Where Have I Been?

.... Well nowhere of course. But overcome by the eating of brioche I have been swept into the winsome world of Marie-Antoinette. After all... was she not nicknamed by her unhappy peoples of France as "Madame Deficit"? And be not I in similar situation being of pensionable age and having worked in the public sector? It would appear that my position is responsible for the debt of our nation and the ruination of generations to come.

Some months ago The Old Man and I did visit a certain Cheese Shop to buy some .... cheese. In the course of our conversation the owner do ask what jobs we do before retirement... we do both reply "public sector". The owner smirked and do mutter about "gold-plated" pensions. We did take our cheese and leave... but we do not visit the shop any more... which I hope do bring the cheese-man to the realisation that only those with gold-plated pensions can afford the price of his cheese. Meanwhile I do cower if people do ask what I did to earn my living. I fear the village stocks and rotten cabbages... or worse... the tumbrel ....if I do tell them that I worked in the public sector.

Cottage from the Queens Garden.
Photo:Wikipedia

Instead I toss my curls, embrace my frivolous nature and do escape into rural fantasy, gambolling about with my flock of pet sheep and designing model villages so many royals be prone to do. When I do peer at the starving masses I do naturally ask why, if they have no bread do they not eat cake?  "S'ils n'ont pas de pain, qui'ls mangent de la brioche." (Though some people do say that Marie-Antoinette did not actually say this. Which is possible. Speaking as another ninny who seems to be blamed for the poverty of others I have only sympathy with her on that point.)

Alors! I must be off and gather rosebuds whilst I may and work up an appetite for all that brioche I do be baking.