Retreat to the Mountains

What a good job I asked Maggie to give me a lift to get the bus up to Rowena's just in case the 5 minutes for my connection should go pear - shaped, 'cos it did. The bus from the village was just arriving as my bus pulled away. The driver obviously doesn't do waiting!
A gluten-free quiche and salad lunch at Rowena's and fortunately she seemed well pleased with her present. Forgot to mention, it's her official retirement date today.
We were sttled down in front of the fire having a catch up when the Maire and his wife called in to say "bon anniversaire". So, a bottle of champagne was cracked open and they'd not long left before Laure (a German friend, also on the Council) arrived for dinner. We had planed to go out to another village an hour away for the festivities but ended up just staying in and were in bed by 11.30pm!!  Can't say I was sorry to avoid the night mountain air with my cough. Not a good sign, is it?
Weather:
13° Sunshine and cloud

New Specs Working Overtime

30.12.15:

Didn't step foot outside the door. Caught up with the blog and not much else. Well, apart from finding the key that I "lost". It was zipped away in a pocket in my bag! Thank goodness that the mystery is solved as it's been driving me crazy since Saturday.
Weather:
14° light wind and cloud

29.12.15:

Muriel from the women's group came around for a herbal tea and a chat about how things were going. I learnt that she was into "Collective Intelligence" and developping communication skills. I can feel a wee workshop coming on should the group be interested!
Popped into the Mairie and winkled Martine and Michel out for a glass of wine at the bar where lo and behold Jean-Jacques appeared and was persuaded to join us.
In the afternoon, I met up with Annie for a pot of  tea and nearly two hours of chat. I came away having promised to find her some recipes for a Scottish meal. Think I'll just send an internet link; problem is apparently she doesn't do recipes with more than three steps. Umph!
Back home with just enough time to change and get off to artist James's  birthday apéro. Also present were Hélène and Bob who deal with letting the house for them while they're away and Debra and Alain who do the garden and some DIY. I had thought that James enjoyed good wine which was why I bought him a couple of different very good reds and suggested that he keep them to drink at his leisure. But no, they and three other different ones were all opened at the same time and served indiscriminately. I tried not to feel peeved by remembering that once a present is given it's for the recipient to do what they like with.

28.12.15:

Had a much appreciated lie - in either snoozing or reading. Finally got myself out to go for a coffee for 11.30am. Had only just ordered when Ann and Terry appeared so it was nice to have a bit of company. Home for lunch, some admin and a good dose of tv.
Weather:
15° windy and sunny spells

Continuing the Christmas Cheer

27.12.15:

Up before 8am to wave the family on their way back to Normandy then made a leisurely visit to the bar for a Sunday morning coffee. Nicole came by and we ended up staying for lunch and for the 3rd time in a week, I was treated. No soup this time, just a goat's cheese salad. It was late by the time I got back and got started on preparing dinner for Terry, Maggie and Ann. On the menu:

• Foie gras toasts, petits fours, cherry toms, cranberry relish topped boudin blanc (good idea)
• Duck breasts, green beans, sauté potatoes with red berry sauce
• Cheese 
• Chocolate and kirsch soaked cherries Mousse
• Champagne (thanks Maggie), Monter Red (thanks Terry and Ann

One of Those Days

It's an ill wind ..... the family had originally planned to leave today but for the last couple of days, poor old Guillaume has been suffering from really bad back pain so, they decided to stay an extra day to give him chance to rest up. So, one more day of company and the pleasure of being with the family.
Rather than wait for everyone to get organised to go to the market, I decided to take the bus but what do you know ... the damn thing came at least 8 minutes early according to François who'd also hoped to get it. We both waited hoping that something might come along but it was a forlorn hope. So the tenor of the day was set.
On my way home, I met Geneviève who was heading off  to the market so all was not lost as she gave me a lift in thus, saving me a euro.
 Some of the other things that went wrong:

• Lost my (empty) shopping bag
• Didn't have enough money in my purse to pay for the wine I'd bought
• Couldn't find my telephone even though I heard it ringing!
• Lost my front door key
• No space at our usual café for a drink so we ended up at the patisserie for hot chocolate
• Valérie went to the garage to find that her tyre was almost flat

It wasn't all negative though:

• Valérie found someone in the village to repair the tyre
• My new reading specs were ready and my insurance is coughing up for them. There's a second pair to come for 1€, something that the guy would have "forgotten" if I'd not reminded him.
• Found my telephone in the depths of my bag
• We had a good lunch at the bar in the village which Valérie and Guillaume treated me to. While the family went out later in the afternoon I started to catch up with "Downton". Happy endings all round.

