Busy Weekend

Busy or what? The market where there weren't too many people meaning that we were able to get a seat under th plane trees for our ritual apéro at midday. We were joined by Michel, Joëlle, their Roumanian visitors and Jean.
In the evening it was Carmen's (a member of the Mairie team) 60th birthday party in the village hall. This being the south there was a very substantial apéro to keep everyone going until the end of the rugby final which was projected in the hall! Not being bothered whether Toulouse beat Clemont Ferrand or not we nipped back to Jean-Jaques and Michelle's for a glass and peace and quiet. Timed it just right to go back for the meal though 10.30pm seemed a bit late to get tucked into paella. Finally made it home for 1.40am.
Sunday I was up with the lark to prepare a meal for the Kanes of Glasgow before we went to Nîmes (2 hours drive away) to see Jean-Louis who is just out of hospital and his wife Aimée. She's a great cook so what with a late night, the heat and a good meal we had to take a cat nap before pud. Made it home before our visitors arrived and then spent a wee while catching up on their (expensive) stay in Paris while enjoying the evening sun on the terrace.

Apéro

An invitation for us, Jean-Jacques and Michelle to have an apéro chez Jean and Françoise in the shade of the cherry tree. No sign of grapefruit drink on offer (a Bordeaux "in joke")just the start of Thalassa. Both are signs that it's time to break camp and go!

T in the Cave

The cave is the coolest place in the house so now that it was all clean and shiny Michelle and I had our tea down there.

Mrs Mop

Can't put it off any longer ... Eddie, Suzanne and Edward arrive at the weekend so needs must. Out with the mop and bucket and so to work. After all that it was time for a well earned glass of rosé on the terrace of the bar.

New Hair Day

What is it about hairdressers and sissors? I haven't had my hair this short since I was about 16! Now I've started to recognise the face staring back at me in the mirror, I really like it. Christian's reaction was "C'est drôle" which rapidly changed to mummers of approval once he saw my crestfallen look! Apart from that the day ended with a stint in the garden and a late dinner.

Les Feux de St Jean

Today we welcomed in summer with the feux de St Jean. A flame is kept alive in Perpignan all year around which is taken up Mt Canigou to light faggots that have been carried up there from the surrounding villages on both sides of the border. The flame is then brought back down (after a night of serious partying) by a relay of runners and distributed to the villages. Here, there was a torchlight pocession around the village, balloons released, fireworks and a bonfire. As the flames die down the young lads jump over the fire as a test of their courage (I presume). Needless to say there was a fire engine and fire officers on standby. Not a bad idea when the wind was blowing.

Mad dogs?

Another neighbourhood get-together, this time on one of the estates. Lunch in 34° was a bit of a test of stamina but the atmosphere was good. A British couple came and played, the chat was lively and the rosé well chilled!

Fête de la Musique

A national day of music and our village did its bit. Our street was decorated with scarecrow musicians and we took it turns to open the windows and turn up the volume of our stereos.








The weather was warm and the atmosphere happy and relaxed. The evening started with an apéro chez nous with Philippe, Danielle and a couple of friends of theirs, then we headed for the square to enjoy the music, chat with all and sundry and eat moules-frites! The square was just buzzing with people and the music was varied. All in all, a great night

Neighbours, everybody needs good neighbours!

The day dawned hot and sunny. Temperatures climbed to 34°. A bit of shopping in Figueres and lunch at our favourite resto in St Llorenç. Then we dashed home doing a summer booze stock-up on the way. Then it was on with the pinny to prepare for our street's neighbourhood get-together. About 30 of us did justice to all the good eats and drink that people brought. The youngest present was 2 years old and the oldest 97!

Tomatoes Galore!

This morning I prepared the ground and planted another 6 plants that we'd been given. We must have in about 45 plants of different varieties. What with the heat an the exertion you could have mistaken me for one! Really had my leg pulled when I stopped by at the bar for a cuppa. Whiled away the afternoon around at Michelle's over coffee and am now waiting for Christian to come back from a meeting of the anti-THT organisation.

Another Commemoration

48 years ago today, de Gaulle broadcast on the BBC from London to the French where ever they were, exhorting them not to accept defeat but to resist. In commemoration, there was the usual procession from the Mairie to the war memorial to lay a wreath and then an apéro at the bar on the main road. Christian was whisked away in a 2WW jeep at4.30pm to attend another ceremony but this one is being rounded off by a meal; who knows when he'll be back.

