What I Forgot

The wide–open spaces of the Petit Palais.

Is Left Out

Paris:– Monday, 5. March:–  It stands to reason that if we have the mildest winter since 1950 then the last two weeks of it are likely to be mean and rough just to show us that we aren't going to get off entirely scot–free. So far, a bit worse but not horrible.

Semi–Moderate and Demi–Cool

While France continues to post record warm days, especially in the southern precincts, some days here in the between–north are really pleasant and dry and fairly warm. Each day adds its few extra minutes of sunlight and sometimes finishes off with a gradually setting sun rather than a simple lights–out.

Tuesday may start out grey and offshore winds from the usual direction are going to push rainfall in Brittany to the east, to here, and then there may be rainfall right around here too. Meanwhile, the 100 kph winds will moderate to gentle 60 kph breezes, which will keep the wave of rain on the move towards the east, where it belongs.

The weather map for Wednesday plots the rain as being mainly on the Riviera and the northern slopes of the Pyrenees for a change, possibly on account of the drought. Around here semi–sunny has been predicted – actually it is my interpretation of it – and the high temperature might be 12 degrees, like Tuesday, like Thursday.

Salmon mousse something.

Pretty much the same is foreseen for Thursday except that the foul patches will be scrunched into smaller areas down south. Around here, because we are good, the day might be calm and semi–sunny and demi–great for an 8th of March, just a week before the Ides, whatever they are.

Counter–Atlantic, where winter has ceased to happen, we are encouraged. Wave our arms and hands, shout hola! and turn to Météo Jim, with the latest... menagerie?

Capricious Animal Crackers

As the season leaves the month of the Groundhog and enters the climes of the Leprechaun, the awakenings of the Easter Bunny and March Madness – the stuporbowls of high school and college basketball – the weather becomes ever more fickle and capricious.

A dry Feeblewary departed and replaced by a rain–soaked March with over 2 a–inches falling in most of Pommeland. Whether this was a lamb or a lion is hard to tell. The temperatures were mild but the wind was blowing and sometimes the rain came down horizontally.

As for the days to come, the Groundhog will revisit the scene with high temperatures in the mid–20s on Tuesday. He will then be forced back into his hole with highs at the end of the week expected to be in the low 50s a–grad. No rain or snow is predicted until it arrives.

A corner café dessert.

A la prochaine , Météo Jim

Timely Reminder

Daylight Saving begins in the United States next weekend, three weeks earlier than usual. There is nothing so unusual with this other than the change being two weeks before we will get around to it over here in the old, funky country. Make your plans accordingly.

Café Life

Summit of Stromboli

When one is really poor the only way to live sanely in Paris is to keep the gaze on the straight and narrow and off the food displays which abound. It's bad enough that delicious smells get through averted eyes, but who knows if memory is true? It could be that roasting chicken smells like a used tire dump if you haven't had one on a plate near you for a couple of years.

Continued... on this week's Au Bistro page.

The Café Metropole Club Crosses the Hump

Last Thursday two club members helped the club's secretary with the 365th meeting, remembered only in retrospect. Many other members, far and wide, many of them, remained absent, more or less as unexpected. On this next Thursday there will be a brand new Café Metropole Club meeting, without fail on Thursday.

Another kind of baguette.

The coming meeting of the Café Metropole Club will be on 8. March, also on Thursday. The Saint of the Day is a somewhat famous one. Welcome Saint–Jean de Dieu, born in 1495 in Portugal. For the internationals he is also known as Juan de Dios or João de Deus. He founded he Brothers Hospitallers of St. John of God and this unit looks after the Pope's medical welfare these days.