Dinner was left overs  and in need of some escapism, I spent far too long watching tv instead of getting some even more needed rest and recuperation.
Weather:
13°, sunshine, cloud later

Best of Both

25.12.15:

After getting to bed pretty late, we were up relatively early, even Hugo. I think it was because I'd spoken about having brunch and he'd interpreted it as a "full British".  I managed to put together some rashers of bacon that were diverted from barding the turkey, eggs and white pudding (traditional in France at Christmas).  The main thing we'd planned for today was to take a trip up to the cemetery to show Emma, who hadn't been at the funeral, where we'd scattered Papy's ashes. I'd thought it might help to write messages to him on balloons to let go. once all was ready, Maureen pointed out that as they weren't filled with helium, it wouldn't work .... dahhhh! Anyway, we managed as best we

could to attach them to a nearby tree instead.
Christmas dinner was a late affair and even then we weren't very hungry.

• Foie gras and petits fours
• Turkey stuffed with chestnuts, figs and apples, cranberry and orange relish http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/main-ingredient/cranberries/cranberry-and-orange-relish.html
• Roast potatoes, carrots, parsnips and green beans
• Cheese
• Christmas Pud (still in the cupboard)

Weather:
Unseasonally warm

24.12.15:

We've planned a Franco/British Christmas in traditional manner. Valérie is in charge of the Christmas eve meal and my good self will do the honours tomorrow.

• Foie Gras and smoked salmon in front of a blazing log fire
• Filet Mignon en Croûte Italienne (The website has some great recipies on it, if you can deal with the French) http://www.marmiton.org/recettes/recette_filet-mignon-en-croute-a-l-italienne_310084.aspx
• Wild rice and boursin sauce
• Cheese
• Bûche de Noël
• Champagne and Baron de Rothschilde

Wee Emma is become more excited while her older brother and sister remained an adolescent cool but eventually midnight came and we went up to the nest to see the full moon know as "la lune des nuits longues", the like of which hasn't been seen since 1977. Have to say I was somewhat disappointed as it didn't seem anyway different perhaps because I was looking at the wrong time or because of the humidity in the atmosphere..

Well, what do you know? While no one was looking Papa Noël had crept into the house and left presents under the tree!

Doors, Bells and Flying Plates.

23.12.15:

The family went off to Spain for the day so it was a quiet time for me catching up with all those bits and pieces (mainly to do with the Association) that have been waiting to be done for days. I did take time out though to have a coffee.
Weather:
16°

22.12.15:

Dani, Emma and I jingled all the way to the after-school care centre. Two groups of eight each to learn "Jingle Bells" while shaking the ones that we'd managed to gather together. The under 7s really just made a noise but the eights and up had a surprising level of English vocab. Despite my failing voice and tickly cough that I've had since Sunday (I blame the damp at the market), the time passed quickly and we departed unscathed; Emma with a bag of chocolate Santas. We needed a drink after that and Jean-Jacques who'd come to the bar to say "hello" to the family, came back with us for lunch.
Supermarket in the afternoon and then in the evening over to Jean and Françoise's for dinner. Emma was a great hit as was Jean with the kids. They couldn't believe that he'd been a maths teacher especially when Françoise asked him to pass the plates and he said "catch" and threw plates to Hugo and Valérie frisby style. Of course, caught unawares, neither of them did! Françoise called a halt at this point while there was still somethinh to eat off. There was also great fun taking photos through a kalaedascope. The photo is of Hugo though on second thoughts you could be forgiven for thinking at first glance that it was a football.
Weather:
13°, cloudy


21.12.15:

Spent the morning following our neighbourhood advent calendar. 24 houses were issued with envelopes with a number on and on the day corresponding to the number, they were opened and the card (individually decorated) were displayed. It was fun going through the streets looking to see who had done what. Just by chance, the trail ended up by the bar where we stopped off for an apéro before lunch.
Wee Emma who's nearly 8 sat on my lap, cuddled in and asked me why Papy had left me. I explained he hadn't as he was always with me in my heart. I could almost shed a tear thinking about her concern.
Ann and Terry called by and came in for an early evening drink. Dinner then early to bed early.
Weather:
Mild, blus skies

20.12.15:

In need of a quiet day and lucky for me all was ready for the arrival of the family. None of the women

who come for a coffee at the bar were available so there wasn't any temptation to linger.
Valérie, Guillaume and the three children arrived in time for an apéritif and diner "en famille".
Weather:
Mild , cloudy

Christmas Traditions

19.12.15:

Another early start, toddling over to the Mairie for 8.15am to help set up the Association's stand for the Christmas market. There were Santa hats, holly mistletoe, British carol singers and the Catalan traditional "Caga Tió", the story of which you can find by following this link. http://www.livingit.cat/caga-tio/
Spent the day there until 4.45pm with only an hour's break for a bowl of soup at the bar where I joined Philippe and Françoise who treated me. We did a good trade and made 300€ which we donated to Médcins sans Frontière. Went home feeling tired and didn't budge for the rest of the evening.
Weather:
16° Damp, cloudy with a couple of sunny spells

Non-stop

This morning brought a shock to my rather sluggish system with a 7am departure with Maggie for the supermarket over the border. Of course, so early we sailed through the frontier and had to wait for it to open. That must be a first! Anyway, it was worth it as we got around in record time and were back home before 9am. I had a "Jingle Bells" meeting over a coffee with Dani later on in preparation for our visit to the kids at the after-school centre. Starting to get nervous already.
Jean-Claude, my neighbour, kindly came by to
 fix up a curtain rail for me and in the afternoon, I set to and made 20 litres of mulled wine for tomorrow's Christmas market.

