tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-88076971154029523902024-03-28T13:59:50.184+01:00Desperate Anglo Housewives : Bordeaux > she's back and dating in her 50sLife changes..latest anecdotes as a 50+ singleton
Susie @ DesperateAngloHousewives, Bordeauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00648563497069053889noreply@blogger.comBlogger148125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8807697115402952390.post-34603371358307077042024-03-26T10:25:00.011+01:002024-03-27T10:48:27.511+01:00First toe in the waters..<h2 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Quicksand;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji68iuxMFHsBLVcbEX6h1ouWNiwGP_bVTDcJ3UbOy2dOUPkp1QHFfLV0Q7w_pZI-efa9KrrYgA5WGvdUSuXQmV47wanZOXaue6YVNaaqHjQZF21qYgIV85pkRpAl3Jxnd-OqMJINZHeMCoz-9gkNRCVenffr17Ta4SdRSoxpLKMqWeKwpA4c9WLcNVlEM/s600/jane%20baldasare.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="584" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEji68iuxMFHsBLVcbEX6h1ouWNiwGP_bVTDcJ3UbOy2dOUPkp1QHFfLV0Q7w_pZI-efa9KrrYgA5WGvdUSuXQmV47wanZOXaue6YVNaaqHjQZF21qYgIV85pkRpAl3Jxnd-OqMJINZHeMCoz-9gkNRCVenffr17Ta4SdRSoxpLKMqWeKwpA4c9WLcNVlEM/s320/jane%20baldasare.jpeg" width="311" /></a></div><br />My first steps onto the dating apps were pussy footing in every sense. Tentative would be an exaggeration of the the slow and apathetic effort I made to get my "profile" up on line. </span></h2><p><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">First conundrum - which sites? Clearly, I was going to have to get onto the +50s sites but which one? <i>Disons Demain ( Let's say tomorrow) </i>sounded far too much like death row, life insurance scamming or sugar coated oldies with more wobbly bits than bones ( or do I mean boners?). I opted for Elite - a site which made a lot of song and dance about assuring privacy and monitoring good behaviour, selecting appropriate & suitable candidates, etc. Seemed ok so far.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">Then came the info for the profile which, in a nutshell, seemed like an overt online bias and discrimination scouting. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">Which religions would you accept?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">Which ethnic groups will you accept?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">What age would you accept? ( an open door for 70+ would be "daddyohs" to select 20 somethings and vice versa)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">What height would you accept?</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">What level of education is your minimum requirement? ( I get that - writing and reading could be useful)</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">And the list goes on - a breeding ground for neo fascism and xenophobia. What are your interests seemed of far less importance and was the only place I really took care with my choices.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">So I'm finally up and activated.... and that's when the fun started. </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">One of the first comments I receive is from a chap who clearly fancied himself as a poet laureate, quoting indirectly from Jean de la Fontaine,</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">"<i>Que vous etes jolie! Dites moi, est votre ramage bien assorti à votre plumage?" </i>Roughly translated as, " how pretty you are, tell me, does your birdsong match your feathers?" ( yes, double yuck!) </span></p><p><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">My first thought took me back to a rather salacious James Bond moment in the 60s where Sean Connery asks his next Bond Girl ( ie next opportunistic shag), " Do your cuffs and collars match?"</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">Delete!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Quicksand;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">On the same day I receive another message from a man whose pseudonym was " good catch" - I kid you not! Before opening his message I trip over to his profile. The photos are pretty telling - 2 shots taken in the bathroom mirror, a couple in the front seat of his car, another taken sitting on his loo lounging against the wall with shirt open to navel showing off his big silver chain and chest tattoo " Pat" - Pat was my mother's name so not hugely attractive to me and in fact the first word association that sprung to mind was " cow pat." I somehow don't manage to respond.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">Delete!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Quicksand;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">That evening I receive 2 messages from " Douceur" ( sweetness ) -</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">Message #1 " Hi there, that smile will open doors. I see you're quite tall. Me too - you'll be able to wear your heels with me <i>cherie</i>"</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">Message #2 " Would you wear high heals for me?"</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">I refrain from replying.</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">Delete!!</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">Enough for today - more next week here I'll take you on my first coffee dates.</span><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">Thanks for reading me. Susie xx</span></p><p><span style="font-family: Quicksand;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Quicksand;"><br /></span></p><p><span style="font-family: Quicksand;"><br /></span></p><div class="blogger-post-footer">Become a follower of Desperate Anglo Housewives NOW!!
The off-shore AngloSaxon/American wives and mothers need you to join the network.</div>Susie @ DesperateAngloHousewives, Bordeauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00648563497069053889noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8807697115402952390.post-51382316647154847462024-03-17T13:36:00.004+01:002024-03-17T13:39:59.089+01:00Down the Rabbit Hole I go<h3 style="text-align: left;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right;"><tbody><tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8_SmAbfjv0tenQHPlzzt7yGRHfH-PdAGilY0Kos0NPaHg8a-ujpbv7BloJXzmZmRzFg4supXN-ce2Zq62RAuQw9KMGWXKi9VwFKT4mHbLMU8hDeAZFtX_wybNdkGTY4Z3RtISYRsEFRCRsn9z8JNRkl3bhM80IIuL2FH55abprorY72a3-DKFPCBEFR0/s900/1950s-horrified-woman-housewife-taking-vintage-images.jpeg" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="900" data-original-width="708" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8_SmAbfjv0tenQHPlzzt7yGRHfH-PdAGilY0Kos0NPaHg8a-ujpbv7BloJXzmZmRzFg4supXN-ce2Zq62RAuQw9KMGWXKi9VwFKT4mHbLMU8hDeAZFtX_wybNdkGTY4Z3RtISYRsEFRCRsn9z8JNRkl3bhM80IIuL2FH55abprorY72a3-DKFPCBEFR0/w315-h400/1950s-horrified-woman-housewife-taking-vintage-images.jpeg" width="315" /></a></td></tr><tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr></tbody></table><span style="font-family: Quicksand;"> I don't think anyone imagines the dark abyss and underground emotional corridors of online dating before trying it out. Nothing could have prepared me for this.</span></h3><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;"><br />Having been elbowed into this by my enthusiastic happily married friends, my first project was to actually have the guts to even download the apps. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">I gingerly google <i>best dating sites for over 50s. </i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">I am immediately swamped by photos of silver foxes, who all look remarkably like George Clooney (these people have really done their homework on my generation) spooning in beddies with their silver foxettes on top of their high cotton count Egyptian duvet cover, or, arms around each others' totally tanned shoulders sipping champagne out of heritage crystal and gazing off into a mediterranean sunset, a small breeze blowing through their matching white linen evening wear. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">I put on my glasses and peer at these perfect people and wonder if their wobbly bits are carefully contained under the floaty linen?</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">Most sites have ludicrous vomit inducing names like <i>Disons Demain</i> (Let's Say Tomorrow), <i>Nos Belles Années</i> ( Our Beautiful ( final??) Years), <i>eDarling, Singles50, Nouvelles Rencontres60.... </i>I am assured by airbrushed, perfectly coiffed and made up online dating doubles of Clooney and Helen Mirren that everything is, and I quote, <i>sure and viable, secure, ideal for quality meetings, that all profiles are verified to meet with our high standards.</i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">I keep looking for more post 50s sites and stumble upon one that has me full body blushing, <i>Cougar pour Moi</i>, doubt I need to translate that one for you.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">This promises, <i>Pleasure without taboo or complexes and men who are looking for mature women. </i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">I am momentarily feeling highly complexed, relatively immature and a little hot under the collar - I close my computer and put on the kettle, wondering whether I'm doomed to become a cat lady. Background music, Eleanor Rigby.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">More coming for another day. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">See you next week, Susie xxx</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;"><i><br /></i></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;"><br /></span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Become a follower of Desperate Anglo Housewives NOW!!
The off-shore AngloSaxon/American wives and mothers need you to join the network.</div>Susie @ DesperateAngloHousewives, Bordeauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00648563497069053889noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8807697115402952390.post-67302077884188357822024-03-08T15:42:00.004+01:002024-03-27T10:59:50.577+01:00Rekindling the fire<h3 style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT2jl4bgng5fSfZYSkniKGdoCPe7ihS9K9EaF6l5RRRNF6lotTMy2USuAk5yE4pxdxDtC_BcZJjLC4tsqlp-u-QS-Rdu3-rhDvKWZhLQ4s1hpzff2EKkwf4BGRcHopTkkTPeyLBJ-VbYMqUAwNjZj4yLZZa3BK2fEjhL3eWyvFFo3TzlbVnJ5aZ-NfFEs/s450/housewife%20surprised.jpeg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="450" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT2jl4bgng5fSfZYSkniKGdoCPe7ihS9K9EaF6l5RRRNF6lotTMy2USuAk5yE4pxdxDtC_BcZJjLC4tsqlp-u-QS-Rdu3-rhDvKWZhLQ4s1hpzff2EKkwf4BGRcHopTkkTPeyLBJ-VbYMqUAwNjZj4yLZZa3BK2fEjhL3eWyvFFo3TzlbVnJ5aZ-NfFEs/s320/housewife%20surprised.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">Can you remember your (sex)life before menopause - that incessant desire and heat running through your veins.</span></h3><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">No one ever warned me that one day my body would literally turn the tap off - a mere flicker of that desire left behind like a sad single cake crumb on a platter. If I'd known, I would have been on many a missed shagfest! I really really want to tell you that with love and good communication the flame can be reignited, but, if I'm honest, for me, that sadly was not the case.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">Then along came breast cancer - a chaotic battle where I fought armed with chemotherapy, radiotherapy and my sense of humour. If menopause stripped me of my youthful desires, the effects of treatment threw me into a sexual desert where I not only felt robbed of my sexuality but of the very essence of my femininity. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">I dragged myself along to many a "sexual energy workshop" for post cancer treatment women - the best experience was when one of the nurses came out with a basket of vibrators and lined them up on a table. She was SO serious that I'm afraid I just lost my filtre and set the whole group off giggling. To make it worse, when she put up her female anatomy power point, a rebel vibrator started buzzing and bobbing about on the display table which set us all off giggling again.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">If cancer wasn't enough, I then found myself thrust into the abyss of singledom. Everything else began to feel like the warm up act. There I was, a 50something Bridget Jones, immersed in a sea of self pity, chocolate mousse and Netflix marathons. And, as for desire, only dust left.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">It was about this time that Spring started blooming and my friends were encouraging me to get out more, go to the hairdressers, join a gym, think about a club of some sort, etc, etc, etc. Then it came - Susie, you need to get on a dating site. You need to get out, meet some people. No, not for me, I said, besides, dating me would be like going on a night out with Mother Teresa (she'd probably be more fun!). I felt about as sexy/desirable as a bantam's toenail.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">I remember walking home that evening, the cherry blossom was out, the sun was shining the birds were singing - and guess what popped into my head - that line up of vibrators in the sexual energy workshop a couple of years back.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">There started my research - on line I went, in search of my lost desire, feverishly researching into the wee hours for the greatest inventions in vibrators on the market today. God knows I needed the sexual desert warrior's version of the atomic bomb!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">I fell upon an article about Michael Lenke, a Bavarian inventor, who decided he wanted to bridge the "orgasm gap" between men and women - why this man has not yet received the Noble Peace Prize is beyond me. And, wait for this, his WIFE agreed to be the tester ( hands up who would have volunteered?!) of his prototype which I understand was made from an old bicycle dynamo and an aquarium pump. </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">The end result was the "Womanizer" and, this was one chap's description of his wife's reaction, </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;"><span> </span>"<i>I had to pry it from her hands to get her to stop. I think if you put it on a stick and dangled it in front of her, she could win the Boston marathon</i>."</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">This had me up the high street in Bordeaux the very next morning and walking into the first sex shop I fell upon. Without hesitation, I acquired my new best friend, the Womaniser, and honestly, this thing really works.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">To cut a long story short, I emerged a few days later from my house, like Venus from her clam - rosy cheeked, desire bubbling from every pore. I was going back to the sex shop as my Womaniser wouldn't recharge. I shyly fronted up to the counter and asked if someone could help me to get it working.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">I may have sounded lightly desperate.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">I may have had tears in my eyes.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">The thirty minute wait seemed interminable - I was gently informed that " <i>Madame, le moteur est grillé " </i>( the motor has burnt out). I felt like someone had died until I was told that as it was only 10 days since purchasing, it was under guarantee - I left, with new toy in bag and warnings from the vendor to allow my toy to have some occasional time out.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">I wasn't even embarrassed - my desire was rekindled and it felt like Christmas.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">Happy International Women's Day - let's normalise and celebrate post50 women's sexuality!!!!!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Quicksand;"><br /></span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">EDIT : have recently discovered that my Womanizer did not appreciate being used in the bath. </span></div><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">Will now need toy number 3.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;"><br /></span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Become a follower of Desperate Anglo Housewives NOW!!
