Expats

This evening Colin, with whom Christian plays golf, and his wife Lyn invited us and two British couples for dinner. The day was very hot so eating in the garden was pleasant.

A Piece of Cake

There's one thing about having friends around to eat in the height of summer and that is that you can get away with doing salads. Joëlle, Michel and their visitor from "up North" were invited around after the council meeting which in the end up was cancelled. Sue Lawrence's "Guggy Cake" which I served for dessert went down a real treat and the recipe was in great demand. I might add that I didn't hang about in writing it out as I was under threat of being ducked during the next aquagym session. don't ask what "guggy" refers to, I've no idea unless it's some old Scottish word!! The message on Michel's teeshirt, however is more than clear!

For Eddie

By special request - a photo of the fountain in action - well, it was! Sadly the level has been falling due to a presumed leak, yet to be found, in the old pipe work underground. Thought it was too good to be true! (You'll need to click on it to see it in all its glory.)
It's hot today and the thought of going down to the garden to water is not very appealing. An apéro at the bar would be more inviting with or without a fully working fountain.

Still the Festivities Continue

Today is the day that village celebrates it's Catalan culture with several rounds of Sardane in the morning and again in the afternoon. This year there was also the inaugurtion of a fresco that some of the village kids have done to disguise a hideous eyesore. During the day the streets echoed to the "Llevant de Taula" at lunch time. Young people traditionally went around villages singing and collecting money during the fiesta; nowadays it's all done with a truck, cds and loudspeakers. Apparently ours is one of the few villages that continues the tradition. I always thought that the money went towards paying for booze but I learnt yesterday that it goes to help finance the festivities, so we were a lot more generous than in years gone by! In the evening we finally made it to the meal where we ate with others from the Mairie. This evening it was squid and chips which were accompanied by a concert of Catalan songs. The group that had played for the Sardane changed their shirts and their instruments and played into the early hours of the morning. Christian and I even made it on to the dance floor before heading home to bed.

The Festivities Continue

The market was even busier than last week and we headed for the bar at the first sign of a human traffic jam. We were joined there by Richard and Linde who'd flown in from the States and Joëlle, Jany, Michel and Alain. In the evening we were invited to Joëlle and Michel's for an apéro to celebrate Joëlle's birthday on Thursday. There was enough to eat to make dinner irrelevant so we gave the communal meal of pork and peppers a miss, settling for wine and a jig to the band (as in dance band)instead.

Castles in the Air

The visit has gone quickly and the Normans set off this afternoon on the long drive back home. Here there was a good start to the village festival with "castelles" or human pyramids if you prefer, a meal of kebebs and chips and a disco.

Off Duty

With no dinner to organise this evening as Valérie and Christophe are taking over the kitchen, I, at least was able to take it easy. Thought the photo of Christian was worth posting as it is such a rare sight and I do so love watching other people working! Aquagym in the afternoon and more excercises with multicoloured chips - if this makes no sense at all, you'll need to read last Thursday's post and an apéritif at the bar before dinner. We had another apéro at home and an excellent meal of salmon and cucumber tartare, tapenade and pepper stuffed fish followed by white chocolate and raspberry mousse. Mmmmm!

Duty Calls

More gardening during the morning followed by a coffee at the bar. In the evening Christian and I "babysat" while Christophe and Valérie went out for a romantic dinner at a restaurant set among the vines. Takeaway pizza and ice cream with chocolate sauce was on the menu and enjoyed as much by us adults as the kids!

Family Day Out

After us all piling into the Scenic, the first question (which almost became a major drama) was which route would we take over the border. Thankfully common sense triumphed over optimism and we had an easy passage on the autoroute. Our goal was lunch in Garriguella with a couple of visits en route. The first choice resto was closed (I seem to be making a habit of this)but that meant we were able try one that we'd never been to and it was fine. Christophe and Valérie were quite taken with the scenery and the kids enjoyed the beach at Llança. We found a bench in a shady spot and nodded off. Well, that's what Grandparents do, isn't it?
Came back to find the bar had reopened and the terrace was absolutely jam packed.

On Duty

With five extra mouths to feed apart Sunday and Monday were spent either in the house or garden. With the bar closed there was nowhere to escape to anyway.

1st Normandy Landing

To the market this morning where we struggled muttering through hordes of people and then Christophe et al arrived this afternoon straight from their 2 weeks in the Drome.

