Eating out, Eating In

The sun was shining as we did our round of the market yesterday and had a relaxing drink at the café. Too nice to eat inside so we had lunch at the village bar sitting on the terrace. With the blossom and the sun it feels like spring but we'll need to make the most of it, the temperatures are due to drop.
Christian once again worked his magic in the kitchen today and served up a delicious meal of scallops done in a light sauce and saffron vinegar glaze accompanied by tagliatelli and a good bottle of white wine (which we didn't finish, by the way).
This evening our President appeared for five minutes on the TV to talk about the need to reorganise foreign affairs and as demanded MAM has gone in the latest reshuffle. More of a surprise is that Brice Ortefeux,a close friend of 30 years who was Interior Minister and Minister for Immigration before that has also gone. Neither will be mourned.

Good News Day

Up with the lark for a committee meeting which meant that I had to grit my teeth and head for the bathroom first rather than lingering until Christian had finished. Still, needs must. After that we drove into Perpignan and while I went for my annual mammogram Christian went to terminate an insurance policy. No prizes for who got the better option. Anyway, I came away with a clean bill of health and Christian came away with the promise of a cheque in the post. By then it was time to high tail it out of the city in search of lunch. We tried a place we'd never been to before in a restored farmhouse that had views onto Canigou and were not disappointed. Lovely imaginative food which was à la nouvelle cuisine but with more on the plate. Definitely one for the guide book.
The sun was shining and the Tromantane blowing as we walked along the prom at Argelès with Christian listening to his music and me trying to absorb some Spanish. A day where everything worked out just right. Who could ask for more?

A Little Ray of Sunshine

As the days are becoming more spring like I think I'll change the blogs background to something more cheery and goodness knows with all the grim news coming out of Libya we need it.

A Bright Spark

Thank goodness Joséphine came around in the evening to share some tapas and liven up what had been a pretty ordinary day taken up by association stuff and the Mairie.

Royal Mail

Well, has a wedding invitation dropped through your letterbox this morning? Apparently the list is still "secret" but the news in France reported that the Beckhams were invited but that the Sarkozys and Obamas were not.
As an aside, French Diplomatic and Froreign Affairs are woeful at the moment; MAM's freebie trip to Tunisa where her father was in talks about buying into real estate, her friendship with the Ben Ali family, her ill -advised pronouncement that France could help train the Police who were in the process of putting down what was then a revolt have meant that there are many demands for her resignation. Fillon's freebie to Egypt met with several rumbles but nowhere near the same ferocity. In response a dictat from on high has tried to establish some dos and don'ts among MPs to pull them back from becoming too embedded in sleeze. Then of course, there's the new Ambassador to Tunisia (close to Sarkozy) who was so undiplomatic in his approach to the local journalists that it only took five days before there were demonstrations demanding his recall. Is a confrontational style now one of the requisites for a career in the diplomatic. I don't think so.
On the other hand, with the Presidential elections next year, our leader is on a charm offensive. Having caused a scandal at the Paris Agricultural Fair in his first year by swearing at one of the farmers and missing the inauguration in his second, he was there this weekend on the opening day all smiles and banter. Are farmers really that dumb? Yet again, I don't think so.

A Surge of Energy

The market on Saturday and coffee in the bar on Sunday were as usual but I don't know why but this weekend we both tacled some domestic chores. Outside cleaning, a bit of polishing and some ironing osccupied me while Christian did a Sunday lunch of Rabbit and Wild Mushroom Casserole. It was really good and what's even better there's enough for tomorrow too and who knows, Christian might even be tempted to extend his repetoire. He would certainly get my vote!

All Fired Up!

Friends for dinner this evening and chilli was on the menu. Well, as the Mexicans have just cancelled "Mexico in France Year" due to our President's lack of diplomatic tact regarding the sentence of a young French woman who was involved in a kidnap, Christian thought we should do our bit to keep the spirit of the initiative alive. Of course there were magaritas, guacamole, and chili chocolate on offer as well. Conversation was lively and given the folk present was often about politics though for once, not of the local kind.

Association, Mairie, Association, Mairie!

A busy few days during which the Association took pride of place. A meeting with Nick to teach me the rudiments of excel so that I can manage membership information in a more up-to-date way, the English conversation workshop, a meeting about the European evening in May, a committee meeting and my Spanish class. Still, the latter really was for pleasure ..... well kind of; I'm still not making much progress. There was also my annual well-woman check up and that definitely wasn't for pleasure! Christian was of course during this time busy at the Mairie.

St Valentine

Yesterday was as predicted, a quiet day with salad for lunch and a basket of ironing for company. That good old self righteous feeling came in handy today as Christian had booked us in at an auberge for lunch. The tasting menu came with a glass, no that's definitely an exaggeration, of wine to go with 3 of the 4 courses. There was only another table of 4 besides us and as they were obviously in the wine business, it was they who had all the attention. The meal was good, shame that we didn't feel that we had value for the quite large amount of money that we spent.
Later on we went over to see Josette and after taking her to the supermarket we kept her company over a cup of tea.You always knew that Christian was a big hearted sort of fella, didn't you?

