Paris in Springtime

Hello again my friends,

Well the birds are squabling and the squirrels are chasing each other around the gardens so I guess Spring is finally around the corner.
I have even seen the sun today - I think it was the sun - I haven`t seen it for such a long time.

At my grand old age - lol - you would think nothing would surprise me anymore, but I did get the
shock of my life when hubby suggested we go to Paris soon again for a long weekend.
Then when I came down to earth he said we could visit all the markets - hum - talk about a busman`s
holiday.

Talking of Paris though, there are a few sights I still haven`t seen. All the normal tourists places
don`t interest me anymore - what I do like are statues, the more interesting the better.  The thumb
is quite good which is outside the Hilton.

I can never tire of going to the Pere Lachaise famous cemetary which is situated on the top of a hill
overlooking Paris.  It is HUGE and anybody who was anybody is there.  I have it in my minds eye, on a lovely sunny balmy evening they come back to life and give shows to one another.

One of the few men I would have loved to have met - Oscar Wilde. Surely no man could have packed so much into his life.

Finally Jim Morrison - his fans still come to visit him in their hundreds.  I had better stop there or I`ll fill the computer with their photos.

The cemetary is 110 acres - not the biggest - but the most interesting.  I did want to show you
Geoges Rodenbachs memorial but I couldn`t find it - maybe next time.

 I`ll go to the markets if hubby will spend the day with me at Pere Lachaise and I`ll show you some of the goodies I bought.

Take care - keep warm (or cool) depending on where in the world you are at in this moment of time.
Speak to you soon.

Love Ollie xxxxx

What a glorious start to the New Year

Hi Everyone

I know what you are saying - what on earth is she talking about - New Year in March?
Well owls do hibernate you know.  I have not succumbed yet although I really am sleepy.
I suppose it is my fault that IT happened, I was probably walking around with my eyes closed
as I have been known to do, when I tripped and fell down two steps from my bedroom to
the hallway and crashed very un-owl-like on to the tiled floor putting all my weight (which is considerable) on my right hand.

This thing has been my constant companion ever since.

Tim raced me to the hospital whilst I sat in the passenger seat trying not to screech every time he
went over a bump.  I honestly thought I would spend a couple of hours in the waiting room and then go into the little plastering room, where they would do what was necessary and then go home.

Oh no !!!  No way !!!!  I had an operation which took four hours, wouldn`t give me a general as my
heart is a bit loopy at the moment, and had to stay in hospital for five days, having my food cut up like a baby.
I did learn how to multi task whilst I was there - found out I could sleep and dribble at the same time.
Anyway they weren`t satisfied with it so off I went again to the operating room - again no general
anesthetic just local and another 2 hours was spent with me looking at all the lights and the anethetist
saying "Madame - n`avez pas fermer vos yeux.   MADAME  MADAME  he probably thought I was going to snuff it as we say here.
I suppose he wasn`t too pleased to start off having to come in especially on Sunday.

Seemingly I hadn`t just broken my wrist I had completely smashed it.  Now that it`s healed when I hold my hand up it tilts to the right quite a bit.  If I do hold it up it looks as though I`m waving.

Being my right hand I was helpless.  I lived in track suit bottoms and whatever top my loving
hubby happened to find that day.  So all in all two months of my life has slipped by with me lying on the sofa looking out of the window.

Oh this is one of my red squirrels that keep me entertained.

The world has gone mad with the weather.  First we had non stop rain in January and February and

everywhere was flooded

                                                     
                            

Then this month - its decided to snow and being at the end of a country lane we are completely
blocked in.

                My two cats - Jack and Henry said " =**!!xx" to the snow - we are staying here!!

          Take care everyone - hopefully I`ll be back to normal now and write again next week.

                                                                    a bientot

                                                                   Ollie xxxx

I`m dreaming of a white Christmas

Hello everyone - Ollie here
I`m sorry I haven`t written to you for a couple of weeks but I`m afraid I was laid up in bed for a while Now though I`m up again and flying around as per usual.
I have bought some nice things which I`ll put on my shop in the next few days, some very old pinze-nez and old spectacles which look great on a desk with an old inkstand.  I have even sold a few pairs to wear on stage for Am.Dram. fans.
As I haven`t been around a lot in the last few weeks, I thought I would show you some sights that are in my area.  There are loads more of course but these are some of my favorites.

