A lot of Work and a little Play

Meetings for Christian Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evening. Such a devoted servant of the public! It wasn't all work though. We had an apéritif at the bar on Thursday before having lunch with Penny, Frank and Michel at the restaurant and as a bonus we were able to sit out on the terrace.

Hammering the Keys

Christian had his apointment about his arteries this morning and he needs an operation to sort them out.The good news is that I've just caught up with the blog, well apart from finding some illustrations for those dreary looking posts without photos. Christian has just come in from a council meeting and put the soup on to warm and the toast in to toast. Can't be more up to date than that, can it?

Tradition and Modernity

The weather was miserable on Saturday and there was just time to go to the supermarket before the annual lunch in the village hall organised by an old soldiers' club . A meal of wild boar and galette for dessert; indeed, everything has its season and inevitably we over dose.
Then in the evening we put in an appearance along with Michel at a vernissage in Cabastany where a sculptor from the village was showing along with a number of other artists. This sizable town, on the outskirts of Perpignan has a communist mayor which is obvious by the investment in arts and culture. We can only look on with envy.
Today, Juste and Joséphine came for lunch.
Avocado and Bacon Salad,
Grilled Swordfish and Rice, http://allrecipes.com/recipe/grilled-marinated-swordfish/detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Title&e11=grilled%20swordfish&e8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e13=A%3aSearch%20Results-List%28contro%29&e7=Recipe
Chocolate Mousse ... we're all galetted out so this made a welcome change!

Another Day, Another Doctor

Yesterday Christian had his check up with the cardiologists and guess what he told him? Yes, you're right, dear reader; "lose weight and walk"! He also wants hime to see about his arteries which are obviously seriously furring up.

An unexpected invitation came our way this morning when we were having our after language exchange glass of wine ... we were invited to eat calçots this evening in the bar. Calçots are large spring onions, grilled and eaten with a sauce in the same way as you would asparagus (ie, with your fingers). It's a traditional dish hereabouts and the season isn't very long. Jean-Louis grilled them over the open fire and we enjoyed. Couldn't stay too long as Jean-Jacques (Michelle is in hospital again)was coming for supper. Made a really delicious soup, even if I do say so myself. chestnut and Parsnip, the recipe for which you can find at http://andyskitchen.co.uk/blogs////blog1.php/recipes/soup/creamy-chestnut-and-parsnip-soup
Mmmm! My mouth is watering at the thought of it.
Today, as there was no Spanish so I had a bit of a lie. Michel came at apéritif time so stayed for something to eat. I'd been planning for us to eat some pretty sad looking left-overs so did a quick rethink and made pasta with a smoked salmon sauce.

The Great and Not so Good

Sunday and Monday have been miserable and Christian was at the GP again, this time for an inflammed little toe.Surprise, surprise, he was told to lose weight and walk more. No comment!

I think Christian needs to ge his hearing tested as well as he did more than justice to the meal we had today. As the Mayor had to be elsewhere, he asked Christian to stand in for him at a local village fête in honour of their patron saint, St Vincent (patron saint of wine growers, by the way), Sardane, an apéritif for all and sundry and a meal. I got to go too. Mass first (gave that a miss), sale of bread that has been blessed, the Mayor's New Year Wishes. The weather was sunny and it was a pleasure to be outside and not infront of the computer as I have been recently.

The meal was substantial: charcuterie and roast red peppers, stuffed squid and king prawns, wild boar and white beans, chicken and potatoes, dessert and coffee all washed down with bottles of wine. Being part of the official group, we got to sit at the top table with several Mayors, the local MP, a Regional Councillor and wit for it ... the Archbishop. I must remember to tell my Mum who will be well impressed!

Keep the Home Fires Burning

It's been cold for the last few days and imagine my misery to come downstairs on Monday to find that the storage heaters hadn't heated up. What's worse,we've been on a red tarif pricewise. One good thing is that I've started to clean up the dust in the cave in an effort to keep warm. All it needs is for Juste to take away all his tools which yours truly has put tidily in one place.

Tuesday we both went to Sylvie's hair salon to get our unruly mops sorted out and Wednesday Jacques, his son Pierre and his girlfriend Lea came for an apéritif dinatoire next to a roaring log fire. Several bottles later we got to bed at 2am.
Thursday, our guests from last night joined us in the bar after the language exchange and we ended up going back to Jacques to eat pasta. As he and Pierre were leaving the next day for the States, there was food to eat up and bottles to empty. In the evening, I joined, Lynne, Anne and Barbara for an apéritif in the restaurant ... told you that it was going to be a regular thing.
Friday and though it's sunny, it's still cold and we're still on a red tarif.I went to Spanish in the morning; Christian, of course went to the Mairie and in the afternoon we watched 'Oranges and Sunshine' about kids in care who'd been shipped out Australia and told that their parents were dead. It reminded me that in the early 70's that I'd had a social work placement at Middlemore Homes which had sent children to Canada. For once, the social worker was the "goodie" in the story and that doesn't happen often.
Today, it started to rain so we gave the market a miss and went to the supermarket. Called in at the bar and had a glass of wine with Lauren and Patrick. Christian invited the latter to come and eat with us, so thank goodness for the large tin of confit de canard (duck legs) that I had in the cave. Maggie came around in the afternoon and we watched "The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel" while we sipped the pink champagne that she and Trevor had brought New Year's day. The film was so funny; so many great onelinersfrom a really super cast. What a change to see Maggie Smith transformed from Dowager to working class wifey. Still, they were both snobs in their own way, so I guess we're all the same underneath.

