My Old Green Blanket

When I get back home, like I did last month, it makes me rediscover old things that I love. Last time, I found out my old blanket. One of the many old blankets that I had. My mother bought it for me at Chlorophylle, the Saguenay outdoors clothes company that sometimes makes other warm stuff. If I remember correctly, she bought when I went to study in Montreal. I was considering bringing it with me in the UK, but in the end I decided against it. My baggages were already getting heavy. But I have an emotional attachment to this particular blanket and enjoying wrapping myself in it again.

My Idea of Fun

 I found this meme a few days ago, at total and I wanted to share it. I think I never shared it before, I hope I didn't. In any case, here it is. A good book (sometimes even a bad one would do), a warm blanket (or two, or three), some tea, that's indeed my idea of fun. Chocolate is optional, I can do with or without.

Cool breeze in August

I found this meme online and it made me laugh. August is about to end, it does not really feel autumnal yet, or rather not all the time, but yes, mornings are cool and there are cool breezes from time to time and yes, that's my state of mind when there is a cool breeze. I'm glad I'm not the only person who thinks like this.

Le repaire en couvertures

 Lors de notre dernier séjour chez mes beaux-parents petit loup a décidé de sefaire une maison en couvertures et en coussins. Ou un chalet, ou une cabane, je ne suis pas certain. Un repaire dans tous les cas, très gardé, surtout qu'il était le seul à pouvoir y entrer. Il en a déjà fait des plus élaborés, mais celui-ci a tenu quelques jours (avec quand même quelques travaux de rénovation ici et là). Morale de l'histoire: les enfants n'ont vraiment pas besoin d'autant de jouets, un rien les amuse et leur imagination fait le reste.

Snug-Rug Blanket

 I tend to get cold easily at night. Or during the day. From the moment nights start getting cold to the time, well, when it gets warm, round April or May, depending of the year. This year I am lucky, we haven't had a very warm May. I say I am lucky, because I don't like being hot. I like when it is cold and I must have something thick and comfy on me to keep warm. But you know that. So anyway, because of this I am always on the lookout for a good blanket. I got spoiled on my last birthday: my wife bought me this blanket. It is the best. It is warm and comfy (with a cute teddy bear on the label) and it is forest green, which is kind of my favourite colour. It is now my favourite blanket. Well, the favourite blanket I own, because Wolfie has the best ones, knitted by his grandmothers.

Idyllic Autumnal Picture

I found this picture online,in one of the many autumn pages I am now following on social media and I wanted to share it here, as this blog is followed by many autumn lovers. I know that the image has been photoshopped, but all the same, I think it shows many things I love about autumn: fiery colours, chilly weather, warm comfy clothes, warm comfy blankets, hot black tea (and said tea without milk) in big but fancy tea mugs and, well, everything. Oh and I am no dog person but there is a cute dog too. Of course this picture is idyllic and borderline allegorical, but if it does not reflect reality it reflects my current state of mind. Right now, even though it is not very cold, the temperature still dropped a few degrees down, enough so I can finally wear long sleeves and jumpers as well as thicker socks, I wrap myself in blankets to read just for the fun of it, trees are starting to show colours and I drink a lot more tea. And you, how is your autumn so far?

The Warm Blanket Principle

I found this meme online a few days ago, on a Halloween FB page. I thought it was hilarious and so very me, I had to share it here. Halloween and autumn are not mentioned, not directly, but you see it and you know exactly what it is about. Yes, I long for my favourite season and holiday already. And yes, I want to be cold and then made warm by a blanket. I call this the Warm Blanket Principle.

Wolfie's new blanket

We went to see Wolfie's maternal grandparents a few days ago and as usual he received a few presents. Including this blanket, which is grandmother knitted herself a while ago. Wolfie loves it and I must say I love it just as much. I don't know if it was intentional, but I think the colours are very autumnal. Which is not only my favourite season, but a recurring state of mind in this household, at least for the men in the family. But even Wolfie's mum is getting used to it. Anyway, Wolfie has a new blanket, handmade with love and it looks absolutely gorgeous.

Hadrian's Wall in Lego

 A few days ago, Wolfie decided to play in the garden with his Legos. He made a wall of Lego along our picnic blanket. He said it was to prevent the insects to reach the blanket. I thought this was uber cute and I compared it to Hadrian's Wall. It looks like it anyway. Now I am not sure if it can be very efficient against bugs, but it sure took a lot of work and commitment to do. One day, I hope to visit the Wall with Wolfie. I cannot believe I have not done it yet, after all these years living in this country.

La couverture familiale

J'ai aciethé il y a quelques semaines une nouvelle couverture pour nos pique-niques. Nous en avions déjà une mais 1)elle était vraiment vieille, 2)celle-ci était cheap et vendue à rabais et 3)ma femme aime vraiment beaucoup les cerises. C'est une raison comme une autre. Nous n'avons pas encore pique-niqué dessus, mais nous l'avons déjà utilisée. Enfin, je devrais dire: petit loup l'a utilisée comme aire de jeu, en mettant ses jouets dessus. Je soupçonne que ça sera so nutilité principale et qu'on ne pique-niquera pas très souvent dessus.

