A Taste of Garlic

That was the week…..

that was the week That was the week..... because we all love reading blogs about life in FranceEvery Tuesday I intend to do a quick review of some of the posts from the last week that have made me smile, made me chuckle or, even…. just made me think.

Some of these you may have seen yourselves.

And some of them you may have missed.

I don’t think of these in any competitive sense at all.

This isn’t a top-ten listing.

They’re merely the posts that have stuck in my head.

that was the week That was the week..... because we all love reading blogs about life in France1). I’m starting off with news from Ed Ward at City on a Hill. His reportage on the doings of his lunkerhead neighbours deserves to go down in the annals of journalistic history.

For those of you new to City on a Hill, think of a cross between the Eastenders Christmas Special and Apocalypse Now and you won’t go far wrong.

Those readers of American persuasion have probably never heard of Eastenders so, let me explain… Eastenders is a British television program that accurately describes life in London and, if you live in England, you are legally obliged to watch this program every evening (some people are allowed to miss the weekday emissions at catch up at the weekend with the omnibus edition) and then discuss it at length during working hours.

For the purposes of this review though, Americans should just try to visualise The Lunkerhead Saga as a sort of cross between Apocalypse Now (the Redux edition, with the extra 49 minutes) and basically, any Bruce Willis film that involves blowing things up – Armageddon would be a good choice!

If I were Ed, I would be so tempted to say something like… “I watched a snail crawl along the edge of a straight razor. That’s my dream; that’s my nightmare. Crawling, slithering, along the edge of a straight razor… and surviving.”

that was the week That was the week..... because we all love reading blogs about life in France2). There was a garlic festival at Cuisine de Provence and, I have to admit, I got so excited that Mrs A Taste of Garlic had to check a bucket of ice water over me!

Apart from getting all hot and bothered in the below the belt, above the knees area (if you know what I mean) about all that lovely, delicious, gorgeous, tasty Garlic, I was so shocked to see my double waking down the street!

Spitting image of me, or what?

that was the week That was the week..... because we all love reading blogs about life in France3). Conjugating Irregular Verbs seemed to be having such a great time on holiday that I couldn’t really not mention them.

Sometimes things are just meant to be. I won’t say any more as it will spoil the post for you but I will let on that it ends up with these few sentences….

“As we sat in the outdoor cafe having our much deserved lunch the familiar feeling of joy and gratitude hit me. We are here. Living here. For good. With our kids. Amazing. I am constantly pinching myself.”

Now, that’s sweet, isn’t it?

that was the week That was the week..... because we all love reading blogs about life in France4). And, Whilst we’re on the subject of luuurve….

I’m not altogether sure what’s going on over at Signed by Ange this summer?

I’ve been checking in and trying to make sense of it all but… I’m only human! I do recall having trouble when originally reviewing Signed by Ange.

I said something like… “I’ve been trying to review this site for the last two weeks; it’s been difficult! Where to start, where to finish and, what to say in the middle?”

In Paris Episodes Ange kindly takes us on a lovely trip down memory lane (or was that just the premature Alzheimer’s kicking in? She will be 40 this year, after all!) and promises to try to explain…. exactly what made a small Kiwi girl say to her young mother back in some obscure year in the 1970′s, “When I grow up I’m going to live in France.”

Premature dementia apart, Ange does have some interesting things to say about Luurve – all I can say is.. Allez le Grèves!

that was the week That was the week..... because we all love reading blogs about life in France5). Sarah, over at St. Bloggie de Rivierre caused me to get another soaking from Mrs A Taste of Garlic when I started getting all overheated due to her cry… Desperately Seeking Au Pairs!

I’ve been desperately seeking an au pair (or two, I don’t mind!) for ages but Mrs A Taste of Garlic won’t let me have one!

And she keeps chucking buckets of cold water all over me every time I ask!

But, if you can’t beat them (not that I was going to; I’d never beat an au-pair!), why not join them? As Sarah says… “Just think, you could end up on the Cote d’Azur, or in a château on the Loire. Fed, housed, light childcare, and pocket money. I’d do it!”

Sarah, just let me get my blond wig and my falsies sorted out and I’ll apply too!

that was the week That was the week..... because we all love reading blogs about life in France

OK – now all that stuff is out of the way, let’s get on to the really important stuff…

Of course, it’s Awards Time!

