tourism – The Vigneron's Wife

Greetings…

June 9, 2013June 11, 2013The vigneron's wife

Paris postcard found at a 'vide-grenier' - 'Place de la Republique' — old Paris postcard found at a ‘vide-grenier’ – ‘Place de la Republique’

Up early this morning and dashed out to a village ‘vide-grenier’… it’s a type of garage sale, but instead of just one household selling their wares on the street, it’s a whole village full! If you’ve never been to one, they are just brilliant and full of potential treasure – and trash (as many would say!).

I’ve got to say I’m a little hooked and it’s one of those rare mornings where I’m ready to spring out of bed at 6am. There’s even get a slight adrenaline rush as I jostle for a car park close to the sectioned-off streets and head towards the first stand displaying its wares. I’m on a mission – my purse is heavy with coins and my chest is literally bursting with excitement. Sicko, you might say. But really! Vide-greniers (this translates as ’empty the attic’) offer all sorts of wonderful objects. And hey it’s in France, so for me that makes it totally exotic (mind you, being far from home, kangaroos and gums are also completely exotic for me now). It’s not everyday you can buy the old scribbled-in picture books from the elderly monsieur’s childhood collection, or the 60s flowery frock from Madame’s hand-me -downs. I’ve even picked up a whopping Le Creuset cast iron pot for 8 Euros (now this find was in the half-dark it was so early and I had a torch!). Mmmn, a post on vide grenier treasures will follow!

These ‘village garage sales’ are held on weekends (Sunday is the big day for our region)and start from around 8am, with people beginning to pack up around 4pm. But if you want to find the ‘better’ stuff and real bargains, it’s best to head out as early as 7am (ie 8 Euro cookpot) – the time where you’ll rub shoulders with the ‘professionals’ already out for the hunt.

Here’s a few pics of some local vide greniers to whet the appetite for some…

vg 8 — aaargh!!! this is a sight that sends me CRAZY

vg 7 — I just loved this lady’s pricing for her old linen

vg 12 — Lilas’ already an old hand at these things

Today the weather has been pretty dire, so I headed out early and came home early (it has been raining much of this weekend – not something we’re needing when it is already difficult to access the vineyards by tractor, we’re hoping the forecast for heat for this week dries everything up).

I came home with a few postcards amongst my finds.

This first one, above, was actually written (from the 60s?) on today’s date!?! Woh!

Reading over the cards from this mornng over a coffee, I noticed the date marked was today's — Reading over the cards from this mornng over a coffee, I noticed the date marked was today’s

But have a look at these beauties…

'Rond Point' — ‘Rond Point’ (the guy on the far right side is to blame for this purchase)

...not much to be said — …not much to be said

guitar chick — You go girl, stroke those strings…

frenchie loveeers — check those fellas (mounds of muscle)

…and on the above theme,

...love an old recipe postcard — …love an old recipe postcard

But I do love a pretty card too.

another old Paris postcard: 'Marche aux Fleurs de la Cite' — another old Paris postcard: ‘Marche aux Fleurs de la Cite’

Oz

January 26, 2013January 30, 2013The vigneron's wife

So how idid it feel to be home? Wonderful.

One minute you’re here, in a flash you’re there and suddenly and wonderfully, it feels like you’ve never left. The brown grass is the same, the clean grid of houses is the same, Mum and Dad are at the airport to pick us up and cruise us home, their dog is at the door, all the smells are the same, the beautiful trees are the same, the coffee is a lot better than you know where… A lot of things have never changed and I love it.

But there is a weird part to coming back and this part is where you fit in with people. Being away for most of the year means you have to step back and accept the distance from these loved people on an everyday level. Sure, I make calls home and speak to my parents often, but it isn’t the same and I’ve had to sort of ‘train’ myself to endure the distance by allowing myself to let go. It’s too hard for me to keep it up 100% in two places at once. My heart is in both, but I take a step back and act less wherever I am not. Then suddenly, I come back and have to get a handle on my excitement – near-hysteria – over seeing all these adored people in person again. This can be really strange. I act either overwhelmed and vague or like a babbling idiot, wanting to toast every moment with everyone with gallons of bubbles. Not good for the head.