Happy Birthday, Lisa

What a good time we had at 2 year old Lisa's birthday party. Chocolate cake, nice peope and a glass or two! Shame for Christian that he had to leave early to go to a meeting but we all met up at the bar for a bite to eat and there we stayed until about 12.30am.

Bookworms

The weather was fine this morning but by lunch time dark clouds started to threaten tha the promised "orage" wasn't too far away. When it finally came there was plenty of thunder but not an awful lot of rain. Spent most of the day catching up with the village website. My lack of fluency in French means that it takes an age to post messages. Then there's the delicate matter of selecting photos that won't upset people who don't won't their faces on the net. Am smarting from just such an encounter. the photo was taken at a public event by colleague but it was me that got it in the neck! Heat and kitchens spring to mind.Rowena stopped by on her way home to rifle through the books left over from St Jordi so we were able to catch up on the news. Diana arrived for an apéro so we contined to talk books as she organises the festival at Hay-on-Wye. They both brought me books to read though heaven knows when I'll get through everything on the shelf waiting to be read.

Father's Day

A great gardener in his time, Dad still grows asparagus and other vegetables which 'aint bad for someone who's 82 on Tuesday. Sadly his legs aren't so good but he keeps cheerful enough even though he had an overnight in hospital last week after a "mini" stroke. Chritian received a newspaper cutting from him the other day about the French living longer than the British because of their liking for red wine, a relevation that suited both of them, methinks!

Sans Frontières

Made our usual trip to the market and had our usual apéro under the plane trees. Weather dull but we were joined by fiends which is always pleasant. during the afternoon I attended a meeting to try and recruit people for a "association" which hopes to bring people of all nationalities together around activities as a way of increasing mutual understanding and helping newcomers to integrate. it was a fairly small turn out but more than we'd expected. Now it's a question of analysing the interests that wee noted and how best to continue. In the evening we were invited to Jane and Phil's for dinner where we had the works - even a fish course. There was another British couple there as well as Michel and Joëlle.
Apparently Mr Bush has been in France but the event has totally passed us by. Sarko seems to be aspiring to dizzy presidential heights by ordering an "airforce one". It is of course an Airbus rather than a Boeing. suppose as he was busy with George he missed out on Wayne and Colleen's wedding. Well, I guess being out of the European Cup Rooney had a window of opportunity and filled it by getting hitched.

Superstitions

Here's hoping that the day goes well and nothing untoward befalls you! In France people believe that Friday,13th is the best day to do the lottery and a black cat brings bad rather than good luck. This evening we're off to the "Opening" of the local art group's exhibition when Christian comes back from an all-day seminar in the big city.

Could have been better

Today, the national newspapers are on strike and the lorry is still blocking the road. We were expecting friends for lunch to day but something cropped up and they were unable to come. Unfortunately, I didn't get their message until they arrived at 1.30pm for a coffee. Christian had to go off and be on duty but at least we had the chance to catch up on their holiday and house exchange experiences. The afternoon wasn't much better when I found myself in the middle of village "politics". Thankfully, the evening was better as we we were invited to Joëlle and Michel's for an apéritif and to meet their Roumanian friend. Let's hope that Friday, 13th is a better day!

Stoned!

The title refers to the 3kgs of cherries that I stoned and soaked in brandy to bring a bit of summer pleasure to cold winter days. During this time Christian was away doing important things on the frontier where no one at all was stoned, just the opposite. Every year the mayors of communes on both sides of the border meet with representatives of Spanish and French police, customs and excise and the frontier police to verify that the markers are still in the places that they are supposed to be in. This year it was our turn to host the event and provide lunch. All went well despite the 20 minutes uphill walk to the marker, a drenching downpour and a lorry across the road. It seems that a driver of an empty car transporter tried to avoid the frontier blockade by taking to a forest road in the mountains. Not the brightest idea as the lorry partially vered off at a bend and got stuck! A crane is supposed to be going up to deal with it today and no doubt the company is in for a hefty bill.The highlight of the evening was watching our neighbours' cat leaping up at the door between the kitchen and the stairs, pushing down the handle and opening it. You've never seen anything like it.

