Ferry Cross the Mersey

The day dawned without rain and we set off for the ferry to take us over to Liverpool from Seacombe. Views of the Liver building as Gerry and the Pacemakers sang there famous song. It would be nice if I could get some music onto these posts. It's great being a tourist. We went straight to the renovated Albert Dock and spent quite a bit of time in the Anti-Slavery and Martime Museums. Well worth it and I'd forgotten that museums are free in Uk. What a great deal! Lunch in one of the yuppie type bars of which there were several and then an open top bus tour... on the top deck of course. Dinner in the evening was at the Shrewsbury Arms outside Chester but while the setting was traditional cosy, the food was lack lustre.

One for Christian

In all the time he lived in Uk Christian never made it to Liverpool and for the last 12 years he's been saying that we should go so finally we did. well, we went as far as Chester to meet up with Jen and stay in a bed and breakfast there. The journey up went without a hitch thanks to John's mobile phone GPS. We even found the layby stop where you can buy mis-shapen Fox's biscuits and other goodies for a paltry sum. The gods were with us as we also found a nice pub for lunch. Had time to look around Chester city centre before settling in at our B&B where Jen had already arrived. The Limes looked quite nice on the website and had 3 stars but the reality was more disappointing. Still dinner at upmarket Chinese restaurant down the road and a good nights sleep made up for it.

Back to the Old Home Country

28th October:
Took the flight from Girona to Birmingham with out any mishaps and stopped off on the way home for lunch in the same pub as last time. What joy! Mum could find something she liked to eat! Then onto Jill's fro a cuppa before installing Mum at home where she was able to catch up with het soaps.

29th October:

A nice leisurely lunch in an upmarket pub which serves real food, weel presented with good unobtrusive service. What's more it doesn't cost the earth for us who are used to bargains galore over here. Then onto the bank to deal with money; who would have thought opening a bank account would be so difficult! Still somethings never change, it's still just as easy to spend in M&S.

Up until the Last Minute

Busy trying to get organised for our departure tomorrow and bake a Christmas cake. Delia's Creole cake made with lots of booze infused fruit. It never fails! While I busied myself inside filling the house with lovely spicy smells, Jill did likewise tidying up the garden. What a treasure and she even enjoyed it. As Lone had invited Mum and Jill to her house for tea, I was able to get on with last minute "things to do". In the evening there was an invite to Joëlle and Michel's for an apéritif with Alain. Sadly I don't have a photo so you can't see what a good time that we had!

A View and a Half

With another warm sunny day, Christian and I both took a day off from our commitments and put Mum and Jill in the back of the car and headed down the windy coastal road to Banyuls. Lingered there for a long time drinking coffee and gazing out to sea while basking in the sun. We finally dragged ourselves away when Jill finally managed to get out of the loo and zig-zagged our way up to the Coll. so far so good ..... astounding views and all was well with the world, that is until we tried to find something to eat. Either the earmarked restaurant was closed or there was nothing on the menu that suited my meat-and-two-veg Mum. Finally ended up the the Sancho Panza on the Figueres road which does ok food but has nothing going for it as far as setting goes. Still, what was I saying about not having it all and Mum did enjoy her pretty substantial duck breast.

Came home in time to get the apéritif dinatoire organised for Jean, Françoise, Juste, Joséphine and Lone.

A Bit More Action

24th October:

Lovely warm sunshine and a trip to the market was on the cards. Rolled up my sleeves in the afternoon to make a carrot cake for this evenings neighbourhood street party. As well as the usual apéritifs, there were several soups to sample, roast chestnuts, cakes and plenty to drink. Mum made friends with Jacques who at the nod of her head filled up her glass with muscat. Out in the warm air until late at night, it's difficult to believe that we're heading towards the end of October.

25th October:

Early in the morning while Mum and Jill were at mass, we were out to see runners coming through the village on the second stage of a marathon. Here, those who weren't out to beat the clock, took a welcome refreshment. After that we decamped to the Foyer to see classic cars take a pit stop and had to seek shade as the sun was so hot. As we'd changed the clocks last night we were well and truly hungry by the time we went home so it was a quick root around in the fridge for what ever didn't need cooking. We've never been Sunday roast kind of people though Mum would at this time have beeen tucking into one with Barbara. Ah well, you can't have it all!

Tea for Two More

20th October:

Mum and Jill arrived at Girona airport at 10.45pm so it was straight to bed.

21st October:

Rain, rain and more heavy rain so we spent the day moaning front of the telly.

22nd October:

Weather better this morning which was just as well as we went to the market in Figueres. Don't really know why we bother but there's always the hope of finding a bargain. Went to the Romanesque restaurant at Vilatenim which had Mum and Jill astounded. Came home in cloudy weather to watch telly while Christian went to a meeting.

23rd October:

Christian away all day at a meeting in Marseilles about using bamboo in the treatment of sewage .. don't ask ... so we were left to our own devices. Walked down to the Auberge for Mum to look at the bric-a-brac and for us to have a drink in the welcome sunshine. we were joined on the walk by a stray dog which brought down the wrath of passing motorists upon us as they thought it was ours. After lunch we went for another walk up to the museum to have a look at the exhibition which consisted mostly of stones or pictures of stones.

10 for Dinner

A double length committee meeting this morning and I stuck to my guns about not taking on more than doing the minutes this week. What with Mum and Jill arriving tomorrow and 10 of us to feed tonight, enough is enough. the Tramontna is still blowing and it feels cold out of the sun. Fortunately when the time came for our after-meeting glass of wine we were able to stay on the terrace and find a spot to warm the old bones.

The evening was filled with sunshine from the Antilles brought by Fred, Valérie and Jacqueline, wild boar thanks to Gaby, Joëlle's famous crumble and even better there was very little talk about the Mairie. There was a lot of talk, however, about us visiting Guadeloupe next year.....

