Game, set and match
One of my favourite stories is ‘The Little Match Girl’. Hans Christian Anderson’s achingly sad fable was corruptly used by me often when my daughter’s were growing up … I would tell them they were NOT poor little match girls when they were crying for something they perceived they needed more than anything in the whole wide world.
Cold, lonely and scared, undernourished, ill-clad this little girl is dying and as her life degenerates to a flicker and whispers into death she strikes her matches for warmth and in their light she sees things that she wishes she had and amongst them her Granny, the only person who ever showed her love in her meagre little life, reaching out from her celestial place. When her pathetic little frozen corpse is found in the morning she is smiling and the strangers that stumble upon her look at the matches round her and surmise that they know why she smiles – but of course …. she was cold and her matches made her warm so she died content. None have the need nor the will to look beyond the obvious. Speculate and instantly conclude is part of human nature. We suspect that we know the answer but often the answer is not as we so skillfully deduced at all.
I give you a picture of the city I am living in taken a couple of days ago on a hike and looking down on the river which actually and genuinely IS that colour …. it is caused, I am told by the limestone which the mountains surrounding us are formed of. When I first visited this area some years ago, I assumed there was a problem with chemicals. Be careful who you damn without knowing all the damned facts!
PS: The title is a reference to the Weekly Photo Challenge this week labelled ‘A Good Match’ … my Game, Set and Match invokes three things in the picture – look closely now …. there’s the stadium where the Six Nations Rugby Game between France and Scotland was played just a couple of weeks ago and there again are three skyscrapers built for the 1968 Winter Olympics – they were designed to rotate slowly to give their super-human athletic tenants a constant and gracefully revolving 360° view of the city and the mountains that encircle it (in the end they remained still but the intent and bravado of the engineering, given that the city is gearing up to celebrate the 50 year anniversary of those Games next year is quite breathtaking) and finally a set of two bare trees, almost twins standing like naked watchkeepers over the city below. And the city is …… over to you!
Here are all the other pictorial delights the piquant prompt has produced
And here, just because I can and because my tenuous title is a tennis call, is the masterly Jacques Tati in Monsieur Hulot’s Holiday showing us how to serve with flare:
You’re right, things are not always as they seem. Thank you for painting some lovely images and for sharing that old footage. Made me smile this morning. Great take on the photo challenge theme.
I somehow overlooked your comment for which I apologise. It is a lovely thing to say and I’m very glad to have raised a smile Chez Vous. Thank you so much for dropping by and for takingn the time to comment … I appreciate it 🙂
My pleasure Osyth. No worries at all and no need to apologise. 🙂
Too kind 😊
What an interesting aerial photo. The river looks like a blue horseshoe protecting the city and maybe bringing it good fortune.
I have lived most of my life by rivers and in this city I have two …. you are so right – this is a perfect horseshoe so it must be protecting the people!
Tati subtitled in Spanish ? Original . My favourite Tati’s is “Mon Oncle” .
Thank you for this modern wiew of Grenoble . What is this stream in the middle, the Ganges or something ?
YouTube is not always a perfect source though I found it rather amusing that it was subtitled in Spanish. I have not got the technical ability to use my own copy of M. Hulot so it had to suffice …. I love Mon Oncle too but I don’t recall any tennis in it 🎾 The river is the Isère though of course it could also have been the Drac – I imagine they are the reason that Grenoble, ironically given it’s label of Capital or Gateway of the Alps is the flattest city in France.
Thanks for that short burst of Jacques Tati. My mother took us to see this when I was about nine and I remember her roaring with laughter. She had seen it when she was a kid and loved it. I have never forgotten the music. Just humming it to myself makes me smile.
For reasons best know to the great God WordPress at whose alter we worship, you have been rescued from Spam. I hope this doesn’t offend you, it happens to me from time to time and i get very feisty. So, you being far more growed up than i – be calm. Your mum. What a doll. The first time I saw this was at The Barbican Cinema in London as the support to a Buster Keaton Evening complete with (live) pianist. The pianist had the good grace to leave the soundtrack as Tati had intended. I am so pleased you enjoyed it … I can’t catch the merest glimpse Tati without smiling which is a rare talent 🙂
I have a thick skin and I’ve spent long enough in spam chokey not to worry about it.