The off-shore AngloSaxon/American wives and mothers need you to join the network.</div>Susie @ DesperateAngloHousewives, Bordeauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00648563497069053889noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8807697115402952390.post-82461458718505721862024-03-04T18:50:00.005+01:002024-03-04T19:55:11.272+01:00I'm back - and a "singleton" at 50+, gulp.<h3 style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Quicksand;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmxRbENOVj-i6Rd6LQeaJoIkxiX37HtnIR1oETEFaa631mys18863C-UGc_hp8GKbL4EII_yIrYXVVwlZU2OByaouobvq916GXhvvx1sLIkEC__xvkH8iPRc5UAHyjxLHraaRS_LLrLxVjrCEL4OywImipaBbWicVRl3rR_wpH3747rkMOPcLBeb5ys2Y/s1200/Bridget-Joness-Diary.webp" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="630" data-original-width="1200" height="168" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmxRbENOVj-i6Rd6LQeaJoIkxiX37HtnIR1oETEFaa631mys18863C-UGc_hp8GKbL4EII_yIrYXVVwlZU2OByaouobvq916GXhvvx1sLIkEC__xvkH8iPRc5UAHyjxLHraaRS_LLrLxVjrCEL4OywImipaBbWicVRl3rR_wpH3747rkMOPcLBeb5ys2Y/w320-h168/Bridget-Joness-Diary.webp" width="320" /></a></div> It's funny, isn't it, how life just seems to be not just one mountain to climb but entire RANGES of mountains. You feel like you've finally got to the top of one mountain and then there's another bloody mountain to get over.</span></h3><p><br /></p><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">I left writing this blog about 6 years ago - healthy, happy, smug, partnered up, peri-menopausal and amused by life. Nothing could go wrong now, I believed. </span><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">But, my god did things go pear shaped. </span><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">Menopause was a total bitch and had me sweating bricks several times an hour. Plus, although I was maintaining my gym routine ( watching the men flex their biceps was motivational), my metabolism had other ideas, and, I blew up like the balloon - yes I "ballooned," gaining 25kgs in what felt like just one season of The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills!</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">Got through the dark tunnel of the onset of menopause and even lost the weight. Then early 2019 I was diagnosed with breast cancer. Another mountain to climb.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">Then there was COVID.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">Then there was relative normality.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">Then my long term chap of 10 years dumped me in a bar in approximately 5 minutes and I basically never heard from him again. The funny thing was that even though my heart had shattered into a million pieces, I felt oddly relieved.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">So fast forward to later on in 2023 when my girlfriends convince me I am spending far too much time alone and that I "<i>need to get back in the saddle</i>." Susie, they said, you need to get onto dating sites, meet men, have meals out, get some sex! Meeting another man was probably the last thing on my miserable bucket list let alone SEX. How could I possibly get naked in front of a stranger with my scars, odd boobs and shattered self esteem. Oh and god my undies - my big, floppy, awful old flesh coloured undies with perforated elastic waists and holes in the crotches! ( yes I hear you, no wonder he dumped me!!)</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">Well it's been quite a journey with dating apps, strange rdvs, wonderful rdvs, dreadful rdvs, men who hide behind the apps, my renewed relationship with modern vibrators, back to sex/no sex.... and I'm going to tell you all about my adventures and I'm hoping you'll share yours back. Please feel reassured I already have a therapist!! I'm sharing these things as I know SO many of you girls are walking the same walk....in the same metal toe-capped boots. I'm beginning to ask if it is the "new normal."</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;"><br /></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">See you here soon, I hope.</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">Love </span></div><div><span style="font-family: Quicksand;">Susie xxx</span></div><div><br /><p><br /></p></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Become a follower of Desperate Anglo Housewives NOW!!
The off-shore AngloSaxon/American wives and mothers need you to join the network.</div>Susie @ DesperateAngloHousewives, Bordeauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00648563497069053889noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8807697115402952390.post-82591376638912882712018-07-16T02:40:00.000+02:002018-07-16T11:37:35.717+02:00World Cup Win oh yeah<h2>
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There is a certain magic when a country wins a cup, a world
cup. </span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">The last time I experienced a win my daughter Colombe was bouncing
on my tummy kicking at me waiting to be born. She will be twenty in December and
it only feels like yesterday she was begging to be born in the wake of a
national win in the world cup. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">We felt the French economy bend and grow with confidence, we
felt the people reach out and grab the international, we felt real
understanding on an international level. There was also an amazing sense of "community" within France where different racial groups were applauded rather than condemned.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Let’s hope history repeats and expands upon itself.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">I love this country I call my home, FRANCE, I so hope it can grow and
benefit….your opinion???</span><o:p></o:p></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC9e_FgVpgJBbDK5oAuqqmfEcXAS-n0VfZo2YlwmcT5WquLaUjhezEdprJC-WUBlEKuhei33-cyiEDPKnTwZpu5R1Ii-DyfUAb5hX-yBj1o8TQgH-Vgr9ribiWXrYHQ9qeEZqXKpiIlxg/s1600/images.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="168" data-original-width="300" height="356" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC9e_FgVpgJBbDK5oAuqqmfEcXAS-n0VfZo2YlwmcT5WquLaUjhezEdprJC-WUBlEKuhei33-cyiEDPKnTwZpu5R1Ii-DyfUAb5hX-yBj1o8TQgH-Vgr9ribiWXrYHQ9qeEZqXKpiIlxg/s640/images.jpeg" width="640" /></a></div>
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<li class="ingredients-list__item" content="2 cartons double cream, 1 large (284ml) plus 1 small (142ml)" itemprop="ingredients" style="background: rgb(241, 247, 247); box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; padding: 6px 10px;"><br /></li>
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<span style="color: #333333;"><b><span style="background-color: white; font-size: x-large;"><span style="font-family: "helvetica neue" , "helvetica" , "arial";">Creme B</span><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">rulee</span></span></b><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: 16px;"><span style="background-color: white;"> </span><i> non??</i></span></span></h2>
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<li class="ingredients-list__item" content="2 cartons double cream, 1 large (284ml) plus 1 small (142ml)" itemprop="ingredients" style="background: rgb(241, 247, 247); box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; padding: 6px 10px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">double cream, approx 350 ml ( in France I use the thickest whipping cream I can find)</span></li>
<li class="ingredients-list__item" content="100ml full-fat milk" itemprop="ingredients" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; padding: 6px 10px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">100ml full-fat <a aria-describedby="gf-tooltip-0" class="ingredients-list__glossary-link tooltip-processed" data-tooltip-content="#ingredients-glossary > article" data-tooltip-flyout="true" data-tooltip-hide-delay="200" data-tooltip-width="350" href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/glossary/milk" style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: 1px dotted rgb(51, 51, 51); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; cursor: pointer; position: relative; text-decoration-line: none;">milk</a></span><div aria-hidden="true" class="gf-tooltip" id="gf-tooltip-0" role="tooltip" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; border-radius: 10px; border: 2px solid rgb(127, 126, 125); bottom: 18px; box-sizing: border-box; left: 14.5px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: -175px; opacity: 0; position: absolute; transition: opacity 0.3s, visibility 0.3s 0.3s; visibility: hidden; width: 354px; z-index: 8999700;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><a aria-describedby="gf-tooltip-0" class="ingredients-list__glossary-link tooltip-processed" data-tooltip-content="#ingredients-glossary > article" data-tooltip-flyout="true" data-tooltip-hide-delay="200" data-tooltip-width="350" href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/glossary/milk" style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: 1px dotted rgb(51, 51, 51); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; cursor: pointer; position: relative; text-decoration-line: none;"></a></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><a aria-describedby="gf-tooltip-0" class="ingredients-list__glossary-link tooltip-processed" data-tooltip-content="#ingredients-glossary > article" data-tooltip-flyout="true" data-tooltip-hide-delay="200" data-tooltip-width="350" href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/glossary/milk" style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: 1px dotted rgb(51, 51, 51); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; cursor: pointer; position: relative; text-decoration-line: none;"></a></span><br />
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<article class="node node-glossary-item node-teaser node-teaser clearfix main row grid-padding" id="node-260691" role="main" style="background: none; border-bottom: 1px dashed rgb(216, 216, 216); box-sizing: border-box; clear: left; font-size: 12px; line-height: 15px; margin: 0px auto; min-width: 0px; padding: 10px 6.59375px; position: relative; width: 330px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><a aria-describedby="gf-tooltip-0" class="ingredients-list__glossary-link tooltip-processed" data-tooltip-content="#ingredients-glossary > article" data-tooltip-flyout="true" data-tooltip-hide-delay="200" data-tooltip-width="350" href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/glossary/milk" style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: 1px dotted rgb(51, 51, 51); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; cursor: pointer; position: relative; text-decoration-line: none;"></a></span><div class="node-image" style="box-sizing: border-box; float: left; height: 75px; margin: 0px 10px 0px 0px; position: relative; width: 75px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><a aria-describedby="gf-tooltip-0" class="ingredients-list__glossary-link tooltip-processed" data-tooltip-content="#ingredients-glossary > article" data-tooltip-flyout="true" data-tooltip-hide-delay="200" data-tooltip-width="350" href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/glossary/milk" style="background-color: transparent; border-bottom: 1px dotted rgb(51, 51, 51); box-sizing: border-box; color: #333333; cursor: pointer; position: relative; text-decoration-line: none;"></a><a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/glossary/milk" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #447d75; cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none;"><img alt="" height="100" src="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/sites/default/files/styles/bbcgf_thumbnail_search/public/glossary/milk-resized.jpg?itok=z-tC0wLi" style="border: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; display: block; height: auto; max-width: 100%;" width="100" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><h2 class="node-title node-glossary-title" style="box-sizing: border-box; display: inline-block; font-size: 20px; font-weight: 400; line-height: 1.1; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; text-rendering: optimizeLegibility;">
<a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/glossary/milk" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #447d75; cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none; transition: color 75ms linear;"></a></h2>
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<li class="ingredients-list__item" content="1 vanilla pod" itemprop="ingredients" style="background: rgb(241, 247, 247); box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; padding: 6px 10px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">1 vanilla pod</span></li>
<li class="ingredients-list__item" content="5 large egg yolks" itemprop="ingredients" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; padding: 6px 10px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">5 large egg yolks</span></li>
<li class="ingredients-list__item" content="50g golden caster sugar, plus extra for the topping" itemprop="ingredients" style="background: rgb(241, 247, 247); box-sizing: border-box; font-size: 16px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 0px !important; padding: 6px 10px;"><span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">50g golden caster sugar, plus extra for the topping</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Method</span></h2>
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<li class="method__item" itemprop="recipeInstructions" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(240, 242, 235); box-sizing: border-box; counter-increment: method 1; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 20px; padding-bottom: 20px;"><div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 2px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Preheat the oven to fan 160C/conventional 180C/gas 4. Sit four 175ml ramekins in a deep <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/review/test-five-best-roasting-tins" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #447d75; cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none;">roasting tin</a> at least 7.5cm deep (or a large deep cake tin), one that will enable a <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/kimberley-wilsons-top-5-baking-trays" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #447d75; cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none;">baking tray</a> to sit well above the ramekins when laid across the top of the tin.</span></div>
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<li class="method__item" itemprop="recipeInstructions" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(240, 242, 235); box-sizing: border-box; counter-increment: method 1; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 20px; padding-bottom: 20px;"><div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 2px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Pour the cream into a medium <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/five-best-saucepans" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #447d75; cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none;">pan</a> with the milk. Lay the vanilla pod on a board and slice lengthways through the middle with a <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/top-five-cooks-knives" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #447d75; cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none;">sharp knife</a> to split it in two. Use the tip of the knife to scrape out all the tiny seeds into the cream mixture. Drop the vanilla pod in as well, and set aside.</span></div>
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<li class="method__item" itemprop="recipeInstructions" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(240, 242, 235); box-sizing: border-box; counter-increment: method 1; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 20px; padding-bottom: 20px;"><div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 2px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Put the egg yolks and sugar in a <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/top-five-mixing-bowls" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #447d75; cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none;">mixing bowl</a> and whisk for 1 minute with an <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/top-five-whisks" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #447d75; cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none;">electric hand whisk</a> until paler in colour and a bit fluffy. Put the pan with the cream on a medium heat and bring almost to the boil. As soon as you see bubbles appear round the edge, take the pan off the heat.</span></div>
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<li class="method__item" itemprop="recipeInstructions" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(240, 242, 235); box-sizing: border-box; counter-increment: method 1; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 20px; padding-bottom: 20px;"><div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 2px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Pour the hot cream into the beaten egg yolks, stirring with a wire whisk as you do so, and scraping out the seeds from the pan. Set a fine sieve over a large wide jug or bowl and pour the hot mixture through to strain it, encouraging any stray vanilla seeds through at the end. Using a big spoon, scoop off all the pale foam that is sitting on the top of the liquid (this will be several spoonfuls) and discard. Give the mixture a stir.</span></div>
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<li class="method__item" itemprop="recipeInstructions" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(240, 242, 235); box-sizing: border-box; counter-increment: method 1; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 20px; padding-bottom: 20px;"><div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 2px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Pour in enough hot water (from the tap is fine) into the roasting tin to come about 1.5cm up the sides of the ramekins. Pour the hot cream into the ramekins so you fill them up right to the top – it’s easier to spoon in the last little bit.</span></div>
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<li class="method__item" itemprop="recipeInstructions" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(240, 242, 235); box-sizing: border-box; counter-increment: method 1; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 20px; padding-bottom: 20px;"><div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 2px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Put them in the oven and lay a baking sheet over the top of the tin so it sits well above the ramekins and completely covers them, but not the whole tin, leaving a small gap at one side to allow air to circulate.</span></div>
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<li class="method__item" itemprop="recipeInstructions" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(240, 242, 235); box-sizing: border-box; counter-increment: method 1; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 20px; padding-bottom: 20px;"><div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 2px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Bake for 30-35 minutes until the mixture is softly set. To check, gently sway the roasting tin and if the crème brûlées are ready, they will wobble a bit like a jelly in the middle. Don’t let them get too firm.</span></div>
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<li class="method__item" itemprop="recipeInstructions" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(240, 242, 235); box-sizing: border-box; counter-increment: method 1; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 20px; padding-bottom: 20px;"><div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 2px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Lift the ramekins out of the roasting tin with oven gloves and set them on a <a href="https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/content/kimberley-wilsons-top-five-cooling-racks" style="background-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; color: #447d75; cursor: pointer; text-decoration-line: none;">wire rack</a> to cool for a couple of minutes only, then put in the fridge to cool completely. This can be done overnight without affecting the texture.</span></div>
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<li class="method__item" itemprop="recipeInstructions" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(240, 242, 235); box-sizing: border-box; counter-increment: method 1; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 20px; padding-bottom: 20px;"><div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 2px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">When ready to serve, wipe round the top edge of the dishes, sprinkle 1½ tsp of caster sugar over each ramekin and spread it out with the back of a spoon to completely cover (Anne Willan’s tip for an even layer).</span></div>
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<li class="method__item" itemprop="recipeInstructions" style="border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(240, 242, 235); box-sizing: border-box; counter-increment: method 1; font-size: 16px; line-height: 1.6; margin-bottom: 0px !important; padding-bottom: 20px;"><div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.5; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-top: 2px;">
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Spray with a little water using a fine spray (the sort you buy in a craft shop) to just dampen the sugar – then use a blow torch to caramelise it. Hold the flame just above the sugar and keep moving it round and round until caramelised. Serve when the brûlée is firm, or within an hour or two.</span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Become a follower of Desperate Anglo Housewives NOW!!