Two engagements this evening. Incredibly, I'd turned down another 4. First a whistle stop visit to one of the English language groups for their Christmas celebrations where I sat through some seasonal vocabulary, had a drink, received some flowers from Jean-Pierre (on my right) and then ran for the bus.
Jean was at the bus stop to meet me to go around to Mohmmed and Hélène's for a tajine. Sadly, I managed to leave the Christmas cake I was taking to my hosts on the bus. My head is all over the place at the moment. Lucky for me I had my flowers. Didn't like giving them away but that was better than going empty handed. Needless to say, it was a good night.
Driving home, we passed the recreation ground and I had to laugh seeing a group of young people sitting at a portable picnic table having a drink. It looked so bizarre!
Weather:
16°, cloudy

Bienvenue!

Language exchange and as usual back to the bar but this time it was only for a drink and no soup. Maybe I should have done as in the afternoon I was working on the computer and lost a table so had to re-enter all the info ***** !
This evening was the Association's welcome apéro for new members. It all went well. People mixed and created a good buzz. And, the icing on the cake, it was held in Christian's room.
Weather:
17°

Signs of Christmas

Spanish yesterday, French today but not in the classroom. Françoise had invited us to hers for chat over coffee, pastries and fizz. This photo is of her crêche, the figurines of which have been collected over 50 years. While not relious, I can't help but admire the craft of it all. Conversation flowed along with the wine. The combination of the two lead me into a heated discussion with two Belgians about colonialism and its aftermath. The occasional coffee at the bar won't be the same again even though we parted all smiles.
Christmas festivities were on this evening's agenda too as it was the Mairie Christmas apéritif where presents were given out. Councillors received a gourmet box. I received one too for Christian which was a nice gesture.
Weather:
18° cloudy

Three Twices in One Day

Early trip to the supermarket with Nick who invited me to meet him, Lizzie and Roger later for a lunch of soup and cheese at the bar. Set me up well for our last Spanish lesson of the term. What joy; no homework just encouragement to revise the present tense (indicative and subjunctive) and the pronouns. Of course that will wait until after the New Year.
Then it was a quick meeting with Marguerite and Françoise to synchronise our membership lists.
In the evening it was back to the bar for the monthly apérobio, proudly presented and explained by Nico. Among other things there was fresh artichoke and stuffed pattypan squash and for the second time to day, onion soup.
Weather:
17°, cloud

Islands of Pleasure in a sea of Ordinariness

14.12.15:

• Good news: my camera was handed in at the Mairie

• Bad news: Internet off until 9.30pm so there was no excuse not to do my Spanish homework.

• Chores at home: Clearing a basket of ironing.

• Chores at Maggie's: Helping wrap the things we'll be selling as cheap Christmas presents for "Médecins sans Frontière" at the village Christmas market. It's amazing how much better people's unwanted stuff looks wrapped in cellophane tied  with a bit of ribbon. Really boring but needs must. The walk over was pleasant though and this pyracanthus is rather splendid.
• Welcome distraction: Jean and Françoise's visit at apéritif time

Weather:
15° cloudy

13.12.15:
This morning the two Nicole's and I were joined at the café by Geneviève. The idea is catching on; it wasn't that long ago that I was there by myself. As I was on my way out, Jacques and Mireille invited me to join them for lunch which I did of course. Scurried home about 2.45pm to bake a cake with the over-ripe bananas that were in the fruit bowl. hurried out for 4pm for the Christmas concert in the church. Was really good and over 600€ was raised for the "Restaurant du Coeur". This was followed by an apéritif in the village hall which gave enough courage to go to the Mairie for the count. Anxious times with the National Front making headway. This week they were just beaten in the village but I'm ashamed to say that they came in first in the Département. In the end they didn't win one single Region due primarily to tactical voting. Let's hope that they can be defeated in the Presidentials' when they arrive in 2017.
Weather:
14° Sun and cloud

12.12.15:
As I was given No12 for the streets' Advent calendar, my turn arrived  today so my first job was to open up the envelope. Then went to the market with Michel and finally got around to ordering my glasses. A quick whizz around the supermarket followed and once back home I wrote a whole load of Christmas cards. Sure to have forgotten someone! Well, doesn't everyone?
Weather:
14° Sunshine and cloud