My mother had a very strange education. She went to a school run by nuns of La Sainte Famille who remained true to their French origins in rather odd ways. They taught the girls La Marseillaise and they sang it on the occasions when a national anthem was required, which conjures up very strange images of nuns in wimples passing balls of wool to the tricoteuses and waving crucifixes at the passing tumbrils. They also saw Jacques Tati films and learnt the entire repertoire of Charles Trenet. My mum was also sent on French exchanges from the age of twelve to post-war impoverished France to help with the harvest. Her French was, by the way, atrocious.
Your mum 💕 💕 💕 The nuns ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ … this is the best thing I have read all week. Please tell me you will write the book
I won’t promise anything of the sort, but I’ll tell you another story about her school that we used to laugh about. There was a girl in her class, daughter of a local worthy (Protestant but the school had a good reputation) by the name of Pickford. Good Mr Pickford decided that Pickford was a common name (it is) and had it changed to Pigford (you can laugh loudly at this point). Mary Pigford sat next to my mum and her desk was completely empty, no books, manuels, pens etc, just a windup gramophone. She used to put records on during the lessons and lie with her head down on the desk until she fell asleep. She was asked once why she hadn’t brought her books to the lesson and she replied that she didn’t have room for them in her desk. The nun asked why ever not, and she replied, because the gramophone takes up all the space. Being a fee-paying pupil, that explanation was good enough.
Mary Pigford was a girl straight after my own heart …. what a gal! What a name …. la pauvre!
People can be very strange, ou simplement con.
Thank you for the giggle this morning.
And all the different forms of language in the video!
Wish I could serve like that!
Thank you Meg … it’s one of my favourite films. That was the only way I could get the clip I wanted but I rather think it adds to the comedy having that melange of language! It’s kind of you to drop by and take the time to comment and I’m glad I gave you some early laughs!
Oddly I reread The Little Match Girl not two days ago. Cautionary tale indeed. Beautiful city view. And bravo, Tati! Brilliant. I’m tempted to give his method a whirl and I haven’t played tennis in eons. Thanks for these! Made my day.
How strange – I must have known 😉 …. it is a cautionary tale. I was talking last night to my husband about fables and fairy stories in general and how harsh they often are and how Walt Disney understood that children can take quite frightening stories in their stride and assimilate them. That sanitising stories is not a good thing. The cityscape just gave me a rather tenuous link to the photo challenge but I’m glad you liked it …. I adore Tati and I felt he was the right antidote to the rather maudlin message. I have been practicing my Hulot serve all morning! So glad it made your day …. and thank you for taking the time to comment – it made mine!
P.S. We used to call playing tennis ‘ a bit of a hit and a giggle!’
Ha! I might steal that …. it might disguise my appalling technique which is not even comic!!! Happy day to you 😊
Beautiful photo Osyth, what an amazing view. I would have loved to gone on that hike with you – maybe someday?
Terry you will, we will because I say so and because I so would love to show you France. Those little steps will turn into giant ones before too long and I’ll be there calling you on 😊
Wonderful picture. And I confess that I didn’t know about the Match Girl, but will rectify that now
Oh heavens, I hope you have hankies ….. it’s so sad and you have got the emotion of the house surgery to contend with 😷 Take good care of those nerves x
The sheer bravado of designing those towers! I hope that the flat is now warm and welcoming.
Very settled and about to write a piece about being here so I can welcome you into my temporary nest. The sixties were an amazing era full of that caution to the wind bravado – these days Elf and Safety the horror twins have put paid to most of it and look where it’s got us …. scared of our own shadows and still having accidents and incidents. That said, when I drive past the towers and look up I cannot imagine how they ever thought they could revolve them sensibly!
Your city looks so lovely. I have lived in two cities while they hosted the Olympics, Calgary and Vancouver. What great times they were. The whole world coming together, peacefully. I loved it.
