Our friends have bought a "new" RV so they can take our sage advice and escape the viscious winter upon occassion. The bought it from another Brit and it is laid up in a village near Poitier west past Chateauroux. We will be taking them to pick up the beast tomorrow and follow them home, maybe have lunch somewhere too. I think the RV idea is a great one, a mobile palace to use as a means to gain warmth when it is 9 degrees below zero here in January. Off to the south of France, Spain, Morocco, Italy, Sicily, Croatia, so many places so little cold. Camping here in Europe is very easy, many small villages have camping spots fully equiped with electricity, sewage hookup and more. Lignieres has one out by the sports complex and during the summer it is FULL! Even in the winter I've seen persons from Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Germany and other places far colder than here parked there either on their way south or not. We have talked about doing the same thing, getting an RV for our winter stays when (IF) they ever happen. To tell the truth I would have flown the coop willingly last March when we were freezing to death amidst this pile of rocks.
The beast they bought is a 2001 Fiat 24 footer with a diesel engine, probably will get about 20 miles per gallon...not bad given the weight and size. They indicate that it has every security device ever devised installed and operating. It is right-hand drive. I remember my time in the UK and Scotland in particular dealing with the right-hand drive madness. The car isn't the problem it was the placement of controls (on the left mostly), the shifter (yes a manual transmission) and, of course, the damned roadway itself! THAT was the real challenge for this American left-hand drive driver. I got along, just...and scared myself many, many times BUT slowly it became less intimidating and thus easier and I gained a new skill. Such fun. Now this new vehicle of theres is that way, right hand drive and all BUT being driven mostly on left-hand drive roads (like in the US of A)...yea gads, talk about confusion reigning supreme! I guess that becomes part of the challenge and the fun of it, something new all the time. Of course their other car is right hand drive as well and they have driven it here on these left-hand drive roads for the last two years, they are thus well practiced. And quite skilled as I find most UK drivers to be. They drive quickly and accurately. The French you ask? More about that later!
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Sunday, August 17, 2008
65
65, how in the world did THAT happen?! Seems improbable if not impossible. Certainly didn't expect to reach this advanced age 8-). Given that my mother died at the ripe old age of 42 of arteriosclerosis and I had not one but two heart attacks in my 50's, seems unlikely to make it this far this easily. Living here in France part-time has certainly helped ease the stresses of modern life, the village life is calm compared with a similar setting in the US of A certainly.
Given the risks I took as a growing adult had their opportunity at doing me in. I did not die in a head-on on the Golden Gate Bridge in my 69 Volkswagen in driving rain, did not become inert after falling off my BSA 441 Victor on the hill road above Stinson Beach, did not get flattened by the big rig that flew by me on the highway into San Diego when I was at a complete stop and had fallen asleep, I did not drown in the waves off of Puerto Vallarta in Mexico either...saved by Senor Cullison as I was. Many, many dangerous habits and male stupidities and I survived them all in one way or the other. Life is dangerous, being male is even more dangerous. War, illness, anxiety, risky behaviors all add up to life shortening incidents. No gun accidents though god knows there was ample opportunity there too. Held up at gun point in a phone booth in San Francisco, not good but instructive and I came out of it mad as hell but breathing normally if excitedly. As I aged I became more and more aware of my immediate and impending mortality, I willfully became more safe. I took less and less chances, did less of the activities that would, more than likely, do me in. A natural extension of aging it was and is. Now at the ripe olde age of 65 the most risk I take is walking up and down a twisty 16th century staircase. Climb or descend too fast or trip and there you go! Terrible. I walk across the street to climb into the trusty Avensis, legions of huge trucks and tractors and half-crazed French drive through the stop sign posted quite clearly at the corner. Risky? You bet. Most of all I eat anything and everything, mostly unpastuerized milk products, killer cheeses all! Burp! Delicious. And last of all I get up in the morning happy to be alive, I do THAT each and every day!
The day fairly flew by, dinner was scheduled for 6 more or less. Ann and Raj showed right on time and we shortly flew the coop bound for La Pizz in St. Amand to have pizza together.
