wehavetoactnow

http://www.google.co.uk/googlegulp/

I was in Paris last weekend and went to Pride on Saturday. I joined the Parade which marched from Montparnasse to Bastille. 700,000 people attended it and there they all were in the street. And then suddenly.... gone again....

It took us a while to find the parade - we knew it ended in Bastille, so we went there first as we were late and thought we may have missed it already. There were no signs of it, except the odd gay couple sat in a bar looking like they wanted to blend in.

We had an idea where it started, so we jumped on the metro hoping that we wouldn't be too late. We expected to come across swaths of people heading in the same direction and could simply follow the crowds if all else failed, but there didn't seem to be a gay person in sight. Odd. But on the way out of the metro at Montparnasse, all we could hear was thud, thud, thud as the music pounded on the streets above us. We knew we'd found it. At the top of the stairs, the hot sun hit my face temporarily blinding me as I entered the crowd. A moment later, the LGBT community surrounded me. I was nervous at first - I'd never been before, but I was soon submerged in the atmosphere and feeling alive with excitement.

We marched the entire route, picking up various stickers, whistles and posters on the way. And the mandatory beer. I don't normally drink through the day, but on this particular day, I couldn't wait to land my first one.

There was the odd straight person en route, some enjoying the event, and some looking like they were there quite by mistake. There was one woman that looked quite disgusted by it all as she tried to hurry across the busy street, cutting straight in front of a float and right through the parade. I imagined that maybe this was her favourite spot for Saturday afternoon shopping and that it was normally quiet when she arrived. Today she'd come on the metro expecting the day to be like any other. As she exited the station, she was hit by a barrage of men in drag, and some in underpants, and dykes kissing on the streets, and wasn't really quite sure what was going on - quite surreal I expect. My thoughts amused me.

A couple of hours in, there was suddenly silence in the street and the parade stood still. Everyone on foot, sat down. I didn't know what was happening at first, but signs were held up on floats indicating that a 3 minute silence was going to take place - a time to reflect on those that had been, and still were, political prisoners, or imprisoned for being gay. I didn't know that still happened. I felt quite moved by it all and the importance of pride was becoming clearer by the minute.

We arrived in Bastille some 6 hours later, having witnessed a number of people collapsed on the street along the way, apparently having drunk to too much in the excitement of it all and being tended to by medics. Bastille was alive with people and pride and the atmosphere was amazing. I had so much fun.

We had our last drink, before heading down to the metro. At the top of the stairs, I took one last look and soaked in the atmosphere. A few seconds later, I could no longer hear the bustle of Pride. The metro was quiet and there wasn't a gay person in site. For the rest of the holiday, I saw maybe 10 couples... the rest I assume, were back in camouflage.

My tomatoes are huge! Probably 4 ft by now. Once they started, there was no stopping them.

And the lettuce is coming on well. I ate some this week for the first time and it tasted like.....lettuce

The runner beans are determined to attach themselves to everything, and I fear that the corner of the room they're in may soon be jungle like.

The cucumbers on the other hand, are not doing quite so well, and I think that might end up being a disaster now that my Mum has shown me how big her cucumber plant is! I am however, going to separate one from the rest and put it on it's own in a different position to see how it does.

But a friend raised the issue of bees. I don't have any and I don't want any in the flat! But she suggested that a paint brush might do the trick.

It's very exciting though!

I have a dream...

That the 15 storey tower block I live in could be decorated by solar panels - on the two walls that don't have windows.

That the roof could be covered by grass, and plants and benches, available for all to enjoy, including bugs, and providing further insulation to the block.

That the unused grass area outside could house a communal vegetable garden that is jointly funded and tended by all the residents that want to enjoy the produce. And also houses a communal composter.

That some space in the lobby is turned into a swap shop, so instead of the discarded but usable furniture being piled at the bins, it could be restored, re-used and re-loved by others in need.

That a communal lounge is created to become the home of shared evenings - groups crowded round 1 TV for film showings, card tables, and regular clothes swap parties.

That the corridors are lined with pot plants, that give off wonderful frangrances all day long.

That an extra bin for glass recycling be added.

I have a dream.

...peed on my modem, so can't use computer at the moment! All blogs brief until new modem obtained!

My Mum's boss has a grand-daugter in Arizona and this year at summer camp they read the story of Flat Stanley. Flat Stanley got squashed when a billboard fell on him. He's OK, but flat as a pancake. Flat enough to be posted on his holidays.

So he's on his travels round the world by post, and all that host a visit have been asked to send back photos and stories, so that when she goes back to school she can write a story of his travels.

So he's with me at the moment, and I've started a blog group so that she can watch his progress from Arizona. Next week he'll be coming to Paris with me

If you come across my posts, please join me in welcoming Stan.

Unfortunately I didn't write this, and I won't even try to pretend I did, but it's definitely worth a look for a good laugh. The economist scenario had me laughing out loud

http://casaubonsbook.blogspot.com/2007/08/how-to-explain-peak-oil-to-anyone.html

I decided to go for runner beans. My Mum grew them at home in the garden when I was younger, and I remembered that as long as you keep watering them, they have a good yield all summer. I also picked up an Egg Plant, at Tom's suggestion. These are now planted in the tub.... with a garden gnome.....called Wilf. Although in retrospect the egg plant and beans may not do too well together, as it seems they need different care, so perhaps I ought to have them in separate tubs!

I have also replanted the cucumbers and tomatoes in their own window boxes now. But I do need to change the position round, as the tomatoes need to be in reasonably warm conditions and I currently have them in a north facing window. In fact, I will do that now....

.....OK, all done.

Anyway, here's some pictures and I'll keep posting on it goes.

Cucumbers:

Egg Plant and Runner Beans:

Tomatoes:

I used to have a garden and was determined to grow my own veg. But a relationship breakdown changed my circumstances and I am now living in a flat. I did think that my 'grow my own' dream would be out of the window unless I got an allotment. But I know myself well enough to know that I would be hopeless with an allotment.....I am passionate about my work and that is what I put all my effort and energy into. I simply wouldn't have enough energy left to maintain an allotment. But I am a determind (and stubborn) person, and have decided that living in a flat is not going to stop me!! So here's the plan....

I am aiming to have an indoor garden. It's an experiment. So far....

Cucumber, tomatoe, lettuce and pepper seeds have been planted. They're coming on well. I have bought big window boxes to transfer them to when they are ready.

I have also bought a kitchen herb garden. And....

Today I got a big tub for growing.... I don't know actually. Has anyone got any suggestions on what I could grow indoors in this tub??