What a wonderful experience! I lived in London in 2012 and it was as though the world had put it’s fear on hold for a little while. Grenoble is beautiful – I’m only here for a few months but I have visited often and am really enjoying the opportunity to get under its skin a bit 😊
Enjoy your time in Grenoble!
I rather think I will!
Wow gorgeous picture Fiona! A great message for sure dear! Lovely post
Thank you Lynn! I’m glad you enjoyed the post – your opinion means a lot to me, as you know xxxx
Xxxxx as does yours dear Fiona xxx
Thank you for another great read👍👍
I would enjoy living near the Isère River; it is almost the exact color of the waters surrounding The Keys (The Straits of Florida/Atlantic Ocean and The Gulf if Mexico).
Can’t believe I had never heard of the Monsieur Hulot funny movie shorts. Adding this to the list of things from the year I was born….Good Lord, I’m ancient! 😂
Munchkin you are NOT ancient just maturing elegantly! M. Hulot’ Holiday is one of my favourite movies – Jacques Tati in general but that one is my favourite. Check out Mon Oncle too …. very very funny and very very French and I know how much you love all things France 🇫🇷…. Grenoble is gorgeous and I am loving calling it home for a few months. Apparently the other thing that causes water colour is algae – whatever the reason it is gorgeous and entirely different to the water where I normally live!
Jumped over from the Senior Salon
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What a wonderful post to share – and the photo of your beautiful city is breathtaking.
‘The Poor Little Match Girl’ has always been one of my favorites – through a very sad favorite indeed, even though she has “gone to a better place.” That anyone could pass by a child freezing and not stop to help will always make me weep.
xx,
mgh
(Madelyn Griffith-Haynie – ADDandSoMuchMORE dot com)
ADD Coach Training Field founder; ADD Coaching co-founder
“It takes a village to transform a world!”
Thank you Madelyn …. I really enjoy your posts by the way. I am only here for a few months but I do consider myself fortunate – I knew Grenoble quite well before but it is lovely being able to get under it’s skin. The Little Match Girl is such a sad tale …. I have a bit of a taste for the poignant and less easy in stories in truth. Xx
Thank you, Osyth. Lucky you indeed – I’ll bet you are enjoying every second.
Our tastes are similar – but since my blog is brain-based Mental Health focused, I don’t get to indulge mine very often, except on blogs like yours.
xx,
mgh
I really enjoy what I have seen of your blog. I only came across it this year and the whole year has seemingly consisted of constant moving so I have been very neglectful of anything but the most cursory attention. I will be rectifying this and am about to follow your blog because my quiet interest which I don’t write about, because I am no expert, is Mental Health. The stigma and the fear of it, really bugs me and of course, like everybody, I have issues. That’s the silly thing in my mind – we accept (or don’t) that bodies have different skin tones and shapes and sizes but we don’t accept that in the most complex and sensitive organ in those same bodies there are multitudinous different patterns and that those patterns can get creased or broken and they need nurturing and healing just the same. Rant over. I’m just a closet ham psychologist but I really value those who work in the field.
That’s the whole point of my articles! EVERYBODY has brain-based problems for one reason or another. You don’t have to be diagnostic to use what works for folks who are.
And, of course, I am a big-time anti-stigma crusader, sad and angry that it is even necessary to crusade. NOBODY would dare make fun of people with physical challenges (except, of course, America’s current hate-monger in charge – and I’m floored at how little censure he received for it!)
NOW, about moving. I understand only TOO well and feel your pain. I’ll be happy to see you whenever you can make it. Comments never close on my blog.
xx,
mgh
Assumptions are such a lazy way out – no wonder we all take that road on occasion. Thanks for the gentle reminder.
Of course they are and of course we all do it (me included) – as my youngest daughter is fond of saying ‘Assume makes an ASS out of U and ME’ … doesn’t stop me though, nor her!!
H C Andersen wrote the tale as a reaction to the way some of his rich hosts talked about poor people. He spent his life touring around at estate buildings for some weeks and months at a time entering the guests with his stories and paper cuts. He knew himself how it was to be extremely poor so that’s the background of this sad story which also mad huge impact on me as a child
Thank you for that insight into the reasons for his writing the tale … it is illuminating and yet unsurprising. I simply thank him for trying to make the have’s comprehend the plight of the have-nots. I fear there are many who might do well to listen now. Many thanks indeed for following my blog. I will set aside time early next week when I get back from a rather rushed weekend away to really get into yours and I am confident that I will be your loyal follower from then on!
