Can we make our own 'from our own correspondent'

[teafortwo]

I love love love this radio show...

news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/default.stm

Can we please please please have a thread that has a vibe a bit like this?

We can have a bunch of parents who live all over the World in all kinds of countries (including Blighty), with all kinds of neighbours and themselves living in all kinds of situations (rural, city, suburbs and anything inbetween) explaining what is happening where they live. Day to day things (what is on sale at your local market, what you ate for lunch), portraits of figures in your community (e.g a lovely old village character), big news stories (e.g student riots), little news stories (a much loved dog has died that used to wander around the town centre), arguements in the cafe (sport, politics, religion), music and dance (e.g I notice all Parisian teenagers like to do this weird wiggling dance and they even have lessons for how to do it on national telly), observations on things that are different from where you come from (I don't know...e.g a New Yorker's take on living in the Lake District), interesting discussions on languages spoken... etc etc... I think it could be fun!!!

So tell me...

Am I making sense?

and..

What do you think? Shall we give it a go?

Labour Day weekend here in Canada too - we had the most beautiful weather and spent a wonderful day at a cottage on a lake and even got to go waterskiing.

The children were back at school today, it was rather chaotic this morning as the school is having a major extension built so the playground is something of a building site. They found their teachers "Hello, I'm Mr Jones" (dd1 in the English Program), "Bonjour je suis Madame Banks" (dd2 in French Immersion). And off they went...

I went downtown to the hairdressers and had highlights for the first time ever - was shocked to see so many Halloween "items" displayed in town, it really is such a big deal here - some friends of dds say they look forward to Halloween more than Christmas!!

It is stil very hot here 30C today and we had a lovely swim in the pool after school, the leaves are starting to turn red on the big maple tree in our garden though.

Labour Day weekend here in Canada too - we had the most beautiful weather and spent a wonderful day at a cottage on a lake and even got to go waterskiing.

The children were back at school today, it was rather chaotic this morning as the school is having a major extension built so the playground is something of a building site. They found their teachers "Hello, I'm Mr Jones" (dd1 in the English Program), "Bonjour je suis Madame Banks" (dd2 in French Immersion). And off they went...

I went downtown to the hairdressers and had highlights for the first time ever - was shocked to see so many Halloween "items" displayed in town, it really is such a big deal here - some friends of dds say they look forward to Halloween more than Christmas!!

It is stil very hot here 30C today and we had a lovely swim in the pool after school, the leaves are starting to turn red on the big maple tree in our garden though.

Labour Day weekend here in Canada too - we had the most beautiful weather and spent a wonderful day at a cottage on a lake and even got to go waterskiing.

The children were back at school today, it was rather chaotic this morning as the school is having a major extension built so the playground is something of a building site. They found their teachers "Hello, I'm Mr Jones" (dd1 in the English Program), "Bonjour je suis Madame Banks" (dd2 in French Immersion). And off they went...

I went downtown to the hairdressers and had highlights for the first time ever - was shocked to see so many Halloween "items" displayed in town, it really is such a big deal here - some friends of dds say they look forward to Halloween more than Christmas!!

It is stil very hot here 30C today and we had a lovely swim in the pool after school, the leaves are starting to turn red on the big maple tree in our garden though.

Oh my life - I discovered this mumsnetting by phone a few days ago when I read a post from someone elses's phone - I had no idea people could do that!!!

Am off to browse phones in darty (France's big electric store)!

Actually - maybe not - You see I am actually saving up for a laptop! I love the idea of sitting in my apartment working/foocing from a trendy apple laptop.

What I thought was - I could be filmed typing my posts, meeting with girlfriends and occasionally screaming about clothes -"WOW look at my new 3 euro Monoprix flip flops aw aw aw!" and "Oh my God! I brought it back from UK.... it is genuine Monsoon!!!". It would start off as an HBO t.v series but in the end be a film! Of course there will be spin off products too like perfume and my own clothing range.... or hang on.... has this been done before??? Back to the ideas book. He he he!!!

Labour day sounds fun (especially thrice ).

Here schools don't go back for another week at least, but the shops are full of 'back to school' offers and shoppers are bustling about buying up stationery and school uniforms.

Rather like in Paris, many businesses opened up again on Monday after a month's holiday. August is official holiday month, and although some places might now reduce their four weeks to only two, it's very rare for small places to be open the whole month. We've also gone back to 'horario de invierno', which means more extensive working hours.

