Nest-building

My faithful readers will recall that we had a drama involving the loss by lightning strike of our chaudiere or hot-water tank. I had to replace the whole thing in the end which in turn needed the dismantling of the cupboard that surrounded it. The new tank was of less capacity than the old one, but in the cussed nature of things, turned out to be a little stouter than the old one, which was tall and thin.
  We decided to turn the subsequent need to re-model the cupboard to advantage to add an airing cupboard above the cylinder. As Kim is spending a few weeks in the UK I was able to potter around with this and eventually produced the masterpiece you see above.  The bottom door gives access to the cylinder, the top to the new airing cupboard. Never one to buy new materials if I can avoid it, I used the tongue and groove rescued from the old enclosure, with the addition of a new door manufactured chiefly from the back of an old wardrobe.
  The next project to be tackled was the provision of a larger computer desk as Kim is coming back with a rescued Apple which may need to co-exist with her old machine for a while. She also needs more space to carry on her hobby of card-making. The top of the new unit came from the `dockyard-built` wardrobe which had also furnished the top of the original unit, the rather fetching drawer unit came from an old bedroom cupboard which also provided wood for the wider shelf needed to store our files. It makes a solid rather than elegant corner unit which you can admire above right.
  Now I am the first to admit that my bricolage is not cabinet-work and shows traces of the timber`s previous incarnation where hinges and pivots have been removed.  However it is purpose built to our requirements, re-uses old materials in an environmental way, and, best of all----- ITS FREE!!!


     Bye for now.

Cutting Edge--For love or money

Looking back on previous posts, I find I haven`t blogged for some time about my hobby of collecting pocket-knives. To revive your flagging ( or non-existent ) interest, I thought we could take a look at a couple of exotics.
    What man isn`t interested in the female form, or in money? These two knives are bound to touch a chord whatever your bent ( no double entendre intended! ) The left-hand example shows a knife in the form of a well-rounded female form in what we used to call kinky boots. Something a bit unusual to have in your pocket and perhaps not an implement to clean your nails with in church. Still, it is a practical little knife in spite of its seductive form which does supply what the French call a `bonne prise en main` This one is a re-creation of a style more known in the Thirties by Etienne Issard for Hachette collections, as is the next example, even more strange.
    Imagine a knife with two blades contained in a completely round handle, reminiscent of a coin. Might even foil the airport security X-ray, though I would not like to bet on it. Imagine the nausea if they did detect you smuggling a KNIFE onto the plane! I really feel it would be a timid pilot who would be threatened into flying me to Havana ( not a place I have any yen to see ). Again the knife is quite practical and can be freely used. Open, the two blades strangely remind one of Bugs Bunny! The form used to be known as a Louis, as the original idea was to cut a large coin in two and make a kniffe from that. It would have been very small, perhaps something to clean your nails with and M. Issard has decided to make something a bit more practical, while sticking to the same form. Two unusual knives, I think you will agree, but they add a certain charm to anyone`s collection.

   Next time I return to this subject, I will revert to showing you some of the diverse regional knives which are France`s chief claim to fame chez the enthusiast.

             Bye for now.
  
 

There ought to be a law against it!

I love living in France, and mostly I like the French people I meet, specially the country ones (Parisiens seem to be another breed). But from time to time you stub your toe against the fact that there are major cultural differences and today I want to muse about two which have come to my notice in the past couple of days.
  They do love their rules and regulations! The English are no slouches when it comes to stupid laws but are left miles behind by the French. I came across a prime example yesterday in our local free magazine the Tournesol. Did you know that up to 2005 you needed a government licence to carry a white walking stick?!  Yes it was true, there was a government department responsible for issuing this vital document and, I suppose, monitoring the sanctions in force against those people wicked enough to carry one induement. You can imagine the Gendarme stopping the poor blind person and demanding sight of his permis to carry.  Absolute madness! Who the hell would carry one if he was not blind? Whatever advantage would he enjoy? Who was the maniac who thought you needed a law and the administration involved? Luckily the French have seen the light (sorry no pun intended) and have removed from official circles the need to issue these vital permits. But did they suppress the permit itself? Of course not, they just privatised the issue to associations dealing with blind persons, so the system rolls happily on. Just one more cross to bear for people whom fate has already punished enough.
     The other French particuliarité that has been in the news recently is the strikes on the SNCF following the tragic attack by a disturbed person on a ticket inspector. He  stabbed the official when it transpired he had no ticket and was promptly arrested and is now in custody. Did I say strike? Wash my mouth out with soap and water! This is not a strike, just the railway staff using their right to withdraw their labour if a clear and imminent danger to health or safety exists. As it is not a strike, there is no question of a minimum service or 48 hours notice being required or of any stoppage of pay.
  Where is this imminent danger? The nutter has been locked up and there is no more danger to staff than there ever was. Yet every train in France was off service yesterday and all the SNCF staff were enjoying a day`s paid holiday. The English had the reputation of being strike-happy a few years ago but at least they didn`t expect to get paid for it. No wonder there is a huge subsidy on the rail. I don`t want to minimise the injuries suffered by the unfortunate inspector, but this response was completely disproportionate.
   Well, having got these moans out of my system, I`m going to have some breakfast. At leat I don`t need a permit for that!

                    Bye for now!