Tartan Trail

The sun was still shining when we piled into the mini bus and Laura's car for today's excursion. The first stop was Aberfeldy then it was onto Pitlochry for a walk and a visit to the Edradour distillery which is the smallest one in Scotland. Still privately owned, they pride themselves on quality not quantity. Had lunch at the house of Bruar but sadly having done the walk to the falls, we didn't have any time to do any serious shopping. Dinner this evening was in the Comerie Golf Clubhouse where Bill, the chef put on an excellent meal. Cousins Jean and Rob came over from Bridge of Earn to join us so we were able to do some catching up in between looking after the group.

In the Capital

A few went to Rosslyn Chapel while the rest off us went to Edinburgh via the Forth bridges. Coffee in a restaurant where there were old photos of the rail bridge's construction and a memorial to the men and boys who died while it was being built (the youngest was only 13). The bridge was opened in 1890 having taken 7 years to build. The road bridge opened in 1964 and was at that time the longest in Europe. Seven men died in its construction.
Edinburgh was as it often is, windy and cold. We gave the open top bus tour a miss and settled for a gentle stroll up to the Royal Mile where an anti-royal wedding demonstration infront of St Giles cathederal was underway. Yes, today was the day which saw millions glued to their tvs to see another royal fairy tale unfold. We contented ourselves with lunch in "Deacon Brodies" with Patrick and Nicole, tea in the Holyrood café where we were given a free bit of wedding cake and a guided tour of the Parliament.
Back to Comerie with just enough time to change for the party given by Laura and David for our group and their hosts.

All Set...

Well almost! Rendez-vous at 10.15am with 17 other members of the Association for our departure to Gerona airport. two people had to race back home as they'd forgotten things and another one had a bit of a drama with losing car keys but there's little interest to go into it here.. david and Laura were at Prestwick airport to meet us and the first stop was Troon where we had a glass of bubbly overlooking Aran. You've no idea what a relief it was to have sunshine. Drove up to Comerie, about two hours away via Bridge of Allen where people were introduced to fish and chips.

Farewell

The time has finally come to say good bye to our visitors who are off to spend the rest of their time here in one of the villages mobile homes as we need to get organised for our departure tomorrow. Shame that I had to block out Sebastian's face as he is such a bonny wee lad but the law is the law as far as children are concerned.

A Taste of the Tropics

Finally a night with no work to do as it was the Guadeloupians turn to lay on the meal. Creole food, killer rum punch, music and dance. A successful evening that made them a bit of money. They must be absolutely exhausted with all the carnivaling and sight seeing that they've been doing but from tomorrow they have a couple of days to relax before going home.

Eggstravaganza

Today's main event was eating the Pascal Omelette which had been cooked by the local Sardane Group. I say omlette but to feed about 150 of us they had to do loads of them. It's always a good evening and a really nice tradition.

Easter Sunday

This morning it was the village's turn to host the ceremony for the deportees but first of all, we found ourselves giving a hand to get the foyer ready for the apéritifs. Michel came around for a lunch of roast (humanely produced) veal but otherwise the rest of the day was quiet enough.

Sleeves Rolled Up

The weather was wet so we wouldn't have been going to the market anyway therefore having to go and clean wasn't too onerous especially as Babette and Marguerite came to help Maggie and myself. In need of a reward afterwards we went to a nice local restaurant for a nice lunch. In the evening up in the other village, there was a parade for those who had been deportees during the war followed by an apéritif and so the day ended for two tired wee souls.
By the way, what do you think of my present from Anique; Christian got a bottle of knock-your-head-off rum.....

Our Turn

Tonight it was over to the association to feed our visitors and another association laid on the apéritifs. As it was Good Friday and many of them are practising catholics, our musical members played jazz and easy listening music and the cooks among us made plenty of vegetarian and fish tapas to eat. It didn't finish too late but even so, we left most of the cleaning up until the next day.

Fun with Friends

18th April:
Christian went off to Perpignan with Kelvin to help with translation at a meeting while I waited for Margaret and Irene to come around. They appeared three bottles of rosé later for apéritifs and a pot-luck dinner. Rather rashly, they thought it would be a good idea if they upheald English pride by organising something along the lines of the proposed trip to Scotland that's coming up at the end of the month.
20th April:
Had a coffe in the bar with Margaret in the morning and were invited by the kids theatre group to participate in the meal that they'd organised for the Guadeloupians. Another good night of music and food.
21st April:
Association all morning followed by a drink in the bar and a trip to the new beauticians in the afternoon. Christian had a council meeting in the evening so we didn't arrive at Danielle's until after 8pm. Jacques, Yaneth and Lisa were already there but fortunately they were able to wait before tucking in to as usual, a good meal; just look at the starter if you don't believe me. Funnily enough, the tablecloth was made of the same madras material that is typical of Guadeloupe.

Revelling with Rosé

Magaret arrived back in the village having driven over with Kelvin and Irene. While Christian was at a meeting with Kelvin in Perpignan in translator mode, Irene and Maragaret got stuck into the rosé. They managed to find their way here and continued where they left off; Have to say that we had some great laughs and rather rashly they decided that they could organise a visit to their village for the association next year. As the bar was closed we made do with bits and pieces out of the fridge and more wine!

Put on your Red Shoes and Dance!

