from our own correspondent

[teafortwo]

Old thread...
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/2423/576865?ts=1222265998268&msgid=12499051

New thread...

to be created below!

Enjoy!

Congratulations Diddy! Welcome to the world little Emile. What a memorable birth story!

teafortwo - I will try to give a bit more detail in the future for your DH

It's interesting that your Muslim friends are into eating sushi during Eid. Normally, you would eat the meat of sacrificed animals - lamb, usually.

FOOC in Monaco

My parents are here for the Eid week - not that we are religious but it's a holiday in Turkey where they live, so a good excuse for a visit.

It's grey, cold, and rainy, but Christmas decorations are everywhere. In the evening, the color and light show in the Casino square is lovely to see. I am amazed each year at the time and effort that goes into designing and implementing these unique decorations that stay up for at most a month. It is of course part of the touristic charm of Monaco, so these decorations make sense, but still...

These heavy rains also mark the beginning of a few dangerous months for the hills in proximity of Monaco. The region is marked by steep hills descending into the sea. Almost every year, during these periods of intense rain, rocks fall off from these hilltops and come hurling down towards the roads and houses beneath. Last year, two roads for closed for about a month and some houses evacuated after several huge boulders blocked passage. Municipalities soon erected huge metal mesh barriers to stop falling borders before they reach roads & settlements. Still, it's a bit scary to drive around at the moment and the safety of our little village in Monaco is very appealing, indeed.

Congratulations Diddy! What a story! And Welcome Emile!

Congratulations Diddy, what a great birth story.

Many congratulations Diddy. A birth not for the faint hearted!

Congratulations Diddy! Wow, I thought I had a good birth story with DS but that tops it!

congrats Diddy and welcome emile.

[kiss from aus]

Welcome to the world Emile - lovley name

Congratulations, Diddy! What a tale to tell about Emile's arrival - I don't know how you stood that heat, it has been so hot lately, 36deg in Lagos so maybe even hotter inland? I hope you all enjoy settling in with your new addition to the family.

Diddy! CONGRATULATIONS.

What a story

FOOC Montreal - Long Time between FOOCs

I've been reading everyone's posts with interest. It's a great snapshot of life in countries we wouldn't get to visit.

The snow has arrived finally. We've been promised it for 4 weeks now. 12cm on Tuesday and another 5cm expected today. DS (18mths) so far is hating it. I have to carry him most of the way home from daycare. Yesterday he wavered between kicking a crunchy snow bank (thanks freezing rain), and laughing, and then immediately switching to high pitched screaming. We're trying to make it fun, but babysteps I guess. I don't want to put him off, I mean what would we do with him for the next 20yrs when we went skiing?

We did a tour with the historical society a few months ago now, in an area called Point St Charles. We were contemplating whether to buy there as most of our friends rave about the place and live there. It used to have 30.000 residents, but now it's somewhere near 10.000. There was the Redpath factory (sugar/flour etc.) which is no more. An electric, and a massive Alstom Rail yard. The rail yard has been abandoned for about 20yrs and looks quite depressing. But they are planning to develop it into residential/commercial area which would be a good boost for the area. It was settled by the French and Irish on one side, coming to build the Lachine canal and the Scots and the English on the other half of the area. Religion dividing the two. It's definitely an area in need of gentrification, and this is slowly happening with young families moving in and renovating. So even though we decided the area wasn't for us, if we do manage to stay here, it is probably where we will buy as it ticks four important boxes, on the island, close to downtown, backyard (albeit postage stamp size) and affordable.

And I say if we manage to stay here, as Credit Crunchie has arrived. As both DH and I work for the same company in mining & metals we are somewhat nervous. Clients are deferring or cancelling projects and with the latest announcement Rio Tinto made, this could affect the job DH is on. I've also heard from a friend the Oz office is similarly affected. If it all falls over I guess we'll be returning to the grim North-East, but work is slim there as well. But no point worrying until it happens, and start following the example of the ecureils in squirreling away for the winter.

And welcome Emile. I love that name.

FOOC Geneva

Returning today with news of one of Geneva's most important festivals, Fete de l'Escalade. (there should be a wee ^ hat on the first E of Fete but my phone doesn't do them)

Back on the 11th December 1602, troops sent by Charles Emmannuel, Duke of Savoy attacked the town of Geneva. The plan was for the troops to climb the walls (climb=escalade)

Mere Royaume, mother of 14 children was cooking soup on the night of 11 - 12th December. Realizing that the town was being attacked, she opened her window and chucked the pot of soup at one of the Italian soldiers, killing him and making such a commotion that the Genevoise were alerted to the attack. The feisty women of Geneva joined in the fray, throwing various pots, pans and household goods out if their windows at the attackers.

The defeat of the Savoys is celebrated with parades through the town and various activities around the town, always on the weekend closest to 11/12 December.

We headed into town this afternoon. There were many stalls selling delicious soup, whole pigs were roasted over open fires and cannons were fired. Lots of people costumed, some on horseback, some matching in bands. The atmosphere was very festive and friendly. The DC loved the cannons, our puppy less so.

Sadly, I am still without a computer so cannot share some photos with you.

The novelty of going out with the puppy is beginning to wear off and it is getting frustrating that we are stopped every 5 minutes so that Daphne can be admired.

Oops, forgot to tell you about the Marmite. Funnily enough, this has nothing to do with yeasty spread, it is the name for the chocolate cauldrons that are to be found in almost every house in Geneva to Escalade. They are filled with marzipan vegetables and traditionally they are smashed by the eldest and the youngest member of the family. We pulverized ours today, sadly without saying the speech in French that the children learn in school about the defeat of the Savoys. "Thus perish the enemies of the Republic!" We will learn it for next year, I promise.

