The Mundane and the Mildly Interesting

Recycling:               (I'll always be a tree hugger)

  I have to give the French mixed marks for their efforts.

The high mark is for the way residential waste is handled, at least, in this area. Paper, plastic, cardboard and aluminum are put into see-through yellow plastic bags and the rest in  black bags and put curbside. We have seen this system in other villages as well.

Only glass, all colors, must be deposited in containers which are at the end of the villages which ensures your neighbors don't know how much you drink.......this is a good thing.
Customers take their own bags to the stores (grocery and likewise). If you forget - you do without or buy one.  We are becoming much better at not having to make that trip back to the car!

Some grocery stores have depositories for small batteries and plastic bottle tops.

However, the waste within the grocery store is sinful. Why would a store package two slices (deux tranches au jambon) of ham?  Why are three pieces of paper given to the customer at check out - the receipt, possibly a discount coupon and the debit card receipt? No need!

Soft drinks, iced tea and juices in restaurants are served in small glass bottles. Not many fountain drinks available- Mickey D's being an exception - yup, I had a bacon cheeseburger and Brian a chicken wrap; shame on us!!!

Trash:

Very little graffiti.  Very little litter! I don't know how they do it but we never see trash blowing around in the villages, towns or the countryside. Doggy doo-doo is still an issue but it is becoming better. Brian "recycles" our vegetable bags when he takes Angus on his walks.

Traffic:

The roads are in excellent shape and well marked whether they be country, highway or one lane affairs. It seems as if the roads, small and large, are constantly being repaved and repainted. We think of this as Stimulus Euros at work. LOL!

Roundabouts are the answer. Very rarely do we have to wait more than 3 seconds at a roundabout. Traffic moves easily and safely, no left hand turn lanes, no waiting for the light to change color. All of the circles have plantings but some are absolutely stunning with fountains, flowers or statues.  I wonder if the gardeners collect "danger" pay to cross to the middle to maintain the displays. I'd take pictures but there usually is nowhere to stop. 

Wind farms:
Fabulous structures with a purpose- to watch them is to be mesmerized by them. Lazily turning the wind into electricity with their three arms falling and rising over and over; cost and pollution free. It is a pleasure to see these in a country so dependent upon nuclear power with over 80 reactors.


Laundry:
The verdict is in - Its the dryer's fault!!  We have not lost one sock in the washer. Of course, it is a small washer...... 
Laundry is stress free !! If it is sunny, we do the wash.

(Disclaimer: these are not our clothes)

No more listening for the dryer buzzer, rushing upstairs to take the clothes out before they wrinkle. It's so easy - I remember the days of having to have enough quarters and either going to the apartment building laundry room in the basement or spending a day at the laundromat.

Now:
a)  put the clothes in the washer - finishes in about 1 hour
b)  pin onto the dryer rack on the terrace in the sun
c)  any time after they are dried fold and inhale the freshness.

                                      Question:

At what point do clothes become laundry 

and laundry become clothes???

French farmers work very hard - milking cows for instance. This is a 7j/7 (24/7) job. An enterprising person realized there just weren't many opportunities for these men to meet prospective wives......and created an farmers' online association. Now, a date has been set a for big party where prospective brides/girlfriends and the single farmers will be introduced.  Ain't love grand???

           Of course, not all farmers have big equipment

   and drive "Jaguars".