Pastures New

Left straight after Spanish for our overnight stay in Castres. Another Groupon deal, so let's hoipe we do better with this one. It's not in the same price bracket, so there's less money to lose and the hotel is a 'Logis de France', which is usually a good recommendation. Weather was sunny but chilly so there was no question of showing off with the roof down. I'd done abit of research and found a nice looking medieval village called Caunes Minervois with a choice of restaurants. It was pretty but given that we were well out of season, there was only one open. Still, it was very pleasant, a bit arty crafy, run by a young English couple. Mostly organic produce, the wine was good, a Minervois of course, as was the homemade pasta. The drive onto Castres took us over the Montagne Noire where there was a sprinkling of snow on the ground and on the trees.

Our hotel was fine, the staff very welcoming and the town interesting. Christian had a wee rest while I had a walk around and found my bearings. It's reminiscent of Girona with colourful and timbered houses rising out of the river. Refreshed, Christian joined me in a rather swish teashop with very swish prices opposite the hotel.Dinner in the hotel was good, so we went to bed with smiles on our faces and slept well.

Lunch Date

Tuesday, Juste started to deal with the crumbling plaster in the cave. We should never have has it plaster because of the damp. The remedy is to expose some stone and whitewash the rest. Needless to say there's dust everywhere but we won't worry about that now.
Work didn't progress yesterday as we were invited to Juste and Joséphine's for lunch along with Michel and Daniel who's here for a few days. A baker in a previous life, Daniel brought homemade profiteroles to follow the smoked salmon and asparagus and "Parmentier". When said with a French accent, you'd think that it was something more than Shepherds Pie. Still, it the mash was very smooth and it was really very tasty.
Today, we stayed on in the bar for lunch with Laurent after the usual Thursday apéritif with the language exchange lot. Saves all that cooking and washing up, doesn't it?

Pot Luck

After all the eating that we've been doing recently, it was time to have some nourishment for the mind. this evening we attended an lecture about a transfrontier organisation looking at the art and history of Catalunya. Sadly, it was poorly attended. Françoise came along after going to see Jean in hospital. He's in high dependant care but loving every minute of being surrounded by the female nurses. Those of you who know him, won't be in the least bit surprised. She, Kathy, Michel and Sylvie came back to ours for supper and thankfully, the fridge yielded well.

Christmas is Coming

Can't believe that it's only a month until Christmas but a trip to a local Christmas market to help sell crafts for our Congo association was a bit of a wake up call. Yet again I did a lot of chatting to people I knew who stopped by the stall and not a lot of selling. Only did the morning stint as there was a fund raising lunch back in the village. Here, they don't go in for those bowl of soup dos, this was a very filling pork (every bit of the pig imaginable)and white bean stew.
Received the sad news that Pat (Mum's neighbour's son-in-law) had died from long-standing heart problems (there are a lot of them about. His wife was at school with my sister and she and Pat came here to visit a few years back.
Rather better news was that the UMP, right wingers, are in disarray after both Fillon (who's married to a Welsh women, by the way) and Copé are both claiming to have won the party leadership election. Fun and games to follow no doubt.

Friends

Another full-on day. Market in the morning where we had coffee with Michel and a sculptor who has just moved into the village. From there we went over to the bar and met up with Jacques, Marie and Robert for an apéritif. Robert didn't take much persuading to telephone Gaby to see if she wanted to go to Mas Salelles for lunch and what do you know, she was up for it! The day didn't finish there as we'd arranged to go and have an apéritif with Jean-Jacques and Michelle. As Michelle is undergoing treatment and isn't able to do much, we took the food and they supplied the booze. Glad to say that she seemed quite perky and although tiring for her, I think she was happy to have some normality for a change and of course, we didn't outstay our welcome.

