Sad News

A Friday night out with friends, a pint and some music who could have predicted what next. A police helicopter crashed last night onto the Clutha bar in Glasgow.It wasn't one of our regular pubs as we prefered the Vicky bar next door but it took us back to our time there and thoughts of our friends who are still there. All spoke of the Glaswegians on site who didn't hesitate to help with the rescue before the services arrived. Yes, it has its fair share of urban problems but none can deny that Glasgow is a city with a heart and a spirit like no other.
Once again, a reminder to make the most of life because you never know ....... 9 people died this night.

5 Days' Worth

A cold, windy but sunny week so there was no great enthusiasm to leave the house. However,
we did venture into Perpignan to visit Nany in hospital who's recovering well after the operation on her back. Christian of course has been to the Mairie every morning and me to the language exchange
and Spanish. Funwise Jean-Jacques came for supper on Wednesday and we had lunch at the restaurant on Thursday. The meal was excellent and we're well pleased that they are open again after two weeks holiday.
This morning Christian had an official "do" with the inauguration of a new sewage works which serves this village and the neighbouring one. The President of the Département was there as it's contributed a chunk of finance. The weather was cold and the speaches were outside. Christian was able to escape some of them as André, the Maire asked him to pick up his granddaughter as oviously he couldn't get away. Imagine Christian's surprise when he returned to find the officials still droning on! Still, there was an apéritif in the warm afterwards so all was not lost.
At long last we finally managed to sped some time with Juste and Joséphine who came around this evening for something to eat.
Apéro: Gin and tonic, salami, cornichons et cherry tomatoes; quiche squares; beetroot, cumin and dill verrines garnished with toasted pinenuts
Thai prawn curry, chickpea and cauliflower curry, rice, lime pickle and coriander raita
Cheese: Manchego, coulomiers
Rich fruit slice with maple syrup cream
We managed to avoid contentious political subjects and had a pleasant evening beside a roaring fire so here too, all is not lost.

Multicultural Day

Another windy day but it was a degree or two warmer than it has been. Started off with a coffee in the bar where my rather splendid bright red coat brought forth comments about Mother Christmas, just as it did last year. Have to say I was glad of it when we went off to a nearby town for the inauguration of a new fountain dedicated to the Sardane of Peace (a Picasso sketch donated by the artist to Communist Party who then donated it to the museum). It's a really beautiful work of art but you'll have to wait for a better photo until I can get a clearer view of it. Had a quick glass of wine with Henri and Michèle before going on to watch a short film about the realisation of the fountain and an apéritif at the Mairie for invited guests. We were the sole representatives of the village .... don't we take our civic responsibilites seriously?
Too late to cook lunch at home so we went to the bar for an omelette, yeah, ok, chips as well.
There was only time for Christian to have a 30 minute nap before we had to set off for an "English" Christmas market in another village. Carols, mulled wine and mince pies. Didn't buy anything but

there again we went to meet Pauline who we hadn't seen for ages not to shop. Lunch in the New Year is on the cards.
Next stop was a competition to find the best new sardane composition. There were 5 (out of 15) on the short list and there was a popular vote and a jury vote. Christian and I voted for the winner of the popular vote which came 2nd with the jury. The competition was then followed by a concert. Neither of us are great sardane fans so we were surprised that we got to the end without feeling bored. The day finished with an apéritif at Henri and Michèle's that for once didn't turn into a meal.

Autumn Bounty

There were less people in the market this morning and there were only a few die-hard smokers on the terraces, presumably due to the icy cold winds . We too, headed indoors for our coffee and catch up with Henri and Michèle. We'd already decided that we were going over to Maçanet for lunch where one of the restaurants was said to have an excellent autumn menu featuring mushrooms and chestnuts. The two of them jumped at our suggestion that they join us and we weren't disappointed with what arrived on our plates.
Canapés: Verrine of mushroom soup, chestnut in sweet wine syrup on a spoon and mushroom croquette
Starter: Warm mushroom salad, foie gras, toast, chestnut purée and quince Jelly
Mains: Duck breast with prunes and chestnuts in a rich wine sauce for 3 of us, veal steak for Henri
Dessert: Chocolate and chestnut "sin" (that's what the menu said) with dark chocolate sauce and white chocolate ice cream for 3 of us and chestnut ice cream with walnuts and ratafia for Christian
Petits Fours. All for 27€90. It would have been 2€ less if we'd gone in the week but we certainly had no regrets; it was delicious and worth every last cent.
Stopped off to buy cava and introduce Henri and Michèle to the cave in Capmany. They enjoyed the tour of the tap museum and bought two cartons of the red wine that we'd had at lunch time. Both couples came away with a freebie bottle of cava and white wine each.
We were back to ours in time for a cuppa and believe it or not, Christian still managed to have some bread and cheese later on!

