Ist day at the WRVS café

I started yesterday at the WRVS café next door (see 12/03). W. explained me about everything on the running of the place but I was on the till. I met a few regulars who are mainly staff from the hospital. It's quite a friendly place and I think I'm going to enjoy doing this job. I'm going back tomorrow.
So I'll be there on Thursdays and Tuesdays 9:00-11:30.

Hedda Gabler

Wonderful play with very good actors. All the ingredients are there for a vaudeville : a "femme fatale" coming back from her honeymoon with her boring husband meet up with her former lovers. But it's actually an astonishing and gripping black drama. For more info see : http://www.royalcentre-nottingham.co.uk/default.asp?id=114

American School Bus Story

Once upon a time there was a lady who went on line and saw an American School Bus on sale by auction. It was based in U.K. and had been converted into a mobile home. She thought it was great and started to bid on it while saying so to her husband. The dialogue went more or less like that :

- Darling, guess what ?
- What ?
- I'm buying an American Bus on line...
-...!!!Who's going to drive it ?
- You are
- I'm among the best buyers
- Where are we going to park it ?
- euh ... in the back garden ?
- You mean we'll have to knock down the house to let it through ?
- Yeah ! I won ! I got it !
- What about the insurance ?
- Oh sh... someone just made an other bid. Oh well, never mind.... I am not very keen on yellow anyway...

American School Bus

Keeping in touch with Montpellier

They are changing the floor tiles on the Place de la Comédie hence the nice barricades.

Montpellier : Barricades on Place de la Comédie (4)

Montpellier : Barricades on Place de la Comédie (3)

Montpellier : Barricades on Place de la Comédie (2)

Montpellier : Barricades on Place de la Comédie (1)

Going round

I have been on my round(s) in France again. Starting by Orléans this time. I visited friends & family. Then to Montpellier where I had a piano lesson and saw friends as well. This morning I went for the Regional Vote before meeting a friend over breakfast. By chance we met up with C & R. I'm now in Lille. I'm going to go out with my cousins and tomorrow morning I'll have breakfast with C & C.A.
Back in Nottingham for Tea Time.

St Patrick's Day in Nottingham

Sherwood Forest

I takes about one hour drive to get into the heart of Sherwood Forest. At the visitor centre there is a nice video which introduce you to the different parts of it. There are quite a few pubs and restaurants in the nearby village of Edwinstowe. C. & I we actually had a carvery lunch at the "Robin Hood" outside the village.
Then we went to Clumber Park which is a National Trust place.

For more info see : http://www.nottinghamshire.gov.uk/home/leisure/countryparks/sherwoodforestcp.htm

Sherwood Forest : The Big Oak Robin Hood's Tree

Wizard of Oz

My friend C. from L. is staying at the week end. Last night we went to see Wizard of Oz. Refreshing music hall for children & adults. The cast was very good and the music is lovely. For more info see :
http://www.nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk/index.cfm/navid/3/parentid/39/page/events.details.cfm/id/566

Teaching / Voluntering

Things are moving...slowly but surely... I got my 1st French student this morning. P. and her husband have a house in France in the same village where one of our very good family friend is from ! I'm going to teach P. once a week for 90 minutes.
Next door to my building flat there is a branch of the Nottingham Hospital. They run a WRVS café meaning that all the benefits go into helping the NHS to cut their cost down. I had an interview with the manager. Once they get the answers back from my referees I'll be able to be helping there about 3 hours a week.

Exit through the gift shop

This documentary is about a French man in L.A. who discovered and met Street Artits and ended up doing some business out of it... That's to keep it really short. With a good sense of humour this film does indeed show you round this community of artists.

See : http://www.broadway.org.uk/film_programme.php

Save the lions ! (2)

Save the lions ! (1)

Micmacs

What if we were to give the arms dealers a lesson ? This film is quite funny and even moving at times. Very good acting.
http://www.broadway.org.uk/film_programme.php

Ashes of the Amazon by Milton Hatoum

Book written by a Brazilian novelist. It's the story of friendship, love, hate... around the life of a rebel young artist. This is very powerful, it's stayed with you for quite a while.

Website for sale

I have to give up French Help Services. Basically the French Tax Man doesn't like me to have 2 registered businesses with the same address. And then I hardly earned anything last year with FHS.
So the good news is : www.frenchhelpservices.com is for sale. 1000 €

Dance from Cuba

Friday night I went to the Playhouse again. There was a Cuban dance company . It was absolutely fantastic ! Very lively, sensual, varied. The choice of music was nice too. There was even a Jacques Brel's song : "Ne me quittes pas" during which only boys danced.
For more info see :

http://www.nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk/index.cfm/page/events.details.cfm/navid/3/parentid/39/id/538

The Archers

I have to say : I'm quite an addict of this Radio 4 soap opera. And therefore I have an existential question at the back of my mind : where is Ambridge ?
Have a look here to see if you can find the answer :

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/after-50-years-and-13100-shows-the-big-question-where-is-ambridge-627225.html

A long running program as well on Radio 4 is Desert Island Discs. June Spencer, the oldest actor " at Ambridge" right from the start was a guest lately :

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/tvandradio/7337742/The-Archers-Peggy-has-no-sense-of-humour-says-June-Spencer.html

Spotted Collection : The Tea-pot

Notingham, from the Big Wheel