Yet more friends and yet more meals

To celebrate Michelle's birthday tomorrow we took her and Jean-Jacques to our favourite restaurant making one or two tourist stops on the way. This time the resto was open and as asked, David, the owner had organised a cake and bottle of cava. Was a really pleasnt day and as luck would have it we were able to avoid traffic jams at the frontier.
Home for a quick cuppa and then off to the local museum for the opening of an exhibition by a village resident. We weren't tempted to buy anything but enjoyed meeting up with people. Rounded off the evening with dinner at Diana's where we were joined by Bruce and Vanessa. I can just feel the kgs piling on.

More Friends, Another Meal

Cleaning in the morning in preparation for the first visit of the family and then a bit of me time at the aquagym where we did impossible exercices with long colourful bits of polystyrene called "frites/chips"! Oh dear, is this really me? The evening however was more up my street. Irene and Kelvin came over from their holiday flat overlooking the sea to eat with us. We went down to the Auberge after an apéritif in the house and dined on the terrace. As they'd bought a bottle of champagne we drank it and matched them.

Best Laid Plans...

It must be about a year since we've seen Annie and Graham who live way up the valley from us but at long last we found a mutually suitable day for a foray into Catalunya South/Spain for lunch. We met in St Llorenç de la Muga where we had a drink at the bar in the cente of the village under the watchful eye of the resident parrot! We were really disappointed to find that our favourite restaurant now closes on Wednesdays so we had to go to one other in the village which although fine is just not in the same league. After me bumming about the other, my reputation as restaurant-finder-extrodinaire has taken a bit of a dent!

The Saddest Day

After a trip to the garden, Michelle and I stopped by at the bar for a "wee refreshment" as we'd say in Glasgow; the patron offered us what ever we wanted but on condition that we got it ourselves! He's been partying for far longer than is good for him and the day ended with him being closed down for a week. So, the prospect of a sad week ahead for JL and clients alike. Lifted our spirits with a trip to a free concert featuring a singer from Cape Verde. Not only did she have a superb voice but her African dance was pulsating. Voilà there is life outside of the village after all!

The Longest Day

Bastille Day started early; the town council, partners and other 'bigwigs' assembled at 8.15 to drive in convoy up to our sister village in the mountains for a wreath laying ceremony. Was good fun if a bit parky at that time in the morning at 1000m up! The ceremony was followed by something to eat and drink - sweet or savoury, alcoholic or non-alcoholic before we wound our way back down to the village for another ceremony; this time we processed to the war memorial on foot. Speeches, the inauguration of the fountain, which after years of not working, now spouts water (using a closed circuit, I should add). Several rounds of Sardane, the traditional Catalan dance, preceeded an apéritif. Lunch for about 85 was a more elaborate re-run of last night's bbq. In the evening we were joined by Jean-Jacques and Michelle, Jacques, Maddo and Xavier for apéritifs before heading down to the recreation ground for a super firework display. Feeling pretty tired we gave the open-air disco a miss and went home to bed before midnight. Just don't have the staying power any more.

Out and about Sunday

.Delivered plums to various friends and stayed for a lengthy coffee with Jean-Jacques and Michelle. on passing the bar we were invited for an apéritif with Jacques and two friends of his from Toulouse who were staying over. We were then invited to go back with them to share their duck lunch. Then it was home for a short rest before joining a group of 2WW military enthusiasts who were bivouaced in the village, for a bbq. The vehicles were imressive, the people very hospitable and the meal as you would expect but good for all that.

Stay at Home Saturday

Yesterday I was looking for a fairy godmother to help with the housework. Well, I was on tae plums as they say in Glagow as today I finally made a start on the piles of ironing and tackled the kitchen floor. How interesting I hear the faithful readers of "Chitchat" saying! The sugar plum fairy, however, did put in an appearance in the shape of Gilles who came bearing about 20kgs from his orchard. Haven't finished the jam I made from last year's crop yet so I'll need to get them parcelled out among friends.
Weather is thundery today so we didn't go to the market, we've no invites out, no one coming around so it's been a strange quiet sort of day. Still after a very late night last night perhaps it's just as well for once.

