SARRAZ'S QB INC

Monsieur Poulet and cost of living

The sun: lever : 05h40 coucher : 21h36  (as do the kids, unfortunately)

The moon: lever : 22h34 coucher : 08h42 (lucky her I say)

Today's traffic infringement...

was a car entering a one way street at the wrong end.  Pretty mild compared to a certain Mr Sarrazin who backed out onto a road and almost into a car on the opposite side of the road before continuing for some metres backwards in (what I call) the wrong lane...the other car continuing blindly/merrily towards us as if nothing was amiss.

Did you know it's illegal not to maintain a 2 second gap between you and the car in front.  Well it seems most of France doesn't.

Then there's us zooming merrily down a tiny country lane and me telling Ange off for speeding and being in the middle of the road and what would happen if we met another car coming the other way -  only to encounter a harvester. Arrgh.

And lastly, not to scare you, but some weeks ago I witnessed a very angry young man try several times to run his girlfriend over.  At the time it was horrifying, now I just wonder if she burnt the dinner and this is the par for the course retribution.

Cost of life

It's not an exact science and before I get to it I must mention we have reached the 30's and it feels hot.  Hot enough that toute le monde (the whole world) complains and I have to say that even 3 years in Australia (admittedly in Melbourne!) have not prepared me for the pure chaleur (heat).  Why it feels so hot here I have no idea.  It seems very dry though.  The bizarre thing is the greenery stays green but the humans wilt!

So please forgive the lack of energy and general blagghhh.

Earnings

Well the books are being done in Oz at the moment and I have been able to estimate that we are about 3,000 - 7,000€ worse off, counting Ange's Oz wage only (mine being offset by child care costs and travel and eventually having given up work altogether - which I know is a bit of a cop out but I can't be asked to do much more than this in this heat) and taking into account we left before the end of the financial year.  This is based on net earings, after tax, insurances, medicare, partial private health care (France) etc have been deducted.

If we were to rent a 3bd house here in France it would set us back approx 600€ pcm ($860AUD).  A modest rent anywhere in Oz of $340 pw works out to approx $1470 pcm (1023€).  So, not quite double but getting there. 

Our water happens to be expensive here at 75€ for last month but fast broadband, free telephone calls to virtually anywhere in the world to fixed landlines and free cable TV (HD) is only 34€ pcm.  I haven't had any other bills yet.

Mobile phones as PAYG are incredibly expensive.

Food

I haven't yet gone into cost of food.  It's safe to say that we are living on a shoe string but not in a stingy way.  This basket (courtesy of NOZ) includes 2 litres of pure pressed apple juice (minimum of 2kg of apples per litre), soupe de feves for 4 people (broad beans and a product artisanal from Perigord made by chef Hubert Tarbouriech), 3 packets (2 sachets per packet) of good old Ainsley Harriot plain cous cous, 1 bottle of 2005 Domaine Santa Maria - origin Corsica and a Medalle D'Or winner, 1 bottle Chateau Phillipe de Tessiere Costieres de Nimes and 1 bottle of Domaine de Saint-Antoine Syrah. Total cost 9,80€ (note I am using the , rather than . this time!)

Update - the soup was amazing - I went back to get some more but it had unfortunately sold out...

We ate côte de bœuf (think really large, really thick t-bone) last week served with home made crispy frites, fresh salad from the garden with the ubiquituous baguette and dijon mustard. Mmmmnn.  Approx cost of meal 12€ of which the meat cost 7€ on special (down from 10€).  The basket is shown below; this is Hypercasino

.

For father's day the kids were feeling homesick for lunchboxes so I made their boxes up with sticks of carrot and cucumber and sliced apples, served with bread dipped in concaillete (runny cheese which the kids adore), saucisson (hard smoked sausage), a tin of pate of voie or wild pig or something and a bottle of natural fizzy mineral water to share.  I'm not sure how much this cost - next to nothing as it was all just lying around the fridge etc.  The cheese was about 2€ for the small pot and the sauccison about 3€ but we only had half of that.  The pate from memory was about 1€ and the bread 0.90c. 
We ate the picnic in Besancon, in the shade of the citadel.

Every day I buy one or two baguettes and sometimes a sneaky treat for me (current favs are almond croissants...).  That costs me approx 2.50€ and satisfies my shopping urge for the day.  If I feel like doing more I pop over to Noz - literally a minute from the house where I can but food, booze, clothing and cleaning products.  They even had leather lounges today!  It's not glamorous but it suits us.

Update - yesterday we went to Lidl, another fav of mine, and came out with (literally) a trolley full of stuff - sparkling water, milk, wine and general bits and pieces.  It came to less than 40€.  We also went to NOZ and stocked up on Rose for the summer at 1.20€ per bottle.  Yes it has to be drunk now (as opposed to cellaring) but wow, it's safe to say the alcohol won't break the bank.  I even saw some Jacobs Creek in the same shop for 2.50€ per bottle.

