Just heard the bad news. SCOTUS has said I've got to stop paying all the tariffs that have been helping line the pockets of Trump and Co. Here's hoping the rest of the world keeps theirs in place 😊

Had on of my conseilleurs municipales round this morning. Did I fancy attending the old folks meal on the 1st.? I have declined every other year and did so again. I have a horror of having to spend a meal with the elderly. Smacks to much of old folks home.

Hmm! Looks like the NEIPA first this evening.

Listening to the Witcher books. In the Swallow's Tower, Geralt (the Witcher in question) is confronted by a Prefect who's quest for law and order is conducted in a brutal manner. Wouldn't a crimeless society be a good thing he asks. The reply is impressive and pertinent. It's also long 😊

Pancake day 🥞😁, but not for me 😕. Going to have to wait until Wednesday evening.

As a gesture of friendship, I think the organisers of the Super Bowl should invite Mark Carney 💪🇨🇦 It's a long way from Ottawa but he's still young enough that he managed Switzerland (which by all accounts is closer to Florida than California.)

Couldn't sleep so I got up, had coffee, and remembered that I hadn't filed my 'recensement 2026'. So that's the census done and out of the way.

I didn't come back from Bénifontaine empty handed. The shop was open. 😁 I really liked the rubber bar mat and the smoky Winter Ale is a limited brew. The woody taste is not too pronounced but I've had to take my time drinking it. Very smooth, but for sipping, not quaffing 😁

Strikes me that if you look at America the way Marvel heroes portray it, then the current White House Administration is less the team that created Captain America and more the scheming, gone rogue, outfit that produced Wolverine. Interestingly Logan finally heads to Canada 🇨🇦😊

Attending the annual Voeux du Maire at Bénifontaine. One of the few that offers beer as well as wine to accompany the sandwiches. Can't imagine why. Perhaps it's the brewery opposite 🍻😁😁

Lego is all done. Removed most of my Discworld pieces to make room. Was time for a change anyway.

In 1245 ND de Paris was finished, well, sort of 😊

Well that was close. The cutting board I bought as a base is indeed just the right size. The foundations of the piece are not large pieces but dozens of interlocking smaller plates. I've not been frightened to move it around.

This has become addictive. Just as much fun as building a tank, but without the worry of having to paint it.

I can only presume that Venezuela isn't in the FIFA World Cup either.

Notre Dame has been started. Great kit. Instructions are very clear (piece by piece in pictures) but you need to concentrate on what goes where.

The La Fière Beers are from the same brewery that makes the Page 24 beers. The winter edition is nicely chocolate, not too strong (I really wasn't fussed on the Chromatique one - too powerful). Rounded and smooth. Only in moderation of course. Let's go for, days with an -i- in them 😁.

Look who got Lego for Christmas 😊

Edward the Black Prince. Having seen John the Blind's tomb in Luxembourg we've almost come full circle to Edward. Crazy to think that the items displayed in the crypt were worn by him, just up the road from where I live.

Well, that was a day. Up to London, then realised we were an hour early, with enough time to walk Whitehall, Downing Street, Horse Guards and out onto Westminster Bridge for midday. Took the photo, and no Victor still couldn't bring himself to smile 😊

It's been a busy day. Down to Canterbury for the day. Visited the cathedral and the tomb of Edward Woodstock. Well we're not from Crécy for nothing. One of the guides gave us the story of Henry II and Beckett. Had to keep stopping him so I could translate for Victor.

Pouring with rain 😕 Good thing I got my ears lowered yesterday. I also took the chance (mainly because there was a sign at the pharmacie I walked past) and had my flu jab. Car washed and it just needs vacuuming. Pack bags and I'll be ready for Kent tomorrow.

Just received my Christmas 'cabas' from the village Maire. Biscuits, terrines, bottle of red and chocolates.

Eight in the morning and it is still dark outside 😕 Just a few more days and we'll be at the solstice. 😊 Longer days and we're on our way back to the beach 🏖️ Off to Kent on Friday, so no snow in view makes for grey but easier driving 😊

Portée par la députée socialiste Colette Capdevielle, la mesure entend répondre à une «injustice criante» liée à l’explosion des délais d’instruction pour les renouvellements de titres de séjour de longue durée et des cartes de résident, alors que plus de 99% des demandes sont accordées.