I will be faithful to yours too. I appreciate when people take time to comment and even follow my blog
I used to work with a fellow called Monsieur Hulot and people were always referring to that film. What a delight. As is your retelling of the excellent tale of the poor little Match girl – and the thoroughly modern view of Grenoble from on high! Hope you are enjoying your interlude there.
M. Hulot! Hilarious. I absolutely LOVE Jacques Tati. I’m loving Grenoble (I thought I would) and plan to do some little posts on the place whilst I’m here – though planning is never sensible in world of me! And don’t get me started on the Bank. I tried to make a transfer to my daughter in Malaysia the other day and was told they couldn’t because my branch is in the wrong region …. but, I said sweetly – it’s in the Auvergne and Auvergne Rhône-Alpes are joined now n’est pas? He shrugged and said that is so but we at the Bank have different regions and you are in the wrong one ….. thought you might like that one – grrrrrrrr!!!!
Regional issues aside, and I agree they are absurdly local in a global village, I’m amazed your bank even lets you transfer your own money overseas. What of money laundering? Tax evasion? We send our daughter rent money from Switzerland (where we both work) because, well — French banks!
Sometimes, unfortunately, there isn’t a choice when one’s children all live in different countries to you and you are, as you ever will be, the cash cow! I agree with your point, of course I do but I probably just prefer not to think about it. My husband is probably the most cautious man on earth but he has to send money to his ex every week and believe me, I feel the pain and the fear EVERY week!!
Wow! What a fantastic view! Your hike must have been splendid! The color is extraordinary and I don´t blame you for thinking it had something to do with chemicals – I would have thought the same 😉 I love all the Hans Andersen stories but the The Little Mermaid will always be my favorite 🙂 xxx
I can allow you The Little Mermaid …. it’s a treasure xxx
This looks like the kind of city I see myself in one day if not just passing by, maybe living for a while. The photo here is breath-taking!
Kelly that is such a lovely comment and hold that thought …. I have wanted to live here for YEARS and I am now living that part of my dream (only for a few months) and I am delighted that my picture whet your appetite for your own dream. I am flattered that you have followed my blog, hope not to disappoint and promise I will take a look at yours when I do my ‘new followers audit’ early next week. Hugs.
1. Grenoble France 2. Most rivers in Tennessee and many in Kentucky look the same for the same reason 3. I was 3 during the games that year. PS: That is indeed a very sad story.
1). Yes it is 2). Apparently it is either the rock or algae that cause the colour … would be interesting to know which it is in Tennessee. 3). I was 7! And yes, heartbreakingly sad and most sad because it is an allegory for today as much as it was then ….
Disolved limestone gives the water a green tint.
Indeed and we are rich in limestone here but apparently there is an algae that does exactly the same thing … perhaps more found in the sea – don’t know …. I haven’t researched well enough!
I am guessing your ankle/foot is better….what a view!! lovely……the river is a beautiful blue….love the old clip……xxkat
I can hike with my brace on. The nerve damage is healing slowly as they said it would and being out in the open is healing my fear of falling again. Slowly! Glad you enjoyed the post xx
Yes no more fear of falling….stand tall like a pine tree….LOL my niece fell on a hike in Montana, well they were back packing the back country and a white out happened and she couldn’t see her feet….tried to sit down and fell, she just had surgery on her shoulder…..she said she was glad it wasn’t her foot…..glad your our and about…..and like a pine tree or any other tree of choice….LOL xxkat
It gets better each time I go out and from now on I will visualise myself as a pine tree … my daddy would approve of that (any tree actually but the pine tree, tall and straight is definitely the way to go here … not a bent and gnarled old olive for example 😂) xx
LOL a might oak would be a good one or a tall redwood….LOL
I still have my Hans Christian Andersen book – I use it like a bible.