The off-shore AngloSaxon/American wives and mothers need you to join the network.</div>Susie @ DesperateAngloHousewives, Bordeauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00648563497069053889noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8807697115402952390.post-81149085342349563482017-01-14T02:16:00.000+01:002017-01-15T10:06:13.471+01:00Mammo - the big squeeze French style<h4>
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Having recently turned 50 (argh) the French state sent me an invitation for a free mammo. I took this very seriously and went in for a check up.</span></h4>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKr8c5lrpBF_9Q-iOgTlF1bQmKSOo_0s42AktCfYK3xi7Vtz-alLJRQxsLhkrd-L9XHNLcFmNcMo3yp9RtXzZYaKYPnC-1dRharmgYgS-uI5O1EGF-PogjvgAgU9Dfy35KAhDovBnS5Kw/s1600/manogram+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKr8c5lrpBF_9Q-iOgTlF1bQmKSOo_0s42AktCfYK3xi7Vtz-alLJRQxsLhkrd-L9XHNLcFmNcMo3yp9RtXzZYaKYPnC-1dRharmgYgS-uI5O1EGF-PogjvgAgU9Dfy35KAhDovBnS5Kw/s1600/manogram+%25281%2529.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.9991px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Breast cancer, the second commonest cancer worldwide (1.4 million new cases: 11% of all global cancers and 360,000 deaths), is the commonest potentially fatal cancer of women. T</span></span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.9991px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">here is currently a greater than 4-fold variation in age-standardized incidence rates between countries with the lowest (East and Southern Africa) and countries with the highest (Western Europe, North America and Australia/New Zealand).</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.9991px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> We all have friends who have had scares and ops and I am the first to step up. But, I have to honest, I really hate mammos (who doesn't!), and frankly, they scare me. I have over-read about the risks of over-radiation with testing and over-prevention. In the end, who cares, I feel it's better to check myself out.I don't believe our health is something to play with.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.9991px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The new testing system in France is the Rolls Royce of testing. You go in for your test and it gets sent to a second neutral Dr in another part of France who re-checks your results and sends them back to you for more or no further testing. Finally, my tax money going somewhere methinks.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.9991px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Today was the day. I rolled up to my x-ray clinic. I was taken out the back to the "boob press" and had the full monty. It was as awful as ever, apart from the wonderful female technician who told me she hated this too, - the ever painful horizontal and vertical squeezing and all standing up ..."chin up to the ceiling please, pretend you're a model" said the technician as I stood for about a minute with my legs just about buckling under me in pain. </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.9991px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">The next step was a bit of a surprise. I was sent through to a second room, boobs blushing from the previous onslaught, for the Dr to come in.. He, yes a man, rolled in, telling me my "<i>clichés</i>" were perfect but that a scan was necessary for a double check. "Just lie back and relax" he said as he squirted freezing cold lube directly on my nipples ( I am now blushing head to toe as my nipples rose to the event!)...He basically told me I had great boobs for my age, which made me blush even further to parts I hadn't known existed, and did a full scan, giving me a full google earth of my boobs and then congratulated me, " <i>je vous felicite Madame</i>" on my booby density and went on to explain about density and age then gave me jolly good rubber gloved boob massage. By now I was about 6 feet under the floor boards with anglo saxon embarrassment. Really, he insisted, great boobs, and jumped up from his stool with such velocity that it fell to the floor and told me he looked forward to another rendezvous in two years. I felt less enthusiastic.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15.9991px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">For what it's worth, in terms of health, all fantastic. Plus, it cost nothing! I left the clinic feeling 10 years younger and half porn star. However, on a more serious note, thank you France for taking womens' health seriously...I'd just LOVE a woman Dr next time please. Please!!</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "times new roman" , "stixgeneral" , serif; font-size: 15.9991px;"><br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Become a follower of Desperate Anglo Housewives NOW!!
The off-shore AngloSaxon/American wives and mothers need you to join the network.</div>Susie @ DesperateAngloHousewives, Bordeauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00648563497069053889noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8807697115402952390.post-74453223210362280132016-05-21T14:04:00.000+02:002016-05-22T12:16:48.137+02:00TOYS...manual or machine?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Are you a modern machine fan or do you prefer it the old fashioned way...by hand?</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">OK relax this is not a post about sex toys...that will be another day!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I have admired Nigella Lawson for years, although must admit that since she lost her wobbly bits I am not identifying as I once did. I have all her recipe books which I actually read. In one of my favourites, Kitchen, she lists her " Kitchen Gadget Hall of Shame." Everything from jam makers to super juicers were fired from her kitchen.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Totally understand these ridiculous fixations we all get for unnecessary kitchen gadgets - I once stayed up until 3am trolling the web for a second hand ice cream maker because I "NEEDED" it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I have had everything from sausage makers (only used once because the experience was hideous and put me off sex for weeks!...what was I thinking, a sausage maker!!!) to thermal steamers not to mention the drawer full of once-used hand tools such as melon ballers, cherry pip removers, tomato peelers, and the list goes on.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In the end I could probably pick my top three which I absolutely could not live without - the three kitchen tools I would take to a desert island.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">My top two are based on my ongoing love affair with lemons and limes.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">My super zester which is used everyday. I am forever zesting lemons and limes over salads, cakes, fruit, gin and tonics...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: 12.8px;">T</span><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">his little baby is my Indian lemon and lime juicer which my friend Emma gave me years ago. It is "the thing I can't live without." It basically lives on the kitchen bench as is in constant use. I was pea green with envy recently as Emma gave the latest model to a friend and it now has a built in bottle opener...ah, bliss, another gin and tonic accessory.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: small;">Introducing Ken - my main man in the kitchen. A couple of years back I found my chap staggering about on the footpath outside the house with a coffin sized box - when I opened it I was at first horrified as had concept of kitchen tools as a rather unromantic "stay in the kitchen" offering. How wrong could I be. A real throwback to the 60s version my mother had in our pantry, "Ken" does it all and is never " unplugged!"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Here's a decadent slice to bring all three together..</span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: x-large;">Gooey Lemon Lime Salted Butter Slice</span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Crust</span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">1 1/2 cups flour</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBsla-oHfqBah47KaykbAy5yBnv8IJvydi8E8QaiJUslgL3JR7P16d2fuJULNm6bQlO9U3BDICJvENBJUi8tQKvDS53f71n4bgBRkVzxkvmptu7B19r9vlarZgN8ciDJt7iN1lakrz2GQ/s1600/FullSizeRender-9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBsla-oHfqBah47KaykbAy5yBnv8IJvydi8E8QaiJUslgL3JR7P16d2fuJULNm6bQlO9U3BDICJvENBJUi8tQKvDS53f71n4bgBRkVzxkvmptu7B19r9vlarZgN8ciDJt7iN1lakrz2GQ/s400/FullSizeRender-9.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">3/4 cup fine white sugar</span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">150gr salted butter, cubed</span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Preheat oven to 180°. Line a 20 x 35cm tin with waxed baking paper.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Place flour and sugar into mixer bowl and pulse to sift. Add butter and pulse until crumbly. Press mixture into tin and bake for 15 minutes. Remove from oven and reduce temperature to 140°.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">4 large eggs</span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">1 3/4 cups fine white sugar</span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">zest of 3 lemons and 1 lime</span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">juice of lemons and lime</span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">1/3 cup flour</span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Whisk eggs and sugar together in mixer until thick and pale. Fold in remaining ingredients gently. Pour over crust. Bake a further 40 minutes. Dust with icing sugar and lime zest.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Your comments count. We'd love to hear from you.</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Cheers!</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>Susie</i></span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><i>xxx</i></span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Become a follower of Desperate Anglo Housewives NOW!!
The off-shore AngloSaxon/American wives and mothers need you to join the network.</div>Susie @ DesperateAngloHousewives, Bordeauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00648563497069053889noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8807697115402952390.post-19782679104566903552016-05-13T21:03:00.001+02:002016-05-15T13:56:40.522+02:00A THOUSAND and ONE THINGS TO DO WITH ASPARAGUS<h3>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Days off from work make me realise just why I love my <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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life in France so much....walking, market, coffee, crowd watching, cooking...</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">"Eating the seasons" has become a life choice in France. And it's easy! On my days off I just throw my basket over my arm and head off to the market where I find all the seasonal spoils. It probably sounds like a cliché but it's not.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">In Bordeaux we are utterly ruined with good markets - the best has to be Capucins where the fruit and veg are lined up like jewels, the choice is phenomenal and the sellers charm you into buying twice as much as you need. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">I follow the market shopping with a long coffee outside on a terrace and watch the world go by then meander home and cook. It's bliss.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Today the markets were full of new season's asparagus in every colour, shape and form. Proudly sporting my new basket, I went to my usual chap who just loves to test his English on me. After buying what seemed like a few kilos of asparagus he turned to me winking and said, "<i> Madame, now just WHERE would you like your asperges !</i>" Blushing like a school girl at his innocent (one hopes!) sexual innuendo, I thrust my basket forward, smiled, paid quickly and skuttled away,totally lost in translation, for my much needed caffeine injection. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">What can I say...one man's vegetable is another man's sex toy?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-size: large;">Fresh Asparagus</span></span></h3>
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</span><span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Bunch of asparagus</span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Malden Salt</span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Olive oil</span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Lemin juice and zest</span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Freshly ground pepper</span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Boil 5 minutes</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Drain</span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Serve...drizzle with best olive oil you can afford, a squirt of lemon juice and some lemon zest, a toss of Malden salt, black pepper....MMMM!!!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">O t h e r i d e a s...</span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="color: #6aa84f;">Add an "<i>oeuf mollet</i>" or two to make this a balanced yet light meal.</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrSi59gWyybXwDc2Grhi-1McfQ4FpWB6qW0CiK4IodhHUQT9vjF7MBwkaeHzNNh2KAUkTxAq0_ysZJ4aVgX2UVtasoEaIAtH9pLF9-9pR3IMvmVJD3Twv7ShnCaqGgQtABM534o3BHfA4/s1600/IMG_0786.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrSi59gWyybXwDc2Grhi-1McfQ4FpWB6qW0CiK4IodhHUQT9vjF7MBwkaeHzNNh2KAUkTxAq0_ysZJ4aVgX2UVtasoEaIAtH9pLF9-9pR3IMvmVJD3Twv7ShnCaqGgQtABM534o3BHfA4/s320/IMG_0786.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;">Oeuf Mollet</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Boil water</span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Place large organic eggs in boiling water</span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Time for 5 minutes</span><br />
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">After 5 minutes, take off heat and plunge eggs into a bowl of iced water...wait 2 to 3 minutes then peel. Delicious served with asparagus with piment d'espellette.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;">Too much asparagus?</span>..whiz them up into a thick creamy velouté to serve as an appero...Time:about 15 minutes, super easy and everyone will be wowed...</span><br />
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">Asparagus Appero Velouté</span><br />
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">1 kg asparagus</span><br />
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh07-IwfvtwY1eKvrKn7jKitxsD_HQuTexKWcAHxQ0Dcel_CDqHCTfllZN6IkW2NL1ESEg0eDEyBbTyGRcYeiI4i3aIxj3106xMXMpf_hUc6yoGWr_vEkGrrtji4QjE3ooyypjV4fY6Cdk/s1600/asparagus+soup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="226" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh07-IwfvtwY1eKvrKn7jKitxsD_HQuTexKWcAHxQ0Dcel_CDqHCTfllZN6IkW2NL1ESEg0eDEyBbTyGRcYeiI4i3aIxj3106xMXMpf_hUc6yoGWr_vEkGrrtji4QjE3ooyypjV4fY6Cdk/s320/asparagus+soup.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">1 onion chopped</span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">500ml vegetable or chicken stock</span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">300ml fresh cream</span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">2T finely scissored flat parsley</span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">lemon infused oil</span><br />
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<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Boil a kilo of asparagus with chopped onion in the stock for about 8 minutes.</span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Drain but keep about half the liquid. Throw everything into your food processor or blender ( I use the blender for a smoother result)and whiz it all up. Add cream, continue to whiz. When completely smooth but not too liquid(stop adding cream if looks to liquid) pour the mixture through a sieve - this will make it extra velvety.</span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Pour into individual cocktail verrines or small expresso cups, add a little parsley to each verrine, a little Malden salt, freshly ground pepper and a few drops of lemon infused oil.</span><br />
<span style="color: #6aa84f; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">I often serve this with a big platter of radishes,gerkins,hams and patés...good on these chilly Spring evenings with a big glass of Madiran wine...</span><br />
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Become a follower of Desperate Anglo Housewives NOW!!