FOOC Auckland

Weather - glorious sunshine, mid 20's

The end of the touch season is this week so yesterday we hosted the end of season party for our two teams, the under 9's and under 11's. Fortunately the sun shone as about 55 adults and children arrived armed with swimming costumes, picnic blankets, beer, wine and something for the 'bar-be' (bbq). As a suprise this year we'd arranged for each team member to have their own trophy - ds1 received 'Most Defensive'. His little face shone as this is no mean feat. He's the scrawny white kid playing against some fierce Islanders and Maori kids twice his size but he holds his ground and is quick on his feet so trophy well deserved. No tears, no casualties except for a few sore heads for the adults this morning I think. Only 2 children slept over and nobody needed to camp in teh tent we'd put outside jsut in case . All in all a great end to the season. One game to go, then we can kick back and relax.

Schools break up on Friday until Feb 4th - summer hols - next mission what to do with 2 boys for 7 weeks .

smashing marzipan vegetables in a "marmite"! Now dd would enjoy that. I think I might too.

OMG biddy, now that was a birth to remember!

FOOC Nigeria/Scotland

Just a short report today, courtesy of dh. He's home alone in Lagos and sent me a brief account of an occurrence he witnessed yesterday (expletives deleted).

"I was watching the construction workers earlier on the shoreline opposite the carwash area. They were making a fire and brought over a complete dead goat and roasted it, head, hooves and all. They are now having a feast. Luckily the wind is blowing the smoke and smell into the Lagoon. I expect they'll all be going for a communal crap soon. I may get a photo opporchancity."

I'm toiling away like one of Santa's elves here in the UK. Does it ever stop raining in this place???? And to add to my joy, I've got an infected toe from having to wear shoes instead of sandals. Ouch!

oh suedonim - I'm looking at our 2 goats, Billy and Umaga merrily chomping on grass from the office window and shudder

Took DD and DS to see the Christmas lights in Paris at the weekend. Walked from Saint Lazare along to Galeries Lafayette and Printemps. Far too many people for us to look at the window displays, but the tops of the buildings were all lit up too. Galeries Lafayette had a wonderful display like an enormous Rose window and squirls and curls of lights spreading across the front of the store like a romanticised thicket of roses. Printemps had giant yellow and white snowflakes and there were red and yellow shooting stars in the street. The highlight was definitely Place Vendome: huge 3-tiered candelabra all down the street leading up to the square, then rivers of white light down all the buildings round the square, four stylised white Christmas trees, one in each corner, and the central pillar / monument floodlit. It was pouring with rain but DD was entranced (as were we all) and ran around shouting "It's Christmas, it's Christmas". We then all piled into a cafe and ate Confit de canard and drank lots of wine before wandering back to the station and leaving the winter wonderland for our cosy appartment by the dark dark forest. We have had our Christmas tree up since 1st December (first year I have done one, actually) as we had a small Christmas party / gouter last weekend where we had all the children decorating a gingerbread house and making Christingle oranges. We have even been able to profit from DD's ongoing medical assessment in Neuilly (v. posh suburb just out of Paris - Tfor2 problably knows it as it's in her neck of the woods) because the place we have to go to is right next to Neuilly's Christmas market, so last week while DH took DD to be assessed, DS and I went to the market and listened to an old-fashioned organ grinder telling stories and singing songs, ringed by a gaggle of open-mouthed babies and children. DS has his Christmas party at halte garderie tomorrow, and DD has hers at school on Thursday - which she's supposed to go to wearing "tenue de soirée" (evening dress) so I shall have to iron up her poshest frock!

Sibble Further to the 'goat roast' dh said when they brought it along it was black, presumably because it was slaughtered last Mon and the temp has been hovering around 100deg. The meat must have had a heady taste as apparently they put an old tyre onto the fire to give an extra piquancy to the flavour.

Gosh Suedonim, sounds, ummmm, yummy .

I had cabrito (kid) at the weekend, roasted in a wood burning oven. It has a very strong taste, definitely not for those who aren't keen on well-hung lamb, but gutsy enough to cope with the freezing foggy weather outside.

On our post-prandial walk in the hills to settle our stomachs we came across several herds of goats. To stop them straying too far, the adult goats are hobbled, with their two left legs tied together, so the poor things have a very strange gait. The largest of the herd also wears a bell, so the herder can find them easily. The sound of the bells is really rather peaceful, but boy do goats smell

omg it doesn't bare thinking about and I've just been worrying about the meat I left in the car for an hour while I finished shopping It must have stunk - I know the sheep that died in the paddock last summer and went unoticed for 48 hours was disgusting. Any longer and it doesn't bare thinking about [eurgh wretching expression

As for eating them - nooooooo. I can eat our sheep and cows but not the goats noooo. It'd be like eating the pet dog . PS ours don't smell we wash them in dishwashing liquid . Although when we came back from our week away and they'd escaped from the paddock, taught the sheep to escape and eaten all my roses, flaxes and other plants to the ground and left along with the sheep and chickens a trail of pooh around the house 'goat on a spit' did seem quite appealing!

The communal crap took place this afternoon. Dh was sunning himself on the balcony when he realised that 8 floors below him were five chaps sharing a crapping session. A male bonding session.

After what dh told me this evening, I don't think I can ever go back to Lagos. He went out to a Christmas meal where everyone had a fair bit to drink and got talking about what they'd do in their retirement. Dh said he wanted to chill out and get his leg over as often as possible. OMG, how am I going to face these people in January?!?! fblush] I just hope they were all so drunk they won't remember by tomorrow!

On the credit side he discovered that a friend of mine has a 'special birthday' next month, which made me cackle witchily as I have more than four years on her but imnsho, I look younger than her.

Oh god, my post looks like they were crapping on a balcony, lolol!!! They weren't, they were depositing digested goat into the lagoon.