I will think about these crisps.

I suspect they might join the list of Asian inventions that are Just Plain Wrong, like tomatoes in fruit salad and Hello Kitty vibrators.

at the thought of Hello Kitty vibrators

Please please take a picture of a Hello Kitty vibrator

Ninedragons,
Since I spent my trip in Geneva looking for a miniature Mont Blanc for you, the least you could do is try the crisps.
Unfortunately, I could not find one, but I will keep my eyes open when we move.

Califrau
I have some Swiss coins for your DS, if you CAT me with your address.

My first post as FOOC for Switzerland!

I flew to Geneva last week for 3 days house hunting, arriving late afternoon. The flight from Düsseldorf to Geneva was amusing in that I was like a flamingo amongst sparrows. The other passengers were Blackberry totting businessmen in suits. I am looking forward to the next flight, with my DCs.

My first impression of Geneva was, tbh, not so great. I took a taxi from the airport (one of those taxi drivers with 2 speeds, stop and Lewis Hamilton) arriving at my city centre hotel a bit shell shocked. Everything is so french. Yes, I know that it is the French part of CH, but for some reason I was surprised and slightly knocked off kilter.

Once I had settled into my hotel room, I took a stroll down to see the Lake, I was pretty surprised at how busy it was as I walked over the bridge at the end of the Lake. Mont Blanc Bridge is apparently always very busy and the traffic was very loud and unexpected. I had seen photos on the net of Geneva?s old town and had not expected it to be so bustling. I was a bit unsettled as I headed down to see Geneva?s symbol, the fountain.

The Jet d'eau was originally a simple security valve from a hydraulic factory before it was transferred to the "Rade", to become a major tourist attraction in 1891. In 1951 the fountain was fitted out with a pumping station that propels 500 litres of water per second to a height of 140 metres at a speed of 200 km per hour (124 miles/h). Eight 9,000-watt projectors light the fountain in the evening.

I strolled around the lake, looking in the tourist booths for metal Mont Blanc or a Jet d'eau, and watching the children play. Geneva struck me as very children friendly, lots of children running around, lots of parks, carousels everywhere.

I thought that I would be able to have a drink and something to eat right on the lake but there are not many restaurants right on the lake, except the ones that were so over my price limit to be laughable. I eventually found a little bar, just a shack on the promenade. There were lots of young people, many of them English speaking, having a drink by the little yacht harbour. The glass of wine was about the size of a thimble and I considered that maybe this is how the Swiss deal with the problem of binge drinking.

I strolled back towards my hotel, through the red light district where I wondered about all the women standing around before I realised where I was

After a quick meal of pasta in a bistro, with a slightly larger glass of red wine, I toddled back to the hotel to mull over my first impressions.

Hi

I live in Cantabria northern spain. have only just got onto this thread. Been abit occupieda lately with DS.

Weather here is pretty crappy today, rain rain and more rain. So today has been full of not much really, a trip to my local supermarket to buy milk. A chat with the neighbours who have become extremely friendly since birth of DS, found out he sees a chiropractor.

Thought it was a good day to try the natural hygiene approach (aka sans nappy), have ended up with 2 dressing gowns , the sofa throw and bed sheets in wash due to not being quite quick enough. Did finally manage one poo over the bowl, thats the end of my attemps at NHA I think.

Cali
Have emailed you.

lol at you proudly bearing CHF to France. I did not realise how close the French border is, I can actually walk there from my new house. From studying the map, I believe we could do a covert border crossing from the field behind the house. It is very scenic at the moment, covered in sunflowers. That will give our budding Van Gogh DD some inspiration next year.

Supermarket pick and mix.

Although I generally cook and eat Spanish style, in common with most expats I occasionally get cravings for tastes of 'home'. To fill those gaps that Spanish cuisine doesn't reach, I have done extensive research into the supermarkets of my city, and now have a mental database of what can be bought where.

If my taste buds fancy some proper Cheddar cheese, rather than the orange block that most places offer, I know I can pick it up in Mercadona.

If it's oriental flavours I'm after, I head to Carrefour, or the annual exotic food fair in the Corte Ingles in October, when they import what seems to be the entire Blue Dragon range.

For baking, Lidl sells good bread mixes and Gadis stocks the ever elusive mixed peel.

However, despite my trawling, there are some things that are just impossible to get here: Branston pickle, Marmite and mixed spice are the ones that come to mind. So, these fill up my suitcase on trips back to UK.

