I don’t remember reacting to bee stings as a youngster, but in the last 10 or so years something has changed. Not that I’ve been stung a lot (perhaps 3 times), but each time the reaction was severe. So, I’m very careful [...]

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Our House in Lozere

Many of you have been asking for pics of our new place here in the Paris suburbs. So, here is a brief selection plus a short description. (Also look under French Notes for random comments).
This is a small old farm house, separated from the main house by an informal courtyard. It has its own entrance [...]

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Paris in Summer Mode (2007)

10 REASONS TO TRY PARIS IN THE SUMMER
I’d better get this up soon, as summer is fast disappearing and already the ‘la rentree’ ads are popping up along train station platforms.
Paris in August—why go then? Why not? Weather might be hot and sticky (although this year it was mostly cool and wet), and some restaurants [...]

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Searching for Soy Sauce

The joys of shopping in a foreign place!
I’m still trying to build up our supply of basic cooking ingredients, and sometimes shop in the small Atac supermarket in Jouy (where Rod works) and sometimes at the small Intermarché in Lozere (where we live). Both are in the outer suburbs of Paris and don’t seem to [...]

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Paris Jazz Festival

(click on pics for bigger images)
The Paris Jazz Festival takes place in the Parc Floral, in Bois de Vincennes, next to the Chateau de Vincennes on the eastern edge of Paris. It’s easy to get to on Metro Line 1, to Chateau de Vincennes.
What a perfect setting, informal, family-friendly, and available to everyone, as entrance [...]

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You Know You’re in France When/Because…

In our first 2 weeks here, some of what struck us—besides the obvious language difference
–organizing official things takes a long time, for example, getting Rod’s INRA badge, and ‘official things’ are very important
–the trains are frequent, well-used and run on time
–many cars are small, and park tightly along the curbs. Scooters and motor bikes are [...]

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Noting Paris while drinking a beer facing Notre Dame

FIRST IMPRESSIONS
The first Friday Rod and I were in France, we went into Paris (from Jouy where INRA is located) and sat outside at one of the cafe-bars facing Notre Dame to watch the world go by (and go by it sure does!). We were inspired to try and decide what struck us this first [...]

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