Golden Oldies

It's that time of year when the finery comes out, more makeup than usual is slapped on and a good time is had by all. Yes, folks, it's the OAPs' lunch! There was however, time for a coffee at the bar with James first. I felt and looked overdressed for the place but what the heck.
Arrived at the hall half an hour early to help Dani and Ann save our table. They'd learnt last year that Senior Citizen's are not averse to moving in on places that have been saved; they're pretty lethal with their elbows when the apéritifs are made available too. Another first under my belt; this year I was in the body of the hall rather than at the Councillors' table. Ours was an international affair with Brits, French, Swedes, Belgians and a Bolivian. The food was good, the wine flowed and the dancing helped work off some calories. Stopped off at the bar on the way back with Ann and Terry for a cuppa and more chat. Once home I realised that I'd left my camera in the hall but it was too late to do anything about it. Hope someone has it safe. This photo was taken by Nicole, so for once here's me!
Weather:
14° Sunshine and cloud

Looking Back

It's Thursday so this morning there was the language exchange followed by a glass of rosé at the bar. Again stayed for soup and cheese with Ann and Terry.
Spent the afternoon doing admin stuff, mostly for the association but did come across the cards that I received for my 50th. So, as I'm in  clearing out mode, I wanted a wee reminder before they go to the recycling bin.
These three made me smile:

The Card says " Rumours that the Tunnel would bring closer links with France sent panic round the village pond!" 

From Guess who?
Joyeux anniversaire "me love". You did half of the way, now there are 50 more to go but with me - so courage! Love is all you need.

From Mary Kate
Do you remember ........?

• our long weekend in Egypt
• our first year in Queen's Drive when we partied for a year
• oue Sunday brunchies with Buck's Fizz
• the bloody Marys in the New Orleans bar
• when we thought work was so important
• when we dressed up as Princess Anne and Mark Philips
• drinking cider at Glastonbury waiting all night for Richie Havens to play
• that package holiday in Tunisia and the Belgian
• finishing at 4 o'clock on a Friday and going to the Lea Rigg
• me driving that car home late one night in Marin County with Jack, Jay's friend
• Sunday afternoons at the Riverside listening to folk music
• jumping over that wall in Texas or was it San Francisco and your grazed knees
• our Jewish breakfasts in San francisco and that great hotel where the Japanese stayed

Plain Sailing

Gave French conversation a miss in order to get myself organised for a cava buying trip in Spain with Dani and Bryan. Despite the (in theory) increased border controls while the COP21 conference is on in Paris, we sailed through without neither checks nor holdups. Weather was gloriously warm and sunny for the time of year.
Stocked up well ready for the festive season and Paula gave me a good bottle by way of a thank you. Usually, it's a bottle of plonk so she obviously thought it was a good order. Apparently, busness is quieter since the Paris attacks.
By the time the car was loaded it was time to think about lunch so we just went on to the next village and ate in a restaurant that Christian and I have always by-passed. It was good value for the 11€ we paid but not very exciting. https://www.tripadvisor.fr/Restaurant_Review-g2424757-d2406739-Reviews-Restaurant_Mas_Ullastre-Sant_Climent_Sescebes_Province_of_Girona_Catalonia.html#REVIEWS Came home by way of the scenic route over the Coll de Banyuls and stopped of in Collioure to buy red wine.
This evening I took the English beginners' group as Margaret is away. We told the time and practised ome Christmas vocabulary. It was more fun than I'd anticipated and I think the participants enjoyed it as well!
Weather:
18°, Sunny

Starting and Finishing in the Bar

Had a late coffee at the bar where Marie-Louise treated Martine and I to a coffee as it was her birthday. Afterwards took the bus into town to meet "blonde Anne" as my Mum calls her, for lunch. She was kind enough to bring me a couple of boxes of Xmas cards from UK. You just wouldn't imagine how dear they are here. Had a simple but pleasant lunch at the Café de France.
Spanish in the afternoon and attendance at the Council meeting in the evening. Christian's name came up again. Michel mentioned him in his passionate response to EDF's desire to put wind turbines on a ridge above the commune. Now I don't have a  personal insight into what's going on, this will be one way to keep up to date. Finished the evening with a glass of wine in the bar sitting next to the fire with Martine and Maggie.
Weather:
16°, sun and light cloud

Would You Believe it?