Where were you when .....?

50 years ago JFK was assassinated and this question has become forever associated with the event. I remember being shocked but not where I was or what I was doing. Does that make me abnormal or just that day to day life for a schoolgirl wasn't very interesting at that time. Apart, of course for the music that is... Stones, Beatles etc. Now that was exciting. How appropriate, therefore that we cosied down and watched "The Boat that Rocks" this afternoon, a fun dvd about pirate radio and an antedote to the replays of JFK getting his head exploded.

Unlikely Dinner Companions

The weather gods must have been on our side yesterday as today, clouds are once more in evidence. It's  cold and windy so it looks as if we're in for the full 9 days of the Tramontane. Still, it didn't matter as all activity was of the indoor variety. Being Thursday, it was the language exchange and a drink at the bar as usual though this evening was more out of the ordinary. A paella in the hunters' premisis with the Police Municipal, some local gendarmes and fire officers . It was organised by Armand, the "Adjoint au Maire" responsible for security and the José, the "Premier Adjoint" who did the cooking, I suppose as a relationship building exercise. Christian and Jean-Jacques were invited because they were good blokes. We thought it would be an all male affair so it was a surprise for me to receive an invite as well. Violet, José's partner and a female gendarme were also there and it turned out to be a very civilised affair.

Guided Tour

Thank goodeness that bad weather doesn't last long here as we were able to go off with Nick and Lizzie under blue skies. The distant mountains have a thick covering of snow and look picturesque with the sun shining down on them. Headed first to Besalú, which they didn't know and had a walk around following an al fresco coffee. As the clock was ticking on, we couldn't give this medieval village the time it deserves. Along with Christian architecture, a fortified bridge and  stone arches, there are rare vestiges of Jewish baths. The Jewish community was expelled from the town in 1436 but now adays, its tourist savvy Council organises a dedicated festival every year to bring them back.
Anyway, enough of Besalú; we had to carry on to the market in Banyoles after driving in around the lake. It too, has an historic centre but not the charm of our first stop. Wandered , bought some fruit, veg and plants, then went in search of lunch.
Once again we went to the  "La Rectoria" and once again neither we nor they were disappointed.

Take a Kilo of Mince .....

18.11.13:

It's rained heavily all day so there was absolutely no question of me putting my nose outside. Christian, however went over to the Mairie in both the morning and afternoon. Then this evening while I watched tv, he went off with Jean-Jacques for a cookery workshop for dummies. organised by Nick. In theory he can now cook spag bol and other dishes that use mince as their base. Can't wait. Apparently, they had a good time as cooking, eating and discussing took 4 hours!

19.11.13:
Another morning spent helping Anne understand "Dropbox" and get to grips with the Association's "In Box" but she's feeling a little overwhelmed and her heart's not in it. The rain,  finally having stopped, meant that I was able to stretch my legs and clear my head on the walk home. Then for the rest of the day, I sorted out all the cds and feel pleased to see them in neat rows organised in genres.  Next it will be the drawer in the kitchen with bits of string and other "might-come-in-useful-one-day items" that will be tidied. Yeah, yeah I know, all pretty obsessive!
Oh yes, France managed to qualify for the World Cup and François Holland, the President was well pleased with the result speaking about a team that made  through even though people didn't believe in them. Easy to recognise a subtle parallel to  his governement which is being dogged by very poor ratings. He himself has the lowest rating of any President since 1945!

Send in the Clowns

16.11.13:

Weather's cooler and there were fewer people in the market. We stopped by to see an exhibition on the theme "sang et or" (colours Catalan) which includes a few of our friend Mireille's paintings. Then it was coffee followed by a glass of wine. Henri and Michèle persuaded us to go back to theirs for an apéritf and once again we ended up staying for lunch. Christian found himself in the kitchen cooking omelette and pasta. One day chez nous?
This evening there was a soirée musicale organised in aid of the Téléthon. We didn't win the raffle but the programme was varied and Colin sang "Send in the Clowns" at my suggestion. I  found myself holding my breathe all the way through.You too can enjoy it  here,   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1fVQGESUTo
So, the title of this post refers to the Steven Sondheim song and not the miserable showing of the French football team in the World Cup qualifiers. At the moment footballers rate lower than estate agents and all the other usual suspects in the unpopularity stakes  ... poor behaviour, inflated heads and the threat of strike action if they are not exempt from paying a higher tax rate on their earnings doesn't earn much sympathy grrrrrrrrrrrrrh!

