A Taste of Garlic

Still in the Rhône Alpes (electronically rather than physically, you understand), I decided to visit French Windows which, I learned, is Gigi’s blog.

Gigi claims (perhaps unfairly) to be a failed wife and poet, terrible teacher and unworthy mother of three beautiful teenage girls, who has lived in France for twenty years.  She says that her blog consists of glimpses of her life with a bit of culture thrown in.

Well, I polished my glasses and took a look around.

No corner went unobserved, no cubbly hole went unchecked.

I checked for dust on the top of the shelves, I had a good look behind the fridge!

The result…. plenty of life and a fair bit of culture too!

I’m  not going to mention what I found behind the fridge, though!

I started, as always, looking for the vital posts; the sort of posts that all Life in France blogs need to have is they are to stand up there with the big boys (although many of the big boys happen to be girls!)

Posts about important things like Mushrooms, 2CVs and Lingerie (well, those things are important to me!)

What did I find but….

1). A excellent post about Magic Mushrooms which completely satisfied my mycological yearnings.

2). Nothing about Citroen 2CVs but a charming post about A Bicyclette.  As a bicycle is not much slower than a 2CV (and probably on the same level of technical complexity), I decided that this would do well instead!

3). And, when searching for something lacy and alluring, I got all hot and bothered by Oh Knickers! My raging rampantly beating heart was only slightly calmed when I rushed off to French Bloomers and found out it was all about flowers!

So, French Windows passes the first test!

Excited and intrigued I dove into Purple Haze only to find it wasn’t about Jimi Hendrix at all, but also about flowers!

I would normally would have been disappointed  about this had it not given to mention that… for their first concert, the Jimi Hendrix Experience opened for Johnny Hallyday (the greatest rock star of all time and surely the next President of France), in Évreux on October 13, 1966.

Now, I bet not a lot of people know that!

I could spend all day waffling on about Johnny Hallyday but I’m suposed to be reviewing French Windows.  So I won’t mention that the Great Johnny had a hit with a version of Hendrix’s Hey Joe (every bit as good as the original in my humble opinion – apart from the Hendrixy guitar bits which only Hendrix could do!)

So, where were we?  Ah yes… before we get too Wined Up we might be well advised to take a look at The Revolting French before taking a peek at Marseille soap and other fiction.

Now, what could be better?  Booze, A French  History Lesson and the best soap in the world (think Eastenders but with attractive people set in the South of France.)

Well, actually… I hate to say this but….. I did find a post that goes on and on about Johnny Hallyday!  He is such a national treasure that  he has been awarded the Légion d’Honour by the President – not a lot of people know that!

But, I mustn’t spoil all the good bits for you (there is another post about Johnny Hallyday, as well, but I’m going to let you find that one for yourself!)

Take my advice and visit French Windows and find out what life, with a bit of culture thrown in, is like for a failed wife and poet, terrible teacher and unworthy mother of three beautiful teenage girls, who has lived in France for twenty years.

All the best

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1 Comment

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  By Gigi, March 8, 2010 @ 11:30 pm

  Keith! Thank you so much for the review – I’ve only just come across it

  I’ll certainly be popping by now and again to read your blogs and I’ll put you on my blog roll…I’ve got a lot of tidying up to do there so I’ll sort it out tomorrow…

  A bientôt!

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