Happy Campers

Nancy, who's over from the States, and I managed to catch up over a coffee in the bar.she'll be back next in June when perhaps we'll find it a bit easier to get time together.This afternoon we kept our date at the campsite which being a naturist establishment, is closed in winter. As promised, there was coffee and yes, you've guessed it, more galette. There was also a calvados (Papa Roger comes from Normandy) and an armagnac for me. All very congenial. Then, before the light finally faded, Roger took us for a drive around his domaine which is just enormous. River, woodlands and great views.

The day ended with Françoise and Jean coming for apéritifs, which thankfully, I'd prepared this morning. Glad to say that he's looking much better but at 9pm, it was he rather than Françoise who said that it was time to go.

A Choice of Chips

Bumped into Gaby and Robert at the library where there was a jazz concert. From there we decided to try a new restaurant nearby that has been taken over by Guillaume who used to live in the village. Sod's law, it was closed for renovation and as it was 1.15pm by this time we took pot luck at the casino. Buffet hors d'oeuvres, steak and dessert. The food was fine but the waiter bordered on the grumpy. Imagine our surprise when we arrived chez Juste and Joséphine and found that the apéritif dinatoire had turned into a meal ... Rabbit and galette for dessert. The other surprise was that Sylvie brought presents for Jo, Kathy and me. She said that the Three Wise Men had left them .

Addressing the Populace

The Mayor's traditional New Year best wishes were yesterday evening. There was no heckling when he spoke about the projects that would be going ahead. The French are amazingly respectful of their traditions. I don't think British opponants would be so circumspect. Of course, there was an apéritif to follow after which we stopped off at the restaurant for a bite to eat. Another couple who at been at the village hall came in and inevitably we got talking. The upshot being that we're invited to the campsite that they run for Laure's parents for coffee on Sunday.

Ate there again today, this time for lunch, much more interesting than warming up left-overs,n'est-ce pas?

Guitars a GoGo

Another guitar evening at the bar and a bit of a struggle to find somewhere to sit. Once again it was well attended by both musicians and spectators.Just the thing for the post festivity blues.

More Kings and Queens

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This evening, the association offered its members Galettes des Rois and cider after the President had made a short speech. By 8pm, it was all over and we were home

Best medecine

Another lovely sunny day so we rolled back the canvas top, pulled on bonnets and hit the open road with Juste and Joséphine in the direction of Banyoles. Lunch on the terrace of a restaurant, overlooking the lake was just what the doctor ordered. During a short stroll afterwards, Jo and I came across this little fella. Came home via Besalu where we had tea and then went round straight away to Michel's for une galette des rois and champagne. Joséphine found the lucky charm and what a pretty queen she made.

Keep Taking the Tablets

We both saw our respective GPs on Wednesday. I went in the morning to the one in the village and came home with things to swallow, drink and rub in. There are two doctors who work independently, no receptionist, just someone who does secretarial work before the surgery starts and the waitingroom is in sore need of decoration. Oh yes, and the surgery is on the first floor and there's no lift. A long way from the swish health centres that exist these days in UK. I guess the doctors are not investing as there are discussions underway for them to take space in a new development but it's not built yet and is being held back by protesters who don't want the housing that will go along with it. So, we can only think that the waitingroom will become even drearier. Christian, too came home with a bagful of medication but whereas I was taken on time, the locum finally saw him at 7.15pm instead of 5.30pm. Here's hoping the antibiotics do the biz.

Thursday Michel stayed for lunch and had a fright when I couldn't get my breath from coughing so hard. Must say that I had a fright as well.
Friday, Christian went to the Mayor's mother-in-law's funeral but I stayed home in bed in the warm, feeling exhausted.
The news of the moment is that Gérard Depardieu has asked for a Russian passort as he considers it a more fitting demcoracy than France after his spat with the governement about being a tax exile.
Today, the sun is back and we did what we often do on a Saturday. Went to the market after I'd delivered the association newsletters that I should have taken several days before. While having an apéritif in the sun, we decided that after being cooped up this week, it would be great to head for the sea and have lunch. Unfortunately, Juste and Joséphine couldn't join us but invited us there instead. So that's what we did and arranged to go out tomorrow.

New Year Cheer

Struggled out of bed in order to get ready and go down to our favourite restaurant with one or two others from the village. We both did some serious coughing, inspite of which we enjoyed our meal. Came back to ours for champagne and the Christmas cake that I forgot to take with me to Brittany.

Bonne Année!

Rosie, my sister-in-law thinks that I've given up on the blog but oh no I've not!!! Just been too busy doing other things that I've not had time to write about them. Anyway, we hope that you've had great New Year where ever you were celebrating; sadly I had to take to my bed with a hacking cough. Poor me but watch this space, I'll be back.
PS. Since writing this, I've caught up with over 3 months posts. Now there is just January to tackle but hey, I'm on a roll!