As it has been raining all day, I decided get my oriental supplies in, so Carrefour was my port of call. I now have Teriyaki sauce which is a new addition to their range. The question now is what do I do with it?

mmelindt - I don't know about wine glasses in Germany, but in France they are always much smaller than in the UK. Infact, a 'caraf' (a jug of wine to share when only two of you are eating) we worked out is the same as a large glass of wine in an English pub! The last time I was in an English pub they only served large glasses! I found it terribly daunting and ended up just sipping a bit now and then and not getting half way through it. After a while you will get used to small glasses of wine and be overwhelmed by the massive ones!!!

I suppose it is hard to move when you seem to like where you are coming from so much! It is a good sign that you have seen many positive points. Maybe one day it will feel like home! Good luck!!! It seems like it will be at the very least fun adventure to add to the story of your lovely life!

whoops - My typing is getting very messy!!!

Obviously I meant - "...it will be at the very least a fun adventure to add to the story of your lovely life."

Sorry about that

I am happy to report that my 3 year old is beginning to settle in his new nursery, and he is also beginning to pick up on the language.

I got the current seasons list today of what spare clothes is needed to be kept in the nursery, and it contains: underwear, tights/longjohns, long sleeved t-shirts, woolen sweater, fleece jacket, fleece trousers, socks, wellies, waterproof oilskin dungarees and fleece lined waterproof oilskin jacket and mitts, and a souvester.

There is no such thing as bad weather, only bad clothing. The rain was pouring down, the first snow has appeared on the tallest mountains, it looks like icing sugar has been drizzled on. We got to the nursery, and they were all preparing for a trip to the beach. Regardless of the weather, they go on outings, they have been to the mountain having a bbq in a "yurt" or lavvo style construction, they have been blueberry picking in the woods, and today they were going to discover rockpools.

The weather changed, and a brilliant sparkling automn sun made the leaves on the trees shine, and you could see they are yellowing. From torrential rain to clear skies within an hour, and the world looks like it is covered in diamond droplets.

Congrats on your little ones success in nursery - it sounds so lovely qs!

By the way - welcome patoamarillo - Please tell us more about Northern Spain. My Grandmother used to go to Northern Spain on her holidays a lot because she found it very chilled - a place for really relaxing, and enjoying living. Is it a relaxed, laid back place to live in too?

It must be a truism then, cali!

So? My heart was yearning comfort? and I found it!

It was raining today, in Paris, and it occurred to me it was the perfect sort of day and I was in the perfect sort of mood for taking my daughter to visit the Orangerie at Tuileries. Inside this orangerie on the first level there are three rooms. The first is a ?vestibule? a completely silent and white room designed to prepare your mind for calm. Next you walk into a big room filled with the most beautiful and enormous pictures ? they are Monet?s present to the state ? walls and walls of painted water-lillies! www.musee-orangerie.fr/homes/home_id24799_u1l2.htm.

Infact this room then leads to a second one through a choice of two doors and it feels like walking into a sort of heaven.

My daughter delightfully walked around and around the two rooms calling ?oooh wow? everytime she entered a room again. She was absolutely thrilled at these beautiful pictures and the figure of eight layout was a real pleasure for her.

At one moment I had a mild panic attack because she said ?Mamma touch?? I explained ?No ? I want to touch them too but it would be bad for the painting so we mustn't.? She seemed to understand and never once attempted to go beyond the little bar delicately placed only cms from this absolute masterpiece!

I was really proud of her. We talked about the colours, counted some water lilies and all the trees and then my lovely little art appreciator was so relaxed and touched by the painting?s sentiment that she snuggled up to me and fell sound asleep. So I pulled her closer to me stroked her head. Sat. Looked. Looked. And breathed.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Y4WU7-2Ffw

My DCs went back to school today all kitted out in maroon blazers and hats.
They attend a traditional prep school set in acres of woodland and playing fields - it is truly magical. The main building is tudor and Henry VIII's son was sent there to recover from a bout of 'the sweats.'
Many of the parents are from privileged backgrounds and I often wonder if they see it with the same eyes as me. It is such a world away from where I went to school my chest almost bursts with pride.
On the work front I received the jacket for my new book and it's fab. Can't wait to see it on the shelves.

sounds like you had a lovely afternoon teafortwo. mindexpanding in so many ways.