Fiona Alderman: No Internet and no cooker

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Fiona Alderman: No Internet and no cooker

I wish you all the very best wishes from rural France, and as a friend said, a HOPEFUL New Year.

I haven’t started very well with all sorts of problem that are only just getting sorted out. I had no Internet or phone (land line) for nearly a week. Luckily, I could connect up at the Mairie on their WIFI, where I reported the fault. I also went to ask a neighbour to phone the Hotline for me. Easier than me trying to reply to their fast French. Thank goodness for friends. Now up and running but for how long? The good news is we are finally getting fibre optic here in Salignac. It has been a long time coming. I think this must be the way forward for me now. Things have changed since we came in 2000 and Barry set up the Internet. I remember the irritating sound,the dial up and the huge beige block that sat in the corner, which I didn’t understand at all! It took forever to connect and when the storms came,of course, it all crashed. However, bit by bit we discovered the world with it and it did create new opportunities and even work for us. Now when the thing crashes I think back to when we didn’t have it at all and what did we do? Simpler times in many ways. I reverted back this time to reading more, listening to the radio and trying to declutter the house. I am also at the stage of going through a lot of Barry’s photos with my wish to set up an archive for him in Glasgow. So, I wasn’t bored . Until, the cooker conked out! It is a gas one with a bottle of gas attached to, I now know, very old pipes. It was a disaster waiting to happen. It sits right against the wood burner stove, which obviously gets very hot.It could have all exploded. My lovely young neighbour, thankfully has sourced the problem and switched off the gas. Now he is going to find a solution and a replacement. All pointing to things that are too old now and even dangerous.

So, a new year, new beginnings I hope and as the French say, Bonne Annee, mais surtout, la sante. Happ,y New Year but above all your health.

Marc Chagall

Born Moishe Shagal, Marc Chagall was a Russian Jew who became a very famous painter. He took French citizenship in 1937, when he changed his name.

Pierre Choumoff, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Growing up, he encountered many difficulties as a young Jewish boy, even entering a school which normally didn’t take Jews. His mother intervened offering 50 roubles, and he was then able to study there. This is where, at the age of 13, his love of drawing began. Watching a fellow student draw, he was inspired and he went on to train at the St Petersburg Art school. One of his teachers was Leon Bakst, who had designed the costumes and sets for the Ballets Russes. Chagall decided later to move to Paris, where the hub of the art world was situated. At first, he was lonely and couldn’t speak the language, but it was his time to devour the city, with its smells and colours and savour his emerging talents. His paintings at this time were still Russian influenced and a mixture of Jewish folklore, and the painters of that time, like Picasso were in the Cubism style. The colours of painters such as Matisse and Gauguin also inspired Chagall. His own style began to appear with quirky images and people floating in the sky, the humour too emerged plus that shade of blue he used which was so amazing.

His first wife, Bella is featured in a lot of his paintings , a dark headed and beautiful woman with whom he had a daughter.

The family escaped war occupied France moving to America before returning in 1945. He was commissioned to create stained glass windows in the Cathedrals of Reims and Metz.

A new beginning for him was when he was asked to illustrate The Old Testament. Going to Palestine and Tel Aviv, he would paint huge murals depicting the Bible. This he said was what he had dreamt of all his life , since he was a child, to depict the history of the Jews.

His work remains, the legacy of paintings, stained glass, ceramics, sculpture and poetry can be seen in galleries and exhibitions throughout the world.

Chagall died aged 97 in St Paul de Vence, in the South of France, where he is buried. He had been married a second time; after his beloved Bella died had a second chance with Valentina, who supported him in later years. She is now buried beside her husband. A museum has been opened in Belarus, in his home city – a tribute to his lifetime’s work.

A Sweet Treat

sweet treat

I had a lovely outing with a friend at Christmas to my favourite Patisserie / restaurant, Maison Lissajoux. It was packed but I had booked beforehand so we were swept swiftly to our table by the owner Jean. With a huge hug for ” my favourite Scottish person ” he brought us an exquisite brunch . On a beautiful cake stand with three tiers full of scrumptious food , we tucked into coleslaw, croissants with ham and poached egg , a compote of oatmeal , fresh fruits and chocolate cakes in the shape of a reindeer’s head. ! It was surprisingly filling.

Jean always comes to have a chat, even when his restaurant is busy. I introduced my friend, who works as a “pompier ” a fire officer, in Sarlat. This is a voluntary job , although volunteers get travelling expenses and other perks but she is doing a sometimes “life -saving job” virtually for free. Very physically and mentally gruelling , she feels she has found her true vacation. She does work in other places too but she speaks passionately about this job and all that she has learnt and the people she has encountered.

We finished our lunch and thanked Jean for his warm welcome and delicious meal .

A L’Annee prochaine ” he cheerily calls. Until next year .

Fiona has previously written about Maison Lissejoux
lissajoux