 This is a lovely plaque which gives thanks to the American soldier who defended the Mayenne
bridge against the Germans  on the 5th August 1944.  His name was James Mac Rachen and was sacrificed saving the french people.
There are plaques everywhere and a lot of the street names are named after these heroes.

 There are numerous Chateaux in the Mayenne area this is just one.

Again many old grave sites here, not as many as in Carnac in Brittany which does make
Stonehenge look insignificant.

One of my favourite museums - Tatin museum - which is full of unbelievable scuptures.  Once is not enough to appreciate them.

 What can I say - after all that sightseeing - a gorgeous meal in one of my favourite restaurants, which I must say are quite a few.

I prefer the beautiful countryside to the beach, although it isn`t that far away.  I don`t like crowds so keep this lovely area of France a secret between us.

Thank you for your support and I wish you all a very happy Christmas and a peaceful New Year.


God Bless

Ollie xxxxxxx

Hi Mes Amis

Me again, not the usual bubbly warm owl you know and love but a freezing one.

I nearly fell off my perch (in more senses than one) yesterday.  The icy wind was blowing that
strongly it left me with ice on my beak and that is NOT nice, believe me.

The squirrels are like whirling dervishes at the moment getting their last nuts in before everything ices over.  I`m going to have to start eating nuts shortly as my little friends are not coming out of their hideaways,  its too cold, so when they do they`ll be all skin and bone.

Don`t be like that  -  an owl has to eat as well you know.

I remember something of a poem that my grandma used to tell me.  Something about a robin who
was freezing.  I can`t remember the start but it finished with

HE SITS IN THE BARN
TO KEEP HISSEL WARM  (Lancashire Accent)
AND TUCKS HIS HEAD UNDER HIS WING
POOR THING !

I don`t know if she made that up or not but a Poet Lauriet she was not (Did I spell Lauriet right?)

I flew over the last vide grenier of the year on Sunday.  It was that cold the rain turned to ice so
didn`t stay long.  Didn`t buy anything either.  Will stay in the warm brocantes until spring.

I love all you friends and customers, but there is a limit isn`t there?

I`ll go now - no pictures really to show you except maybe for the Eiffel Tower being struck by
lightening - do you want to see it?  o.k. then

Have a lovely week everyone - speak to you soon.

With love

Ollie xxxxxxxxxxx

Hello Everyone and I apologize for being late with this weekly blog.

Still not recouperated from the weekend.  We went to my friends

birthday party, promising ourselves to only being there for a few hours

and not drinking - to finally getting out at 2.00 a.m. and me full of red wine and

champagne - well you can`t be a party pooper can you? Hubby was on his
high horse and only drank one glass of champers for the toast.

The only problem was we were going to a new open air Brocante the next

morning or should I say the same morning and, being so far away, we had

to make a start at 4.00 a.m. to have any chance of getting some great things.

Needless to say it was pouring down with rain, sleet and high winds all the

way.  When we got there it was still coming down like stair rods, but, as

professionals (or more like a bag lady and her husband) like the Royal Mail - we had

to get through.

We pushed and shoved through the sodden masses wondering if Etsy knew what

we poor sellers have to go through and managed to grab some great stuff in the

end.

It got that packed by about 10.00 in the morning  we were carried through the streets without putting a foot

on the ground and finally admitted defeat.

But not until we saw a brilliant and very unusual item.

www.etsy.com/shop/littlefrenchowl

20 beautiful pewter cheese name tags - Brilliant for a wine and cheese party.

When I revived and looked at my purchases I thought it was all worthwhile - but

never going there again.  It was too near Paris and a lot of them were charging

Paris prices which we would not charge our customers, but luckily the Parisiens
like to sleep in, so we grabbed all our bargains before most of them were awake.

And after a nice hot bath

 I slept like a log - dreaming of flying over stalls full of gold and silver but
not being able to land  !!!

tant - pis  -  there is always another time.
Au revoir mes amis
Ollie