La Canicule...

When I was talking to Martine at the weekend she was speaking about the heatwave that France is facing at this time... it's not as bad as the one during 2003, but still pretty severe all the same... I was thinking today about the differences in language and how we describe this period of year:



In the English speaking world it's called the "Dog Days of Summer" - not because of dogs lying around quietly trying to find some shade to relax in as the word suggests visually, but rather because it is during this time frame that the sun rises and sets at the same time as Sirius - the largest and brightest star in the Canis (dog in latin) Major constellation. In French, the word canicule, from the latin canis, designates this hottest period of the year. I love the pronounciation of that word - 'heatwave', 'dog days' sound soft and inviting, but canicule is a much harsher word, evoking the hardship it brings to France... It also makes me think of a grumbling Scottish person who 'canny cool' down...



Thoughts go out to Mum, who had a bit of a tumble in the garden and is now sporting a spiffy cast on her right arm...





and if that wasn't enough to deal with, she then woke up the morning after to find this little friend in her bed...




What I'm reading today:
* Still plugging through the back posts on Petite Anglaise, i only wish there were more hours in the day to spend here...
* Wired's Guide to making the most of your digital life
* Summer recipes on Martha Stewart - may as well BBQ this weekend if the weather is good...

What I'm listening to today:
* George's mad picks on Pandora, he says he's in love with it - should I be worried?
* My Italian course from Linguaphone, purchased cheap thanks to the Daily Mail (useful for once!).