Out and about early this morning and caught an impromptu music session given by the Guadeloupians. A few drinks in the bar, a bunyette ( local deep fried pastry) making demonstration given by the local baker, an organised meal in the square followed by the carnaval troupe strutting its stuff as the rest of us followed behind trying to look rhythmic.... tired or what at the end of it all!
The problem is that when you're in too many associations, you find yourself getting involved in lots of things. This evening it was the turn of the village's twinning association to serve up the meal so Christian and I rolled up our sleeves and did our bit. How I chuckled to think of our visitors ancestors having a good laugh at the glorious irony of it all!

Into the Swing of it!

Went to the market and found some of our visitors selling their rhum, meals and other goodies accompanied by drums to an astounded public. They were due to do the same in our village in the afternoon but sadly, they were too tired. Shame as there were quite a lot of people at the recreation ground watching classic sports cars come into the check point on their overnight rally. still I suppose that they had to be fit for the "diner-spectacle' at the village hall. It was a great evening with a good meal and plenty of music and dance .... and there's more to come tomorrow.

Let's Party!

The people from Guadeloupe arrived at the village hall for lunch having spent the previous evening staying in mobile homes at the nudist camp because they had arrived earlier than expected. Even with all their clothes on they were surprised by the difference in temperature. Proceedings were a bit difficult to start off with as we found that the list of who was staying where, which had been changed umpteen times, had to be changed again. The list we'd been given of folk who would be happy to stay together was obviouly all to pot as among other things a family of 3 were in 3 different places. In the end, we had the family to stay with us instead of 2 single men. i think we've come off very well as they a charming people who manageg to get themselves to the coach more or less on time. The atmosphere soon livened up as the musicians located their bongos in the mountain of baggage that they'd shipped over and started to drum and sing. Christian and I were on duty serving lunch after which Christian was feeling pretty stressed and tired (not helped by having scrapped our car along the side of someone else's) so he made a sharp exit and went home for a rest.

Losing Hair, Gaining Inches

Yesterday was another tear-your-hair-out-day for Christian what with people who had said they would give B & B to the carnival troupe dropping out at the last minute and reorganising the allocations, only to find that instead of 42 coming there are now only 36! This whole enterprise has been a real headache and luckily for you, dear readers, too tedious to go into here. I'm sure that the WRVS had an easier time with the evacuees.
For me there was a meeting about the Concert for Europe Day that the Association is organising with another village association but maybe I've told you about that already.
Today, Christian's welcome break from the Mairie was a trip to the clinic for a biopsy which left him feeling pretty washed out and not up to eating at the Lebanese restaurant as he'd planned. Still there's choucroute, a huge Alsacian dish to look forward to at Michel's tonight so perhaps it was just as well.

Lunch Out

A welcome escape from the village but not until we'd walked around the lake , collected Christian's blood test results and done our respective duties at the Mairie and in front of the computer.
folowed our well - beaten trail to Garriguella for lunch. Still very good value but they've cut out one of the starters. There is now also another hotel across the road which loked very smart and very empty. Stopped off as usual at the Cave Oliveda on the way back and stocked up with cava. One of life's more pleasing little rituals!

Spring is in the Air

10th April:
Spent most of the day tidying up the 'garden' and stopped only to get ready for a play, or rather seies of sketches in the village hall put on by an amateur dramatics group. The afternoon was livened up by a deaf lady sitting behind us who kept saying in a very loud voice that she couldn't hear and was going to go home!
11th April:
Managed a walk and saw this spring - like scene at the lake.

Meetings Nearly Everyday.

2nd April:
Met Madeleine and her friend Ellen in the market and then we all had lunch at the Auberge. In the evening we were invited to David and Laura's for something to eat and to firm up on the Scottish trip.
3rd April:
Had Jean-Jacques around for lunch as Michelle is still in Paris.
4th April:
Tonight we were up in the mountains for Christian's regular surgery and now that the restaurant has re-opened after its winter break, duck breast was back on the menu. Before that I went up to see Annette and then walked 20 minutes or so to get down to the village. The blossom on the wild cherry trees looks almost like snow, doesn't it?
5th April:
From the mountains to the big city .... Spent the morning in Perpignan where Christian had to see the the specialist who will be doing his biopsy and we even managed to avoid having lunch out. Now, there's a surprise! Finally got around to tackling a translation for an artist's website (see ) in the afternoon. I just hope that I've done it justice. Then, in the evening I managed to get roped into a carboot sale in June for the Association working with the Congolese women that I've spoken about previously.
6th April:
Had my first English conversation session with a 15 year old from the village who's Mum asked me everso nicely to help ..... one day I'll learn to say "no". This evening there was a meeting about the Guadeloupe visit which seems to be getting ever more complicated.
7th April:
Association committee meeting and language exchange in the morning and dinner along with David and Laura at Maggie's in the evening. This photo of the wisteria was taken from where we meet on a Thursday. Just glorious.
8th April:
Spanish followed by a tasting at the cookery workshop that was going on downstairs, followed by lunch with Marguerite and Michel at the bar. In the evening there was a get-together for the Scottish group over an apéritif.
9th April:
There was no market today as it was Christian's turn for a meeting. I took advantage of a lovely sunny day by delivering the Association's latest bulletin before meeting him for an omlette in the bar.

Take a Deep Breath

Spent the last couple of days doing the usual stuff and even managed an early morning walk around the lake.
This afternoon Christian saw the lung specialist about his "nodule" and he's being referred to Perpignan for a biopsy. He also had a lung capacity test and lo and behold, Christian is normal! Called in to see Josette for a cuppa and a catch up. as it was such a lovely evening we had a glass of wine on the terrace of the bar and decided to catch the last rays of sun over a meal.