We can get frozen New Zealand leg of lamb here for approx 12€ it was very tasty, merci Mr Lamb! Talking about that - did you know we have our very own Mr Chicken here?  Actually it's Monsieur Poulet. Let's not harp on about Monsieur Bastard though...

Drving in France for the unwary/uninitiated/unlucky

I have been flunking my code so badly that 'Madam Parisian' has taken pity on me and sent me home with the DVD to study at my own pace for strictly 2 days and I did not panic and spend the weekend learning to copy it instead (I didnt...). 
To my defence, when I asked why I hadn't been issued a book to learn from I was told it would cost more money again (than the 295€ we had already spent for me to sit in an unattended classroom with a DVD playing and countless interruptions of mainly the noisy, smelly, teenage type).  Also it takes roughly two hours to do two tests then sit through the excruciatingly lengthy corrections (the test is played all over again with a voiceover of a man or woman explaining what the answer should be) while my bum goes numb on the hard, wooden, squeaky bench. 

It's hard to explain how weird the test is but it certainly showcases the strangeness of French logic - Ange was eager to try his knowledge and I'm sad to say even he was mystified at times.  Apparently it's all in the way the question is phrased.   The multiple choice is, as I said on an earlier post, truly multiple - there can be more than one answer and the question may be referring to more than one situation. 

We will have our first visitors soon (yay!!!), so in honour of them and future visitors I thought I'd share a day (of agonising) study of the road rules with you all...

Problem questions

One question that crops up frequently is are you allowed to park on the footpath (no).  Great in theory but practically? For the unititated, it would seem obvious that footpaths are for cars! 

And I got the question wrong about parking cars on the opposite side of the road - the car needs to cross the centre line and drive down the wrong side of the street in order to do this.  Now it would make sense that this is illegal but I see this so often I really thought it must be ok.

How about slowing down before reaching an intersection even if one has priority.  Well again, for someone like me (pedestrian), crossing on a green man, it's more a case of fleeing for my life or being ecrased (squashed). I explain more about 'priority' further down.

Rules and signs

The French think of everything to throw in the rule book and then do everything they can to avoid following said rule book.

This little man with a hand cart?!? has his very own sign to tell him he is NOT allowed on the Auto Route (max speed 130km/hr).  I'm not sure who uses a hand drawn cart anymore but at least there is a provision for it in the signage - whew!  Now I have not yet seen this rule broken....

but yesterday I did see a car driving backwards down a main road at some speed.  Presumably because it wanted to.

Priority -

is on the right except when you encounter a sign like this;

    (which is only for the next intersection)    or this . (which stops when you next encounter )

Normally the 'priority on the right' is in towns rather than main roads; there is a white line on the road demarking who should stop or give way but French people are not really used to this even after all this time so we should still take all due care (hence the stories of innocent foreigners on main roads being rammed into by mad frenchmen driving cars emerging from obscure country lanes).

On roundabouts the priority is on the left except where the roundabout is really big and then it's on the right (hence the stories of innocent foreigners on roundabouts being rammed into by mad frenchmen driving cars emerging from obscure country lanes).. 

The red triangle is placed 150m or 50m (depending on if it's not/in an agglomeration) before the danger.   Agglomeration according to WIKI is 'commune of at least 15,000 inhabitants', or according to Ange 'any commune with a Mairie and signed by the name of the town on a black and white sign with a red border .  In other words, a built up area.

Quite importantly, the speed limit of 50 km starts at this sign and ends at the exit of the agglomeration which is signed as follows:

.

Hamlets known as 'lieu dits' (or localities) are not classed as agglomerations for the purpose of the 50kph and are signed as follows:

So the triangle sign , lets me know that I will have priority of way at the next intersection, which is situated 150m further down the road.  Despite having right of way I must still slow down (and anticipate the mad Frenchman).  

This sign indicates a crossroad in 150m/50m where I will have to 'cede passage 'i.e give way to the right.

Here the priority is the thicker line, bending to the right.

Parking (this has been the really agonising part today)

Stationment is to park.

Arret is to stop temporarily.

This sign means no stopping or parking - 'le stationnement mais aussi l’arrêt sont interdit'.  Also indicated by a yellow line on the curb. 

This sign means no parking or 'stationnement est interdit' and finishes with  

i.e you can stop temporarily but not park. Also indicated by an absence of the yellow line on the curb - 'La bande JAUNE peinte sur la bordure du trottoir est discontinue et permet seulement l'Arrêt'.

In either case there is no parking allowed.

