I offer you a New Year treat

I would

I wish you all a most delightful New Year, and wish to herald its successful beginning with a French LadyDo that is as wonderful and well-thought-through as I know your year is going to be.

I love you all.

I welcome Australian readers

I have noticed that, of late, more and more readers are coming from Australia.  I am delighted to hear it, and both welcome and salute you.

Are there any particular things you would like to see or read about, visitors from Australia? Do let me know and I shall do what I can to 'oblige'.

Pip Pip!

NWM

I am in France still, wondering about hair, and hats, and pies

Greetings, dear and loyal readers. I trust the last few days - regardless of your beliefs etc - have passed pleasantly and that you feel a firm resolve to do whatever it is you think you should for the next few days/year etc.

I have passed an excellent few days in my parents' house underneath a pile of food, emerging only to watch the ghastly new "Upstairs Downstairs" with some close friends and associates, all of whom agreed on the following:

1. Downton Abbey was one million times better.
2. They did not sound one bit posh; not one bit.
3. There's no way Lady thingy would shake hands with the servants.
4. There's no way the under-footbutler would have come in the front door.
5. Lord thingy had a common mouth (my own observation).

I have no doubt that the producers, director, cast and production team responsible for this stack of televisual plop all watched "Downton Abbey" through a mist of tears whilst drinking cheap whisky straight from the bottle through a bendy straw. (So saying, I would put Eileen Atkins in a fight vs. Dame Maggie any day, and wouldn't be sure I could predict the result.)

But I digress. My fascination with the Hair of France continues unabated. Witness, if you will, this latest delight, spotted in a Supermarché (as they call supermarkets in France) just outside Cognac:

And what does this man, spotted in the Super U on the road from Rouillac to Sonnac, have hidden under his hat?

Who can tell? My guess is a rutabaga, but I have often been wrong about rutabaga in the past. Anyway, other things are in France, but rather than writing about them with my hands I will just let them exist, possibly with a caption, possibly not. Here goes: 

The Saddest Sign I Ever Saw

Cock Pie 2010

A rabbit having a tug on a snowman's nose

The window of the local driving school. Why, Worzel? Why?

Cock Boots

There we go. If I do not find more amazing French hair to post between now and New Year's Eve, it remains only for me to say: Happy New Year - and may it bring you exactly what you wish for.

Pip Pip!

NWM

I complete my Christmas cake

Regular readers will be aware that I have started a "food blog" - something that no-one else has ever thought of doing, ever.  However, it is Christmas and it is time for cakes, robins, snow etc, so for once I will go "off piste" and will treat you to a photograph of my "chocolate log".  Here goes: 

Do you like it? I know I do. And what is more, it is delicious - poo and all.

Pip "Happy Christmas!" Pip

NWM

I am still wondering at the hair of France

Regular readers will be aware that I am in "France", which is ace. France is a country just across the Channel from the Yew-Kay. It shares a border with Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Italy and Spain - and that is just the countries I can remember . I have been on covert operations in Paris for two weeks, but now I am in Charente-Maritime with my parents, in their house. We are having a nice time; a very nice time.

What is an actual fact is that wherever you are in France there are 'themes', like for e.g. excellent food everywhere, loads of wine that you can drink in your mouth, Serge Gainsbourg on the radio all the time and the President of France doing French kissing with his Italian wife.  Another 'theme' is that some English people (not me and/or my family obv) move here but do not bother to learn to speak French. Happily, there is a corner of a foreign supermarket that is forever England, so they do not have to engage with the locals.  Here is evidence:

French speakers will enjoy the sign in the background - and I think that is a fact.

(I am not sure what Fluff and Dr Pepper are doing there, but no matter; the point is made.)

Also, they have AMAZING hair in France - hair like soft fluffy sheep. Here is further evidence; for the original evidence, simply scroll down or click here for my last post, which also dealt with the astonishing subject of French hair.

In other news, my mother brings out meat-based foodstuffs and one of the dogs looks at  them:

You are correct. That is a Radio Times. 

And in the local hunting shop, otters gambol in the window, holding between their paws delightful Christmas balls.

They, like me, wish you a Merry Christmas.  May your festive "season" be exactly as you would wish it to be.

Pip "Jingle Bells" Pip

NWM