Winter Warmer

An evening meeting up in our satellite village organised by the Marie meant that Christian and Michel had to be present, so, of course, I went too. Fortunately, it didn't last more than an hour and a half as it was pretty cold in the room. Afterwards we were invited to a colleague's who lives up there. An enormous choucroûte was on the menu. I knew it was a mistake to tuck into the apéritifs.

Non-stop Day

Had a busy day today with a committeee meeting and a dash home to get lunch ready for David, who is over from Scotland for a couple of days, Nany and André. Then this evening we had a second Côtes de Rhône tasting for another 10 people. Felt pretty tired by the time we'd cleared up, not to mention the news that our friend, Jean was in the clinic with a heart problem.

Good Vibrations

Had dinner with a Flemmish theme round at Michel's this evening. We supplied the main course(a present from Michel's cousin from Picardie) - a large jar of a traditional dish with an unpronouncable name (Pot Jevlech) which was basically 3 white meats in jelly which is eaten cold accompanied by chips and beer. It was surprisingly tasty.

Ended the evening by watching the film "Hysteria" which was all about the invention of the vibrator! Well worth watching for a giggle if you should come across it.

Wine and Cheese

On the nose, aromas of small red fruits, in the mouth a wine fresh and fruity or so says the blurb à propos du Côtes du Rhône.This evening we organised a blind tasting of 5 different wines from the Rhône valley and 2 others for 10 of us from the association. Bread, cheese,good conversation in front of an open fire and the glory of knowing your Rhônes from the imposters.Much to my surprise, Crozes-Hermitage, my usual favourite, didn't score as highly as the Vacqueyras so it's good to move out of the box from time to time.

When Duty is Fun

The village with which we are twinned celebrated it's fête today and of course we went. One, to support the Mayor and two, because it's always a nice experience. Starting to be recognised and welcomed even when you can't speak Catalan feels good.It was foggy, drizzly and chilly so the sardane was cancelled as the only indoor space was being used for the apéritif. Although it was about a 20 minute drive way we took André, Nany, Michèle and Henri to Mas Salelles as our treat. We all opted for the mushroom menu and weren't disappointed. They went back for the afternoon sardane but we headed for home to put our feet up.

Weary Bones

Things caught up with me today and I stayed in bed until lunch time so there was no weekly visit to the market. Feeling a bit more refreshed, we went to a musical evening, the proceeds of which will go to the Téléthon fund raising effort but we did sneak away at the second interval.We'd put our hands in our pockets by buying raffle tickets, drinking rum punch and eating snacks so we reckoned that we'd done our bit.

Aging Groupies

A day of contrast. A funeral in the morning and a Lebanese meal at which Michel and his group played in the evening. The restaurant owner was well pleased with all the extra business brought by us groupies though at 25€/head without wine we found it overpriced. Foolishly, we fell for the "would you like to try the Lebanese wine?" ploy. It was of course much more expensive than the French wine and not as good. We really should have known better.

Men are from Mars

Would you believe it? Like most associations, we're always looking for people to join the committee but at the AGM at the end of September, no one came forward; that is until all the official business was over. Philippe said he'd be interested if our all female committee would accept a man! So today, we held an Extaordinary General Meeting and he was duly elected. The evening was more fun with an apéritif dinatoire chez Juste and Joséphine.

Cin, Cin, Amiche!

Finally got organised enough to go for a dental checkup which here is not automatically made for 6 months hence. No treatment needed, thank goodness.

Our Giordano parcel arrived and it was great fun finding all the goodies in jars, pasta, biscotti, wine plus white plates and bowls for 6 people as a freebie. A great deal, so if ever you see an introductory offer for about £39, go for it. It's genuine.In fact this is our second introductory parcel and we're running out of cupboard space.
This evening, I joined Barbara, Lynne, Anne and Dani at the restaurant for an apéritif and a good time was had by us all, especially Anne who got the giggles after her second glass of wine .... she's normally a café au lait or half a lager female and she had better get some practice in as another evening is on the cards.

