Chilling out in Alanea's garden

I feel better now.  Alanea has been nurturing nature for 4 years and finally the faux Jasmine has "taken off".  I like to sit in this front garden in the morning because it is sunny and warm.  Dave renovated it last year and now it nicer.

 Alanea is busy talking on Skype and Dave is emailing Jeff in Hong Kong.  Jeff is coming here on Thursday to ride bikes with Dave for a few days.  They will go to Beaumes de Venise and ride Mont Ventoux in a 102 km race.  They are looking forward to the time together but Alanea is going to be so sad that Dave is not here with her LOLOLOLOLOL.  I will be here and we will have fun together.  Maybe Auntie Francoise, Anne, Judy, and Judy's friend Tina will come over and have a cup of tea (Rose vino) with Alanea, cough cough.  A Bientot.

Post traumatic stress syndrome

In general France is a beautiful place and a tranquille society.  Successive regimes have sought to stabilize thinking and encourage the population to leave the real work of governance to the brainiacs that are produced by the grand ecoles (Mr Sarkozy did not attend a Grand Ecole).  The system works relatively well, better in times of prosperity when people are more docile and have more to lose by rebellious behaviour.  In that respect most western societies are the same.  The price that is paid is higher tax rates and occasional petty, laughable politicians and petty corruption.  Toronto does not have a monopoly on wacky bureaucrats.  I defer to Dave.  He feeds me at 06:00, he cleans up my poops, feeds me cookies and he carries me when I am tired or threatened.  In short Dave and Alanea take good care of me and I in turn take care of them.  I snuggle in bed with Alanea and I make sure Dave stays occupied.  We are a team of 3 however we have made good, reliable friends here in France.  Russians, Danish, Swiss, English, Dutch and French friends.  We sometimes agonize over why we don't have more visitors from Canada and Dave whines about not having Coors Light.  We watch with interest and sometimes think that the French are their own worst enemies.  They encourage freedom and egalitarianism yet sing the national anthem when the far right threatens the very basis of democracy.  They seem to forget that one of the founding reasons for the EU was "NO MORE WARS", that has been achieved  They drive recklessly as if to say "I pay for insurance so I am bloody well going to use it", even at the risk of serious injury.  The French take a win / lose approach to almost everything, more than likely because in a socialist country winning and wealth accumulation are generally viewed with distain by those who's competitive edge is limited to passing cars on narrow roads.  Unfortunately efficiency in France would destroy it's quaint reputation, produce a 60% unemployment rate and simply not sit well.
Why the rant:
Because I almost met my maker on Saturday.  Yes despite Dave and Alanea's best efforts to keep me safe some idiot woman allowed her big dog to run the length of a busy parking lot in a busier large city and attack me.  Well he did not really attack me but it sure felt like she / he was attacking me.  I screamed Dave and chased the dog away while the woman was trying to corral the dog and put it on a proper leash.  Dave was very angry, he carried me until I stopped crying.  Alanea scolded the lady (in French) but it won't do any good.  Anyway I have posted a nice photo of me on my lounge chair for everyone to see.  It is spring and I am alive and in love just like Alban.

Alanea and dave took me to Nice

I was so happy to go to Nice and see the rejuvenated city, ride the new tram, eat in a good restaurant and sleep in a comfortable place.  I stayed in a little hotel and met a beautiful girl named Denise who works at the hotel (see photo).  She said that I looked like her little boy who is now with Oscaroo, Bart, Jody and Hercules.  I am not in a hurry to join them but it sounds like a nice place to me so Uncle Brad and James and Denise can stop being so sad.  Alanea had a nice time in Nice, she likes the city.  She said that Dave was a country bumpkin visiting the big city (Jed Clampett (Beverley Hillbillies) in Mephistos).  I on the other hand I looked very sophisticated even if Dave did have to carry me a few times.  We met 2 very nice people from California they took our photo in front of a new replica Statue of Liberty.  Dave spoke to them because Bruce was wearing a cycling shirt from the Amgen Tour of California, COOL.  His wife Jan rolled her eyes the same way Alanea does when Dave starts talking bikes.  Everywhere that I go I meet nice people, eat fancy stuff, get carried when I am tired but best of all I am with my big friends (Alanea anyway Dave's a dink).  I love car riding.

Me struggling to get out of the groomers

Dave took me to the groomer again.  I don't like to go but I feel better after I have a nice haircut.  I just wish that I could stay home and have my hair cut.  Dave says that I am crazy to complain about such pretty girl trimming me in all the right places but it just feels wrong to be away from Alanea.

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