jeudi 20 septembre 2007
Hello everyone. Just wanted to mention services such as Bloglines.com. They help to keep up with blog feeds, if you are like me and have several that you follow on a daily basis. You just enter the website of each blog that you would like, then log in to the single site, and see which sites have been updated since you last logged in, and then you can read the entries right from the site, saving time clicking on each one.
Also, if anyone has added me to your blog links, but I haven't added you to mine, please let me know and I will add you to the link of blogs on the right. I enjoy discovering new bloggers, whatever your nationality and wherever you are.
Thanks. Never fear, back to toilet humor tomorrow.
Also, if anyone has added me to your blog links, but I haven't added you to mine, please let me know and I will add you to the link of blogs on the right. I enjoy discovering new bloggers, whatever your nationality and wherever you are.
Thanks. Never fear, back to toilet humor tomorrow.
mardi 18 septembre 2007
Came home from work today, and was quite surprised to see a toilet sitting in my living room. You get extra points if you can use it in this position.Today we had some plumbers come, who changed our gas pipes and removed the old radiator pipe in the bathroom. We had gotten a price offer from them to replace our toilet as well, and had decided that we would have it done, but weren't thinking it would be done today. Especially as they said that we would have to come down to pick out which new toilet we wanted, which we hadn't done yet. Apparently, they decided to just bring it anyway, deciding that this was the one we want. No real complaints for me. I don't have the energy to go down and argue about which shape of throne would be just right for our bathroom. A toilet is a toilet is a necessity.
We are going to put in a "suspended" toilet, which I guess is now the rage. It reminds me of work and airport bathrooms, but I guess it is easier to mop under. We are hoping that they will be able to come on Friday, remove the old one, then this weekend we will tile it, most likely with the leftover ecru bathroom tile. Then on Monday they will hopefully come and install the new one. So I guess we will be spending the weekend elsewhere. Just hope that halfway through they don't have scheduling problems and throw a "Year in Provence" on us, and not come back for months. Not having a shower is a pain but doable. Not having a toilet is just a pain.
Who can think of amusing captions for the picture?
dimanche 16 septembre 2007
This cheese, made from ewe's milk, comes from the Basque region of France. I didn't particularly care for it. It is supposed to be opened one hour before eating (I guess to air out, I don't know), and you aren't supposed to eat the crust. The cheese bible states that the production of these cheeses (with sheep's milk) is a very old practice in this region, and that most are artisanal, made with unpasteurized milk. The AOC label was given in 1980, and in order to be marked AOC, the sheep must have grazed in the mountain pastures from May 10th through September 15th. They are best consumed with white wines. This particular cheese- Ossau Iraty is from the manech breed of sheep. (no clue)
Wikipedia states "Ossau-Iraty is rather medium-soft light in color and very complex yet delicately smooth flavors. This cheese tastes slightly akin to cow's cheeses of similar texture such as alps cheese. Ossau-Iraty is complex and includes an edible slightly white-moldy tart rind; this offers considerably to the experience. This is a creamy, not bitter, not overly sweet, perhaps slightly nutty cheese with a gentleness and ability to please. Finishes rich and smooth.
It is safe for those who are lactose intolerant."
It is safe for those who are lactose intolerant."
I took a few bites and decided that was enough for me. Too much of a sheep taste. To be fair though, we didn't open it an hour before eating, and did not try it with white wine, but in the future I will pass on this one. 1 cheese
jeudi 13 septembre 2007
Okay, I know I am really really behind on my year of cheese blogging. Believe you me, I have been faithfully sampling new cheeses, but sometimes have "le phlegm" to write about them. But I will try to catch up now.
(for the cheese itself: rating of 2 cheeses)
Here is a cheese whose name literally means "dung" or "droppings" of goat cheese. Yum! Get me some of that! It tastes pretty much like any other goat cheese, perhaps a bit drier in my opinion. Because I don't have much to say about this, I am including a recipe (which I have not tried and therefore cannot vouch for, but it sounds good to me).Preparation: 15 minutes (which in my experience of French recipes, should most likely be doubled by at least two)
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Let sit: 5 minutes
Total time : 35 minutes (yeah, make that one hour)
For 4 people :
4 crottins de chèvre type Chavignol
3 Granny apples
basil leaves
Preparation:
1 Preheat the oven at 200°C. Peel the apples, remove the core and seeds (whew! sure glad they spelled that one out for me!). Cut them into fine slices.