101 Things to do with a Giant Squash!

It was a bit cold and grey this morning when we set off for a "boules" tournement in the grounds of our favourite restaurant "Mas Salelles". José and Dolores always make us welcome and feed us well and this time even gave a prize. The most enormous squash which lent itself to alot of hilarity but which no doubt will end up as soup. It was a fun day rounded off with a drink at Gaby and Robert's when we drove them home.

Coffee Table Travel

Couldn't drag my heels this morning, had to open up the room for the calligraphy workshop atfer which the day drifted on until teatime when Geneviève and Philippe came around with a book that I'd ordered. Geneviève is an artist and has illustrated and published her travelogues. This one was dedicated to Asia and is a really nice addition to the coffee table. You can see her work on http://genevieve.rouanes.pagesperso-orange.fr/

Double Dose

Armistice Day, a public holiday which brings a national expectation to participate in any commemmoration . As our commune is made up of two villages, there were two ceremonies to attend. For a change the second one was up in the mountains so there was another expectation that we'd stay on and give some lunch custom to the local auberge which laid on the after-ceremony apéritif. It's always much better than the one we have in the village but I suppose it is for far fewer people. Have to say,it wasn't too difficult to do either our municipal or gastronomic duty.

Tiny Tantrum

Yesterday dedicated more time to the website but this time, it was new rather than repair work. Today we had our weekly trip to the market and had an apéritif with Jacques and some of his friends on the terrace of the bar. Are any of you UK readers jealous? In the afternoon, I went to Nicole's for tea and then we both walked down to this month's vernissage which unusually was on a Saturday and met up with Christian. He came back home somewhat out of sorts complaining that there was nothing of interest in the house to eat and insisted that he needs to eat 3 times a day but really it was because I wouldn't say "yes" to buying chips on the way back!

Out of Sight?

A Thursday with a little extra and a little less. After the usual association stuff in the morning and an apéritif in the bar,we ate in the village restaurant. Then Rowena called in for a cuppa in the afternoon but couldn't stay too long. We seem to have less and less contact and it doesn't feel like it used to between us.

Supa Soup

Nicole, Anna and Gérard, our neighbours are keeping the tradition of an autumnal neighbourhood get-together alive by organising a soup evening. The weather was with us as it was warm enough to eat outside. Young and old sampled several varieties of soup, even the restaurant sent over a pot. Our contribution was cake. Well, Marie-Antoinette did say "let them eat cake!"

Winter Entertainment

It's Mum's birthday today so, of course, the first thing to do was to phone. 83 and still living independently. She's doing better than Josette. Hope it's in the genes!
Cut short my Congo association meeting to go to the first "Soirée Guitares" at the bar. Christian was more consciencious, not leaving his meeting at the mairie until it was over. The evening was a great success with a log fire, several guitarists of different genres, an appreciative audience and a great ambiance. (Thanks to Jean-Michel for the photo)

Back to Work

Yesterday we spent a lazy day with lots of telly and a pheasant lunch which today we had to make up for. Christian with the Mairie during the day and his surgery this evening; me distributing association messages in the village and as Mike is away on two outlying estates. Not to mention, still trying to iron out website problems.

Going Live

Spent several hours in front of the computer instead of going to the market as even though the new website has gone online, ther are several glitches to sort out before anyone notices. It wasn't all work though, Jean and Françoise called in for an impromptu apéritif and they are always good for taking you away from navel gazing.

Carpe Diem

At long last we made it to see Josette in her care home. Not the most cheering experience and a future we childless folk prefer not to think about. Anyway, let's not get maudlin .... we took her out down the coast, walked in the sun, admired the boats and drank tea. Came home and celebrated Juste's birthday, so "sieze the day" while you can.

A Better Option

Today's a public holiday and traditionally, the day that people visit the graves of their loved ones. As we have no one lying at peace waiting to be visited, we went with James and Beverley for lunch at Mas Salelles.