Proud as a Louse

By Contessine

“Fier comme un pou”
“Proud as a louse”

This is one of my favourite French expressions, as mysterious as it is funny. Personally, I never had the chance to analyse the psychological behaviour of lice. But with a bit of imagination, I can figure a tiny insect, pouncing on the Capillary jungle and, swollen with pride by his new discovery, standing up like the first colonialist until the inescapable destruction of his species. Helped by much more imagination, I could figure a scientific community, bringing up a lice colony on their own heads and examining the different characteristics of this new society. I know this idea is not in accordance with the crazy scientific myth without hair…
In fact, the original expression was
“Fier comme un pou sur le fumier”
“Proud as a louse on the dung” .
But finding a louse in the dung, it’s like looking for a needle in a haystack, it’s not easy! The solution to the riddle of the derivation of this expression is based on the history of the word “louse” (In French, “pou”) : “pou” is a dialectal form of “poul “, which meant ” young cock “. Here we are ! The French cockerel of course! As the other saying goes :
“Fier comme un coq”
” Proud as a cock “.
Although, it’s interesting to note that the French symbol, this animal that makes the froggies so patriotic and proud, became, in the history of language, a tiny louse…But after all, and like a famous French humorist used to say :
” the cockerel remains the only animal that can sing with its feet in the dung .”

Like 2 Fingers of the Hand

By Miki

“Ils sont comme les 2 doigts de la main”

“They are like 2 fingers of the hand”

Welcome to February and this months new theme in Cafe Crem: “National Proverbs and Sayings”

Gradually I will make some entries about this theme, presenting different sayings which I like. According to my nationality and to honour the languages and culture diversity of Cafe Crem, the sayings I will present will be in French language, and I will always give the literal translation in English. It has the advantage to be at the same time a kind of language class for all of you!

You might have noticed that I am quite obsessively in love with the greatest Rocker of all time, Kev Moore… So I couldn’t help but start my series of sayings with the following:

“Ils sont comme les 2 doigts de la main”

which literally means:

“They are like 2 fingers of the hand”

I guess it is quite obvious what it means, 2 persons almost exactly alike. Well, you might think Kevin and me, we are not, because we look VERY different, almost contrary. But believe me, we are just the same! And once in France we even met an old woman who said:

“You look exactly the same… the same profile, the same mouth, the same nose…”

And yes, she still had good eyes! Our identity must shine from inside to outside, I guess…

The equivalent saying in Spain is:

“Ser come una y carne”

which means

“To be the nail and the flesh”

quite crude, these Spaniards! What do you think, between Kevin and me, who is the nail and who is the flesh… ?

So people, is there an equivalent saying in your country? Or a contrary one perhaps? Let us know!

Mug Shot

 

I just wanted to share this with all you Cafe Creamers before I hop on the plane to England this evening, to take part in my own private production of “Planes, Trains and Automobiles”. At least, that’s how it feels, flying into one end of the country, bussing it northwards to begin a complicated sleep-over, car-borrowing, motel-enduring four days. Did I mention there was a couple of gigs in there too?  Anyway, that naughty american, Susan Cornelis, sprang a surprise on me earlier this week, when a boxful of choco goodies arrived, along with a beautiful mug bearing the inscription: ” If it weren’t for the caffeine, I’d have no personality whatsoever”. Susan, who told you? 🙂

I put this picture because Susan says I look “just too cute”. Who am I to argue?

This wonderful gift is a thank you for my musical input on her video. And I love it, and appreciate it very much, but you know….

The gift is to be asked to do it in the first place…..

Kev Moore 

The Family Business-Part Two

So I was hunting around the other day for a newspaper clipping of myself and Graham Oliver for my other blog when I came across a photo of me at the tender age of seventeen.

I’d just got a job working in an office at a power station, and was gigging most nights. I’d been a drummer since the age of eight, and this shot was taken for the Electricity Company magazine, just a year before I turned to Bass guitar and made it my career.

Note the hand-illustrated bass drum skin!

But what’s really scary is this next picture. My son, aged fifteen, in this shot occupying the drumstool of Simon Kay, Christie’s drummer. “History Never Repeats” sang Split Enz….I’m afraid I have to respectfully disagree….

It seems appropriate as “Parents and Children” draws to a close, that I fly to the UK tomorrow for two shows, and to spend all day Saturday with him, chilling out and eating things that are undoubtedly bad for us.

