Au Cochonnet Marin

Coffee is a common drink all over the world and some people seem addicted to it. It is their lifeline, their buoy, their beacon, their salvation. I, for one, am not a fan of this beverage. I don’t care much for its taste, but I still drink it regularly.

Am I some kind of a masochist? No, I drink it because coffee is still the main social component of our society. When you want to take a break from work or entice a new acquaintance, you will often say “would you like to go for a cup of coffee?”

“I was taken by the power that savoring a simple cup of coffee can have to connect people and create community.” – Howard Schultz

My main objection to coffee in America is the amount routinely served to each customer. Annoyingly, the cup is always full to the brim. In the US, people quaff cheap coffee by gallons, but it was never meant to be that way. Coffee originated I believe in Ethiopia, and it was used by poor goatherders as a stimulant.  It was consumed strong and in small quantities (like coca leaves in Peru) to sustain the herders throughout the day.

And it is still that way in Europe and many other countries around the world. In America, unfortunately, many things are judged by their size. The bigger, the better, right? A resounding no!

Tasty dishes are always better appreciated in small quantities. You would not (unless you are an oaf) stuff yourself with caviar or foie gras, would you? If I indulge in a cup of coffee, I want it served three-quarters full in a small porcelain cup. I want to drink it slowly in small gulps, between gaps in the conversation, and it should last me for at least two hours.

Good coffee can also be appreciated after a meal with a “digestif”.“An alcoholic beverage served after a meal, to aid digestion. When served after a coffee course, it may be called pousse-café.”

 Some of my favorite digestives are, Cointreau, Grand Marnier, Cognac, or Armagnac, always absorbed of course in small amounts and small containers.

In America, coffee is more a lubricant than a treat, and it is a crying shame. In Europe, you will find many “cafés” with a great variety of coffees and delicacies, while in the US you have cheap coffee joints with tasteless coffee and stale pastries.

The secret of success is to find a need and fill it. If you want to make it in America, open a classy “café” serving odorant brews (in small porcelain cups) and an assortment of fresh pastries, and the world will be your oyster.

Alain

“If I woke up in the morning and nothing hurt, I would think I was dead.”

 Well, when I get up, I know damn well that I am alive because the lumbar area of my back never fails to remind me of it.

I wake up with pain every morning and I carry it with me all day long… maybe to a lesser extent during the day. But like a faithful pooch, it never leaves my (right) side. It always waits patiently and follows me wherever I go. The only time I get some relief is when I sit down or get drunk.

It all started a few months ago… I woke up one morning with excruciating back pain and it took me about 30 to 40 seconds to completely stand up. I first thought that the hurting would disappear the next day or within a few days, but I was wrong. The pain didn’t go away and became a permanent guest. It also forced me to walk like Quasimodo in the early hours of the day.

To get some relief, I first tried Ibuprofen; after a few dozen pills and no pain remission I gave it up. I switched to pads, hot and cold… no appreciable results. I moved to creams and lotions including horse liniment… nada.

I finally went to see my regular physician. After a brief visit, he recommended stretching exercises. I tried it, to no avail. My doctor then prescribed an MRI. I spent about an hour in a white tunnel listening to strange noises and I kind of liked it, but it did not reveal any specific problem.

My doctor then suggested some injections… OK, go for it, I said. It absolutely did not work, and I then suddenly realized that the poor man did not know what else to do anymore. Since the pain persisted,  I turned to cannabis oil. I did some research and upon reading some favorable comments I decided to give it a try.

I turned to my regular supplier (Amazon) and started by ordering hemp oil. I tried it for a few days with no appreciable results and gave it up.  The pain was sneering and laughing at me.

Then I decided to get some CBD ointment and after some research, I turned to Charlottes’ Web, where I purchased some cream that is supposed to work wonders.

 If this ointment fails, I will probably address the occult powers and celebrate a black mass with the hope that somebody out there will listen to me. Hope never dies. I will probably keep searching for a solution until I cross the river Styx.

“Technically I’m still young but according to my back pain I’m actually 97.”

To be continued…

Alain

Thirty-eight people gathered yesterday in San Rafael for a late season mêlée tournament. It was foggy and cold, and the weather did not improve much for the rest of the day. But the lack of shade provided an ideal setting for photography.

The games did not start until 10:00 am due to some late arrivals and last-minute changes to the players list. I for one, due to a stubborn back pain, was very ambivalent about playing and ultimately gave my spot to somebody else. The Moirai, or Fates, (the three goddesses of destiny) had decided that I should not play and take photographs instead. And so I did.

As usual 2 games were to be played in the morning and 2 more games in the afternoon. The mêlée format is attractive to beginners and dedicated pointers alike  for it gives them a chance to be paired with stronger, or dedicated shooters. And as proven in this tournament, pointers were the real heroes of this event and were instrumental in bringing the bacon home.

In Pétanque, pointers are like infantrymen and shooters are like the artillery. As any general will tell you, no battle can be won without the infantry.  Louis Toulon, a member of the winning team, told me himself that Sandra’s excellent pointing was a major factor of their victory.

The event mercifully ended around 3:00 pm and laurel leaves crowns (and some cash) were awarded to the 4 best teams of the day.

Despite my aching back, I managed to hop around the field to cover the action. At the end of the day, I ended up with over 500 shots that I had to review, correct or discard… an extremely time-consuming operation. I tried to keep the number of photographs published under 200 but I did not  succeed. Sorry about that.

Anyway, here are the finals results:

1^st place: Louis Toulon and Sandra Shirkey
2^nd place : François Moser and Robert Brown
3rd place: Colin Kennedy and Tamara Efron
4^th place: Bernard Passemar and Teri Thiebault

Alain

PS: Be sure to check My photos section to see how the day went on.

Be aware that because all the photos were taken with 3 different recording devices, they are not in a chronological order.