Eye Patch of the Week Award goes to Pirate Girl at Uh Oh Spaghettios – hope the eye gets better soon, Suzanne. Oh, and cool glasses – wish I had a pair like that!

The Out of the Mouths of Babes Award of the Decade goes, without question to Aidan at Rue Rice for these words…

And because Aidan is cheeky, he lifts his shirt and says, “I’ve got a big belly”.

When I asked him why he says, “because I’ve got a lot of poop in there and I need to go potty real bad”.

Aidan, you are our hero here at A Taste of Garlic Towers and Oh God, this is one of those key moments in life, when it’s possible you can be really, genuinely cool – and I’m failing 100%. I absolutely and totally and utterly think you’re the most coolest dude in the world and more importantly I genuinely believe and have believed for some time now that we can be best friends. What do YOU think?

Moving on… the Holiday Postcard Blog Award of the Summer is equally shared between Karin at An (alien) Parisienne and Lindsey at Lost in Cheeseland – check out both worthy winners and feel free to leave comments. As we all know in blogland, comments are what makes the world go round!

The You Just Know He’s Going To Regret That in 15 Years Time When He Brings Home His First Girlfriend and Mum Gets Out The Photo Album Award goes to poor Boo at Mom in France.

Boo, you might want to edit the photo album prior to bringing back the first girlfriend?

Or, you might want to have your Mum sectioned prior to bringing back the first girlfriend?

Either way works; you need to check insurance policies and all that stuff to work out which is the most cost efficient (and don’t worry, you’ll understand all that stuff when you’re old enough to need to understand all that sort of stuff!)

The Award for Writing a blog Post about an Excessively Horny Guinea Pig goes to the amazing Jon Doust at The Vendee Blog!

Jon, thanks very much. That award was taking up so much space and I was almost about to give up hope that anyone would ever win it.

I do, though, want to inform you of the BIGGEST BADDEST AWARD EVER! for any post about… “significant and irrefutable evidence of the presence of large, non-human primates.”

You know you want to win that award Jon. You know you do!

Anne at Just Another American in Paris wins the Fishnet Stocking of the Week Award. Nice one , Anne.

You would have won the Silly Hat Award as well but I couldn’t find it (I rather do suspect that Mrs A Taste of Garlic chucked it away when she was doing the spring cleaning but I don’t want to ask her in case she chucks another bucket of water over me!)

The Yum Yum, Fill My Tum Award has to be shared between Ann Mah for her Provence Food Notes and Katie at Thyme for Cooking for her Grilled Pork Tenderloin.

Both excellent articles which made me feel really rather hungry!

And, talking of food…..

The Best Snail Comment of the Week Award goes to Vicki Archer at French Essence for these sage words.. “A bag of snails….A funny way to be reminded of the good things in life.”

And finally, the Carry on Camping Award – Summer 2010 goes to Sue at Life in Burgundy for her own annual awards.

Well done Sue. Well done everyone else!

Mr Doust, I am expecting a BigFoot post.

SL, I haven’t mentioned you this week because you’ve been too normal!

MJ, I would have mentioned you but you don’t appear to have done that psychopathic, slaughter everyone in the supermarket thing that we’re all expecting of you! I know that I ought to give you an award for the Holiday from Hell thingy but I’m going to wait until further details emerge. I’ve got a feeling in my waters that this is going to be something really rather special?

Candy Froggy, I was going to give you an award for erotically torturing your neighbour with your bikini but, as there’s no photographic evidence…..

All the best

that was the week That was the week..... because we all love reading blogs about life in France

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4 Comments

  • By Karin (an alien parisienne), August 31, 2010 @ 7:57 am

    Thanks for the shout-out, Keith, and thanks too for the good reading suggestions here! Or I think it is “thank you.” I was planning on getting some other work done this morning and it’s been postponed to check some of these links out. :)

  • By Ann, August 31, 2010 @ 9:16 am

    Many thanks for the kudos, Keith! Like Karin, I’ve now spent a happy hour checking out all the wonderful links — a lovely round-up!

  • By Sarah, September 1, 2010 @ 7:32 am

    A soaking of what, Keith? Wine? What a way to go!

  • By Keith Eckstein, September 1, 2010 @ 9:00 am

    Sarah – it was icy cold water, unfortunately! Apparently I was getting too excited at the thought of all those Au Pairs!

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