Language problems

For goodness sake!  Jean Pierre, one of our really nice neighbours, called in the other day with a bunch of lilies of the valley.  I thought I was holding my own conversationally,  until I left him with Mike and excused myself, by saying I had someone in the oven.   I did realise what I’d said about a minute afterwards but don’t think I’ll ever become truly fluent at this French business. 

Mary Rogers and I were having a coffee on Saturday when we got talking to an English couple who were holidaying in France and contemplating moving here.  When we said we’d been here five years and still had imperfect language skills, the woman replied that she thought that she would definitely want to learn French if she lived here.  We said that it was one of our dearest wishes to speak French properly but that we were failing.  English children who move here and enter French schools are usually yacking away in about six months.  I’ve also heard that people who take French lovers do okay, though maybe some of the things they learn to say aren’t suitable for general usage.   But we really couldn’t be doing with that kind of shenanigans.  It’s not just a case of our husbands not liking it – I’m sure we wouldn’t like it either and neither, probably, would the local Frenchmen available.   I have increasing sympathy for women in Britain, such as those from India and Pakistan, who are berated in the Mail or the Sun for their failure to speak fluent English.   It’s not easy.

But hanging around with lots of other English speaking people doesn’t help – although it’s a very pleasant thing to do.  Sunday the rain stopped long enough for a walk round Badefols d’Ans with Sue King and Brenda Durham. 

Badefols possesses a viewing point (point d’orientation) from where you can see the countryside for miles around.   There are two large upright posts which look suitable for druidic sacrifices but, on closer inspection, contain a curved metal strip pin-pointing all the neighbouring villages.    

So we viewed and walked and afterwards went to Sue’s for tea and cake (missed by Mary Rogers who said it was too cold to come out).   Driving home from Badefols afterwards Brenda and I spotted a hoopoe wandering at the roadside.  I know they travel up from Africa about this time of year, but really don’t know if they are able to converse with European birds so it may have been lost.