La couverture des renards

Quand petit loup était encore un petit bébé, nous lui avons acheté une petite couverture dans l'un des marchés en plein air qu'il y avait dans notre petite ville. Nous la trouvions mignonne avec ses renards roux et gris. Elle est vraiment petite: elle nepeut couvrir qu'un nouveau-né. On l'a très peu utilisée sur lui, mais Wolfie lui a trouvé une nouvelle vocation: elle sert maintenant de couverture à ses propres toutous. Adorable, je sais.

The blanket fort

For the last few days, weeks even, Wolfie has been obsessing about making a fort with his bed and blankets. An age old tradition that even has its Wikipedia entry. It is not always easy and he often needs help from his mum and daddy (although he complains a lot about me, "daddy made it all wrong" is a recurring line of grievance). But it's great fun and it keeps him entertained.

The Monster Game

My readers may remember from a post a few months ago the "Ghost Game"our little Wolfie plays from time to time. Well, this has evolved into the "Monster Game". The principles are the same: there is a monster nearby, an invisible one, and we must hide underneath the blankets in the bed otherwise the monster, which can roar and grunt but otherwise remains unseen, might eat us. He can start it at any time he fancies, generally during daytime (because daylight horror?) and it makes him scream and giggle in delight. I have to say, I really love it too. As a father, I am also proud of his imagination.

Le camp des couvertures

On s'amuse beaucoup dans cette maison, enfin il y a une personne qui trouve toujours le moyen d'avoir beaucoup de plaisir malgré tout ce qui se passe. Toujours est-il que notre petit loup a fait revivre cette tradition ludique ancestrale qu'on les enfants de transformer leurs couvertures en tentes ou en campement dans le lit. Vous voyez le résultat sur cette photo. Vous reconnaîtrez sans doute la couverture bleu et blanc tricotée par ma mère pour Wolfie dans les mois précédant sa naissance. Il en fait toujours bon usage, mais pas souvent pour se réchauffer la nuit. Et vous voyez sa tête qui pointe au travers. Faire un camp en couverture(s) ou en drap de lit est peut-être son jeu préféré qui ne comprenne pas de véhicule quelconque.

The Ghost Game

Today, Wolfie found (again) a ghost toy among all the old toys and games his uncle (my wife's brother) had brought him back in 2018. Wolfie got enthusiastic and started playing a lot with him, making owling sounds and running with the ghost, until he decided that him and me had to hide from the ghost. So he used the duvet on his parents' bed as a sort of cabin, to conceal ourselves from the phantom. the toy was soon nowhere to be seen (but since it's a ghost it's understandable) and either my wife or I had to make the sinister and menacing owling sound. So today, my son invented on the spot a ghost game. I think it will be our Halloween game. And I am oh so happy to rediscover that he has a spooky mind like mine.

La couverture de petit loup

Je suis retombé sur une vieille photo de la couverture tricotée par ma mère en 2016. Ce que je n'avais pas dit lorsque j'avais blogué sur le sujet, c'est qu'elle l'avait tricotée pour son petit fils. Maintenant elle est en permanence sur son lit et il l'aime vraiment beaucoup.

Couverture historique

Il y a des choses qu'on découvre parfois. Comme il y a deux semaines, on présentait une exhibition d'objets de la Grande Guerre près du Monument aux morts de la petite ville anglaise où l'on vit. Nous n'y sommes pas restés longtemps, mais par curiosité j'avais voulu jeter un coup d'oeil. J'y ai alors vu la couverture carreautée que vous voyez sous le casque sur cette photo. Or, cette couverture ressemble à s'y méprendre à la couverture de mon enfance (voir la photo ici). Ça a eu sur moi un effet similaire à la madeleine de Proust. Bon, je n'ai jamais fait la guerre avec, mais ça demeure une couverture que j'aime beaucoup et que j'associe à pleins de bons souvenirs.

Stages of the Readers

I found this meme on the many Facebook pages I follow. I thought it was so good that I had to share it here. This is pretty much my life as a reader in a nutshell. I never quite experiences 5 and 6 (okay, maybe 5 a bit), but otherwise, it is spot on. I could write endless posts (and I might), about 1 and 2 (heck I used to read underneath the blanket at night like this), you can read a good deal of blog posts about 3, 4 and 8 (there is even a cat on the image!) and of course I am now experiencing 9. And you, what do you think of it and what does your life experience as a reader look like?

Un harfang des neiges comme doudou

Vous voyez sur cette photo la couverture la plus douce que notre fils a dans sa collection. Elle porte vraiment bien l'appellation de doudou et c'est peut-être sa préférée. En tout cas, il aime la mâcher et frotter ses joues dessus. C'est un cadeau qu'il a reçu à Noël de la mère de Chatouille Blonde. J'ai une autre raison moi d'aimer cette doudou en particulier, une raison qui échappe encore à petit loup, mais que je compte bien lui expliquer dès qu'il pourra comprendre. Quand on la plie, la couverture prend la forme et l'apparence d'un harfang des neiges, comme vous le voyez. Or, le harfang est bien entendu l'emblême aviaire du Québec. Ce sont donc ses racines québécoises que la couverture évoque.

Recto Verso

J'ai déjà blogué à propos de la doudou que ma mère a cousue pour son petit-fils. Je l'ai reçue, enfin il l'a finalement reçue. Vous voyez son envers, ici, qui est aussi pas mal mignon, avec ses nounours et ses vêtements de tout petits. La couverture n'est pas très grande, mais elle est parfaite pour couvrir un bébé et le garder au chaud. C'est le résultat d'un travail d'amour et je voulais le partager ici.