Kerry you were swallowed up in one giant gallolop by my spam for which I can only apologise … I have told it off and said if this happens again there will be severe repurcussions. Who knows why this happens – I get spammed from time to time too so please don’t take it personally. But I am so sorry I am only just replying to your comment which confirms our status as kindred sisters. I would have known you would be a real and genuine HCA girl and I am delighted to have it confirmed xx
My spam is untrustworthy, too. I am on retreat for a month just to get healthier and less stressed. It is working so far… 😎
retreat and rest well … it is a good thing you do xx
Thank you so much, Osyth. I am feeling better already.
This makes me extremely happy x
❤
you know, I do not think I ever heard/read that story of the little match girl??? Maybe it was too sad? Maybe I just forgot (because it was too sad)…but yes, subtle. What city is that with the river?
It is Grenoble in France. I am living here for 6 months. The river is the Isère … there are two rivers in the city, the other is The Drac. The Little Match Girl is too sad. What is sadder is that it is just as much an allegory for the modern world as the 17th Century world Anderson wrote it for as a reminder to his entitled friends that poverty is not something we invite in! Hello! Nice to meet you 😊
I loved that story too.
It’s a beautiful tale – thank you for taking the time to read my piece and to comment. I appreciate it muchly. 😊
From “Les quatre accords:” Ne faites pas de suppositions. I find that extremely helpful!
I try to live my life by it. My youngest daughter says ‘Assume makes an ASS out of U and ME’ which covers it. Of course I fail often but at least I am conscious of the failure ….
There’s a post in i’m listening
Oh so true… we often see life through our rosy coloured glasses or our own perspective only to discover down the line that the picture in reality was very different.. I loved that story as a child and it never failed to make me cry… You made me smile though at the ‘use’ of the story with your children!! xx
I’m a wicked bad mother but it worked 😉
Oh yes – you’re terrible.. I’m definitely going to ‘re-kindle’ that story for my granddaughters though! haha x
Love that ‘re-kindle’ …. and once they know the story you too can remind them that they are not if they are as persistent in their ‘needs’ as my girls were 😂 xx
Oh I certainly will be Osyth! Much appreciated!! xx
Xx
What a great view Osyth. Sounds like you are settling in to your time in Grenoble. Loved the Monsieur Hulot, a name that was often used to describe me on holiday. Have a great week 🙂
Haha! From now on you will be my friend Hulot!! Glad you enjoyed the view and yes, I am settling well now … only four more months so I have to pack it full!!
I’m saving that film for my mother-in-law whose two great passions are France and tennis. In summertime she still dresses as though she walked straight out of that clip!
All hail your ma in law! She sounds adorable! I hope she enjoys the clip …. 😊 🎾 👗
Adorable is NOT the word I would choose but certainly a character! Think, if Mr. Bean was a 70-something year old Irish woman.
That’s quite a personality …. she should meet our friend Raymond (he appears occasionally in my posts) – I swear he is Mr Bean’s French twin stolen away at birth. He might be the answer to your prayers 😉
Don’t even joke about it!
Funny, my photos are often of Blue Limestone Park! Three pits or quarries! I used to tell my kids these kind of stories and would exaggerate the sad ones of those children who had no food. My parents did the same and I am not scarred, I suppose. Conscientious of those in Africa. . . and everywhere. xo
I think it’s important to help children understand what they have and how little others have. It’s part of being a good parent (or grandparent) … only my opinion but none of mine are scarred and I based my parenting in my own happy childhood and as far as I can tell I’m not scarred either. Thanks so much for your lovely comment – it’s always good to ‘see’ you xx
I do feel a big percentage of parenting should be positive, loving and based on fairness. I agree with the idea of creating happy children!
