Au Cochonnet Marin

Contrary to what some misguided people imagine, freedom is not the liberty to do anything you please.

Individual freedom ends where the freedom of others begins. You might be the king of your castle, but you are a trespasser on somebody else’s rights or property. And you might go to jail for exercising your so-called freedom when it clashes with official rules and common sense.

Refusing to wear a mask where it is mandated, does not fall under the category of individual freedom either. It is more an act of ignorance than defiance, and ignorance is definitely not bliss… Thousands have already died and many more will follow if we are not vigilant.

“Give me liberty or give me death” sounds catchy, but death will certainly come calling if you insist on your so-called freedom to do as you please.

The pandemic is not over… far from it, and like a cat, it has at least nine lives and probably more. Now is not the time to lower your guard and pretend that everything is back to normal, for it might never be “normal” again. Like a serial killer, the invisible enemy has settled among us and is inclined to strike unprotected victims.

The efficiency and safety of existing vaccines have been widely demonstrated and it does not make any sense for anybody to refuse an extended lifeline. Especially when it is offered everywhere and at absolutely no cost to anybody who wants it.

According to doctors and scientists, the individuals who had the common sense to get vaccinated are much less vulnerable to the Delta Variant than those who refused a prick in the arm. But the unvaccinated are highly susceptible to be infected and spread the disease.

“The freedom to be yourself, which everyone should try to access, is also, for some, the freedom to be a jerk or a bastard.” Guy Bedos

You are not alone on our poor mistreated planet, and before defending your “rights” you ought to think at least of your family and friends. Lack of intelligence is far from bliss… it is a lethal flaw, and the virus is licking its chops looking at you.

There is absolutely no excuse for the unvaccinated. When your house is on fire, your individual beliefs don’t matter anymore. It is Do or Die. Follow the evacuation orders or gamble with the devil… and Satan seldom loses.

In some extreme situations, individual “rights” are totally ignored. The global situation is dire (pandemic in Japan) and for the good of the majority, drastic measures should be implemented. Today, your freedom has been totally devalued, and would not buy you a cup of coffee.

Get smart and get vaccinated while you can. It is free, and it will certainly prevent you from spending harrowing weeks under a ventilator… or eternity in the Great Beyond.

Alain

« C’est la fête aux copains
C’est la fête aux barbus
C’est la fête aux cocus
C’est la fête à tout le monde »

Bien que la fête nationale française soit tombée un mercredi cette année, nous l’avons célébrée  le samedi 17 juillet. Ça a été la “Fête aux copains.”

Cette petite bacchanale soigneusement organisée par Jean-Michel et Ellen a été une complète réussite. Jean-Michel nous a en effet conviés dans son domaine de Santa Rosa pour une grande bouffe, et bien-entendu une partie de Pétanque.

Il faut dire que cette celebration a eu lieu dans un décor idéal. Jean-Michel a en effet la bonne fortune de posséder un grand jardin (d’ailleurs très bien entretenu) et dans lequel il a aménagé un petit terrain de pétanque.

Le matin donc, vers les 10 heures , armés de nos boules et de nos boucliers, nous nous sommes livrés à un notre  passetemps national. Un combat d’autant plus difficile que le terrain était sableux et que les boules avaient tendance à s’enliser. Mais tout s’est passé dans la bonne humeur ; il y a eu très peu de blessés, et aux environs  de midi nous nous sommes tous attablés pour une petite extravagance culinaire.

Chacun a contribué à ces agapes avec des mets divers, et la nourriture n’a pas manqué. A la fin du repas (d’ailleurs très bien arrosé, merci Jean-Michel), chacun a pu dire « merci Petit Jésus, j’ai la peau du ventre bien tendue. »

Peu après, notre hōte vêtu bien-entendu de nos couleurs tricolores, nous a régalé avec une énergique version de la Marseillaise. A la fin de cet hymne, nous étions tous prêts à prendre les armes et à défendre la patrie en danger.
Heureusement, nous n’en sommes pas arrivés à cela.

Après le repas, Jean-Michel a diffusé de la musique des années soixante, et nous a invité a danser. Tamara s’est immédiatement jetée dans les bras de ce dernier pour une danse effrénée.
Nous avons évidemment entendu Johnny Hallyday, Sylvie Vartan, Claude François, France Gall, Dalida, Hugues Aufray, Alain Barrière, Richard Anthony, Les Chaussettes Noires, etc.

Pour conclure, encore une fois un grand merci à Jean-Michel et Ellen pour avoir eu la bonne idée et l’obligeance  d’organiser cette très sympathique    “fête aux copains “.

Alain

Comme d’habitude j’ai fait de mon mieux pour illustrer cette occasion, et si vous le désirer, vous pouvez jeter un coup d’œil sur cette petite fête en cliquant « My photos ».

Call me old hat if you wish, but I find contemporary American music crass and devoid of musicality and interest; I seldom if ever listen to it.

Imagine my delight when one day on YouTube, I stumbled across something new and refreshingly different. It was a wondrous little group called “Isaac and Nora”, and although their father Nicholas is not featured in their performances, he always accompanies them with a guitar. Nicholas who was born in South Korea and was adopted by a French couple is a fine musician on his own.

Isaac and Nora are French, but although they do not speak Spanish well, they like to perform Latin tunes and melodies. They study the lyrics carefully and when performing, articulate as well as they can. I understand that their Spanish is not perfect, but they are charming, especially Nora who is cute and impish. She still has a tiny voice that will improve with time, but she is above all a breath of fresh air.

Isaac is now 13 and Nora is 10 and they are extremely versatile and talented. They both got hooked on music when their father and his friends gathered to play and entertained themselves with Latin tunes.

Isaac started to play the trumpet when he was 7 and Nora who wanted to join the fledging group started to sing shortly after. She is now the lead singer and plays the guitar and accordion while Isaac plays the trumpet and drums.

They live in Quimper, southern Brittany, and have recently traveled to Spain to record a few songs. They are also planning to travel to Latin America where they are very popular to perform and improve their Spanish. I am not fluent in español, but I love the way Nora convincingly rolls her rrrs’.

I particularly like their Spanish-French rendition of “Que Nadie Sepa Mi Sufrir” (Let no one know my suffering) an original song written in 1936 by Argentine composers Ángel Cabral (music) and Enrique Dizeo (lyrics). This song was later made extraordinarily famous in French by Edith Piaf under the name “La foule”.

Isaac and Nora also sing in French and often perform locally in Brittany but I by far prefer their Latin interpretations. Their popularity on YouTube is phenomenal and they have millions of followers. I predict a bright future for these unpretentious youngsters who just recorded their first album.

If you love Latin music and fresh talents, go to YouTube, look up Isaac and Nora, and give your long mistreated ears a treat. Tell them Alain sent you… and let no one know my sufferings.

¡Hasta la vista compañeros!

Alain