les Davey de France

http://themetrocalvinist.wordpress.com/2007/10/05/ig-noble-prize-winners-2007/#comment-734 ! Ovarb, anolecarB !

In the tunnel of Bordeaux St Jean station - flashbacks to the tunnel of Cardiff Central. On the tram going along by the river - a sudden glimpse of the neoclassical building in Chester near the Handbridge. An urge to have lunch in the foyer of St Davids Hall in Cardiff. I've not done that for about 20 years ! My general tactic with these things is to spend a little while enjoying the memories of the good things that have passed, and then think of the good things of now and to come. I don't know if that's wise or not, but at least it's pleasant ! For example, I often think of the nicest house I ever lived in - the house in Bedavere Close in Cardiff. It was just great. Typical 1980s build - almost none of the doors fitted their frames properly, but the shape and design of the house just worked well.

and seminarians will be seminarians. I went to a denominational meeting at Montauban today. It was held in the old seminary, now a retirement home, and at one end of the room were the old desks from the time when it was a lecture hall. Here is some carved graffiti from a long time ago. I'm quite pleased with how my faithful old phone managed these photos ! "L'amour est plus fort que la mort" (love is stronger than death) sounds good in French.

As I scuttled past on the way to the student centre I saw out of the corner of my eye this scene of café tables in front of a 1748 commemorative arch and thought "Yes - that's something of the essence of Bordeaux". I don't know what the arch commemorates as such, but in 1748 they still had a king. And he still had a head.

This weekend there's a youth weekend at Rodez ( Oxyjeune ). In my capacity as youth worker (lycéens) I was to take a group down from the church . Patrick kindly offered the use of his Renault Espace because to begin with we may have been seven in total. But some have class on Saturday . Others have already loads of homework to do. For others it's just not a good weekend . So in the end none of us are going . They picked the wrong weekend to hold it - too near the start of the academic year , many have class on Saturdays anyway - you need to plan these things for school holiday times .

Our recent experiments to find the cheapest supermarket had a predictable result. We stuck with the one near us. And they're refitting it. The dishes and plates now look very smart indeed, and just look at our romantic salads - gently misted. I know where I'll be loitering next summer if the misters are still working. It certainly works, too. I was overcome with the desire to buy a scarolle at 1€69, but I resisted manfully. Meanwhile in the freezers these Giant Savage Prawns caught my eye.

We have the details of Gwilym's class trip to the outside this year. They're going to England. I have to confess that it crossed my mind to not let him go - after all it won't do a huge amount for his English and it costs a lot. But he'll be visiting places we have never taken him (Oxford, the Tower of London, Canterbury, the British Museum) so it is probably worth him going. And also Windsor Castle. Now we have a friend who works at the castle. (We do, honest.) I must write and let her know he's coming.