17.11.13:

Finally, a good downpour with cloud hanging low in the village. In fact there is even an "alert orange" for this department and just when it was heaviest we decided to go to the bar for a coffee. Bah oui, not very bright. It wasn't outing just for a coffee though; we also went to leave a couple of books for a "livres libres"(book crossing) organised by someone in the village. As she had only sent an email to the Mairie on Thursday and didn't do any other publicity, we're probably the only ones who participated. Shame, as it's a great idea.
Jean-Jaques came for lunch at 12.15pm and left more than five hours later. Not that it seemed like it as there was plenty to talk about. Had a stir fry, not very Sunday lunch it's true but it was appreciated and there was not a thing left in the bottom of the wok. What'll we have tomorrow??

Saints Galore and a Drop of Wine

12.11.13:

Despite it being his feast day and despite going away for the night, (Saint) Christian worked at the Mairie all morning. Set off under sunny skies after lunch to drive north of Montpellier to the bed & breakfast that was our last year's Christmas gift from the kids. Nice wee place called l'Ostal de Pic St-Loup.  There was only one other couple,  puppeteers, staying over night. Dinner was creative and Rosa and Dominic were good company.

13.11.13:
The Pic Saint-Loup also gives its name to a much appreciated wine so, needless to say we went in search of the "Pech Tort" vineyard that Bertrand from the B & B had recommended.. From here we drove through the countryside, visiting the medieval villages of  St Jean de Cucucelles and St Martin de Londres on the way. Ended up in Bouzigues (known for its oyster production).and had lunch at No 39 overlooking the Bassin du Thau. Annoyingly, I didn't feel too good afterwards, sore throat and feeling tired.  Not to worry, it won't last.
Henri came down after his English lesson to wait for Michèle whose lesson was 1 hour later. You won't be surprised to know that the apéritif became supper, will you?

Duty Calls

A Public Holiday ; some folk no doubt had a long lie and others like us were out on parade. We marched up to the war mémorial for speeches and a wreath laying, then marched down to the village hall for refreshments. Next it was up to the other village for an action replay without the marching or brass band. The table for the apéritif at the restaurant was well laden and provided a wee reward for braving the biting wind. There were about 25 of us who stayed on for lunch and what would you know? The main course was duck!

Saintly Persuits

There was a sprinkling of snow on Canigou this mornig and although the sun was shining it's starting to feel colder therefore we wrapped up warm for our trip up into the mountains. today is the feast os Saint Martin, the patron saint of our twinned village. We gave the mass a miss and sat in the sun until it was time for the communal apéritif by which time Nany and André had arrived. Had lunch at the restaurant on the village square which turned sour when we had to pay 15€ for my starter of ham. Yes, it was Iberic ham and that's expensive but the ham I saw on the menu was  6€50 and no doubt serrano. still, I'd eaten it so we let it pass. Won't go back again, that's for sure.

Hairy People

Here we are into November and the weather is still warm and sunny. It's no hardship sitting out having a drink with friends and that's what hapened this morning at the market. No sooner than we'd arrived than we bumped into Gaby who we hadn't seen for ages, so off we went for a coffee. Then we were joined by Henri, then Michèle, then Chantal. Of course, a glass of rosé put in an appearance after which Henri suggested that we stay on for a bite to eat. It was hardly reasonable for any of us as we'd respective dinners to go to in the evening but we did anyway.
This evening the moustaches came out of their wrappings for a theme quiz at the restaurant .... mustaches in sport, cartoons, tv series, politics and on women. And what do you know? We won!!! And what did we eat? Duck!!!

Eat, Drink and be Frightened!

6.11.13:
My turn today, to get the pinny on and produce dinner for André, Nany, Michèle and Henri, who  came ostensibly to pin down a few détails about our trip to Scotland next year. I don't know why but I decided on "Kedgeree". I know, I know, it's esentially a breakfast dish but I thought it would be something different that they didn't know. Anyway, it went down well and there was enough left over for us for another meal. For starters, we had Delia's Fennel Stuffed Peppers http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/type-of-dish/party-food/accompaniment/roasted-red-peppers-stuffed-with-fennel.html and for dessert, Banana Malteser Cake served with crème fraîche. http://www.bestrecipes.com.au/recipe/malteser-and-banana-cake-L6007.html

7.11.13:
Another day, another meal and the sun is still warm. After the language exchange, we joined Anne and Terry to put our feet under Nick and Lizzie's table. They did have an ulterior motive though. No such thing as a free lunch, eh?  Still no hardship was involved as all we had to do was settle on a date to take our hosts to Banyoles market which has been on the cards since summer. It was a long leisurely lunch with poor old Christian being outnumbered by Brits but he bore up well fortified by plenty to drink, delicious duck in orange sauce and a few cuddles.
8.11.13:
Back to Spanish for me after a three week gap and Paul's decided to try a new approach as he's finally realised that it's all been pitched at too high a level for us. That will be a relief.
Christian's feeling pretty tired at the moment and slept most of the afternoon. I think that we've been overdoing it a bit.
This evening there was a vernissage at the museum and as it was our neighbour and his brother who were showing, we were bound to go. There were sculptures carved into river stones and some rather scary paintings. I told the painter that I wouldn't want to wake up with one at the end of my bed and someone else more graphically said that she wouldn't be too keen to sleep with the painter if that was his outlook on life! The apéritif and mini jazz concert provided an uplifting end so we were able to go home to bed without fear of nightmares to come.