We cruised in the Mercedes thru the verdant green countryside as I mused over being HERE and being 65. Once in town we parked at the municipal parking lot downtown and walked the block to La Pizz. The decor was light and airy and looked more Greek than Italian with a zig-zag pattern painted on the wall and naked Greek athletes on the wall adjacent to our table. Maybe the WERE Roman but we were still feeling an overall Greek influence at play. The room held perhaps 50 persons and towards the back was a beautiful wood fired oven all aflame busy baking pizzas for earlier customers than we. We sat and recieved the menu filled with traditional Italian dishes as well as an array of pizzas and salads. We ordered al a carte salads, I had a nicoise salad which came quickly and was fresh as could be and nicely assembled, the dressing came separately and was a delicious vinegarette. I had the Neopolitiana pizza, quite traditional with mozzerella, tomato, black olives and anchovies. It is my absolute favorite though it can and does get my gout going now and again, ih those delicious strong salty anchovies, I love 'em! Everyone had a different pizza, all were excellent by acclimation. We had a Chianti for the wine and though tempted by the amazingly constructed ice cream desserts we were all too stuffed to partake this time. La Pizz was exceptional, the service was a trifle slow but the overall dinner experience was excellent. Trois Lune gives 3 Moons to this fine restaurant.
Given the risks I took as a growing adult had their opportunity at doing me in. I did not die in a head-on on the Golden Gate Bridge in my 69 Volkswagen in driving rain, did not become inert after falling off my BSA 441 Victor on the hill road above Stinson Beach, did not get flattened by the big rig that flew by me on the highway into San Diego when I was at a complete stop and had fallen asleep, I did not drown in the waves off of Puerto Vallarta in Mexico either...saved by Senor Cullison as I was. Many, many dangerous habits and male stupidities and I survived them all in one way or the other. Life is dangerous, being male is even more dangerous. War, illness, anxiety, risky behaviors all add up to life shortening incidents. No gun accidents though god knows there was ample opportunity there too. Held up at gun point in a phone booth in San Francisco, not good but instructive and I came out of it mad as hell but breathing normally if excitedly. As I aged I became more and more aware of my immediate and impending mortality, I willfully became more safe. I took less and less chances, did less of the activities that would, more than likely, do me in. A natural extension of aging it was and is. Now at the ripe olde age of 65 the most risk I take is walking up and down a twisty 16th century staircase. Climb or descend too fast or trip and there you go! Terrible. I walk across the street to climb into the trusty Avensis, legions of huge trucks and tractors and half-crazed French drive through the stop sign posted quite clearly at the corner. Risky? You bet. Most of all I eat anything and everything, mostly unpastuerized milk products, killer cheeses all! Burp! Delicious. And last of all I get up in the morning happy to be alive, I do THAT each and every day!
The day fairly flew by, dinner was scheduled for 6 more or less. Ann and Raj showed right on time and we shortly flew the coop bound for La Pizz in St. Amand to have pizza together.
We cruised in the Mercedes thru the verdant green countryside as I mused over being HERE and being 65. Once in town we parked at the municipal parking lot downtown and walked the block to La Pizz. The decor was light and airy and looked more Greek than Italian with a zig-zag pattern painted on the wall and naked Greek athletes on the wall adjacent to our table. Maybe the WERE Roman but we were still feeling an overall Greek influence at play. The room held perhaps 50 persons and towards the back was a beautiful wood fired oven all aflame busy baking pizzas for earlier customers than we. We sat and recieved the menu filled with traditional Italian dishes as well as an array of pizzas and salads. We ordered al a carte salads, I had a nicoise salad which came quickly and was fresh as could be and nicely assembled, the dressing came separately and was a delicious vinegarette. I had the Neopolitiana pizza, quite traditional with mozzerella, tomato, black olives and anchovies. It is my absolute favorite though it can and does get my gout going now and again, ih those delicious strong salty anchovies, I love 'em! Everyone had a different pizza, all were excellent by acclimation. We had a Chianti for the wine and though tempted by the amazingly constructed ice cream desserts we were all too stuffed to partake this time. La Pizz was exceptional, the service was a trifle slow but the overall dinner experience was excellent. Trois Lune gives 3 Moons to this fine restaurant.
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