Look, sorry for the blah it’s hard to explain. I’ll try and explain it better later.

For now I want to celebrate having new eyes on home. Images and places I always took for granted seem to be so exotic now! Australia can be so tres chic – and oh so wonderfully tres kitsch. I always knew this I guess about home, but now I love it even more.

one of many signs around Aldinga beach - a favourite beach of ours — around Aldinga beach – a favourite place

accommodation on a friend's farm, New Year's Eve — accommodation on a friend’s farm, New Year’s Eve

New Year's day 2013, beach car park — New Year’s day 2013

yeah, yeah, a kangaroon crossing. yawn yawn!

bbq'd sausages and sauce on bread (Lilas consumes a 1000 each Christmas) — bbq’d sausages and sauce on bread (Lilas consumes a couple of hundred each Christmas)

...and this is what Mum consumes — …and Mum consumes this

...and this — …and this (next time K and H!!)

oh what the hell, I love this so here it is again... — oh what the hell, I love this so here it is again…

heading to some of my favourite beaches in South Australia — heading to some of my favourite places in South Australia

could do with this back in France — could do with this in France

The Capri - a much-loved movie theatre around the corner from where I used to live. 'The Mighty Wurlitzer' is played live, each Friday and Saturday night — The Capri – a much-loved movie theatre around the corner from where I used to live. Each Friday and Saturday night, ‘The Mighty Wurlitzer’ makes its appearance. As the ads finish, an oompah loompah of noise begins and there, rising up through the floor before the screen, emerges the mighty organ with its pianist banging waywardly on the keys with his legs flying across the foot pedals, providing the pre-movie entertainment.

still cruisin’ in Adelaide

January 6, 2013The vigneron's wife

A big Hip hip to this New Year, 2013! May it be a good one for all and a happy and healthy one.

Just thought I’d say I haven’t forgotten about the blog, just busy cruising the streets in S.A. (South Australia) and lapping up as much quality time as possible, before the annually dreaded departure. Gotta make the most of it!

But somehow there’s those petite ‘mon Dieu’ surprises that always bring France back to mind…

les geants... — les geants… as seen at the Adelaide Central Market

Back soon…

la vie en rose

November 19, 2012November 20, 2012The vigneron's wife

papier cul — dunny paper, loo paper, bog roll, papier toilette, PQ… in PINK

Dunny paper, loo paper, bog roll,toilet paper, toilet tissue, papier toilette, PQ (this one is good – it’s French and so tres elegant – it’s pronounced ‘pai-cue’, short for papier cul,’arse paper’)… So many glorious ways to label a roll of perforated paper that wipes your bits. But whatever the name, there is a fashion here in France that never goes out of fashion – your PQ in pretty old pink.

Forget baguettes, 2CVs, the Eiffel Tower… Yes, when I think of a recurring image over here, I think of pink PQ. In almost every home you visit, you help yourself to, pink. In any cafe, bar or restaurant toilet, pink. Have a stroll down any supermarket toilet tissue aisle and you goggle over mountains of… pink. Good luck if you’re searching for non-bleached, non-patterned or basic white. They’ll be the few small piles hidden amidst the enormous volumes of joli rose – or once in a while spotted in a public loo!

mountains of lush pink dunny paper — mountains of lush, pink dunny paper

Why? In fifteen years of frequent pondering (nearly always whilst sitting on someone else’s loo, reaching over for their dainty pink squares) – and asking most French people I know – I still don’t have an answer for it. I’m by no means the first person to be asking either – I have friends! Loads of them. There are millions of internet search engine results concerning this very discussion in both French and English. Some bloody funny theories too. But still no answers!

It doesn’t explain the pink, but here’s a bit of trivia – correct me if I’m wrong! – about the French and their PQ, found in my search for THE answer: it is said toilet paper was introduced in this country at the beginning of the 20th Century, but as it was long considered a luxury item, it was only from the 1960s its use became widespread.

And in shades of pink at that.

Chic.