Mundane Day

Christian ~ meeting, doctor (all well), garden, meeting, telly
Me ~ housework, website, garden, apéro with Joëlle and Andrée who came back from the garden with a lettuce, blog and no doubt an hour's reading before lights out

Changes afoot

Oh, it was a struggle to get going this morning so apart from taking a couple of photos of the work taking place in the square for the web site and chatting to folk I didn't do much. In the afternoon went down to the garden to try out the sickle and cut our first round courgettes. Life is not so calm nationally, however. The frontier was blocked by lorry drivers protesting about the price of fuel, the fishermen have just gone back after 3 weeks, the railways and government workers were also on strike and of course .... the European Cup, yawn, yawn has started.

Fête des Voisins

Up bright and early to make a couple of cakes for the neighbourhood get-together this afternoon. Weather fine but windy. Then, up to the war memorial for another wreath laying, this time for the war dead in Indochina followed by an apéritif or as they call it on occasions such as these, "un vin d'honneur".
The square with out cars, about 60 people young and old who came bearing food and drink to share, what a pleasure!The kids loved the balloons which Joëlle, Jany and I blew up and tucked into the cakes while the older folk were more interested in the rosé and the sangria. Finally wound things up about 7.30pm, ie, after 4 hours on our feet.

Another busy day

Of course we went to the market in the morning and had our usual apéro in the shade of the plane trees where we were joined by Michel and Joëlle. There was a table of Brits next to us with a "Queen Bee" holding court. They asked Christian if he'd take a photo of them all which being the oliging sort of bloke that he is, he did despite the antics of "Madame B". With sign language and 2 words of French she insisted that he put the camera strap around his wrist and laughingly said to her companions that Christian obviously wanted to practice his English when he replied in my mother tongue. Snotty b---h! It's people like that who give the rest of us a bad name, sniff, sniff. By the time we left it was 1.30pm so rather than bothering to cook we went to the auberge.In the evening there was an official invitation to the gym-danse club's end of year show. We'd never ever been before but were pleased that we went along. The hall was packed and by the time we arrived there was standing room only.Costumes were very colourful and the scenarios imaginative. There must have been about 60 participants, tiny tots to adults; only one was a bloke! We were invited to join the organisers and cast at the end but before you get over-exited by the high life we're living, it was only cider and biccies (not sure that's the right spelling but I bet Bernadette can put me right!)

On the go...

Garden in the morning to do some hoeing, rewarded by an invitatin to Michelle and Jean-Jacques' for coffee and tiramisu. Yummy! I shouldn't leave doing the blog for so long as it's hard to remember what we did when. Anyway, back to Friday ... a bit of food shopping and tea with Philippe's Mum. In the evening there was a public meeting to talk about the plans for the square - water in the fountain (only here could we have a fountain without water!), marked parking spaces, disabled parking, flower troughs. Needless to say there were people pleased with the idea of a more attractive square and those who were freaked out about having to walk farther. The sun was stil shining when we emerged so we went for an apéro on the bar terrace, conveniently next door to the Mairie. Joëlle and Michel came back to ours for another apéro and a bite to eat. About time we returned the favour, I say!

Another BBQ

What better way to spend an evening than with another BBQ at Michel and Joëlle's to finish off what was left over from last night.

Wednesday Already

June came in with rain so we didn't venture very far from the house. To make matters worse there was no Sunday paper. Even Nono and Evelyn gave up and moved on after we'd had lunch! Monday Christian was "outposted " to the other village for his duty session after being at a finance seminar for most of the day.
Still, he and six others of us went for something to eat in the local hostalery. As usual, duck breast in Banyuls sauce or me. Last night there was a team meeting so Michelle and I enjoyed some late evening sun on the terrace of the bar with a glass of wine to help pass the time. Then, we all trooped back to Michel and Joelle's for supper, getting to bed at 1am.
Woke at 6am this morning with a busy time in prospect. Drafted an invitation on the computer to the centre of the village "fête des voisins" which is basically a neighbourhood get-together where everyone brings something to eat and drink to share with the others. Planned for Sunday, we can only hope the weather is good. By 9.15, the garden girls were off to buy some tools before coming back to the allotment to have it's boundaries verified. Never a dull moment, as they say. Scuttled around in the afternoon with Joëlle and Michelle delivering the handbills for Sunday. 300 in all for the centre of the village. Weather forecast is promising.
In the evening we had the relocated BBQ on Michel and Joëlle's terrace. 13 of us altogether, far too much to eat and at times enough smoke to elect a pope!