- Someone once told me you know you're getting older when doctors seem young. Let me say the same about estate agents... the majority were under 25 I'm sure of it.
- There is an unofficial estate agent dress code of pinstripe trousers.
- Flat hunting can lead to loud and emotional arguments with other half. Leading frog to realise that the mostly phlegmatic anglosaxon is not always so.
- Estate agents don't half like to blather on about nonsense they know nothing about. I don't believe that's an exclusively French habit.
- Even houses with completely gutted interiors are expensive.
- French people with Italian origin win the prize for most ostentatiously ugly interior decoration.
- It should be illegal for people to burn sweet vanilla candles and oils in their home.
- Paris and Reims apartments have very small bathrooms. Leading me to make many comments about the smelly French which make only me laugh. And no matter how many times the frog refers to "la douche anglaise" (quick spray with deo) will he make up for that.
- Flat hunting with Mother Frog in tow has its benefits - when she loves the same flat as you do, Frog has very little chance to get a word in edgeways.
- Flat hunting with Mother Frog has its downsides - like when she announces to Frog "well, you'll be spending most your time at home with us anyway".
I should seek clarification on that last point, right?
4 comments:
Hi Oiseau! I have discovered your blog thanks to Katia, Vivi, Petite and Pat and am immensely enjoying reading your archives.
With my French MIL I have finally learned (after 12 years!) to simply smile and agree with everything she suggests and go ahead and do my own thing anyway. She's getting rather elderly now and probably forgets half of her own suggestions anyway! You have to let them know who's boss, but in an entirely civil manner of course... Is your Frog an only child? They are much harder to winkle out from under the maternal thumb. Good luck!
Thanks :)
Frog Mother is in fact lovely and excited about us moving. And I am wheedling my way into affection by cooking for all the family on weekend visits. (Which I suspect my own mum - hi mum! - is a little peeved about since I never cook when I go and see her :))
Brother Frog and his wife live opposite the family house. We clearly chose not to take that route!
Your mother isn't the slightest bit peeved that you don't cook when you are seeing her!Otherwise she might have to feel guilty about you cooking when she visits you!
Ah - yes but who wants to eat at home when they're visiting France! That's what restaurants were invented for.
Mind you, Reims is not famous for its regional cuisine - it seems to have focused all its efforts on the champagne.
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