Kev Moore

Coffee or tea?

I have been away. I have deleted blogs so I no longer exist in the previous space and name.  But I stopped by,  finding many new things and posts. Since I don’t have much time, here is to you all. It has been very rainy and cold here. More than ever, unusually cold and dreary.

I got into my cocoon and hibernated. I love warm places. The sun  came up today !

Yolanda

Sibling rivalry

By Susan Cornelis

This painting of my two sons hangs in our dining area and it is the picture that says a thousand words (oh! that sounds like a preview proverb for next month). The younger one is on the right. He’s no longer struggling to defeat his brother, having finally “caught up” in height and strength at least (and also in other ways). I am an only child and so I have gotten my educati0n in sibling rivalry from my sons. I always wished I had a brother or sister or, better yet, lots of them. Which is why, at the ripe age of 40 when I had my first, I was determined to provide a sibling for him. And I’m so happy I did (or rather WE did) and seeing what it’s like to compete in your own household. . .I’m glad I’m the observer of the rivalry. Me, I’m the only girl in my household and the reigning queen. No competition there!

I never got around to sharing the story of my Dad. . .or maybe there’s time another day. But sibling stories are always interesting. Did you get along with yours?

-Susan

Oh Chi Caca O, Coco!

By Miki

Some days ago, under the title “When Coffee Cups Collide” Kevin presented Susan Cornelis’ video, for which he composed the music. He wrote:

“… here in Cafe Crem is the realisation that we are more than the sum of our parts…”

Today I want to present you another collaborative work of 2 Cafe Creamers, Contessine and… Kevin again! Yeh, with Kevin in Cafe Crem, I have the feeling that the sum of our parts is 1000 times bigger than we are! Is it because Kevin is so big? (Kevin has just hit me and told me to write “tall” instead of “big”…)

Anyway…

Contessine wanted to start writing the stories of Coco, her little brother, and, very fond of Kevin’s cartoons, she asked him if he could make some illustrations for the stories.. well, to tell the truth, she asked me to ask Kevin, hoping that he couldn’t say no to me. Of course Kevin, with his generous soul, couldn’t say no… and well, it is always quite nice to be asked to do such stuff.

So here they are, the first two episodes of Coco’s Adventures, Texts by Contessine, Art by Kevin:

1. “The Miracle of Life”

2. “Coco… rico?”

Almonds and Diamonds…

By Miki 

I was painting high in the mountains this afternoon, among the blossoming almond trees… and I just feel the need to share the experience with all the Cafe Creamers, a little gift of  golden sun, blue sky and dazzling blossoms, my diamonds for you… some of you may be starving for it where you live…so it’s right here, right now!

Happy Birthday Bonny!

 By Supersizeme

Hope you had a boombastic time, if its your thing… heres a pic of an illuminated Eiffel tower, just for you! 🙂

I’m really bad with punctuality.. so hope its not too late to wish you all the best for the oncoming year. Hope all your wishes are fulfilled!

xXx

The Family Business

I felt a need, before the topic disappears into the twilight of history, to post again about the kids.

I’m really not sure if it’s been a blessing or a curse for them, growing up with a Dad in such a strange, ever-changing and precarious profession. They’ve never known anything else of course, even having been on the TV with me when they were, in Corey’s case, barely walking, and in Hollie’s case, barely into Junior school. I hope they’ve never felt the need to follow me into this business, but I’ve always been proud when they’ve recorded or performed. Corey’s band, Jilambis, are recording regularly, and gigging a lot too. Hollie, although struggling with life right now, has already been recording in her own right since the age of 13, worked with an 80’s tribute band, and fronted her own band, Theft of a Doll for three years, culminating in a song she wrote for the soundtrack of a new movie “The Crow-Devil’s Night” The photos are, (Top) Me and Corey, holding the Gold Disc for Saxon’s Wheels of Steel album in the garden of Graham Oliver, Saxon’s guitarist and a long-time friend and collaborator, and (bottom) Hollie, aged 15, in the Hamburg studio of German dance producer Helmut Hoinkes. We did some pre-production there and then moved to the studio in downtown Hamburg where we finished the track. I may post it up here one of these days! What she didnt know until after the session was she was using the same sound desk that was used to record “Hotel California” back in the Seventies. I like to think they’re both growing up with a sense of history and respect for the artists that have gone before them. (Maybe even their ol’ Dad!)