The off-shore AngloSaxon/American wives and mothers need you to join the network.</div>Susie @ DesperateAngloHousewives, Bordeauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00648563497069053889noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8807697115402952390.post-69663260373217437692016-05-05T12:44:00.003+02:002024-03-05T13:23:52.148+01:00TEMPERATURES RISING - it's menopause!<h3>
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<span style="font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">It's official - I am going to be reincarnated as something that doesn't </span><span style="font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">go through menopause!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIwrG8dLgAa0XofCQRNHbG2AOzEs7sFjkW-NWFJTpM8r66ywNihaqm4jxnBi1886UjoR-K5Lg9W6jl78lt90rowL3XszFKxn-JMbrJO1OFImGgJ0aVijFpSKLFYJXF9dfSSh3z0ZB0L7g/s1600/c04bae06838fc1dc87b80e3d6ca7cca0.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIwrG8dLgAa0XofCQRNHbG2AOzEs7sFjkW-NWFJTpM8r66ywNihaqm4jxnBi1886UjoR-K5Lg9W6jl78lt90rowL3XszFKxn-JMbrJO1OFImGgJ0aVijFpSKLFYJXF9dfSSh3z0ZB0L7g/s400/c04bae06838fc1dc87b80e3d6ca7cca0.jpg" width="353" /></a></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Just yesterday I received a knowing kind nod from a total stranger on the tramway when I pulled out my glasses to read a text -burning up in a hot flash,they completely fogged up as soon as I put them on. Note to self : must tell optician to devise temperature resistant lenses! </span> </span></h4>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-weight: normal;">For me it's the hot flashes which are the killer. My whole body transforms from clear skinned to blotchy burning scarlet in a matter of seconds - human combustion can't be urban legend after all. You could fry an egg on my chest! </span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Clothes get peeled off at top speed only to be thrown back on again ten seconds later when the chills come on. My poor students have an air-conditioned classroom in the middle of winter - I'll be lecturing in a t-shirt (although would rather just be standing there in a muslin kaftan with no undies!!) whilst they are all shivering under their coats. </span></span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Honestly,weren't periods, pregnancy, stretch marks, breast feeding and cellulite enough from nature already! And can someone please explain WHY,with all this heat, I'm not burning off all that new extra thigh, tummy and botty fat?? Seriously with all this heat I should be stick thin instead of feeling thicker and thicker. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">And there's more...</span></span><br />
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<li><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-weight: normal;">Eye sight so shot that need arms a km long to read without glasses. </span></li>
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<li><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-weight: normal;">The most simplest of vocab in my second language which just somehow escapes me.Yesterday the lost word was <i>potato peeler</i>..actually I couldn't remember it in English either.</span></li>
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<li><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-weight: normal;">Running up the stairs and then,once there, forgetting WHY I am there</span></li>
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<li><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-weight: normal;">Calling the children by the dog's name, and vice versa</span></li>
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<li><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Waking all hours of the night craving poached eggs on toast and then going into mad fretting fits over things of little consequence and ending up playing Scrabble online until dawn with some stranger called Kanitra in India...and she usually wins</span></span></li>
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<li><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-weight: normal;">Weeping over insurance ads on the tele - in fact weeping over anything</span></li>
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<li><span style="font-weight: normal;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Desperately seeking my waisteline which seems to have left the country</span></span></li>
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<li><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Forever trolling online for tummy trimming bathing suits but never quite finding the power to hit the buy button</span></span></li>
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<li><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Constantly repeating myself</span></span></li>
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<li><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Did I mention I repeat myself</span></span></li>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-weight: normal;">Last week when my raging hormones woke me up at 4am, I started googling the phases of a woman's life. There are basically three official stages, </span><i style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">maiden, mother </i><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-weight: normal;">and </span><i style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS", sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">crone</i><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-weight: normal;">. And, according to my research, I am, without a doubt, the latter of the three. Gulp!</span></h4>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: small;">I have always considered the term " crone" to be similar to such things as harridan, hag, biddy and company..In fact, I have discovered that the term " crone" is one which has been completely redefined over the last centuries. Whereas the modern term refers to <i>a cantankerous or withered woman, </i>the ancient term referred to a woman 45 plus who </span></span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-weight: normal;">was recognised as </span><i style="font-family: "trebuchet ms", sans-serif; font-weight: normal;">empowered, wise and self-defined. </i></h4>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">I have decided the latter ancient term suits me to the ground. I shall attempt to strap on my sense of humour and as a <i>wise, empowered, self defined </i>woman try to cruise through the rest of this change without letting it get me down.We all deserve to find our inner "menopausal goddess." </span></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">It's time to see the positive side of menopause and yell it out to the stars. Think of all that money you're saving on tampax - it can be redirected into chocolate and chardonnay.This is a beginning of something new not the end of life.</span></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">Meanwhile I shall go online today and buy myself one hell of a kaftan AND a tummy trimming bathing suit. I will stop beating myself up when I put the washing in the dishwasher and the dog's croquettes in the cookie jar. </span><span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif">More walking, time out, hot bubble baths, spa days with other "menopausal goddesses" are on the menu. I am also going to try and embrace my wobbly bits and my rekindled love of gin and tonic whilst remembering the final words of the stranger on the tramway yesterday...as I was getting off she whispered to me, " Don't worry dear, it DOES stop."</span><br />
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">In need of something cool and creamy? Here's an old recipe, great to use with new season strawberries,gariguette strawberries are the best if you can find them. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">I use about 1 1/2 cups of fruit to 300ml fresh cream.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;">S</span> T R A W B E R R Y <span style="font-size: large;"> F</span> O O L </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX3zTYjwCrsG8SHYr8iREISg5XUFoge3YlZq-QaeQyrCBLsER5i4379GeNaTvhqj4mJoBYP6Ey7nN2ApMD-Qld5BBQ7L5jmMivcg0ulTzKJkWXpKlM1TEN7kg3grflDVv-DTmZANtPVLw/s1600/Strawberry+Lemon+Fool.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX3zTYjwCrsG8SHYr8iREISg5XUFoge3YlZq-QaeQyrCBLsER5i4379GeNaTvhqj4mJoBYP6Ey7nN2ApMD-Qld5BBQ7L5jmMivcg0ulTzKJkWXpKlM1TEN7kg3grflDVv-DTmZANtPVLw/s1600/Strawberry+Lemon+Fool.jpg" style="cursor: move;" /></a><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">1 1/2 cups fresh gariguette strawberries </span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">2 T icing sugar</span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">1T lemon juice</span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">lemon zest</span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">300ml cream, whipped</span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Frangelico liqueur</span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Amaretti biscuits</span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">mint leaves</span></div>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Blend the strawberries to a puree with the icing sugar and lemon juice. Fold into the whipped cream and chill. Serve with lemon zest, scissored mint, a drizzle of Frangelico and Amaretti biscuits.</span><br />
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Your comments count. We would love to hear from you.</i></span></div>
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<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>Susie</i></span><br />
<span face=""trebuchet ms" , sans-serif" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>XXX</i></span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Become a follower of Desperate Anglo Housewives NOW!!
The off-shore AngloSaxon/American wives and mothers need you to join the network.</div>Susie @ DesperateAngloHousewives, Bordeauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00648563497069053889noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8807697115402952390.post-33704851578440415532016-04-20T15:36:00.000+02:002016-04-21T11:45:23.986+02:00DESPERATE TARGET<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNQ0ox5gHKfJvQvvhoF_DFnK4XdZdMyqdUz-5-lzwdTxHqec2At2SOXV8zYVApmbNDUSLmzSn_BBL3kCjhLVfV7vvy0aMVTLrdsZSWobNiZw05UUTDW78FsQ4prTBsm92jhMhXoBPn89s/s1600/2000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNQ0ox5gHKfJvQvvhoF_DFnK4XdZdMyqdUz-5-lzwdTxHqec2At2SOXV8zYVApmbNDUSLmzSn_BBL3kCjhLVfV7vvy0aMVTLrdsZSWobNiZw05UUTDW78FsQ4prTBsm92jhMhXoBPn89s/s1600/2000.jpg" /></a></h3>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Last week I asked one of my marketing students which population target group I belong in. Having expected " Baby Boomer" or "Generation X," imagine this Desperate</span><span style="font-size: large;"> Housewife's inner goddess when he simply said, " <i>Old. </i>" </span></h3>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNQ0ox5gHKfJvQvvhoF_DFnK4XdZdMyqdUz-5-lzwdTxHqec2At2SOXV8zYVApmbNDUSLmzSn_BBL3kCjhLVfV7vvy0aMVTLrdsZSWobNiZw05UUTDW78FsQ4prTBsm92jhMhXoBPn89s/s1600/2000.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"></span></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Trying to help him out of the hole he'd just power-dug himself I foolishly asked him to elaborate. The hole became an abyss. "<i>You are a Senior Madam,</i>" at which stage he started giving me retirement advice. Briefly touching my head, just making sure my hair hadn't morphed into a tight blue perm, I asked him to define " <i>Senior</i>." He raised his eyes to heaven and replied, "<i>4O plus! </i>"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Putting this into perspective, France is considered one of the better places to grow old. Pensions are high but the honey-jar risks being empty when my time comes around. <span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 24px;">The legal retirement age in</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 24px;"> France </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 24px;">now stands at 62 for people born between 1955 and 1973. However a full state pension is only awarded for those who have worked 40-43 years. With that info, my guess is that I could be going on for at least another 20 years!</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 24px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;">Many sectors benefit from " Special Retirement Plans" which are partially financed by the concerned business sectors and of course the rest is paid by the government AKA the tax -payer. In terms of some of these I truly understand why my student was calling me a "<i>senior</i>." Check out the retirement ages and please avoid chin dropping to floorboards:</span></span><br />
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<li><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>French Millitary</b>: average retirement age is <b>45.7</b></span></span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;"><b>EDF & GDF</b> ( French Electricity and Gas Companies):</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;">average retirement age:<b> 55.4 - </b>now I know why my gas bills have shot up!!</span></span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;"><b>RATP </b>( Paris Public Transport)</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;">: average retirement age: <b>54.8</b></span></span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;"><b>SNCF</b>( French Railway): </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;">average retirement age: <b>52.5 </b></span></span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;"><b>Banque de France: </b>has </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;">retirement plan based on the civil servant one, but keeps a separate fund - well, obviously!</span></span></li>
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<li><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;"><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><b>Sailors</b>: average retirement age: <b>57.6</b> - Hello Sailor!!</span></span></li>
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<li><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;">Others include: French National Theatre</span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: white;">, Paris Opera</span></span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;">,</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;">Miners, </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;">Members of the</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Assembly_of_France" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="National Assembly of France"><span style="color: black;">Assemblée Nationale</span></a><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;">and of the</span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22.4px;"> Senat</span><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="color: black;">e<span style="background-color: white;">,</span></span></span></span><a class="mw-redirect" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/French_National_Police" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; line-height: 22.4px; text-decoration: none;" title="French National Police"><span style="color: black;">National Police</span></a></span></span><span style="background-color: white;">, et al...</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">Enough ranting for one week. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">Next week's post - Menopause, IF I remember!</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 22.4px;">Don't know about you, but I could use a drink. Just discovered a vintage martini cocktail called " Death and Co," - seems appropriate.</span></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 22.4px;"><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">This is a 3 to 1 ratio cocktail. Please make sure you are over 18...way over!</span></span></h3>
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<span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;">Stir all the ingredients over ice, then strain into a Martini glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.</span><br />
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<br /><div class="blogger-post-footer">Become a follower of Desperate Anglo Housewives NOW!!