If last night was depressing, reading the paper this morning was even worse. The FN have made a strong showing everywhere coming in first in half of the 13 new regions. cleared my head by walking over to Maggie's to ruthlessly sort the left over stuff from the Téléthon ready for a run to the recycling.
Everyday should hve a bit of excitement and today's came in the form of parcel wrapping for the commune's Christmas trees. If anyone had told me that I would be wrapping up emty packets and the tubes from inside toilet rolls to look like crackers, I would have laughed. still, all in a good cause. Here's hoping that there isn't any rain to spoil our handiwork.
The women's group met for the second time over wine, pina colada and nibbles. Went well with one or two interesting ideas coming up. The two Nicole's, Muriel and myself called in at the bar on the way back, so no telly for me this evening. Heard later that Christian's was mentioned at the AGM of the twinning committee for the donation he gave from his hospital bed for the bus going to Normandy and how much he would be missed. Quite unexpected but good to hear.
Weather:
16°, sun

Christmas is Coming

Nicole and I didn't linger over our usual Sunday coffee at the bar as we had places to go and people to see. The first Christmas market of the season was on in a nearby village and the first person that we met in the hall was Santa who gave me my first Christmas kiss. I wasn't fooled though; it was Frank under all that facial hair. There were carols sung by an almost totally British choir making for quite a festive atmosphere and I was able to buy my Xmas pud and some crackers. Met up with both Penny and Pauline and a shopping trip to Girona is on the cards in the New Year. Oh yes, I won a litre bottle of J and B whisky in the raffle. Things are looking up.
After the excitement of the morning, I spent the afternoon trying to work out six days' menus for when the family are here over the holiday period.
In the evening, I wandered over to the Mairie to watch the count for the Regional elections and almost got roped in to help until someone said that as not being able to vote, I wasn't eligable. There was only a handful of other interested citizens to hear the depressing news that the National Front had come in first with about 40% of the vote. There'll be a rerun next week with the first three lists fighting it out.  Sadly the "Republicans" who came in 3rd are not withdrawing unlike the Socialists in the same position elsewhere. Let's hope that the Left can pick up enough votes to keep the FN out. Home afterwards for once again a liberal dose of tv.
Weather:
16°, Sunny

Fundraising

5.12.15:
Spent the whole day at the village hall doing the bottle stall. Sandwich lunch in situ, lots of chat, tea and a piece of Christmas cake in the afternoon. Stayed to help clear up and then spent a very quiet evening in front of the telly.
Our stall made 747€ and the village made 16,380€, the second highest total in the Département.
Weather:
16°, Sun

4.12.15:
Walked over to Maggie's to help organise things for our accessory stall at the Téléthon. Then made a trip to the supermarket. Isn't life interesting? Yes, even in the South of France chores have to be done if a woman wants to keep body and soul together.
At the end of the afternoon, I went up to see the release of balloons for the Téléthon, an event organised primarily for kids, But every euro counts so the inner child in me bought one and wrote a wee note to Christian on the attatched label. Wonder where it will finally end up.
Weather:
15° cloudy

Keeping Abreast of Things

Took myself (or rather Colin and Lynn picked me up at the bus stop) back to the tax office to try and tie up both sides of the channel and my new status. The woman I met was very pleasant but told me that that the best thing to do was to wait until May and the next tax year. It was all a bit of a waste of time though shedid  said I could make an appointment with her and she'd help me with the two returns that I need to complete. That can only be useful even if it does feel as if I'm just putting off the evil day as I just know it's going to be complicated. Bumped into Françoise in the town and we went for a coffee before I got the bus home. Met the exchangers at the bar and stayed on for soup with Ann and Terry. Not convinced that it was homemade but whatever, it was very tasty.
Back in the house, I caught up with the blog before meeting, David, Martine and Maggie at the restaurant for dinner. My dessert was chocolate coated chocolate mousse a bit like an inflated "Tunnock's Teacake" but with the addition of a raspberry sitting on the top. Scots among you will know what I'm talking about but at the end of the day it was very like a breast complete with nipple!
Weather:
16° Feeling humid, warmed up in the afternoon

Speaking in Tongues

Finally got to bed at 2am after washing up last night's dishes. French conversation or the "lesson according to Françoise" in the morning. Gave the walk this afternoon in aid of the Téléthon a miss this afternoon in favour of doing Association stuff on the computer and getting my papers in order for my appointment with the tax woman.
This evening I sat in on the beginners' English group as preparation for my taking them next week while Margaret is away. They were telling the time which was fun. Margaret is a hard act to follow; hope I can come up with the goods.
Took this photo on my over.
Weather:
16° Sun

Officialdom, Spanish and a Flying Scot

Did manage to get up in time to get to the association committee meeting. Ah yes, my good intentions to keep my nose out have gone by the wayside in favour of my belief that I can get a bit of order back into the organisation!!
After that it was time to put my own affairs in order with a trip to the lawyer's and then into the tax office to get an appointment. From what I could gather from the receptionist's one-sided conversation, the woman responsible wasn't too keen to give me one, obviously thinking I should take a ticket and queue. Anyway, the receptionist kept insisting that I was foreign and recently widowed; I left successful.
There was even enough time for a trip around the supermarket before the bus and as luck would have it, I bumped into Michel who gave me a lift back.
Went over to the Mairie in response to a letter from EDF, the French electricity supplier  who I think operate in the British free market. This philanthropic organisation wants to help us users to make economies. Secretly, I think they want to get me off an advantageous tariff  that they're wanting to phase out. He advised that I should make sure the roof is well insulated and put an insert into my open fireplace. Yes, that may make it more energy efficient but there's nothing like an open fire. My reward for listening to his lecture was the gift of an energy saving bulb and his promise to send me more energy saving tips by internet!
This photo is of the Christmas Angels made from newspaper at the after school centre in the village.
Spanish class went well but progress is still slow.
This evening I finally managed to start working my way through my "I owe you a meal" list. David, who's on a flying visit from Scotland, Nick, Lizzie, Brian and Dani came to sample the delights of my cooking. Maybe, I shouldn't have thrown away so many of those cookery magazines.
On the menu were tapas, cinnamon and lemon pork with couscous, cheese and Delia's Christmas Compote with vanilla icecream. All very tasty even if I  do echo the verdict of my guests. Don't blame me for crowing, I need to get my confidence back after so long of eating out rather than in.
Weather:
18° Sunny