<3
The story of the Little Mermaid in Hans Christian Anderson (Andersen?) he didn't have too many sad moments. In Hansel and Gretel I did worry about the portrayal of an elderly person going to bake up a child. So glad Hansel used bones to present so she (poor vision) thought he was too "bony" to eat! 🙂
I had a wonderful childhood with parents thinking we had equal votes around a gathering table. This builds confidence but scares a lot of parents. I do this a lot with my grandies. I love visiting and so sorry weekends are my visiting times and I play catch up often instead of lovely conversations. Hugs and safe travels, dear Fiona. (2 Brains, Mr. Bean, plus girls and family) xoxoxo
I think if you set boundaries and stick to them you seldom really need to use the metaphoric big stick with children. They will go through phases of pushing those boundaries but if they know you will follow through with threatened punishments they generally sale close but not above the wind. Mine were a feisty bunch but we got by and I miss the noise and the chatter and the arguments and debates and the laughter. I miss it a lot. I was bought up democratically too and I did the same with mine. Everyone had an equal voice, no-one was seen but not heard. I was not perfect but I did my best, that’s all you can ask of yourself, I think. HCA was a wonderful story teller and I think it is we, as adults who are afraid of the darker moments in his stories. Children, if told the stories appropriately and given a chance to voice their feelings (for example I don’t think The Little Match Girl, nor Handsel and Gretel are suitable for bedtime!) will understand and accept more readily the sadness and darkness. Mostly though I read Winnie the Pooh and Beatrix Potter when it was time to sleep …. easier for happy dreams, in general!! Xx
I love the two happy authors, Fiona! I am sure I may have said this but I admire Beatrix Potter so much that she wanted to create little books to fit children’s fingers. She have thousands of acres of land in a British Land Trust. Not many women wrote and published books so successfully! In Christopher Robin, my Dad saw a page boy hair cut and dress like cloak which meant he read the whole book to my brother’s and me as just Robin, inserting her and she instead of him and he!! One day, my older cousin Heather interrupted our bedtime book and said, “Christopher Robin is a boy!” My brothers and I were shocked! 😀
I like this sweet book with Mother Goose and her characters hiding in it called, “Each Peach Pear Plum.” It is by Janet and Allan Ahlberg, published in the UK. You’ll love this if you find it on sale, save it for your grandies but it has precious pictures and a surprise happy ending! Like a happy fairy tale! 🙂 Love ya, Fiona. xx
Oh I ADORE ‘Each Peach Pear Plum’! I have our copy safe for the next generation of littlies when they come along. My mother-in-law introduced me to the Ahlberg’s when my eldest was small. One of the things that I have been most grateful for is that although my husband and I had our difficulties resulting in divorce, his parents never swerved from their devotion not just to the children but to me and were always kind. My mother–in-law was only 69 when she died and my father-in-law passed 4 years later (nearly 17 years ago now) … I miss them both still but the books (she was a writer and the daughter of a writer) are all still with us. So many wonderful writers devote themselves to writing for children … your dad was brilliant making you the central character in Winnie the Pooh and Beatrix Potter … well she was quite an incredible woman. I have visited her cottage in the Lake District several times and I am always effected xx
When I mentioned visiting I meant you, my dear! I forgot to say this! My grandies get plenty of visits and this weekend, we had second party of the month. Micah was 8 (his theme was Nerf “guns”) and now, Makyah (cousins, but so hard when calling them at a park, we call her Kyah) turned 6. Hers was princess theme. I sure do ramble. 😉 XO
Happy parties! Happy celebrations of important days in those children’s lives. You can visit any time by the way! Xx
Thanks my dear, you have always made me feel welcome like “the door isn’t locked.” 😉 xo
Another lovely post with some fabulous pictures. I loved the sly dig about checking facts before commenting – whoever could you have had in mind? Oh, by the way, all of Monsieur Hulot’s serves should have been called as foot faults 😂
Haha! I think the umpire was too smitten with his scorching serves to notice. Sly dig … what CAN you mean 😉xx
She did seem to be too actively engaged! Feet not allowed any contact with the line – I’ve spent many hours as a tennis parent. I suspect you know as well as I who that dig comment was aimed at. Orange, small hands, smaller brain……. 😂 xx
You think there is ANY brain? 😉😂😂😉
Yes, but he has to sit down to keep it warm 😊xx
XX
Ah, you cheated just a little by omitting the fact that it was an Under-20 Six Nations match! But I got there in the end, so thank you for the challenge and the interesting blog.
Rumbled! Glad you enjoyed it anyway 🙂