The off-shore AngloSaxon/American wives and mothers need you to join the network.</div>Susie @ DesperateAngloHousewives, Bordeauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00648563497069053889noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8807697115402952390.post-78477154413907626052016-04-11T21:04:00.000+02:002016-04-20T12:24:39.465+02:00SPRING REVERIES...<h3>
<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif; font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">After a 4 year break I had one of those hallelujah "in <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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France" moments today that forced me back to my keyboard....</span></h3>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">No longer a 40-something, I recently turned the page,rather reluctantly,to 50! Since I reached my half century,I have been reflecting largely on educative matters...hmmm would that have something to do with the myriads of teenagers dragging their designer-booted tooties through my corridors..?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I don't know about you but I was always told "<i>manners before God</i>!" What is it about we anglo-saxons,whether harking from the South Pacific or floating somewhere off the French coast (jab!), that makes manners and being polite a true part of our culture. I would go so far as to state that manners are "indigenous" to us...needless to say, this is open to anthropological debate.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">So, the hallelujah moment...early this morning my trusty York,Harry, and I were out for our morning stroll. Spring is in the air, clear skies ( and that is really something in Bordeaux!), the trees are in vibrant green leaf, blossoms inside and out, it is simply gorgeous. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">The traffic alone serenades us and I have drifted back into one of those superb 1980s </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">moods where I forget reality of my age, Katrina and the Waves are singing "I'm Walking on Sunshine"...I am,in all probability, smiling like a nutter..maybe even humming. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">I step out onto a pedestrian crossing and an older bearded chap on a scooter stops for us, I smile, wave and say thank you, to which he breaks my Spring fever with yelling out, " I stopped for the dog, not for you!!" </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinssP93G-r134Bey5afjWjDkgSgBM3dlDv3ov6BnDVKNGRsiyTJj_8eiHxV0nvRw74V5Q4-NnvwI5H3Lfgg6c_bJwjCY1Sqve7T_8ipQux05ZV96UIUmzAVXYhsLedT_b7FITVL5hrFyY/s1600/oldguyonmoped.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="245" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinssP93G-r134Bey5afjWjDkgSgBM3dlDv3ov6BnDVKNGRsiyTJj_8eiHxV0nvRw74V5Q4-NnvwI5H3Lfgg6c_bJwjCY1Sqve7T_8ipQux05ZV96UIUmzAVXYhsLedT_b7FITVL5hrFyY/s400/oldguyonmoped.jpg" width="400" /></a><span style="font-family: "verdana" , sans-serif;">Ah France and its gallantry...at least he respected animals, I suppose?</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Happy Days and welcome back to DesperateAnglo Housewives.</span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #3d85c6; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;"><b>Here's the music,I'm Walking on Sunshine, go on have a listen!</b></span><span style="color: #3d85c6; font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace; font-size: large;">(Copy and paste...)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "courier new" , "courier" , monospace;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #3d85c6; font-size: large;"><b><u><span style="line-height: 16px; white-space: nowrap;">https://www.</span><span style="line-height: 16px; white-space: nowrap;">youtube</span><span style="line-height: 16px; white-space: nowrap;">.com/watch?v=iPUmE-tne5U </span></u></b></span> </span><span style="font-family: "trebuchet ms" , sans-serif;"> </span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer">Become a follower of Desperate Anglo Housewives NOW!!
The off-shore AngloSaxon/American wives and mothers need you to join the network.</div>Susie @ DesperateAngloHousewives, Bordeauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00648563497069053889noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8807697115402952390.post-44745132277055180202012-08-13T10:33:00.001+02:002012-08-14T14:43:24.335+02:00OLYMPIC SOB<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">As the Olympics draw to their end, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.296875);"></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">this DesperateAngloHousewife is wondering where her next wee buzz will be coming from....</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I know I should be having a good old rant about sportsmanship, international cooperation and team spirit but instead I am going to be completely honest. ...All those bodies beautiful!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Am I the only 40-something who has been blowing bubbles into her Chardonnay during the </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">men's diving? </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Was I the only creature on the planet who was reaching for the smelling salts as the men swimmers came out announced and pranced across to their starting block whilst unzipping their sweatshirts to reveal not just the most heavenly of six packs but also shoulders to </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">weep over?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969); font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Of course one can wax lyric over the grace of the pole vaulting, the panther speed of Mr Bolt, the incredible concentration of the archers, the tenacity of the walkers...</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);"><br /></span></span>
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);">Did anyone else notice the female athletes, their tone and all of that in their " undies?" I did have a moment's fantasy of myself sprinting around the circuit in my Marks and Spencer's hipster knickers.. An image far too scary to dwell on or render public for that matter.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-composition-fill-color: rgba(175, 192, 227, 0.230469); -webkit-composition-frame-color: rgba(77, 128, 180, 0.230469); -webkit-tap-highlight-color: rgba(26, 26, 26, 0.292969);">Time for a walk methinks...</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Become a follower of Desperate Anglo Housewives NOW!!
The off-shore AngloSaxon/American wives and mothers need you to join the network.</div>Susie @ DesperateAngloHousewives, Bordeauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00648563497069053889noreply@blogger.com41tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8807697115402952390.post-67115618703114663242012-08-03T14:45:00.000+02:002012-08-03T14:54:40.270+02:00PULLING OUT MY HAIR, again!<br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What makes this Desperate Anglo Housewife rant, rave, stomp, pull out her hair...?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;">You guessed it, more bad customer service.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Just how hard is it to train shop staff in this country to be polite, respectful, to leave their condescending attitudes at home!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">End of sales, picture the left over stock, all marked right down to clear. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I walk into a shop in Bordeaux looking for summer trousers. Find a couple of quite ordinary ones, good for work, marked down by 70%...this was not <i>haute couture.</i>I'm talking BASIC pants!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Roll up to checkout...</span><br />
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Shopgirl ( herein, SG)," <i>We have some lovely little summer tops that would go with these</i>."</span></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Moi, " <i>No thanks"</i> (smile politely)</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">SG, " <i>There's some great shirts that would match too</i>"</span></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Moi, " <i>No thanks</i>" ( smile slightly)</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">SG ,<i>"Do you need some blazers? Accessories...?"</i></span></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Moi, " <i>No thanks</i>" ( smile dissipates....)</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">10 second pause.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">SG, " <i>You are just <b>so</b> lucky to be buying these pants.</i>"</span></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Moi, " ? "</span></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">SG, " <i>They are just superb and aren't you just SO LUCKY to have found them</i>"</span></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Moi, frown.</span></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">SG, " <i>Honestly dear I can't begin to tell you how <b>lucky</b> you are to have got these, they have been that popular</i>" blah blah blah more more more of the same.</span></blockquote>
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<blockquote class="tr_bq">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Moi, all zen gone, " <i>No <b>YOU</b> are <b>lucky</b> I am buying them. YOU are <b>lucky</b> I walked in to your shop!YOU are <b>lucky</b> I am helping empty your shop of your clearance stock!</i>"</span></blockquote>
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Cultural differences ? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Become a follower of Desperate Anglo Housewives NOW!!
The off-shore AngloSaxon/American wives and mothers need you to join the network.</div>Susie @ DesperateAngloHousewives, Bordeauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00648563497069053889noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8807697115402952390.post-74842062829842000092012-07-26T18:05:00.000+02:002012-07-27T12:59:50.396+02:00SUMMER BLISS<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Time <span style="background-color: white;">out, </span><span style="background-color: white;">alone,</span><span style="background-color: white;"> is a rare commodity for most of us.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">For those of us who juggle busy professional lives with the daily family demands, time out is a virtual impossibility. That said, it is nothing short of a necessity.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Having had a few of life's bigger challenges thrown at me this year, I felt it was time to take my own self into hand. When life gets tough we do let ourselves go...well, I do.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Like most women I go I go I go I go I go and then, I flop! I admit to being totally in awe of the majority of my women friends who seem to cope so well with anything. But that again is a "woman's lot"...we have to continue, there is simply no choice. We might be living in more modern times but let's be honest - who deals with the kids, the washing, the cooking, the daily grind...? </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I don't know about you, but there are days where I start my mantra before I even jump on my bike to go home. Yes, that's me you've probably seen whizzing along the Bordeaux quays in a black power-suit, chignon and pearls chanting<i> chardonnay chardonnay chardonnay chardonnay</i>! But frankly life is pretty sad when the only highlight in your day is the first sip of chardonnay before you start cooking, laundrey, etc etc, only to find yourself falling into bed at 11pm with the glass of chardonnay tepid and far from unfinished on the kitchen bench.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Now that alot of us have children who are getting older and more independant it is time to do something for ourselves. By "something for ourselves" I don't mean lunch out and a bikini wax - I am talking about a week out from family and work and ALONE! Turn off your mobiles and get going girls!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I have taken myself off on a Qi Gong retreat*. A week of daily classes, learning something new. Great food, sun, relaxation, local culture and delightful company. I do feel rather sorry for the Qi Gong teacher having been landed with what could only be called Mrs Bean...picture this Desperate Anglo Housewife on her hands and knees, bum skyward, trying to get up off the ground upwards with one fluid movement. <i>Just lift from your posterior madam, </i>says the poor chap. Honestly, how can he even begin to imagine I can lift upwards from an area which weighs more than my brain.Impossible!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Classes have been punctuated by twice weekly full body deep tissue massage from which you emerge in, what can only be described as, euphoria.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Having refound who I am this week, I just want to shout out to all women out there to go out and do the same thing. It doesn't matter where you go or what you do- the important ingredient is just to go!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">*Retreat Web Address:</span></div>
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<a href="http://www.hourne.com/"><b>http://www.hourne.com/</b></a>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Considered as a classic provençale speciality, a " Tian" explodes with summer vitality. Easy to make with all the summer veg, it is a dream teamed up with grilled fish and copious amounts of crisp provençale rosé.</span><br />
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<b><span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">S</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">usie's </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;">T</span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">ian</span></span></b><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>2 yellow and 2 green new season's corgettes, sliced</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>2 large beefsteak tomatoes, sliced</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>2 large red onions, chopped</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>3 cloves garlic crushed</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>1 small aubegine, sliced</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>olive oil, salt petter,</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>lemon zest to finish</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>parsely chopped, </b></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b>thyme, chopped</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Chop up all veg and basically let your artistic kitchen goddess shine through...I start by a bed of chopped onion and olive oil topped with layered vegetables. Lots of salt and pepper, chopped herbs and scattering of lemon zest, a drizzle of oil and into the oven 180° for 20 minutes and then another hour at 160°.</span><br />
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Enjoy!!</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Become a follower of Desperate Anglo Housewives NOW!!
The off-shore AngloSaxon/American wives and mothers need you to join the network.</div>Susie @ DesperateAngloHousewives, Bordeauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00648563497069053889noreply@blogger.com14tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8807697115402952390.post-25879853479916236032012-04-22T10:43:00.000+02:002012-04-22T21:04:40.683+02:00MUMMY PORN ?...a case for serious spanking?<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Everyone is talking about it! But be careful who you tell...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">A couple of weeks back I read an article in Time about a book which was taking America and the UK by storm - Shades of Grey by EL James.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Sales had hit an all time high, knocking Hunger Games off its number one bestseller rung. Preorders for the second and third books of the trilogy were so high that publishers were already ordering re-runs. Electronic book sales of the very same were unprecedented.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Mummy's the world over are blushing as they reach for the Ben and Jerry's at the supermarket and wondering whether their husbands of 20 years have "twitchy hands." And is there still Baby Oil in the bathroom cupboard just in case...</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I don't really do "popular" literature but this had my curiosity going. What was the noise about? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">30 seconds later and the trilogy was downloaded on my iPad. Basically I was lost to my entourage and family for the next 72 hours...the washing lay about, the ironing basket overflowed, the children went hungry and the dog did not get walked. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I was engrossed in what is far from great literature...."Mummy Porn" is the understatement of the century. I still can't work out whether I was rushing through the "story" to get to the next steamy sex scene or reading the sex scenes slowly to avoid the limp "story."</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I had my computer on Wikipedia the whole time as there were just so many "things" to research I'd never heard of..I won't bore you with the details. Suffice to say, its been a learning curve.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">My favourite related story is a friend of mine who downloaded it off Amazon but, in her haste, accidently downloaded it to her 14 year old sons iPod instead of her own iPad. Other friends have been "scotched" to their couches for days on end, others are suffering from sleep deprivation but enjoying a fab new sex life. I heard about someone else taking a sick day to finish book 2! I personally am wondering when it will come out in french and whether it's correct to slip it into FH's ( french husband's) briefcase?</span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Chocolate Mousse anyone??? An old favourite with a spicey twist to bring it back to life.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">S</span><span style="font-size: large;">piced </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">U</span><span style="font-size: large;">p </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">C</span><span style="font-size: large;">hocolate </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">M</span><span style="font-size: large;">ousse</span> </b></span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">(for 2 only)</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">75g dark coarse chocolate , chopped and melted</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="text-indent: -18pt;">2</span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;"> <b>eggs</b></span><span style="text-indent: -18pt;"> separated</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-indent: -18pt;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">25g butter, melted</span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="text-indent: -24px;">2 tbsp caster sugar</span>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="text-indent: -24px;">1 tbsp grated fresh root ginger</span>
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<span style="text-indent: -24px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">1 tbsp lime zest</span></span></div>
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<span style="text-indent: -24px;"><span style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Mix the
chocolate with the egg yolks and butter. Whisk the egg whites and then
whisk in the sugar until the mixture is shiny and stiff.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge91zaClD-WYm4PR4GHvtXd0sT70_p51spuaYEf6AAJhLtxHAfOmQ1ZV-QIBnSZWaPiw5Y_pNrxbFk7gRs5kIV41D7u3fjCKcXI0iFxR1dhBqIq9p1hwHXmG0nuXQ_3rTxOxy5zoCAu6E/s1600/photo+(10).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge91zaClD-WYm4PR4GHvtXd0sT70_p51spuaYEf6AAJhLtxHAfOmQ1ZV-QIBnSZWaPiw5Y_pNrxbFk7gRs5kIV41D7u3fjCKcXI0iFxR1dhBqIq9p1hwHXmG0nuXQ_3rTxOxy5zoCAu6E/s320/photo+(10).JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Fold the two
mixtures together along with the ginger and lime zest if using. Divide
between 4 glasses and chill until set.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Become a follower of Desperate Anglo Housewives NOW!!
