French cliches

Everyone knows that French people always dress in striped tops and berets, except when they're naughty French maids. They carry onions and snack on snails and frogs' legs. The women all look like Brigitte Bardot and sing like Edith Piaf, while the men all have moustaches like Inspector Clouseau's. They supply us with French letters and naughty French postcards. They make arty films with subtitles.  As George Bush told us, the French don't have a word for "entrepreneur", and they probably don't have a word for "cliche" either....

Each year at this time, Bastille Day gives us a chance to indulge in a some ritual stereotyping, and here some of us are - indulging (Madame Defarge in the foreground):

Since she wasn't dressed up, who'd have recognised this person as the genuine French article?

A non-genuine article, with some French letters hung round his neck:

And the chalk talk, given with the aid of a French loaf (we had to eat this afterwards, too):

Our hares had set some great trails, full of interest and challenges, through Mitchelton and beyond. The runners' one was a full 10 km, with plenty of hills to get the blood pumping - and the runners took well over an hour to complete it! Here are some of Snappy's shots from the walk (note the Eiffel Tower, BTW):

Back home at the hares' place, we were treated to some tasty vats of Boeuf Bourguignon with accompaniments. Three bottles of wine had gone into the stew and it was yum! Many thanks to our hares, and to the guest chef they'd flown in especially!

Here are a few more of Snappy's shots from the occasion:

Upstanding's joke in the circle recalled the following Parliamentary anecdote about the late Gough Whitlam. A Country Party MP, Sir Winton Turnbull, once interjected in a debate "After all I am a country member-", to which Whitlam responded, "I remember" (amid laughter from both sides of the House....)

Finally...Miss Demeanour has found her perfect bar in inner-city Brisbane. Whenever you drop in, drinks are on her:

Next run details

When: Sunday 16th July, 4 pm.

Where: John Scott Park, Samford Village

Hares: M. Promptu will set the trail; Potluck will cater (please bring something to share).

On, on!

Ready to riot?

In a speech in 1891, Georges Clemenceau said, “the [French] Revolution is not finished, it is still continuing, we are actors in it, the same men are still in conflict with the same enemies. The struggle will go on, until the final day of victory." And in 1972 when Chinese premier Zhou Enlai was visiting France he was asked what the impact of ‘the revolution’ was. Enlai replied, “It’s too early to tell.” It does seem that the French are very keen to honour and relive their history by getting out and personing the barricades, as they've been doing for the last few months....

So are you ready to riot to commemorate Bastille Day? It's time for our annual entirely culturally-insensitive celebration, and who better to host it than our French polisher, Mr "Baguette" Le W*nk, and his notty French maid partner Lax? We'll see what our genuine French person, Saucy Sous, has to say about it!

This last Sunday was virgin hare Racy's First Time, and she brought her family along for support. It was good to welcome them, and also to welcome Vegemite (and hangers on), Chinwag and Liam. Since a lot of our regulars are away at present, their presence meant the hares didn't have to spend the week eating leftovers!

Our trail took us through Ferny Hills and Arana Hills (the "Hills" part of these names is not accidental). For a suburban route there was plenty to look at along the way, and in fact we could have held a spotting competition, with points going to those who recorded things like

- a large Buddha

- a wheelchair-wrecker's yard

- a small Buddha

- a mad-keen Maroons supporter's house

- a church with an African pastor

- Floater and Scratchit's car (bonus points for spotting Floater and Scratchit), and so on....

The runners added a loop into Ferny Grove.

Back home at the park we enjoyed pasta, curry and dessert. Here are a few pictures courtesy of Saucy Sous and Cash Converta:

Our hares Culture and Racy:

Jamesbondage, our Hash jeweler, had been busy, and we were able to award Tackle his Hash name necklace:

Next run/walk details

When: Sunday 9th July, 4 pm

Where: Lax and Le W*nk's French chateau in Mitchelton

Hares: Le W*nk and Lax

We suggest you bring chairs, costume items and outrageous accents.

On, on!