A Full Day

It was another misty day but unlike the previous few days, it looked as though the sun would break through sooner or later. Breakfast was a copious affair with lovely fresh bread, pancakes, cereal, cheese, ham, homemade cake and fruit.The trees in blossom were just across from the hotel.
Our first port of call was the wine and oil cooperative in the village, then the tourist office in Vilajüiga outside which there was this splendid olive tree. Of course there was time for a coffee before winding our way up through fabulous scenery to the monestry of St Pere de Rodes. What a pity that it was shrouded in mist. The drive down the other side into Port de la Selva was equally zig-zaggy; not a road for those prone to vertigo. Still the sun was shining here and we were able to eat lunch outside overlooking the sea. It was one of those all in 15€ menus which was good for a Saturday as they are often only served on weekdays. We did have to ask for it though having been handed the à la carte menu. How I hate this 'let's try and pull a fast one on the tourists' behaviour but I've probably told you that already.
Instead of afternoon tea we had a hot chocolate in Llança in the afternoon. The tea came with a bit of chocolate cake when we arrived back at Juste and Joséphine's and this was followed by champagne and canapés a bit later on. Now, don't be saying anything, it won't be anything that we haven't said to ourselves. It will be soup and salad tomorrow and no excuses!

Spoiling Ourselves

Spanish in the morning, a new satellite dish in the afternoon and a trip over the border in the evening for an overnight with Juste and Joséphine in a village hotel that I'd found on the net.
Christian and I already knew Paulau Saverdera so the hotel was easy to find. It was just perfect especially as It was our friends' 34th wedding anniversary the next day. Lots of character, exposed stone and very comfortable; you know, one of those places that done with plenty of little extra touches and a lot of taste. It's run by a young woman and her mother which probably explains all.
After cava and foie gras in our room we ate a beautifully and freshly prepared meal in the hotel and then rounded off the evening in a jazz bar just down the road.

This and That

Didn't do anything more exciting yesterday than have coffee with Linde. Today after the funeral of our neighbour opposite (aged 63) at the crematorium in Perpignan we met up with Penny and Frank for lunch. A great value Catalan meal made even better as we were given free apéritifs. Apparently as we'd reserved we should have had the round table by the window but some other people seated themselves there and we'ren't asked to move so when Penny and Frank arrived there was no table ready for us. Now, that is good business sense. They came back for a coffee at which point we found out that they were doing a house exchange and going to the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand later this year. Lucky them!
Joséphine didn't make it over for our Spanish revision but while I was able to take it easy, Christian had to go to the Mairie for a meeting.

Superior Palates

I'm beginning to feel as though I'm being taken for granted ..... an association day out with only me from the bureau being present for the morning's activities and little communication advising me of that fact. Still, let's be positive, the visit to a vinegar producers was very interesting. A traditional process, lots of different flavours (we bought saffron)and a peaceful setting. What's more, they supply the top chefs in Paris. Lunch in Port Vendres was very good and no one found any fault with the meal or the price. In the afternoon there was a tour of a Banyuls cave which of course came with the opportunity to taste and buy. The day ended with a visit to the Maillol(a sculptor)museum but as we'd already been there, we gave that bit a miss. It's a real wee gem if ever you're this way.
Dropped Joséphine back home where we had a cuppa so there was just a bit of time for Christian to have a nap before his council meeting.

Life's Rich (?) Tapestry

Well, that's another week all but gone and life has ticked over much the same as usual. Mairie, Association,and both of us had our stitches out.
The weekend was a bit more hectic. First, the market after which we went for a cheap and cheerful lunch in between preparing for the tapas evening in the village hall. These two old work horses were there until the bitter end. That's right,after washing the floor and loading the car with all the left over, food, drink and abandoned dirty dishes. Thankfully, someone else (who had only joined that night) took away the recycling and rubbish. Where are the willing hands when there are grotty jobs to do?
Yesterday was spent lazing around and I regret to say that we didn't even go out to enjoy the the 18°of sunshine that the region was blessed with.
Today it's back to the grind. Christian had an 8.30am meeting and has his usual monthly surgery until 7.30pm tonight and later on we'll need to pack away all the left over drink and other paraphernalia.

A Splash of Coulour

Can you believe that the January has been and gone? I can't. The clouds have now been replaced by sunshine and blue sky though it's still cold. I was right to put off delivering Association messages until today as the walk was a real pleasure. The mimosa is coming out again and the snow on Canigou is just magic.
In the wider world France has done well with gold medals in the skiing and skating; they're handball (or "hand" as it's called in French, like football is called "foot") European champions having beaten Denmark on Sunday. Our sympathies go to Lone and Jesper.
Even farther afield, the dominoes are falling with Egypt having picked up the baton from Tunisia. Mubarak seems unlikely to last another 30 days, let alone another 30 years.