Commemoration

Lluis Companys, President of the Gereralitat de Catalunya crossed the frontier at the Coll de Lli in January 1939. Exiled in France, he was handed over to the Francists by the Gestapo and executed in the prison of Montjuïcin Barcelona on the 15th October 1940. Today, 18th October, as every year many people from Catalunya North and South gathered at his monument at the Coll de Manrella to pay hommage. It was really cold with the Tramuntana blowing but the speeches were passionate and a hearty meal awaited us at a nearby restaurant.

Ensemble pour les Femmes

The launch of an association which aims to support women in the "Democratic" Republic of Congo who, have been raped and abandoned, as a result of the war took place today. As well as the Mayor and the Vice President of the Pyrénées Orientales, there was a speaker from London who works with young people on issues of violence and a documentary film maker from Barcelona. The room was beautifully decorated, there was an abundance of good things to eat and drink and a lively buzz of conversation. It will be an uphill struggle but women know all about that!

Another Birthday

Went to visit Josette this morning feeling ashamed of ourselves that so long had elapsed since we were lest there. Weather is still very sunny but with the Tramontane blowing, it's feeling cold. In the afternoon we both went to the dentist but it wasn't too traumatic then in the evening we were invited to Jean-Jacques and Michelle's to celebrate JJ's birthday which is actually tomorrow.

Gourmets

Having had a couple of days to put the brakes on eating and drinking, it was time to pick up where we'd left off. After the morning language exchang we went off with Geneviève and Daniel to buy cava at Caramany. For lunch we went to La Plaça but were a little bit disappointed. The wait was just a bit too long and the usual attentio, to detail was missing. Still we ate well and that's the main thing. Home for a cuppa and then on to the bar for a "dégustation" of the "Primeur", the new seasons wine. Luckily Jean-Louis has the support of the Anglophone community; there were 9 of us tasting and five others regulars at the bar drinking what they normally drink. It was all a bit sad really. Then came the highlight of the day.

This week is the week when good food is in the limelight. Kids in school are taught how to develop their palates and events are organised throughout the country. We were lucky enough to inherit the Mayor's invitation to one such event. It was "la Cuisine Catalane révisitée" with a menu devised by two 3* Micelin chefs. It was delicious with pigeon breast as the main course. I was just delighted with the thought of fewer pigeons in this world. Each course came with a different wine and it was all scrummy.

Change of Scene

13th -14th Oct:
Living upstairs while out two brave workers attack the plaster in the sitting room ceiling. Christian went back to the Mairie and I tried to catch up with things on the computer. The view is better from up here and I can't see the plaster that is everywhere.

Bien Fatigués

The Normans left at 8.30am this morning and after we'd seen them off Christian went straight to bed. I kept going until 8.30pm and then it was big ZZZZZZZZs all the way until morning.

Another Busy Day

Again all day at the forum with a break for lunch to eat with the troops and the concert with Al Cimist at the end. More speeches this evening with presents from the Catalans to the Normans and a chance to try drinking with the poro. There was no escaping having a go without loosing face so .... Christian did well and glad to say that I didn't disgrace myself either but sadly I don't have the photo to prove it. All this in the hallowed presence of the "Bouclier de Brannus", the shield won this year by l'USAP, the rugby team from Perpignan.

After all that it was once again back to ours along with Agnès's uncle and aunt, Jean-Pierre & Jinette who live not far from here until 1.15am.

All in a Day's Work

Forum all day with lunch down at the recreation ground with the Normans. Lots of talking, tired feet from standing but it was all good fun. This evening's dinner was marked by a few speeches and presentspromising co-operation and future visits. Then our band of new friends came with us to the bar where Yvon had us in stiches with his I- don't- think- I -should- be- laughing jokes until 1am.

On Duty

Things are starting to get busy, what with preparing the Association's participation in a two day forum and keep up with the twinning obligations. Lunch in the foyer but in the evening we went to Martine's house warming party and only caught up with our " twins" as they were having coffee. A whole lot of them weren't ready for bed so they came back to ours for a drink and a game of darts. Glad to say that Agnes had more than recovered!

Twins have arrived!

After two days of cleaning the house, the members of the twinning committee from Normandy arrived but sadly one of our two lodgers had to go straight to bed as she wasn't well. She was insistant that she was best left alone which when I knew that she was a nurse, I felt I could do with a clear conscience. It was an informal evening and people started to make links with their counterparts. Christian and I had a bit of a head start on the rest as we'd already met the mayor when we delivered the cherries in May. We all ate the first of our six meals together and although there was a caterer it was up to us to serve and clear up. Can't even say "there's no such thing as free lunch" as we paid for all our meals except the one offered by the Normans, ourselves.

At the Mess!

Simone and Francis who are in the old military vehicles association invited us for lunch al fresco at their place and were joined by Alain and Monique. Alain, nicknamed, the Minister of Parades, is one of the assisstant maires and he just loves protocol, pomp and circumstance.
Later on we went around to Juste and Joséphine's for an apéro and ended up staying for Pan Consato, the giant Sicilian sandwich and to be sure, a couple of glasses of wine.

Comme d'habitude!

Saturday's agenda was the market and lunch at the Auberge and as today is the 1st Monday of the month we made our regular pilgrimage up in the mountains for Christian's 'surgery'. As usual we ate at the auberge, this time with Michel and were joined by Jean and Marie-Lourdes.

AGM

Lots of behind the scenes hard work and the Association's AGM went well. After an apéritif in the Foyer, 43 of us went to the Auberge for a meal, a few tunes played on the harmonica by Dick,(Dutch, though I'm not sure if that's relevant!), some new recruits and lots of chat.