 

Women who Lunch

Even though I was in bed for 11.30 last night, I read until my eyes drooped around 1.30; consequently, I was up late this morning. Dominique called with a painting an elderly Catalan retired school mistress had done for me. She'd remembered that I particularly like poppies and set out to paint a vase of them. Sadly, they didn't work out so she transformed them into "flowers". I was really touched by her kindness and as she said in her note, "real flowers wilt and die, at least these will be everlasting". Only problem is where to hang the painting.
Walked over to Maggie's for a salt-free lunch to accommodate Martine's diet. Started off with a couple of generous G and T's and lots of chat. Scuttled for home at 4pm as Rowena was due for a cuppa in-between appointments. She came bearing a couple of kilos of parsnips that needed dealt with tout de suite, a must read book and a battery powered rose that changes colour. Kitch but fun and cheery. It will be used!
Made soup from some of the parsnips and a huge stew with the rest. Late again to bed and read until the 9th "Skinner" crime novel was finished.
The photo is of the river on the way to Maggie's. I'll change it for one of the painting when I get round to it. Now there's something to look forward to. Never a dull moment, eh?

Lighting the Darkness

It's six months today since Christian went off to that great oil platform in the sky so it was good to hava a busy day. First there was an Moroccan breakfast in the square in aid of the Téléthon. The two Nicole's came along as well and once again we stayed on for steak and chips. Rushed home afterwards to bake some biscuits for the Swedish afternoon we were attending to celebrate St Lucia. There was mulled wine, good things to eat, songs sung by lovely young women wearing winter white, tinsel and one with a crown of candles. All very ethereal. The little ones were solemn with all the responsibility and just a delight .https://sweden.se/culture-traditions/lucia/ This link tells you all about the traditions and the video "for dummies" is fun.
There was even the nationally known pop star, Cali who was there in a private capacity. The link below is in French but at the moment on  the home page features  a song "On ne se lâchera pas la main" written in response to the attack on Le Bataclan concert venue. http://www.calimusic.fr/ It talks of lit candles in the window so as the French say "la boucle est bouclée".
Weather:
15°, Sunny

Recipe for a Quiet Life

Gave the market a miss as when Michel phoned that he wasn't well and not going after all. I was still in bed and couldn't motivate myself to leap out and rush to get the bus. Went over to see in him after lunch and hear about his trip to Mexico. Another quiet night at home, ruthlessly weeding out old cookery magazines. Well, the realisation comes even to the most optimistic of us that the recipes will never find their way to the table .
Weather:
14° Sun

Not so Golden Oldies

Had a cofee on the way to an end of year lunch. It was a club for seniors and as we all know, seniors like to  save seats  and won't move for whatever reason. Luckily, I don't fit that definition as I moved 4 times before my bum came to rest at the table where I'd started out!! Lunch was good but I had to leave after the main course to go to a funeral at the same cremtorium where we said our goodbyes to Christian. This one was an altogether different affair. Neither warmth, nor connection which was sad because Michel was a fun sort of bloke who Christian got on with well when they met up.
Came back for tea and some rather nice chocolate biscuits at Anne's. A quite night at home followed instead of going off to a bossa/jazz concert. Just felt that I needed to not to make any effort.
Weather:
14°, Sun, blue skies and very windy

Feeling like Winter Already

26.11.15:

Didn't want to get up this morning but had to as I was helping Maggie with the language exchange. Of course, there was a trip to the bar afterwards where Ann, Terry, Annette and I finally got to eat our soup and bread.  It came to the table piping hot in a huge two handled pan which was left there for us to just help ourseves. Full of veg, it was so filling that we had to make a real effort to eat the cheese that was part of the 8€ deal. Now we've had our way and got the soup, will be able to get them to do something other than veg soup. French onion, for example or minestrone or chicken noodle? Ann was talking about a plate of beef casserole but new ideas don't take on here as quickly as thar. Next winter's project, perhaps?
Snoozed this afternoon and caught up with "London Spy" which I'm finding pretty hard  to get a sense of. Otherwise, just whiled away the time until it was time to go to bed.
AND ..... the blog is now up to date!
Weather:
11°, icy light rain, strong winds in the evening