'Dans ce cas-là, ce sont les dates qui définissent les possibilités. Si on suit la règle expliquée plus haut, ici l’arrêt est autorisé tous les jours. Le stationnement est également autorisé, sauf les jours cités sur le panneau. C’est-à-dire du premier au quinze du mois, ou du 16 au 31'.

i.e. In this case it is the dates that determine the possibilities. If you follow the rule explained here, you are authorised to stop all the days.  The parking is equally authorised, save between the days cited on the sign.
(The sign should be on the side of the road).

Basically, you can stop anytime but you cannot park on the half of the month that is printed on the sign.

Stationnement alterné semi-mensuel - In this case it is the odd and even numbering of the houses which defines the possibilites (based on which half of the month). Parking is permitted on the side of the street with odd or 'impair' -numbered houses for the first half of the month and on the even or 'pair' side for the second half of the month.

Or in french ....Ces deux panneaux possèdent un petit frère, que vous attendez certainement avec impatience. Celui avec l’alternance semi-mensuelle, qui utilise les numéros des habitations des rues. Ne craignez rien, ce n’est vraiment pas si compliqué que ça… Du premier au quinze, je stationne du côté des numéros IMPAIRS parce que « 1″ est un chiffre impair. Du 16 au 31, je stationne du côté des numéros PAIRS parce que « 16″ est un chiffre PAIR. Simple non?

 Ahhgrhh...

Parking may also alternate weekly or daily; parking on alternate days is indicated by a sign stating ‘ Côté du Stationnement – Jours Pairs’ (even) or ‘ Jours Impairs’ (odd). In Paris, signs may indicate that parking is forbidden on one side of the street at certain times (e.g. for street cleaning)

The change happens either the last day of the month and every 15th between 8.30pm and 9pm.

This sign or a blue line on the curb indicates free but limited parking (1.5hrs) as long as you have a disc on your window.  You turn the disc to the time you parked and it shows the time you must leave.

How about this one!

Other things to know;

Parking should be on the right or for one way on the same side of the road as where you see the sign. 

If the night is not clear we should put the feux de position on.

or    +      These signs shows exactly where other sign applies - before/after left/right of the sign in question etc.

Temporary lights - proceed with caution!

Other signs;

  There you are, driving innocently in the middle of the countryside when out of the blue a plane could practically land on your car.

Danger - wonder bra ahead.

Indians? No, it indicates a camping spot ahead.

And then there's 'Ooops' which means something like this...

usually involving an excess of bowling and eau de vie (on a lovely sunny day with plenty of bowling...)

There are many signs and combinations of signs and I have about 3 seconds to decide what to do in a given situation.  This is actually a good thing, as when I eventually do start driving I should be more confident about what I am doing.

[As an aside; while searching the internet for pictures/explanations today I came across many, many mistakes.  Please be careful about information found in this way!] 

I could be here all day but I'd rather not (the sun has finally come out), so here are the rules in French for those brave enough to try and understand

http://www1.securiteroutiere.gouv.fr/signaux/default.asp

and

http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Code_de_la_route_%28France%29

I hope you have enjoyed studying with me (last time, I promise)

Bonne Chance!

 

The sun is shining, the sky is blue...

The sun is shining, the sky is blue and there are fluffy little clouds in the sky in the manner of a childlike drawing. If Amby was to draw a picture of our house, her sky would be a ringer of today.

I suffered a blip this morning, becoming nostalgic for the Aussie lifestyle; sand in feet, milky flat whites and long lazy uninterrupted breakfasts at stylish cafes overlooking the sea.

Then I remembered I have 2 kids and I will never have another uninterrupted breakfast again (or lunch or dinner).  I remembered that these memories are based on my twenties living a stones throw from the famous Bondi Beach (which was a lot more laid back then), that I miss Gusto's hole in the wall coffee shop with it's milk crate chairs more than any I have since encountered in Melbourne, that the beach I am remembering actually had waves and gave me a thorough work out, that in actual fact any feelings of nostalgia are actually based on an ideal rather than any reality we encountered in Melbourne.

Not that I am 'dissing Melbourne at all, more that while we enjoyed what we had there very much, there needs to be a perspective put on it.  Quite bizarrely, a place I miss in Melbourne at the moment is Frankston!

Funny, the things you stumble across on the net - today's find is from thesaurus.com; where the word of the day happens to be 'ruth'

1.Compassion or pity for another.

2.Sorrow or misery about one's own misdeeds or flaws.

3.In the Bible, a Moabite woman who married Boaz and became an ancestor of David: the daughter-in-law of Naomi.

4.Book of the Bible bearing her name.

5.A female given name.

 

And speak me no soft words in ruth or pity, but tell me plainly how thou didst get sight of him.

-- Homer, The Odyssey

Origin:

Distinct from the Biblical figure, ruth is a descendent of the Middle English ruthe, from Old Norse hrygdh.

Just call me hrygdh!

