Tuesday 12 July 2011

Walking!!!! The joys of.....

The Importance of Walking
Walking can add minutes to your life. This enables you at 85 years old to spend an additional 5 months in a nursing home at £7000 per month.
My grandpa started walking five miles a day when he was 60. Now he's 97 years old and we don't know where he is.
I like long walks, especially when they are taken by people who annoy me.
The only reason I would take up walking is so that I could hear heavy breathing again.
I have to walk early in the morning, before my brain figures out what I'm doing..
I joined a health club last year, spent about 400 quid. Haven't lost a pound. Apparently you have to go there.
Every time I hear the dirty word 'exercise', I wash my mouth out with chocolate.
The advantage of exercising every day is so when you die, they'll say, 'Well, she looks good doesn't she.'
If you are going to try cross-country skiing, start with a small country.
I know I got a lot of exercise the last few years,...... just getting over the hill.
We all get heavier as we get older,
because there's a lot more information in our heads.That's my story and I'm sticking to it. 
AND
Every time I start thinking too much about how I look, I just find a Happy Hour and by the time I leave, I look just fine.

Sunday 10 July 2011

Micro scooters roll again!

Hi - well how the world turns - the adult micro scooter craze of more than 10 years ago - googling provides info on people getting killed and hurt from articles in 2000! - has gone youth!! Good to see that weeny kids are enjoying getting out there on their bright mini scooters......

Thursday 7 July 2011

Socca - yes socca...

As requests - a quick run down on how to make socca - beloved of the Nicois - mix together 500ml of water - 4 tbls of oil and 250g of chick pea flour - plus some salt and pepper. Allow to stand for 15 mins. Mix again. Heat a heavy bottomed pan - if you don't have a socca iron! - with a decent covering of olive oil to hot hot.......pour some of the mix into the pan as if you were making a pancake....allow to fully cover the pan base - cook the base thoroughly - before finishing the top off under a hot grill. Cut or scrape from pan and service with salt and pepper and some chilled rose (with an accent!!).....thin style is french'er - thicker Italian - second batch is usually better so don't lose hope!! Enjoy - perfect for ceoliacs......and scrummy for all....I sometimes add chilli or spice - not that this would surprise you!! ENJOY.....Chick pea flour available in Indian shops if not in main supermarkets.....

Wednesday 6 July 2011

Nice in Nice???


Phew - definitely feeling like hairy hobos - spent the day in Nice on Tuesday - just too hot even in just in semi-smart gear (meeting requiring a soil free look!!) - highlight of the day was a great lunch in a Japanese resto - cool (bless the A/C) - calm - and good food- although not Mr. Jones' grub of choice - too much time for him in Taiwan among the "if it moves eat it" brigade.....Kamogawa is in rue de la Buffa - they do great value set lunches (I had to have tempura - veggie - off the standard menu) - fish looked very fresh - but could get very pricey in the evenings I imagine.....wine starts at €28 a bottle....pic courtesy of diamond diving - and no - I don't think grouper was on the menu...

Crazy biking in the Alpes-Maritimes

Hey Mel - don't forget our crazy neighbours in Berthemont - for some bonkers mountain biking experiences!!

Wild camping anyone??


Hi - here in the Mercantour for the summer there is now zippo accommodation left - the frustrations of living in an lovely part of the world BUT with few options for peak times! - but you can come and wild camp - keep it cheap - keep it fun......here's a few tips from the Guardian on how to stay within the regulations in different countries and avoid park guides chasing you about in your shreddies!!

Smith Peter.............

Looking forward to seeing Mr Smith and ever growing family soon!!

The peace of the countryside....

Liz was getting tired of looking at all the rampant grass on the side of the road and was out there in a flash with her mega strimmer.....terrifying local drivers who may have imagined that Mrs Shrek was thrashing about in the undergrowth - jocularly saying to our neighbour that the local council would be sure to start doing their over due work that very day....and low and behold - there they were, an hour later on the hairy hairpin section as you drive up to Berthemont.  Happens every year without fail...and to add to the tale they were back this morning - at 5.30 waking us and all our kind guests - cheers!  Still the hedge work will have saved us at least a day of toil (nasty it is too!) .....better get off and cut the fern in one of the fields - the only green matter that the horses have left untouched...who said having 6 acres would be fun.....

Awash with diversity in the Alpes-Maritimes

Well done to Cote D'Azur tourism for this great video!!  Exactly we would say....

Cycling in the Alpes-Maritimes

Thanks to the Côte D’Azur tourism for this cunning and very appropriate “push” for the diversity of the Alpes-Maritimes..............

10 THINGS TO DO FOR FREE (or a snip) ON THE FRENCH RIVIERA

1 Yes, you Cannes! The festival is nearly upon us (May 11) and the line up is looking good - here's how to get into the films for nowt.

2 Sweet smelling - a Grasse flower festival in the city of perfume - May 14-16.

3 Summer nights - a fantastic programme of FREE concerts throughout the Alpes-Maritimes - 2011 dates not yet issued but here is the link.

4 Asian Arts Museum- Nice - a real haven of peace - just opposite the airport. Free entry and year round fascinating exhibitions, plus a tea room.

5 Sail away - get to Saint Trop. before the glitterati and enjoy a feast of latin sails, at the end of May.

6 Walk the line anytime - or at least the Nice - Villefranche coastal path where you can rubber neck some of the most expensive real estate on the planet.

7 Volunteer - do something worthy - and join in schemes to clear up some of the mess that humans create, in the water on May 21st, or on land later in the season - Mountain Wilderness also organise clear-up weekends.

8 Correns Craic - the home of Brangelina but more importantly, a music festival every June.

9 Rocking in Roq - nearer to home - Denis has a weekend party in Sainte-Agnès at the end of April - music, yoga, fun....just take a picnic; plus free dances will take place again in Roquebillière, every Wednesday evening, in July/August. Get your dancing shoes on!

10 Getting around - use the €1 bus, the great bike or new shared car schemes, or hop on the train for £10 a day!!