25.11.15:

French conversation this morning though it was somewhat one-sided with Françoise, the workshop leader "enlightening" us about a load of different cultural aspects of French life and personal anecdotes! Then in the afternoon went with Maggie to see Michel (no, not the one I often eat with but the husband of the association's treasurer) lying in the funeral palour. I couldn't help but think of the times that he and Christian shared a joke and a good bottle of wine. Did a quick shop at the supermarket and then had a cuppa at the nearby bakery. OK, OK, I hold my hands up; I did have a mini danish but as there were only a couple of bites in it, it hardly counts.
In the evening, there was another fundraiser. So, for the second time in four days I had the pleasure of listening to good music. El Mariners del Canigó who sing Havaneres and Catalan songs who I've written about before were on stage. Even though they're getting on a bit, they still have voices that do justice to the melodies. Sat with Michèle and Henri, drank Punch, ate chocolate brownies, la, la-ed, and waved a paper serviette with the rest of the audience. No, I've not gone gaga; it's called joining in and hoping that no one is looking on laughing at you behaving like an OAP!
After remaining to help tidy up, Nany invited me to stay on and share the champagne that she'd brought to celebrate André's birthday. Came home about 11pm and I finished off the work on the computer I'd started before going out. Got to bed at 2am. This really is a habit that I should break.
Weather:
13°, feeling colder in the wind and the on/off icy drizzle. Brrrh, feels like winter.

24.11.15:

Managed to get up a little earlier today and tidied the drawer stuffed with, paper, bits and bobs. Can't for the life of me think why all that  useless stuff ended up there. Still, I guess every home has one. Coffee as usual at the bar where there was a lot of speculation about why things were being moved out of the hairdressers. Doesn't take much to excite us locals.
This is Canigó in all it's glory taken on my home. 
Spanish this afternoon and a quiet rest of the day with a cup of tea and the last bun. Come again soon, Hortense.
Weather:
12°, sunshine and cloud

23.11.15:
Having read until 2am, I slept longer than usual only to be woken by a call from Hortense who wanted to come over in the afternoon. Went for my usual coffee at the bar and took this photo on the way back. Yes, it is as cold here as it looks as the winds are still quite strong.
Hortense did indeed come; the caht was fun as ever and what topped it off were the "pain aux raisins" that she brought. What a delight; pastries without the guilt. Well, it wasn't me that bought them,, was it?
Weather: 
11° but feeling colder in the wind, sunshine.

"Le Temps fuit sans Retour"

22.11.15:

Had a longer lie in this morning though not as long as I would have liked. Coffee in the bar with Nicole P and Nicole S. A lazy afternoon catching up with the Scandi crime drama  "Arne Dhal". Just the last two to go and then I can move on to "The Bridge" with the wonderful women cop"Saga Noren".
This evening there was a concert in aid of the Téléthon. Piano and flute. Lovely music and appropriately it's St Celia's, patron saint of music and musicians, feast day  Left the church with the music of Offenbach's "Bacarolle" in my ears and the memory of "Oh, Babuska" from Christian's favourite Fureys albums. I couldn't find either a decent clip of it or Phil Coulter's lyrics so have settled on this classical version with a video of the sea instead. The title of the post comes from the original.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8yenFBRNAI
Glad I did this bit of research; learnt a few things while wrapping my thoughts of Christian in beautiful images, words and music.
Weather:
11° Cloudy with sunny spells

21.11.15:

It was a chilly one this morning; temperatures have plummeted. Still managed to go to the market and during a brief sunny spell have a coffee on the terrace of the bar where the Brits hang out. There were only 4 to start but when others rolled in, Nicole V and I beat a retreat to Lidl. Did some early Xmas chocolate shopping ready for my young visitors.
Could have gone chopping veg this afternoon for tomorrow's Téléthon meal but I gave it a miss and didn't move far from the settee. Well, that's until 7pm when I headed over to Jean-Jacques for supper with him and Alain who's here on a visit. Lots of interesting tapas and of course cava and red wine
Weather:
13°, feeling colder in the strong winds. A few light rain showers. Snow on Canigou.

