Would someone please tell me why Mother's Day is not on the same day in France as it is in the USA. I do have an American calendar somewhere in this house, but the one I look at everyday is of French nationality and it tells me that Mother's Day is on May 25th. So those cards I have, just waiting to be filled with a meaningful message from me, why those cards are still sitting in that big pile of papers that collect on our kitchen bar counter-top. I'll mail them on Tuesday the 13th of May, because Monday the 12th of May, is another national holiday in holiday riddled France.
Lundi de Pentecôte, (Pentecostal Monday)...it's been a fought after holiday in France. Last year, it was supposed to be a socially worked day, where all the wages earned that day went towards the care for the elderly and pumping back up the deflating social security system. Well, lots of French workers didn't like that very much, and protested to get their holiday back. Screw the elderly or maybe it was the social security system or the system in general that's being protested, but this Monday is back to being a holiday for many, especially for those in the function public (civil servants). I never work on Mondays anyway, so this controversy doesn't affect me much, except that I'll have the girls home with me. Teachers are public servants, so they are on holiday.
Maybe on Monday, being that it's a holiday and all, I'll do something useful, like clean off that kitchen bar counter-top. It might be fun to have a friend be able to sit there and have coffee while I whipped up something delicious in my oven. That's the dream vision I had of this counter divider between the kitchen and dining room. But ever since we remodeled our kitchen, that counter space has been the collection site of all that is of paper or pocket origin. Where does "stuff" collect in your house? Or is it always neat and tidy?
Happy weekend, even if it's not a holiday for you!
Saturday, May 10, 2008
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17 comments:
I know what you mean. Mother's Day (or "Family Day" as they now call it) is in January here. I never know when the American Mother's Day is coming. Instead, I use online cards, checking the date way in advance (it's usually listed right on the site) and then post-dating them to be sent right on Mother's Day. It's saved my derriere any number of times ;-).
happy Mother's Day to you, no matter when it is!
Where does stuff not collect in my house? Now there's a question that would be easy to answer! (NOWHERE)
Oh my gosh, stuff collects EVERYWHERE in my house. I need to so a serious decluttering.
Happy Mother's Day!
We've just had our spate of holidays with the week before last only having two working days in it - as may day managed to be in the same week as Freedom Day 27th April this year.
Mother's Day here is the same as American Mother's Day, which means I always miss it for my mother in England which is before Easter some time.
As for clutter, it always has to be in the kitchen - it likes the warmth. One end of the big table, one end of the counter and then it stealthily makes it's way to take over the whole thing.
I solved the 'card' problem the first year we moved. I told everyone that there were NO greeting cards in Europe so it would no longer be possible for me to send them to any person for any occasion. Fin!
It was true in Andorra.... Please don't tell them that it is no longer true in France.... Please?!?!?
(I do make phone calls - yay Skype!)
All of our junk seems to end up on our dining room table. I did finally get in the habit of putting my big purse on our hall tree but my husband has his computer set up on the table and all of his paper work for accounting that he does. I almost forgot Mother's Day. Thank God for spam-I sent in an order for flowers this morning.
I believe that one is related to an old religious holiday and the other was invented by Hallmark in the 1920s. I'm not certain, though.
I have the same bar/countertop with magnetic properties for things of paper! It takes me 5 days to clear it completely, seemingly 5 minutes to fill it up again. These american schools kill like a tree a day with the amount of paper these kids come home with.
happy mother's day.
i know that "collect-all" syndrome all to well. i think free, clean counter tops secretly whisper, "here, over here i'm lonely and i need some clutter".
Happy Mothers Day! That's interesting -- in England, Mothering Sunday is usually sometime in march so it seems like Mothers Day is celebrated in different places at different times. So confusing!
I hear ya. When we were in the UK, Mothering Sunday was in March...and so with all the hype that it was given, by the time that US Mother's Day came around in May, I completely forgot about it. Now we've given up and gone back to celebrating it on the US day...therefore less likely to forget our own mothers :)
Hmmm...the one in France is on the 25th? I am going to be in France on that day! Perhaps I will con my hubby into celebrating again... :)
It was Mother's Day in Italy! I thought the French were on the same schedule. Italian Father's Day is different than the States though, and that always messes me up.
stuff collects anywhere there is a flat surface. i do my best to elmininate as much as i can, but i just figure i won't keep it cleaned up anyway......:)
We could never get our act together for American Mother's Day so appreciated having the option of a Round 2, as it were.
Enjoy your holiday! I'm sure that was the priority for all those grumpy workers. And my kitchen counter collects papers galore...except when it's clear enough for a friend to lean on and talk to me while I cook. Which isn't uncommon, since I clean before people come!
My principle is to try to get my Mother's Day card to my mom in time for the FRENCH Mother's Day -- but this year, so far I haven't found any cards in Rodez!
I've finally figured it out, though -- Mother's Day is the second Sunday in May in the USA, and the 4th Sunday in May in France.
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