The off-shore AngloSaxon/American wives and mothers need you to join the network.</div>Susie @ DesperateAngloHousewives, Bordeauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00648563497069053889noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8807697115402952390.post-309382679432487152012-04-05T10:54:00.004+02:002012-04-05T18:53:22.857+02:00PIZZA FACE!..in my face?<br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Time for a rant!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP3ZCP9oJkWaeCyrDEn9dgq-U2W7qo4-b_vXD5FSVfvfZuabSplTL988pXcUHDUm8uDY8vf0uR30MtTN1ojkvgF42JBouXGszD7jQwFaUQvvfcuJCGNv-addKeJeHAGXlDEzcWYMAAsXY/s1600/book_of_salads.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjP3ZCP9oJkWaeCyrDEn9dgq-U2W7qo4-b_vXD5FSVfvfZuabSplTL988pXcUHDUm8uDY8vf0uR30MtTN1ojkvgF42JBouXGszD7jQwFaUQvvfcuJCGNv-addKeJeHAGXlDEzcWYMAAsXY/s640/book_of_salads.jpg" width="472" /></a></div><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">What is it about me and getting bad salads?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">How is it possible in this culinary capital that one can simply not find decent salads.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Further, why is it that restaurants will not own up to their inept efforts?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Do they not need to keep their clients?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This week at a very well known and popular Bordeaux Italian eatery, this Desperate Anglo Housewife, in keeping with her spring purge, ordered a salad. It was called " Fresh Pasta Salad " and was described as assorted lettuces, fresh pasta, mozzarella, tuna, tomato, pesto..." </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Sounded good.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The restaurant in question has the Italian food lovers lining up for hours to sit down to their fabulous pizzas, mixed antipasti plates etc.With their fame and success perhaps they have lost touch with the reality of customer service and a perfected menu?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I have been going there for years and years and have never had a reason to complain. Their pizzas are frankly fabulous and their desserts, wonderful. They have a great wine cellar.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">My friends and I did note a certain drop in the table set up...where have the pepper and salt mills gone? Why are there plastic Cerebos salt and pepper packs straight of the grocer shelf on the table...not a good look!! Cheap!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Back to my lunch...my companions' steaming pizzas arrived and then came my salad. </span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Served on a flat plate was a couple of very boring chopped iceberg lettuce leaves, a handful of overcooked white pasta, a sprinkle of crumbled tuna ( say, a tablespoon at tops) and as for the mozzarella another tablespoon of mozzarella "micro-crumbs" no slices at all. Let's not forget the 2 half cherry tomatos. No pesto, no seasoning, no colour. Game over!!</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">A bottle of vinegar and one of olive oil were unceremoniously plonked in front of me. I nearly asked for a bowl,whisk and apron!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I had a couple of mouthfuls of what only could be described as overpriced, tasteless disappointment. I very politely asked the waitress to take it away stating that it really was not what I had expected and held no interest whatsoever. I foolishly apologised about 20 times!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">She kindly asked me if I would like something else. I declined..actually, I was really embarrased as I have always loved eating there.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">When we went to pay I was rather surprised to see my "salad" still on the bill. I said to the chap at the checkout, very quietly, that actually I had sent it back as "<i>it wasn't up to your usual standards</i>"...and then came the " client is king" in reverse..</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> <b>"<i>Oh but it is my favourite salad</i>," </b>he said. I smiled at him and said <b>"<i> Yes, But I am the client</i>." "<i>We serve 400 people a day and noone has ever complained</i>" </b>he retorted, clearly having no intention of any gesture of goodwill towards a client of many years.</span></blockquote><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Well guess that will be 399 clients now!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">And back to France where the client is NEVER king and yet another restaurant to strike off my list.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Time for some comfort food.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Always a total pushover for roasted chicken I also love cooking Coquelet...wee baby chooks. They are quick to roast and succulent to boot. </span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b>Bay Leaf and Lemon Roasted Coquelet</b></span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Stuffing:</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">1 cup good quality ground pork</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">handful pistachios</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFL2C4a1KyvCQYukZU7ypK7TpKhGukbH0vk63fd-SynOBB6SaA5vgF7vvAXbdsmZUJjRO00yThzrkPhtp1tWpOeRkvb_Kv-dflIh84D84yYm3O34CyeAT5hwQQn71LYcIKBaEKR1Psziw/s1600/photo+(6).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFL2C4a1KyvCQYukZU7ypK7TpKhGukbH0vk63fd-SynOBB6SaA5vgF7vvAXbdsmZUJjRO00yThzrkPhtp1tWpOeRkvb_Kv-dflIh84D84yYm3O34CyeAT5hwQQn71LYcIKBaEKR1Psziw/s640/photo+(6).JPG" width="473" /></a></div><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">6 - 7 dried apricots</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">fresh bay leaves</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">3 lemons - one zested.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">half a cup fresh bread crumbs</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">salt pepper</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">olive oil</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">dry white martini</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Put ground pork, pistachios, apricots, lemon zest, salt and pepper, bread crumbs in a food processor and zap until uniform. Stuff your birds. Cut one lemon in half and use this as a "plug" for the stuffing....sounds grotesque but will infuse beautifully.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Massage each bird with olive oil, salt and pepper and squeeze over juice of third lemon. </span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Tuck fresh bay leaves under wings or legs.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Place in roasting dish and pour in dry white martini to about 2 cm height. This will stop birds from drying out and will add to perfumes.</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Roast at 180° until golden and juices run clear.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Serve with mountains of garlic-roasted potatos and fresh mesclun salad.</span><br />
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</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Become a follower of Desperate Anglo Housewives NOW!!
The off-shore AngloSaxon/American wives and mothers need you to join the network.</div>Susie @ DesperateAngloHousewives, Bordeauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00648563497069053889noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8807697115402952390.post-76171372955725573712012-03-28T17:00:00.003+02:002012-03-28T17:12:06.581+02:00OMG, THAT TIME OF THE YEAR AGAIN......time for a Spring purge?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiylei5oSo3H9fIan3WNyB_-wUMEjYfmN8DlBe6rTwP19B-eyVgtGAPnDbxzfECGVU_7RwEOolwNFe2zI0GijN-auS7QbhKio4__hKf4dboVgFx0Vz3X237YwAHJz-zqz0oMJ23I2W8sFU/s1600/sports+girl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiylei5oSo3H9fIan3WNyB_-wUMEjYfmN8DlBe6rTwP19B-eyVgtGAPnDbxzfECGVU_7RwEOolwNFe2zI0GijN-auS7QbhKio4__hKf4dboVgFx0Vz3X237YwAHJz-zqz0oMJ23I2W8sFU/s640/sports+girl.jpg" width="452" /></a></div><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">For the last 2 years I have ranted and "tantied" about Spring in France,the<i> mince mince mince ( slim slim slim)</i> brigade.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">This year Desperate Anglo Housewife is joining in.. her own way.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">So what is the Spring purge all about? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">What can I say...I have found my "inner bitch"!!</span><br />
<br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Before you quickly click off this page, because you are convinced I have completely lost all sense of humour and have become some kind of fitness fanatic, </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I should probably confess that its 5pm and I'm sitting outside in 23° with my first Pimms of the season. Yes, I know it is a bit early but I have a very valid excuse - if I don't get in my Pimms now the children will drink all the lemonade!! Besides it is packed full of vitamins and minerals..cucumber, lemon, orange etc.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I was ranting on about my general lack of fitness, motivation and tone ( wobble wobble wobble) to my oldest friend back in NZ. She told me about a book which will change my perspective on walking, running, gym-ing, etc. It's called <i>Run Fat Bitch Run...</i>I kid you not!</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Written by an English woman ( who also lived in France!!), Ruth Field, this book flies far north of motivational. She downs all fancy sports wear, expensive gyms, faddy diets, star-approved weight loss programmes, places where you lie on your back and meditate to the backdrop of patchouli scented candles....She doesn't dress up getting fit as "fun" but as "hard"...</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhImrhkZnfh7F3b6Sf4YJJyu8TPmMv3LLBgX4Nzq266BfORhlCvrLUxyb-c4b1umgy_m2L4TqVYJx-lSn7hp-JhRgaRHq4DTsbpi-xDkzSBgKr2SuMY0wBo3nxNc12WXf5fjriJlpi5xas/s1600/run+fat+bitch+run.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhImrhkZnfh7F3b6Sf4YJJyu8TPmMv3LLBgX4Nzq266BfORhlCvrLUxyb-c4b1umgy_m2L4TqVYJx-lSn7hp-JhRgaRHq4DTsbpi-xDkzSBgKr2SuMY0wBo3nxNc12WXf5fjriJlpi5xas/s320/run+fat+bitch+run.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>This is going to be hard, </i>she writes<i>, you are going to start enjoying hard, embracing hard. Hard is the new black.</i></span></blockquote><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It is a book for those who are unhappy with their body ( me me me me!!) not for fitness freaks. It aims to get us all off the couch, away from the computer, into comfortable walking/running gear and out the door! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Ruth teaches you how to run, forget dieting ( running is your diet!) and to make friends with your "inner bitch" to motivate you ( that was the easiest part for me)... I have been standing in front of the mirror in my undies snarling <i>fat bitch fat bitch fat bitch</i> at myself until I get on my vintage running shoes and sloth out the house.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The idea is start with a walking circuit of an hour and a half and then slowly getting into running pieces of it. Even I, the ultimate non-runner, have been breaking into a trot-like-run thing. I won't be doing the New York Marathon but I feel great. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Weight coming off a little but, best of all, I am beginning to feel better about my shape. I really really really HATE running but as Ruth says, Y<i>ou will hate runs from start to finish. The pleasure is from the fact that you have run!!</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i><br />
</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Well now I have to sign off as my inner bitch is whispering in my ear to get off my fat arse and get moving..</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Become a follower of Desperate Anglo Housewives NOW!!
The off-shore AngloSaxon/American wives and mothers need you to join the network.</div>Susie @ DesperateAngloHousewives, Bordeauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00648563497069053889noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8807697115402952390.post-3620821311311052612012-03-16T19:45:00.003+01:002024-03-18T14:29:06.533+01:00BORDEAUX BARBARIANS...no not a foorball team!<br />
<div><br />
</div><div><span face="'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">I have a major passion in my life </span><br />
<span face="'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">- an older man.</span></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUkBU_xwYiSlUW4-68aPG3tWDZ91F4hxuJ1Vqpsp02M5-V3j-h7aWZm4kTJojIg5zbjlBWF38-i_pqImeQ50yaReXNuh8naJjhXCIBDGNkBioJ33RpFJ5USsAlclen44NmPwuy7iRYCl4/s1600/cheering-crowd-500x404.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="322" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUkBU_xwYiSlUW4-68aPG3tWDZ91F4hxuJ1Vqpsp02M5-V3j-h7aWZm4kTJojIg5zbjlBWF38-i_pqImeQ50yaReXNuh8naJjhXCIBDGNkBioJ33RpFJ5USsAlclen44NmPwuy7iRYCl4/s400/cheering-crowd-500x404.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span face="'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">Fred.</span></div><div><span face="'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">Chopin.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span face="'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">Bordeaux was fortunate enough to have one of the top Chopin pianists in town last week...Yundi Li.</span><br />
<span face="'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif" style="font-size: large;">He won the Chopin piano comps in 2000 so really pulls in the Chopin crowd...<i>moi</i> included.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span face="'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif">The concert, at Bordeaux's magnificent Grand Theatre ( where the seats were never intended for anglosaxon bottoms!!) was preceeded by an announcement that there would be a slight change to the programme. The second half mazurkas and sonata were to be replaced by <i> The Peking Melodies.</i></span><br />
<i><span face="'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif"><br />
</span></i><br />
<span face="'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif">Although I am the first to admit that I was disappointed, I was really horrifed when people started to jeer and whistle. </span><br />
<span face="'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif">My greatest concern was for the sensitive pianist backstage.</span><br />
<span face="'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif">Imagine coming out on stage to that for a welcome!</span><br />
<span face="'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif"><br />
</span><br />
<span face="'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif">The crowd was quickly won over by 5 beautifully interpreted nocturnes etc etc.</span><br />
<span face="'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif">This desperate anglo housewife was moved to tears.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span face="'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif">On with the second half. </span><br />
<span face="'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif">Artist walks on stage and about 50 people start yelling , <i>Chopin, Chopin Chopin...</i></span><br />
<span face="'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif">Ah the well-bred Bordelais!! I was mortified.</span><br />
<span face="'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif">He played one <i>Peking Melody</i> and after judging the wrath of the audience flew into a sonata and other Chopin pieces. He maintained his poise and god only knows how.</span><br />
<span face="'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif"><br />
</span><br />
<span face="'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif">There were 4 encores but the best bit was after the first encore...Yundi walked back on stage, turned to the audience and said in english, "<i>Chinese folksong"..</i>before playing yet another Peking Melody.</span><span face="'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif">I love his audacity and sense of humour...</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span face="'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif">I doubt whether Yundi Li will be visiting Bordeaux again.</span><br />
<span face="'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif">Our loss but definitely not his.</span><br />
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</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Become a follower of Desperate Anglo Housewives NOW!!