2 Cover the bottom and sides of four small bowls with the apple slices.
3 Place one grated? basil leaf on the bottom of each bowl.
4 Place one entire dung in each bowl. Cover with the rest of the apple slices and cook for 15 minutes.
5 Wait several minutes before removing them from the molds. Place 3 small basil leaves on top of each.
4 crottins de chèvre type Chavignol
3 Granny apples
basil leaves
Preparation:
1 Preheat the oven at 200°C. Peel the apples, remove the core and seeds (whew! sure glad they spelled that one out for me!). Cut them into fine slices.
2 Cover the bottom and sides of four small bowls with the apple slices.
3 Place one grated? basil leaf on the bottom of each bowl.
4 Place one entire dung in each bowl. Cover with the rest of the apple slices and cook for 15 minutes.
5 Wait several minutes before removing them from the molds. Place 3 small basil leaves on top of each.
Should be eaten lukewarm, accompagnied with toasted bread.
Anybody who tries this, please send pictures or let me know how it turned out.
mercredi 12 septembre 2007
(so take off all your clothes, I am getting so hot, I want to take YOUR clothes off)
-Nelly "Hot in Here"
At my gym, there is a sauna and a hammam. Had no idea what the difference was before I started going there, and at first I thought one had to pay in order to use the sauna and hammam. But no, it is included in the monthly fee. There is a clear rule "You must wear your swimming suit in the sauna/hammam". Ahh. But they should be even more clear about what is and what is not allowed as we will see.
The first time I wanted to use it, I took a quick peek into the room that has both cabins. There was a couple in the sauna (dry heat). They weren't doing anything outright wrong, but enough uncomfortable that a third person enclosed in the space would want to soon leave. I went and changed into my bathing suit, then went back in. They were no longer in the sauna. I figured they had moved into the hammam (more steamy) or had left so I went into the sauna. Spent my 15 minutes or so in the sauna and then got out and heard funny noises. Are they doing what I think they are doing? I didn't see them in the steam, thought maybe I was hearing things, looked around the corner, and yep. Two people in the shower. Had their bathing suits on at least. Didn't look much closer than that, that was enough. Uhh, yeah, I really want to use that shower after you now.
Haven't seen them back in the sauna room, which is good. I go about once every two weeks now. Usually I am the only one in the room. Today there was another woman in the sauna with me. One those situations that throws me into an etiquette tizzy. Do I make small talk? Shut up and close my eyes? Avoid looking at the other person? Enter into some deep philosophical discussion? How strange is this, being stuck in a small hot sweaty box in my bathing suit with someone I don't know? In fact, would I prefer to know the person or not? Hmm. Need a sign on the door telling me what to do. Do not talk. Avoid looking at other people's body parts. Do not get busy in public places.
-Nelly "Hot in Here"
At my gym, there is a sauna and a hammam. Had no idea what the difference was before I started going there, and at first I thought one had to pay in order to use the sauna and hammam. But no, it is included in the monthly fee. There is a clear rule "You must wear your swimming suit in the sauna/hammam". Ahh. But they should be even more clear about what is and what is not allowed as we will see.
The first time I wanted to use it, I took a quick peek into the room that has both cabins. There was a couple in the sauna (dry heat). They weren't doing anything outright wrong, but enough uncomfortable that a third person enclosed in the space would want to soon leave. I went and changed into my bathing suit, then went back in. They were no longer in the sauna. I figured they had moved into the hammam (more steamy) or had left so I went into the sauna. Spent my 15 minutes or so in the sauna and then got out and heard funny noises. Are they doing what I think they are doing? I didn't see them in the steam, thought maybe I was hearing things, looked around the corner, and yep. Two people in the shower. Had their bathing suits on at least. Didn't look much closer than that, that was enough. Uhh, yeah, I really want to use that shower after you now.
Haven't seen them back in the sauna room, which is good. I go about once every two weeks now. Usually I am the only one in the room. Today there was another woman in the sauna with me. One those situations that throws me into an etiquette tizzy. Do I make small talk? Shut up and close my eyes? Avoid looking at the other person? Enter into some deep philosophical discussion? How strange is this, being stuck in a small hot sweaty box in my bathing suit with someone I don't know? In fact, would I prefer to know the person or not? Hmm. Need a sign on the door telling me what to do. Do not talk. Avoid looking at other people's body parts. Do not get busy in public places.
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