WAVES OF HAPPINESS

Making a fool of yourself can make you happier.

You don't believe me?

Well, just take a few minutes to read this week's story and you'll see it's true.

It is a short story of the early days of my blog, but at the time it got so many views, likes and comments that I can't help publishing it again, so here it is.

I met my husband-to-be in Brittany and the very first time he offered to take me for a sea-excursion on his sailing boat, I accepted immediately. Just the two of us riding the ocean, how romantic and lovely!

I was on cloud nine!

Unfortunately I had to get my head out of the clouds (cloud nine included) rather quickly…

Me, the Pirate Queen? No way!

I was just a poor landlubber.

The offshore murky waters, the Breton choppy sea and the threatening lines of white foam around the boat quickly turned my idyllic cruise into a real pain.

 My boyfriend said  he felt sorry for me and that we would sail back to the haven.

He started turning away from the wind and that's when  I made a fool of myself.

The boat started leaning a lot (quite normal during such a manœuvre, but frightening for a budding sailor like me).

I thought we were about to capsize and...I jumped overboard and started swimming.

I couldn't see the seashore in the far distance, but never mind, I was a pretty good swimmer.

When I slowed down to catch my breath, I could hear my boyfriend shouting :

" Come on, don't panic, get back onboard! ".

" No way! ", I yelled out of breath, " I'll swim all the way back to the     

   haven! ".

" OK, then ", he replied, " but listen, Christopher Columbus, if I were 

   you, I would swim the other way round, cause right now you're 

   heading to America! ".

Then, he steered the boat towards me and fished me out.

I was relieved and happy, but when he told me I was the most beautiful catch I had ever had, I realized that sometimes making a fool of oneself can make you happier, so sweep away shame and enjoy life!

FORGET THE PAST?

Irregular verbs. Does that ring a bell?

I guess for most of you they are or they have been a real pain.

Don't expect them to follow the herd of regular verbs and their nice "ed"  endings.

No way!

Those cheeky monkeys break all the rules, and using their past tense forms randomly is rather risky, cause they are unpredictable.

So, better learn them by heart.

Fortunately, there are many tips to make it easier.

https://reallifeglobal.com/irregular-verbs-made-easy/

No doubt you will find one way to suit you whatever the type of learner you are.

" Whatever the type of learner you are" is perhaps a bit overstated, cause I remember using all of the tips of that site with a young pupil of mine and none worked!

Yet, he was a smart kid and usually got good marks, but irregular verbs seemed to be his pet peeve.

At least, that's what I thought, till one day after using "comed" instead of " came", he let the truth come out…

He told me that "ed"past tense ending was a rule and rules must be respected, so he wouldn't let rule breakers such as irregular verbs call the shots!

Then, he added that anyway he was not interested in the past but only in the future!

That was long ago, and since then my little allergic-to-irregular-verbs young rascal has turned into a young adult with, I guess, a bright future ahead of him!

But, there are still irregular verbs and even if the saying "let bygones be bygones " is true, better remember them!

DOG IDIOMS

Hi everydoggy,

My name is Canaille. I am an English Springer Spaniel and Perky, this blog's owner is my mom.

Today I really feel miserable, cause it is an off day. I mean, no cuddle, no belly rubbing, no "fetch the ball" game, and, even worse, Perky keeps telling me to keep quiet because she is behind with her work.

Behind with her work? My paw!*

It is a "the dog ate my homework" excuse!

Actually, she has eaten too much and now she is as sick as a dog, and let me tell you that the idiom proves true.

I remember last time I indulged myself with a pack of toffees Perky had left on her desk, I was awfully sick (and sticky, as well). 

Perky had just mopped the kitchen floor, so, not to ruin her hard work, I rushed to the living-room and threw up on the carpet, and you know what!

When she saw her toffee-coated carpet, she said she was sick!

Poor girl!

Couldn't be  because of the toffees, cause I had gobbled all of them, wrapping papers included!

So, what was she sick of?

Then, when I saw the way she frowned at me, it dawned on me that she was sick of me! 

Yes, guys, sick of ME,the most affectionate and devoted friend she's ever had!! What a blow!

That's the only time I have had a bone to pick with Perky and that's how I understood the real meaning of the idiom "A dog's life".

Of course, there must be other idioms that prove true, but I am too dog tired to keep writing, so let the sleeping dog lie.

Have a pawesome day!

Your cuddly Canaille.

* For non-dog speaking readers, "my paw" means "my foot".

PS : By the way, how many idioms have you found in my post?

CONFESSIONS OF A TONGUE-IN-CHEEK QUEEN

Even though my "crime" has expired, it is still sitting in my mind (and on my stomach,as well), cause I let an innocent man be accused, and thus nearly  ruined his reputation.

I have been dragging that burden for too long and I can't bear it any longer.

Time has come to tell the truth and come what may…

I can't remember the year it happened, but the day, for sure!

It was on January 6th, the day when in France we eat Galette des Rois

(King's Cake).

That delicious frangipane tart contains a porcelain bean and whoever finds it in their slice becomes King or Queen for the day with the option to choose a royal partner.

At the time I was a newbie in a company, and to be honest, I was quite shy and awkward.

So, when the secretary told me that at lunch-time the boss would treat us with a yummy Galette des Rois, my tastebuds started wriggling, but then I remembered the dreadful option : choosing a royal partner, and kissing him.

Jeez, if I got the bean, I would abdicate immediately rather than crown and kiss any guy of the company (remember, I was a newbie there!).

I guess, there's no hiding from a fate, cause, of course, I got the bean.

Abdicating would not have been politically correct, so I decided to hide the bean inside my cheek.

While the rest of the staff was complaining about the scatterbrained baker who had forgotten to put a bean inside his cake, I kept silent.

Actually, I was too busy holding the bean prisoner. 

That made me look like a well-fed hamster, but what would have happened if I had swallowed the bean?

Well, I guess I would have spilled the beans, but nothing of that sort happened.

So, years after I still have that damned bean and it is a royal pain, just like a proof of my crime of lese-majesty!

Anyway, now that I have told you my pretty little lie, I feel relieved, cause a fault confessed is half  redressed, isn't  it?

xoxo from the Bean Queen.