The off-shore AngloSaxon/American wives and mothers need you to join the network.</div>Susie @ DesperateAngloHousewives, Bordeauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00648563497069053889noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8807697115402952390.post-44614400487725928012012-02-20T14:00:00.006+01:002012-02-20T16:02:19.443+01:00OUCH!Spring is in the air...no more hair!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWIBzb8HEx0d0mjdEVohRKfxhtGtpLTM9pjOr3swdZ6WlVYpvAM2seq8sY2zsRPsDHJqj20cR9RFihNJ2c9snATFUIJURzmrnv0S-bI0u4XwCZnZtlTpaApG-UQaHfhCg1GIEv-dbDoEY/s1600/shocked-women.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWIBzb8HEx0d0mjdEVohRKfxhtGtpLTM9pjOr3swdZ6WlVYpvAM2seq8sY2zsRPsDHJqj20cR9RFihNJ2c9snATFUIJURzmrnv0S-bI0u4XwCZnZtlTpaApG-UQaHfhCg1GIEv-dbDoEY/s640/shocked-women.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Buds on the trees, no more snow.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Spring is in the air.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Time to start starving myself, depriving myself of those extra grease-filled calories so that I am brave enough to put on a swimsuit in public..2 months and counting!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">But that's not all.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This is also the time of the year when I start slinking past the estheticians checking out the waxing prices...OUCH!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Being quite " fair" this was one of life's tortures I managed to get away from for a very long time. But now at 40-something,there's no running, just screaming!!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The french are obsessed with waxing. If its got hair, wax it!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I remember, with horror, the first trip to the local <i>salon d'epilation..</i>I was there for a mere eye-brow tweak. A woman, who resembled the Brunhilda of my nightmares came out every 5 minutes to call up the next victim, a bit like a school dental nurse..</span><br />
<blockquote class="tr_bq"><i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><b>Mme Dupont, half leg wax...Mme Faure, full leg please....Mme Gigot, eyebrows, upper lip and...chin, Mme Fleurot, bikini and Mme Roget, full arm wax, Mr Thirot, back wax please</b>..and the list went on.</span></i></blockquote><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Everyone else was flicking through Elle and Paris Match. I was sitting there, my kiwi eyes on stalks, trying to, well, " hair spot!"</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Until recently I was just a mere eyebrow client but after hearing my girlfriends after a few glasses of spring chardonnay chatting about their bikini waxes, and seeing looks of horror when I confessed my " virginity," I knew it was time!! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Now let me be clear here, it was not the pain that worried me. Not at all. I'm afraid to admit it was my terribly anglo-saxon <i>pudeur </i>or sense of modesty that had me reeling. That and the terrible fear of boiling wax being dripped in all the wrong places..</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I have a great beautician in Bordeaux. Her name is Leonilda (she is on Place Paul Doumer if anyone is interested)..Leo is Brazillian and by way of word association I thought she would be my safest torturer. I went in to book..oh god, I was so embarrased I couldn't even look her in the eye. Although I asked for an appointment for 2023 she whisked me straight out the back. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It wasn't actually THAT bad....until Leo said, <i><b>Susie would you like me to wax your anus ?</b></i> Although I was frozen with terror my polite ango-saxonisms took over..<b>.<i>No I wouldn't, but thank you for asking.</i></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><span style="color: #274e13;">This will sound absurd to anyone living in NZ, Australia, USA, England...but I have just discovered that we can now buy cottage cheese in France. No excuses now...back to cottage cheese salads to prepare the warpath to my bathing suit!!</span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg00SGx5xmmpMW5OpjL9l0peqzI9mLTxQTrxe2StBY8ylD2sWmu7klgwhkf9RLLV7jwo3omKMk9VN8L4iQHghF7DBJpY72D-qNhxVF41_3N0e-88Czq6KN6s2HDfiZne8LnLztms32L5bk/s1600/My+HipstaPrint+0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg00SGx5xmmpMW5OpjL9l0peqzI9mLTxQTrxe2StBY8ylD2sWmu7klgwhkf9RLLV7jwo3omKMk9VN8L4iQHghF7DBJpY72D-qNhxVF41_3N0e-88Czq6KN6s2HDfiZne8LnLztms32L5bk/s320/My+HipstaPrint+0.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: x-large;"><b>Cottage Cheese Salad</b></span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b>1 punnet cottage cheese (200gr)</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b>chopped chives</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b>chopped cucumber</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b>sliced avocado</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b>squirt of lemon juice plus some zest</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b>splash of toasted sesame oil</b></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj2bTNiUt2Sr19YIIEEfzxhhH6IynQYPwDtoNgmVT2fUndS6UTr73U4A5NcAOcoKe_Eo__ONJbeSEgafGfWcEr0gYcUWyY7WuX8h6VL6hP-J7bUY7xCY9AXk0S1y4tHqgczBGeg-3XLL0/s1600/My+HipstaPrint+0+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj2bTNiUt2Sr19YIIEEfzxhhH6IynQYPwDtoNgmVT2fUndS6UTr73U4A5NcAOcoKe_Eo__ONJbeSEgafGfWcEr0gYcUWyY7WuX8h6VL6hP-J7bUY7xCY9AXk0S1y4tHqgczBGeg-3XLL0/s320/My+HipstaPrint+0+(1).jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d;"><br />
</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b>rough ground black pepper</b></span><br />
<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"><b>malden salt</b></span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Become a follower of Desperate Anglo Housewives NOW!!
The off-shore AngloSaxon/American wives and mothers need you to join the network.</div>Susie @ DesperateAngloHousewives, Bordeauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00648563497069053889noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8807697115402952390.post-87333801446999587702012-02-14T21:45:00.003+01:002012-07-26T16:42:45.593+02:00FH (french husband) STRIKES AGAIN!...and I am not a romantic!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSIsUb24c4zqd_C5BcKsMsJRYyhDvHqDmT0OEm_HtGaQyQoi7fBunFfYsn3M-zxX9E9tRvCHboD200MTxoBZoccX3ozQPUrwZm0MZG4QJgBVnGENGmEmmUh6QuZ4E2_vGmKmSpvj69jXo/s1600/4329211510_b2f9cd48cb_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="273" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSIsUb24c4zqd_C5BcKsMsJRYyhDvHqDmT0OEm_HtGaQyQoi7fBunFfYsn3M-zxX9E9tRvCHboD200MTxoBZoccX3ozQPUrwZm0MZG4QJgBVnGENGmEmmUh6QuZ4E2_vGmKmSpvj69jXo/s320/4329211510_b2f9cd48cb_o.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>Happy Valentines Day, </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>He said...</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Kiwi, rather surprised by this sudden intake of american " romantic" culture....but also rather pleased. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Tiffany, flowers, dinner, ...glass of wine, at least?</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Does a girl dare to dream??</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">My heart was on BOTH sleeves until...</span><br />
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</i></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9OKlL89m23rDAsdNFcAYLKWsZkTBPyHGHw8SrtAO31bKuYVtW4jtNTsfp-HBfSCR-sPEdR1Rdtjtl9j0EM0qbQyEVvXTaj9pzbGyh5_FKl9a8UrG7IMZxV9BzZQcnYev2cprOL9YWegg/s1600/valentine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><i><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9OKlL89m23rDAsdNFcAYLKWsZkTBPyHGHw8SrtAO31bKuYVtW4jtNTsfp-HBfSCR-sPEdR1Rdtjtl9j0EM0qbQyEVvXTaj9pzbGyh5_FKl9a8UrG7IMZxV9BzZQcnYev2cprOL9YWegg/s320/valentine.jpg" width="327" /></i></a></div>
<b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>" Let's go out for dinner tomorrow when its cheaper and there are less people!"</i></span></b><br />
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</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Promise: if I was a vibrator owner it would be out on matrimonial french pillow and buzzing furiously, even if un-used, until bloody dawn! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Did I say, "bloody?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Love words from another era?? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">" That's Amore"</span><br />
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aS6-b7CONDI">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aS6-b7CONDI</a><br />
<b><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
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</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Become a follower of Desperate Anglo Housewives NOW!!
The off-shore AngloSaxon/American wives and mothers need you to join the network.</div>Susie @ DesperateAngloHousewives, Bordeauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00648563497069053889noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8807697115402952390.post-52535795270035963272012-02-12T18:49:00.003+01:002012-02-12T20:11:13.343+01:00CO CO CO COMMUNICATION...your instrument or me!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIZ8D5Gg6_vbYWDg7B8Fb_fZri0MRiNx9VQqToOyZf0DQHHeLRNWrsrTy8UillhDtwyGvxz15i0EVKltcvXld7meSXr0BRCCtLcI1vjj-GpzMj_uReK-4TiwIFgCWiderJDxzxRKjHxRE/s1600/party_large+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIZ8D5Gg6_vbYWDg7B8Fb_fZri0MRiNx9VQqToOyZf0DQHHeLRNWrsrTy8UillhDtwyGvxz15i0EVKltcvXld7meSXr0BRCCtLcI1vjj-GpzMj_uReK-4TiwIFgCWiderJDxzxRKjHxRE/s1600/party_large+(1).jpg" /></a></div><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">At cocktail parties or dinner parties alike, "it used to" be conversation and other people which took over one's attention.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br />
</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">Today I often find myself battling between human and smart phone/pad!!!</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I do feel it is important to tackle this subject. I am not, in the slightest, anti-technology. But technology itself does wear thin when it simply takes over. Isn't it a question of bad manners when you are chatting away to somebody and the fact that their phone message bipped at them becomes priority over conversation?</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In my teenage days...it was the phone ringing during meals. We weren't allowed to get up from the table to answer, even if we were sure it was some gorgeous 7th former heart-throb calling..it was to be ignored.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">As adults, as 40 somethings, I am amazed and repulsed by the lack of self control. It appears that iphones, ipads, blackberries and company are number one. Why do people need to check their email every 5 minutes. Has the world become completely dominated by secondary communication?</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Just speaking with a friend back from China, now living in Paris. He is outraged by people who go out for fabulous dinners and place their phones on the table..the phone rings and they are up and in the corridor, chatting away as if life depends on it!!</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">My personal "favourite" are the mad bints striding down the streets with ear pieces talking out loud, so involved by their seemingly one-sided conversations that they walk all over the footpath creating mayhem bumping into one and acting like damn nutters. I mean honestly, have they seen themselves?</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Well I am going to wage my own war against this intrusion to primary human communication. Yes, I need my smartphone but not to the disadvantage of basic human communication. I am considering a collection basket at my front door..drop off your phone/pad upon entering and pick up as you leave!!</span><br />
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</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Smart phones/pads have made us completely reliant on them to the point that we forget the human being opposite us in preference for the machine. They are not "beings" they are machines intended help us communicate...instead they have become the very blockage to communication.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace; font-size: large;">Freezing cold snap in south west France, we have been spicing up our cooking to stay warm! Below easy Sunday Chilli recipe given to me by a trustworthy Kentucky source..</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;"><b><span style="font-size: x-large;">S</span><span style="font-size: large;">unday </span><span style="font-size: x-large;">C</span><span style="font-size: large;">hilli</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">2 onions, chopped,</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDR-h4E-c1YcdhellNYHkgaNJTBoy5EiYse1K0z5IYBFcew-n4iXXZQWUUpwiDaO_imPtk3OKWlmiU0ctAMQEzyHxfiyqE6S9xcaee5B9ylY_Pk-A4m0LhLbNoJbylRrr-ZiTsDM4ma8k/s1600/Sunday+Chilli.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><span style="color: #990000;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDR-h4E-c1YcdhellNYHkgaNJTBoy5EiYse1K0z5IYBFcew-n4iXXZQWUUpwiDaO_imPtk3OKWlmiU0ctAMQEzyHxfiyqE6S9xcaee5B9ylY_Pk-A4m0LhLbNoJbylRrr-ZiTsDM4ma8k/s400/Sunday+Chilli.JPG" width="400" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">2 cloves garlic, chopped</span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">2 shallots, chopped</span><br />
<span style="color: #990000;"><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">2 cups ground </span><span style="font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">beef/chicken/pork/tofu/tvp</span></span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">2 cups chopped tomatoes</span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">1 cup cooked red kidney beans</span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">2 T mexican spice mix</span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">1T piment d'espellete/ dried red chilli</span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">worcester sauce</span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">1 cup beer</span><br />
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<span style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Brown onions, garlic and shallots in a tablespoon of good olive oil. Add ground beef and brown.</span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Throw in spices and toss around until uniformly mixed.</span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Add tomatoes, beans and beer.</span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Cover and leave to simmer for about an hour and a half.</span><br />
<span style="color: #990000; font-family: 'Courier New', Courier, monospace;">Better to eat the next day served with brown rice and home made guacamole...MMMMMM</span><div class="blogger-post-footer">Become a follower of Desperate Anglo Housewives NOW!!