From my walk on Thursday. Got this far ; saw the rainbow and thought, INCOMING! Time to turn around and head home.

What a crap day. It has out weathered my weather app. Rain will stop at 9h. When it didn't it became 11h. That passed and, ah yes, probably at 13h. Well, it's nearly 14h and still pissing down. Bored of it. Anyway off to the Marché de Noël in Arras later. Vin chaud, here I come 😍

Having finished binding the 2026 family calendars, I have the table free again. Time to get back to modelling. I have the Italieri Pegasus Bridge 1:72 set. The main pieces are done. Now a base. Going to be a big one.

I have visited the Maison Blanche site and the quality (let alone the quantity) of inscriptions is amazing. The site was used by the 15th Bn (48th Highlanders) immediately prior to their assault on Vimy Ridge. Our cross is at Écurie just up the road. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

Don't know this one. Named after the weapon used at Kortrijk to defeat the French in 1302.

Well that's my Boulonnais pudding mix made up. Suet is tricky to find but I had some Atora (veggie) left over from last year's batch. Fruit has been sitting in Rhum for 2 weeks 😋 Tomorrow I can start steaming. Should be enough for 5 small ones. The pack is for one 2.5 kg pudding 😳

Drove down to Luxembourg on Saturday morning with my neighbour, Victor. It was wet, but held off a bit whilst we visited the town. Yesterday drove back up to Ciney for Europe's largest militaria fair. This is one of the 2 show rooms. An interesting experience. Victor spent all his money 😊

Je me demande si les Français devront bientôt s'inspirer de Jeanne d'Arc et à nouveau, bouter les Anglais hors de France. Je m'explique. La vague anti migrants est en train d'enfler au Royaume-Uni. Elle ne concerne pas seulement les demandeurs d'asile. Les migrants légaux sont également attaqués.

That is not nice out there, this morning.

Don't use the Leclerc at Attin very often but popped in this afternoon. Car park is a bit of a mess as they install solar panels over it. They did this at my usual Leclerc at Herlin. Great for wet or hot weather.

Oh look. It's that time of the year for me to prove to DWP that I'm still alive. Good thing they caught me before I go swimming. 🏊🤣🤣

I'm not really into theology, but it does occur to me, following posts from Americans I know on FB (and here), to pose the question : Can you be a martyr to a cause, if it can be demonstrably shown that your death had nothing to do with the cause, for which you are being hailed as a martyr.?

Good thing the glass has the name. My newer bottles do now have a small étiquette. Westvleteren 12. This one must be at least a year old. It's not as though I get up their shop very often. @homeindouai.bsky.social

As recommended by @homeindouai.bsky.social but with my Peak bière tankard 😍

Farage in the media all the time, RW press running the show, and here we are, with what little other press there is, trying to make something negative about the Gov saying "it will apply the rules". This is the attitude of the, anti 90/180 days brigade, who think it shouldn't apply to Brits.

Enough of Pils, time for something with taste. Luxembourg is lovely. Will come back again.

Not a great pils lover, but when in Diekirch 😊

Today's lunch was brought to me by Peak Beers. They say it's the highest brewery in Belgium. This is how the Scotch ale arrived 😍😍

This evening I've found this on promo in the bar. What's even better is that planning for tomorrow was to visit Liège station, modern and impressive. The brewery is all but opposite.

Lunchtime at the Brasserie Lupulus

At the Abbey at Stavelot. Museum to the local auto circuit (Belgian Grand Prix)

Today starts at the Abbaye de Stavelot

Memorial to BE POWs who died in Stalag 1A. Bodies never recovered because the Soviets refused. Chaudfontaine.

I'm starting this trip the way I intend to continue it. First stop Rochefort

Last weekend I had some Canadians with me doing the whole Arras thing. They'd come out from Paris for the day and were telling me how they'd simply queued for Notre Dame. Went down with family on Tuesday and gave it a go. Looked bad, out onto the bridge, but, kept moving. 20 mins and we were in.