Atheists Welcome!

After all the beautiful weather we've been having, it was disappointing to wake and see rain as today we'd an outing with Jean and Françoise planned as a belated birthday gift. Undaunted we set forth to drive South and we rewarded by warm sunshine by the time we reached Figueres. Christian and Jean found a café while we went in search of false moustaches and shoes. You'll find out about the moustaches later in the week..
Of course, lunch was part of the plan though we didn't tell Jean the name of the restaurant because of its religous connotations. Still, we had faith that what the chef  of the "La Rectoria" would deliver would wash away any reticence. We weren't wrong.  It really is a top place to eat and at lunchtime during the week there's a menu, complete with wine for 16€. Françoise's G & T, on the other hand cost 10€ + vat! Anyway, it was her treat and it meant that there was more wine for us.
There was no Council meeting for Christian this evening which was a welcome change.
Rounded off the day with the "Soirée Guitares" at the bar though we didn't stay much longer than an hour .....  they're starting to become a bit same ol', same ol'.

Keeping Busy

2.1113:
Markets are just not about buying veg as those of you who hae visited our local one will know. There's sitting in the sun, drinking wine and bumping into friends as well. Today we also managed to organise two outings: a concert tomorrow and the quiz at the restaurant next week.  This afternoon, we went round to visit Maggie who's laid low with a heavy cold and tonight Jean-Jacques came and shared a pot of minestrone with us.

3.11.13:

No long Sunday morning lie-in for us as we attended a commemoration mass for the daughter-in-law of one of the Council members. She was only 43 and choked on, of all things, a piece of cheese. After that off we went to the bar for a coffee followed later on by a glass of rosé.
This evening's outing to the concert was just fabulous. "Accordézeam", five young(ish) musicians revisited various pièces of classical and film music. Their interprétations were all relly original. Imagine deconstructing the New World Symphony which is a construction of "American" musical themes and then putting it back together again with a myriad of musical influences in their traditional form. What's more it was fun to listen to and to watch the performers. You can find them on   http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X6rEhM4WsC4
We left walking on air with the New World still going around our heads and headed for the wine bar where we ate tapas, drank red wine and enjoyed more music from the group who were there also.

4.11.13:
A "Dropbox" (or as a friend who hates it, calls it  "drop dead box") morning and afternoon spent installing it for two friends. Intrigued? If you're not in the know, it's a file sharing/storage application which really is quite useful especially as you can read the documents offline. www.dropbox.com will tell you all about it better than I can.
Being the first Monday, Christian had his surgery while I went to visit Annette. then as usual we went to the local hostel for something to eat. A Monday night in November, so it was no surprise that we were the only ones in there. No duck this time; we both had omelette which was just the best ever ..... light, fluffy and stuffed with wild mushrooms and cheese. I can taste it yet!

Another Week Whizzes By

26.10.13:
Saturday came round again so it was off to the market as usual. Met up with Michelle and Henri who invited us for an apéro at their place. We were also invited to pick some olives off the tree in their garden, if we wanted but we didn't! Sitting out in the sun, (yes, it's still possible) the apéritif rolled into an impromptu lunch. What else was there to do afterwards but to go home and relax (read snooze for Christian).
27.10.13:

Christian had an early start today as he was helping with the refreshments during a long distance race. I wandered up to where he was working and then once all the runners had gone through, we all headed down to the bar for an apéritif.
28.10.13:
Christian's spent a good part of today setting up a blog for the élections.
29.10.13:
Lunch at Michel's. Made a lime meringue pie for dessert as our contribution.
30.10.13:
Lunch with Anne and this time there weren't any hiccups. Sadly, we haven't revised our opinion and the only way that we'll go back is if there's an invitation that we can't get out of.
31.10.13:

Weather is a little cooler but there was enough sunshine to eat out at the restaurant this lunch time. There was a vernissage at the Mairie this evening followed by an apéritif  then I dashed home to slap some icing on the carrot cake that I'd made and Christian went off to a meeting. The cake, by the way, was for a soup and roast chestnut street party with the neighbours. By 9.30pm, it started to get a bit chilly and people started to head home with some coming back to ours for a nightcap and some more chat.
1.11.13:
Today's a Public Holiday (All Saints) and apart from finally getting the blog up to date for the first time in two months, we're just being lazy.