The off-shore AngloSaxon/American wives and mothers need you to join the network.</div>Susie @ DesperateAngloHousewives, Bordeauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00648563497069053889noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8807697115402952390.post-28727319510300723622012-01-13T17:22:00.004+01:002012-01-13T17:39:13.677+01:00SIGNING WHILST SHOPPING...the joys of an accent<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQdM3_D3shw1W2BqemkzpM1BQNY_nS9JVbwxI_NcujZ8V6VUZwWvkrIxfqd42VScUBmB1I4jozrt0-mmLTDTZ4DvaL8ovkhtHW6tSD3DKIiW6jew-6eCBdHU8CZ4qBEAFsTn6Ns2YiYNA/s1600/client-is-king.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQdM3_D3shw1W2BqemkzpM1BQNY_nS9JVbwxI_NcujZ8V6VUZwWvkrIxfqd42VScUBmB1I4jozrt0-mmLTDTZ4DvaL8ovkhtHW6tSD3DKIiW6jew-6eCBdHU8CZ4qBEAFsTn6Ns2YiYNA/s640/client-is-king.jpg" width="531" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Have to blog about my latest encounter of the "racist" kind...</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">My son is off to London for a week.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Born and bred in South West France, he hasn't any notion of "putting on a coat." </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Even at 17 we have to battle with him to put on his coat when the temps drop below zero...which, fortunately, is not often!</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">This morning the mother went off to Galleries Lafayette to battle in the sales to find him a coat...</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I was wearing my nerves on my sleeve as he wasn't with me and he is notoriously difficult when it comes to clothing. The coat I suggested yesterday was rejected as "ski" rather the "street" wear. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I decided to be thoroughly modern and photograph the coats and text the photos to him to choose.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">So there I was in the madding<b> </b>throbbing crowd, photographing away when a shop assistant and her streaky-haired number 2 came up to me and very firmly told me that photographing was stricting not allowed...I looked around for signs telling me the same and remarked to her that there were no notices to that effect and that I was terribly sorry.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">And there it was........................!!!!!!MY ACCENT! Ammo...</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Her eyes rolled to her accomplice. She then actually yelled in slow motion pigeon french the equivalent of " <i>PHOTOGRAPHS NO ALLOW"</i> whilst doing some kind of sign language...dramatic head shaking followed by miming of taking photographs.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Rather taken aback I thought it better to follow her lead. I replied in perfect french ( accented albeit!)</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><b>...<i>I don't care.The client is king.</i>..</b><br />
whilst miming the placing of my crown on my fair head!!!</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Luckily for her I don't know the french for " "Blow it out your ....."</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Now that would make for an interesting mime!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4gkugSXVTrpKK40WLStv_Ggl6tSziyj_a1fm7V4QbQcD61X8RozPPmMeo8wYhR41hhr8SPFhJ9yEqjZV4NnSkoa31XTDgUVKw5MXKN9IkiulN-n0hnnJV1NnRnwLQ3CnO_0Qu4AhuYKY/s1600/stock-illustration-3403771-crown-royal-designs-final.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="328" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4gkugSXVTrpKK40WLStv_Ggl6tSziyj_a1fm7V4QbQcD61X8RozPPmMeo8wYhR41hhr8SPFhJ9yEqjZV4NnSkoa31XTDgUVKw5MXKN9IkiulN-n0hnnJV1NnRnwLQ3CnO_0Qu4AhuYKY/s400/stock-illustration-3403771-crown-royal-designs-final.jpg" width="400" /></a></div></div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Become a follower of Desperate Anglo Housewives NOW!!
The off-shore AngloSaxon/American wives and mothers need you to join the network.</div>Susie @ DesperateAngloHousewives, Bordeauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00648563497069053889noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8807697115402952390.post-23119580073483477532012-01-04T12:26:00.003+01:002012-01-17T11:05:16.086+01:00SUNSHINE & JOYWill 2012 be the year....enough of bollocks resolutions?<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xfWZVX4EmSI/TwQ2gebCpKI/AAAAAAAABBs/82lABTPb_gw/s1600/4564386392_419b37b70b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xfWZVX4EmSI/TwQ2gebCpKI/AAAAAAAABBs/82lABTPb_gw/s1600/4564386392_419b37b70b.jpg" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I will never forget my first school report. </span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Age of 7 - Std 1.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">"<i> Susan has a sunny disposition"</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i>...</i>then came all the "buts"...</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The "buts"in my case were based upon the fact that I was too chatty, too energetic...never stopped talking.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">It wasn't held against me but was put forward as a possible energy to channel.<br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I will admit that such comments followed me throughout my school career. As a "talker" I was propelled into debating and drama, both of which "channelled" talkies and energy plus put my "sunny disposition" into value. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I then ended up becoming a lawyer so I could earn my living by talking. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I continued to become a teacher so that I can still continue to talk throughout the day...</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The moral of the story is that we girls DO need to let it out, rant, rave, chat, laugh, share, scream and be joyful.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">My resolution - to source the joy and sunshine within my frustrated desperate housewife self. Be myself!</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">DesperateAngloHousewives wishes you all a wonderfully joyful 2012 and may all your sunny dispositions shine through!! </div><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">For those of you who over-ate during the end of year holidays...go on put your hands up, here is the simplest chicken soup recipe ..</span>.<br />
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<div style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Resolution Chicken Soup</span></b></div><div style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E0PCwLTC5O4/TwQ27QCvUPI/AAAAAAAABB4/AMavWxJhTVY/s1600/photo%25281%2529.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E0PCwLTC5O4/TwQ27QCvUPI/AAAAAAAABB4/AMavWxJhTVY/s400/photo%25281%2529.JPG" width="400" /></a></span></div><div style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;">4 celery sticks chopped</span></div><div style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;">4 carrots chopped</span></div><div style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 leek chopped</span></div><div style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;">4 chicken thighs </span></div><div style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;">bunch of flat leafed parsley</span></div><div style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;">2 yellow onions chopped</span></div><div style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;"> 1 teaspoon black peppercorns</span></div><div style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 tablespoon seasalt</span></div><div style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;">1 clove </span></div><div style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;">vegetable bouillon if desired</span></div><div style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;">Throw all ingredients into soup pot.</span></div><div style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;">Cover with enough water so that there is about 2 inches of water above the chopped contents. </span></div><div style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;">Bring to the boil and then let simmer gently for about 3 hours.</span></div><div style="color: #0c343d; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: small;">Let cool overnight. Skim off fatty upper layer and reheat to boiling.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: small;">Pull meat off the bones and discard the skin and bones. </span></div><div style="color: #0c343d;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace; font-size: small;">Serve...</span></div><div style="color: #0c343d;"><br />
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</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Become a follower of Desperate Anglo Housewives NOW!!
The off-shore AngloSaxon/American wives and mothers need you to join the network.</div>Susie @ DesperateAngloHousewives, Bordeauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00648563497069053889noreply@blogger.com33tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8807697115402952390.post-75620304711556961032011-12-21T13:04:00.003+01:002011-12-21T13:14:23.708+01:00FOIE GRAS SHORTCUTgetting it done fast and fab...<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLJSpnYPKcb-m4vKbLoP6pqwQGfhtec9S4GIJF4qt7hfmk8aMXyt4Xc0hsiMqtnnGpQmGpRB9tPzM52SE7lHnyM9W5LCJjwyJmAdJBl7CDiuomdMmNP3vHWDtzi_td3VihT3eL92ByIrE/s1600/xmas_pjs_ad_1960.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLJSpnYPKcb-m4vKbLoP6pqwQGfhtec9S4GIJF4qt7hfmk8aMXyt4Xc0hsiMqtnnGpQmGpRB9tPzM52SE7lHnyM9W5LCJjwyJmAdJBl7CDiuomdMmNP3vHWDtzi_td3VihT3eL92ByIrE/s1600/xmas_pjs_ad_1960.jpg" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Like everybody, I am really looking forward to exercising my powers of digestion over the Christmas period.</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif; font-size: large;">Plug me into the Champagne pump and tantalise my tastebuds!</span><br />
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<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">This year has been crazy busy and I have not even bought a single present let alone started on the basics such as foie gras terrine.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Good foie gras terrine is a must for me...pooh pooh to all the animal rights activists. We love the stuff!! But it has to be top quality and beautifully cooked to be a success....and quite frankly, just don't have time this year. Today's source of stress!!</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">But there is a light at the end of the tunnel...just sourced a really brilliant recipe online from Anne Sophie Pic, Succulent Foie Gras in just 6 minutes. Am going to translate and share it with all the other DesperateAngloHousewives who "have to have" but don't have time...</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!!<br />
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<div style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b>Succulent Foie Gras in 6 Minutes </b></span></div><div style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-large;"><b><br />
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</span></div><div style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggTXFB82LeVId0Z5c94aqupYn3AU-zdU4db21u-ZD0MPk_ePsAKQmFVLykSgxLw646fYwJDVU8z0zxOSh__lsuFzWbAwcPvXQ7VUJyZnT_VEVu7USD47XQ_a9OkVcpudAFfOlMm4zm1GE/s1600/La+cuisine+du+foie+gras-Ed+70.0+KO+Front+page.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggTXFB82LeVId0Z5c94aqupYn3AU-zdU4db21u-ZD0MPk_ePsAKQmFVLykSgxLw646fYwJDVU8z0zxOSh__lsuFzWbAwcPvXQ7VUJyZnT_VEVu7USD47XQ_a9OkVcpudAFfOlMm4zm1GE/s1600/La+cuisine+du+foie+gras-Ed+70.0+KO+Front+page.jpg" /></a></span></div><span style="font-size: large;">500gr good quality FG</span></div><div style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;">Make the Marinade :</span></div><div style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;">Mix 1 litre red wine, 50g sugar, 10cl creme de myrtilles, cinnamon stick, an aniseed clove, 2g fennel seed, 10g salt, 2 pinches black pepper.</span></div><div style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;">Boil and leave to chill.</span></div><div style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;">Put the marinade in a pressure-cooker(autocuiseur), placing the Foie gras in the basket.</span></div><div style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;">Plunge the basket into to the pot making sure the fois gras is completely covered by the marinade.</span></div><div style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;">Close the cooker and, once high pressure is reached, cook for 6 minutes.</span></div><div style="color: #274e13; font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: large;">Let cool before opening.</span></div><div style="color: #274e13;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> Serve warm or cold....</span></span></div><div style="color: #274e13;"></div><div style="color: #274e13;"></div><div style="color: #274e13;"></div><div style="color: #274e13;"><br />
</div><div style="color: #274e13;"><br />
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The off-shore AngloSaxon/American wives and mothers need you to join the network.</div>Susie @ DesperateAngloHousewives, Bordeauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00648563497069053889noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8807697115402952390.post-62592392218111858172011-12-05T16:00:00.006+01:002011-12-05T20:41:48.956+01:00RANTY TANTYFrom nasty attitudes to intruding "pubes"...<br />
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<div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Bad Food</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNaE4ec8lFqUf_DtgkCPdndS_G533dtA_QC3X-0opbY4rKtjbr5iZif14H3uI3Q0TMn7cAcvzI8dfRli3mlqiv4Jcq4iIX5RLycMyfIunJqGwQjuOwYxRh6AOwH5bjo4ihrL9mmW0GVFc/s1600/2waiter_668599n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNaE4ec8lFqUf_DtgkCPdndS_G533dtA_QC3X-0opbY4rKtjbr5iZif14H3uI3Q0TMn7cAcvzI8dfRli3mlqiv4Jcq4iIX5RLycMyfIunJqGwQjuOwYxRh6AOwH5bjo4ihrL9mmW0GVFc/s640/2waiter_668599n.jpg" width="376" /></a></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Bad Attitudes</b></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Bad Stomachs </b></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Enough!</b></span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">After having recently written how French restaurants are finally finding the meaning of customer service I find myself on a track running backwards at full throttle!</span></div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">My colleagues and I often head down to the cafés on the quayside in Bordeaux for a quick lunch. I doubt whether this will continue. Apart from finding the staff in many of these restaurants quite silly strutting around knowingly in their designer aprons without even being able to tell you what the plate of the day is, I am now horrifed by their total lack of manners and personal hygene. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">In one of these particular establishments the client is clearly not " king " but rather a "play thing" to ridicule.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">My first bad experience in this café came a couple of weeks back. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The description "assorted <i>crudities</i>" has never been so close to the truth. Plate slapped down in front of me and there sitting on top of the grated carrot is one enormous greasy long curly hair..my two colleagues and I look down at the sight and beckon over the waitress who slides back and grudgingly takes away my plate. It sits on the service bar for about 5 minutes..we are ALL watching as she trots back up to the very same plate and, with a brisk wrist, whisks away the hair and returns back with the plate to me. We all remark that it is the same plate but she insists it is a new one. It obviously rests uneaten.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">I foolishly return to the same establishment last week..I order the plate of the day "Gambas" cooked on the plancha. There are 4 greasy gambas staring up at me. The first one is fine. The second one fills my mouth and throat with what can only be described as an overwhelmingly disgusting ammonia/kerosine taste. </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">All " lady who lunches" is lost as I discretely spit it out on my plate, eyes watering!</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We summon the waiter to warn him that one of my gambas is "off"..am then transported to mouth gaping shock as he offers to replace the offending gambas ( singular) that I spat out. I had thought he would remove the entire plate. Wisdom tells me not to continue with the rest but I do eat the rice as I was starving and had to teach until 8pm.<br />
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When we go to pay I mention that my lunch was pretty much inedible and that the gambas were "off"...at that the waiter yells across the restaurant in true Faulty Towers fashion..." <i>Does anyone know anything about a gambas which was off??</i> " I then get " <i>I suppose you don't want to pay for your main course</i>"...accompanied by the sniggering of all the other designer waiters.</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">We walked out completely shell-shocked to have been treated like this.<br />
About 45 minutes later I was shaking, sweating and vomiting. I cannot ever remember being so ill. 24 hours of pre - christmas purging!</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;">The lesson : do NOT go back for <b>more</b> bad food and rotten customer service. It is simply not worth it! </div><div style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
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</div><div class="blogger-post-footer">Become a follower of Desperate Anglo Housewives NOW!!
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