STORMS OVER CALAIS

I've never been a fan of the industrial town of Calais, in Northern France. It serves as a port to get to and from the UK but I haven't yet found any other reasons to visit. However, I do think their belfry is one of the nicest in Flanders. Snapped this shot on my way back from my interview over in Kent - it had been a totally manic and rushed day full of crucial transport connections and stumbling around unknown territory. I took a moment out before heading on the train home to breathe in and look behind me, and was treated to a lovely bit of stormy dark-light.

I'll soon be heading over the sleeve myself as I did get a job offer following this interview...they were even happy to hold the position for me until I'm back from my trip to Australia! More changes afoot...

OVER THE SLEEVE

I finally had a job interview last week with a wildlife park in Kent as I've recently been considering a move to the UK if I want to get work in my field, anywhere near my field, 3 paddocks over from my field...Mr Francais has also expressed an interest to move also but for now I'm thinking mostly of my own career goals as the compromises I have been making career-wise to stay in France are not doing either of us any favours.

CANAL

water! the horrors!

One of the advantages of having a brand spanking new puppy to try and keep trained and/or exhausted is getting to know some local scenery. I walk down by this canal near our apartment a lot, and the enclosed pathway has been very useful for teaching the pooch a bit of off-leash training and recall. It's quite a pretty walk and great for keeping watch on the unfolding spring season...and I imagine that without the persistent prod of a pooch that wants some outdoors time, I would never even have found out about it.

EVEN MY DOG HAS A CHIROPRACTOR

I've never had a dog before. In fact, I've only very sporadically had cats and have never had the occasion to take any of them to the vet. However, being as I am a newly responsible, mature and adult dog owner (read 'wallet on legs') I have had a couple of recent visits for booster shots and the like. This last visit came with a singularly bizarre witch doctory chiropractic session where my fairly confused and generally overexcited dog was treated to some reiki style micro manipulations from the local vet who, as far as I could tell, appeared to be casting out localised stresses with dramatic flourishes of her wrist.

Oh well, he's no more or less insane than usual.

YPRES (IEPER)

A few snaps from the town of Ypres in northern Belgium

CHAMPAGNE-ARDENNES

During the Easter break we bundled up the puppy for a short trip to the nearby region of Champagne-Ardennes in north-eastern France. Still a bit on the damp and nippy side, it was nevertheless a great couple of days away and the pup behaved surprisingly well (helped along by many hours of running through forests...but not crossing tiny streams...absolutely not. Not even rivulets....tell me again how spaniels are meant to like water??)