French life

The agenda this week has been really hard work and long hours, especially for Ange who has been working all over the place - anywhere from Mélisey to Besançon to Alsace (today).    I on the other hand have been battling a 3x a day school run on foot in absolutely blazing heat and high humidity.  I am wondering if we really left Australia after all?  
These hot days typically end with rain and the threat of thunderstorms.   I am happy for the calor and pluie (heat and rain)  because it means the garden is entirely self sufficient at present.  It's been amazing to see the progress.  I am however battling several large colonies of ants, a funny looking plant full of aphids and l'amour de coccinelle (ladybugs).

 

There will be more work for Ange on Saturday, but hopefully Saturday afternoon we can go for a drive after we drop Amby off at horseriding. We've been doing these small sorties, looking around for a hamlet to call home, exploring little villages on foot and checking out potential ruins and renovations.  Here's one I saw on the web last night;  expensive at 98,000€ with 1100 m² of land and the water is a 'source' or spring!

and here's a website I found detailing costs for renovation http://www.france-renovation.com/costs-of-property-renovation/16#more-16

Of course over here it's all air-sealed building envelopes (anything from vapour resistant barriers to SIPS panels), insulation, insulation, insulation (potential for a lot of €'s) and heat recovery ventilation systems (about 6 to 8,000 €).
How about laying 200mm insulation on a membrane BEFORE adding 100mm concrete/UFH and then screed, or constructing an inner house of wood in which to put on your inner insulation (leaving an air gap between that and the original stone)?

Sounds like a lot to think about...  

Acheivements this week:

Producing hot lunches on demand (harder than it sounds)
Producing edible and interesting dinners (ditto)
Convincing kids to get out of bed (ditto - why are we so absolutely tired?)
Another harvest of strawberries from our garden
More french kissing
Another two play dates for Amby (social butterfly)
Lifts to the swimming pool and goutte (snacks) for Amby
Walks to school for all of us with another family who live nearby
Amby to be raised to the next class (no repeating then)
Progress on Amby's homework (thanks to Ange)
Progress on Amby's swimming - she is coming 3rd every time, behind 2 boys. Well done Amby!
Alex refering to his classmates as 'my boys'
Alex's first concert (tonight)
Alex scootering all the way to school and back again (hey l'il johnny)
Have started the tax thing - I hate doing tax
Recovered sufficiently from getting here to do our travel claim
Getting about 60% of my questions right for the driving code (I have to announce my score in front of whoever is in the office at the time - rather embarrasing when its full of 17 year olds)
Rhino is not biting us anymore and has only escaped the cage once

Lil' johnny - happy birthday!

Birthday celebrations to Alex who is already doing tricks on his new trottinet (scooter). For his latest vid, see below; (The best bit is at the end, and the video might take a while to load. You can also trying clicking on the picture to start the video. Let me know if you can't make it work or if it loads too slowly). 

Here's a few more images from the day.

Bon Apéritif, Birthday Wishes and Get Well Soon

"I like to have a martini,
Two at the very most.
After three I'm under the table,
after four I'm under my host." **

Ange has been working non stop, including today (Saturday) so there's not a lot that can be said there, apart from the fact that he is at Montbeliard looking for a scooter for Alex's 4th birthday which was yesterday. I only require one thing of a man - that he be home (unlike DP's - "I require only three things of a man. He must be handsome, ruthless and stupid"**).

It's been a pretty busy week all in all. Since we arrived in France I have managed to split my toe, strain my other big toe and now yank my shoulder out of alignment.  All added motivation for this car licence.  I can't imagine Amby forgetting her school bag and me having to run home with Alex and bring it back to school, all while pushing the pram with one hand...oh hang on, that was Thursday...

On a good note I have been getting offers of rides for the kids - people stop their cars in the middle of the rue and gesture for one or all of us to get in.  I'm not sure what the protocol for introducing oneself in France is - so far I don't know any of their names, and I'm not sure when all the kissing starts either!

Today Ange will take Amby to pony club and then we will have a BBQ for dinner at the in-laws (who are currently in Senegal - the uncles and cousins will be there though).  The kids and I managed to make a Ben Ten cake, even though I overcooked the syrup for the fondant meaning it dried out almost before it could be rolled and shaped. It won't win any prizes but it was worth it just to see Alex throwing hundreds and thousands all over the cake with great abandon. The filling is chantilly creme and home grown strawberries and the cake is a rainbow cake we whipped up last night.

 

With all the walking I've been doing - my day is one long walk - I have been hoping to see some pay off but Ange has been leaving me chocolate croissants in the morning so I guess I'm cancelling out the exercise! 

I am off for a granny nap as feeling a bit washed out today, but I'm looking forward to the cool of the evening - after having been through another 3 days on the trot of sun, sun, sun - a chilled apéritif in hand and sparklers on the birthday cake.

Aaron, we are sending you some hugs, hope you feel better soon.

 

**quotes courtesy of Dorothy Parker