IF AT FIRST YOU DON'T SUCCEED, try try try again and again (and again...)

[m-mouse]

I'm sorry about your Nan Jo - I know it can be so hard. My Nan was very stubborn too. My Mum and Aunts arranged for carers to lighten the load for them a bit and Nan would send them away saying that she didn't need them as she had her Daughters. Try not to worry too much. x

 

[Maintainer]

This afternoon, my folk have an appointment with the care manager re updating Nana's home care plan.

Off for a long stomp soon cos the weather is so fabulous! Just wish the "fair weather" walkers would stay in bed longer, as they do in the winter seemingly, cos I've more "hurdles" on my way.

Oh and the tourists are here BIG TIME... yesterday lunchtime being out and about was a nightmare and reminded me why I usually choose to stay put!

 

[LVLLM]

morning Jo! hope you have pushed a couple of people over xx

 

[jaqys]

London was full of tourists last week, is it holidays somewhere already?

Beautiful day here too - I so had the wrong week off

 

[robinhood]

In France (there are 3 holiday zones for the Winter/Spring holidays), they start from this weekend. We are last to get ours this year - still have another fortnight of school to get through, upside is that they won't be so tired in June (nightmare month for school).

Lovely weather here too - but harder to get small people to bed in the evening!

 

[Maintainer]

Kids are always on holiday... pfft... shall we have a little moan, Robin, at having two Bank Holidays coming up on Sundays (May 1 and 8)? And not getting Good Friday off?

Always good to get these moans in... before people realise that we have a four day followed by a three day weekend in June...

 

[jaqys]

Ahh for once it pays off not to be a Catholic country as we have a gazillion holidays coming up

 

[Maintainer]

Just what the country needs in a recession

 

[scrumper]

lol
my kids break up friday and go back for 2 days at the end of the month then a 4 day weekend ( thanks wills and kate ) so ive written off this month bet it pours down too

 

[anjuschka]

Oh and the tourists are here BIG TIME... yesterday lunchtime being out and about was a nightmare and reminded me why I usually choose to stay put!

[grumpy stressed mode]
Here too! And here in particular they seem to appear in large (20+) clusters of teen schoolkids that block everything oblivious to other pedestrians / cyclists / cars.... Cambridge is not exactly built on a grand scale to it makes a difference
[/grumpy off]

I only work in the centre one day of the week so today I can go for a nice leisurely unimpeded stroll along leafy residential streets

 

[Maintainer]

I really really hate tourists with a vengeance!! Not only do they seemingly have all the time in the world to meander around when I'm working(!), but they also stop at the top of the metro stairs and open maps... One day I might give an itsy bitsy push... (or perhaps I'll save that for the "locals" who makes phone calls while puffing out smoke liberally on that very same top step!

I could handle one day a week... but five? (yikes staying here this weekend, so SEVEN?)

 

[anjuschka]

Oh no, Jo going into hermit tourist-avoidance mode in summer :-(

 

[Maintainer]

"The English" (generalising wildly here) always say that "the French" are rude, so I'd hate to disappoint those visiting... it would be rude not to stay in character.

In Hong Kong, as soon as we got out a map - just to check where we were - someone would stop and OFFER to help us... how strange is that?! Can't say as I ever do that, but I will help if stopped (if anyone can catch me to ask me!!)

 

[Brownie_Earthquake]

My husband (who is American) went to France last year and said 'I can't believe it, the French aren't rude at all!'

 

[m-mouse]

"The English" (generalising wildly here) always say that "the French" are rude, so I'd hate to disappoint those visiting... it would be rude not to stay in character.

In Hong Kong, as soon as we got out a map - just to check where we were - someone would stop and OFFER to help us... how strange is that?! Can't say as I ever do that, but I will help if stopped (if anyone can catch me to ask me!!)

This happened to me in Boston last summer when a lady stopped and very kindly asked if I was lost and informed me that I had my map upside down

 

[Maintainer]

haaaa! I said the same to Tan last week when she was here and someone said hello to us! In France, you go into a shop and they say "bonjour"...

 

[Maintainer]

haaa re the map upside down! I could see me doing that (with my ever diminishing eyesight, and being too vain to put my glasses on unless I'm "reading"!)

 

[Brownie_Earthquake]

(In my experience) Americans have a very romanticised view of France as a concept but generally a negative opinion of the country and the people - husband has since delighted in telling everyone back home how there has been a terrible misunderstanding all these years!

I always try to avoid maps on trips - I hate even looking at a tube map in London

 

[jaqys]

I hate it when tourists ask for directions and then dont believe what you say.
Last week in the middle of covent garden 2 french girls asked where they could buy clothes. They were polite, but bewildered when I pointed to some shops.

 

[Maintainer]

Jaq - They probably wanted something else altogether and had used the wrong word!

BE - good for him! How did you two meet? (if you don't mind my asking...).

Oooh I've a non diet subject for discussion to open.