No time for Chores

I now relate to the Shirley Conran adage that "life's too short to stuff a mushroom". At the moment it also applies to anything remotely domestic. This morning started with a quick trip to our local market town for 8.45am. Not bad as it was after midnight when we arrivred home from the "fête de la bière". Then it was coffee with Yaneth and Jacques before a meeting with an English couple who have adopted a flower trough in the village. We're hoping the idea will catch on so they'll be getting some publicity on the village website. Having their photos taken next to the busy roundabout warranted at least a coffee at the bar so we followed the the sound of music and found the patron in good form! Coffee led on to a glass of wine and an invitation to Joëlle and Michel's for lunch. This evening we're invited to a BBQ at Josephine and Juste's. Today wasn't quite a no-cooking day as I was asked to bring Delia's coffee cake as a dessert. How on earth am I going to get myself into gear to prepare for the family who arrive next weekend when Monday is Bastille Day, Wednesday and Friday we're out and Thursday is the next installment of the aqua gym? Where's the fairy godmother when you need her?

Water Baby

Yesteray we made a hurried journey to Figueras to buy me a cosie, after which we had lunch in a small family restaurant by a waterfall. For those of you who know that I neither swim nor go in for excercise, you'll be surprised to learn that I attended my first aqua gym class along with 5 others this afternoon! The privacy of a neighbour's pool and being able to keep my feet on the ground meant, much to my surprise that I actually enjoyed myself! It made a pleasnt interlude after the funeral of our 86 year old neighbour this morning. Tonight however, it's back to business with a meeting for Christian and watering for me.

Becoming a Habit

Most evenings when there's nothing else planned we are tending to find our way to the bar for a glass of wine, the late sun and a catch up on the day's happenings in the village. Monday evening we stretched out our stay with Jacques, Yaneth and Lisa with nibbles brought from home and Tuesday evening with a bite to eat from the restaurant. A just reward I say, for our work at the Mairie and in the garden!

How does you garden grow?

The answer to that is .... quickly with lots of weeds. Suzanne was a great help when she was here. Hope that some of our other visitors take up the idea. It was overcast this morning after rain in the night so I went down to the garden for a couple of hours to do battle. The up-side is that there were tomatoes, beans, a couple of cucumbers and a yellow courgette to harvest. It's amazing how quickly the time goes so it was lucky that there were enough bits and pieces in the fridge to do for lunch! Had to laugh... someone asked me the other day if I cooked because he always saw me out and about and wondered when I had time to do it.

Born on the 4th of July

A lazish day with a bit of rain and thunder before we drove down to Llança to celebrate Thérèse's birthday which was on the 4th with the usual suspects. Good food, discussion and plenty of laughs.

Au Revoir

All good things come to an end but this visit seems to have gone even more quickly. There was time for a trip to the market, an apéro at the bar and the start of the women's final. Edward will have been pleased that his favourite, Venus won. Christian wasn't home to wave off our Scottish pals as he was at an all-day seminar but was back in time to bring an apéro down to the garden where Michelle, JJ and I were taking our turn to water. The flowers in the wild patch of the garden are really coming into their full glory and a glass of rosé under an apple tree in the golden sunshine was a real treat. Watering wasn't such a chore after all!

Village Culture

The sun's back and Wimbledon takes second place to the beach. Apéros chez Michel and Joëlle where we also found Hazel and Ade. After that it was a meal at the bar courtesy of our visitors while we listened to the free concert. Another late night but what the heck!

Free at Last!

Six years a hostage in the jungles of Colombia, Ingrid Betancourt is finally free along with several others. There are still more, however, who contine to be held in capitivity but she is from the l'Oréal family so there is alot of discussion about the amount of time that has been spent on her case and nothing about all the others. Still I think you can only be pleased that she and 15 others are free. It all happened really quickly and our President didn't know about it, so not as much personal capital as perhaps he would have wished???
In comparison, Maureillas was quiet with dull weather. Suz and I went for a good long walk and ended up joining the fellas at th bar for a coffee. For the rest of the day our visitors took it easy watching the tennis on the telly even though the Scottish interest was over. Went down to the garden wth good intentions to water only to be advised that it was too cold!

On Top of the World

To escape the heat of the village we went up to 1,000 mts for a good walk and a picnic. Apéro in the bar with Yaneth and then dinner with the Danes = late night and sore head!

Garden of Eden

An early start for the garden before it was too hot. With Eddie, Suzanne, Michelle and myself hoeing and weeding at least you can see where we've been. There was a bit of grumbling about using illegal immigrant labour but I think they secretly enjoyed being allowed to toil away in our garden!

Anyone for Tennis?

Starting to get involved with the new association (club) aimed at bringing the different national and regional groups of people together. Didn't feel bad about abandoning our guests who were pleased to take it easy and watch Wimbledon. Of course with Murray playing Gasquet, the "auld alliance" was somewhat strained at times but the Scots didn't gloat!