W.I., Here I Come

20.11.15:

Qi Gong this morning. How quickly things come around. "The Swimming Dragon" is a particularly pleasing exercise to do.  Hearing the river flowing in the background just added to the experience and if only I can keep it up, it'll do me good.
Of course I went to the bar for a bowl of soup before lunch to fortify myself for more jam making.
Walked over to Ann and Terry's for dinner and temperatures were dropping. We had a typically British roast chicken meal with just about every vegetable you could think of. There was even gravy too. Mum would have loved (she does stretch to garlic but otherwise can't be doing with anything mildly different!) and I have to say, it was pretty good. Maggie, Annette and I all went for second helpings.
Weather:
20°, sunshine with cloud later and dropping temperatures

19.11.15:

Actually participated in the Language exchange this morning after which there was the usual glass of wine at the bar. Had a hurried lunch at home before going back to continue with the jam making amid the heady smells coming from several huge, bubbling preserving pans.
On the way passed the bar, Jean-Louis said that been soup available but none of us had ordered any. How could we? He didn't tell us! sometimes I despair about certain folks organisational skills. Once home, I stayed home and caught up with loads of admin and computer stuff, finanlly getting to bed at 2pm. Yes, I know, it's far too late.
Weather:
23°, sunshine

18.11.15:

Went to French conversation after quite a long absence and it was my lucky day. One of the Belgian members was celebrating her birthday with cava and macorons. Mmmm. It certainly helped lubricate our tongues.
In the afternoon, the Téléthon jam making began. Melon, orange and lemon. Loads of it; there was enough for 500 pots. It was good being involved in a team effort cutting, chopping and chatting. all part of village life.
You give some and you get even more back.
Had a pleasant evening at Jean and Françoise's where I got to know Hélène and Mohammed better through  lots of interesting conversation. and there's more to come as we're invited to theirs for a tajine in a few weeks time. See what I mean.
Weather:
22°, sun

Art and an Apéro

The morning started late enough but as usual ended with a coffee in the café where I met Nicole P and her grand daughter. The day speedied up after lunch. Spanish group and then up to see James (the palette knife artist who did the life-like  portrait of Christian) to talk about his forthcoming exhibition over a glass of red. Scooted back home to get ready for the apérobio with Ann and Lynn. Nico did some excellent soup so little by little our suggestion that there's homemade soup and crusty bread on the daily menu may just be taking root. Another good platter delighted us but this time I thought you'd be fed-up with a photo. Instead, I thought that this painting by James would fit the bill. it's a bit more original, at any rate.

Time Stopped

There was a minute's silence at midday outside the Maire. As we stood lost in our thoughts, the "glas" or death knell sounded slowly and with solemnity. For those who wished there were candles to light before we dispersed. I found it particularly difficult not to let the tears roll as my on personal loss was touched by the collective emotion.
I was glad not to be going home to an empty house; instead I joined Sophie, Eve and Karine at the bar for a bottle of champagne to celebrate the end of Eve's radiotherapy. Solidarity between women who've had to confront this damn challenge but who know  it's possible to come out the otherside.
Weather:
21°, blue skies

Café Society

It had been arranged that Annie and I would go for a day out but she called off yesterday so I fell back on my well worn plan of coffee at the bar where I was joined by two Nicoles. Really pleased that the second Nicole came and is the fruit of the women's group which I'd encouraged her to attend. Of course our conversation was initially about Friday night's attacks but then we moved on to other subjects. We ended up staying for lunch in the sun, finally going our seperate ways to be home alone.
Weather:
22°, sun and blue skies

Ripped Apart

Turned on the tv this morning to find that Paris was hit yesterday evening by explosions and a hail of bullets. Places where folk go to have fun on a Friday night became a battlefield  ....  but the battle itself was one sided. The Stade de France where 80,000 people including the French President were watching France v Germany, experienced the first of three explosions at 21h17;  the Bataclan concert hall, cafés and restaurants  were targeted just after 22h bringing death and destruction to the 11th arrondissement. So far 129 dead and over 350 injured.
There was an immediate respose from around the world; iconic buildings and monuments lit up in the bleu, blanc, rouge of France, the Marseillaise sung in the opera hall of Milan and a minute's silence before baseball games in the US. A State of Emergency and three days of national mourning have been declared; around France people gather in solidarity and candles burn in windows .....
No market this morning; preferred to linger in bedThis evening's Téléthon went on with Laurent (who wrote the song at Christian's funeral) in the starring role. There was a minute's silence, he sang the song he wrote for "Je suis Charlie" and we spent our money in a good cause.
Weather: 
21° , sun

"Quizzing while Paris Burned"

I've said I'd like to do some Tai Chi  and now a Qi Gong group has started in the village so no excuses. We were outside in the sunshine and despite my awful lack of co-ordination, I managed and enjoyed myself. Sure it will be good for me on several levels. Afterwards, Françoise joined me at the bar for a coffee
Friday 13th: a good omen to take part in a quiz? Indeed it was! Fortified by an apéritif here which included an opposing team we went forth to get the brain cells moving. Admittedly we did have an extra person  (Henri, Michelle, JJ, Martine and moi) but Martine couldn't play on her own now, could she? I'd like to think that it was our superior knowledge of the "Around the World "theme that led to our victory. 6€ from every meal went to the Téléthon, raising 102€. Much as Christian and I were big supporters of the restaurant, I'm beginning to feel they're starting to give less value for money. Maybe next year, I'll give the price of the meal directly.
But ..........
Friday 13th: a good omen for others? Hell, no, as I was to find out. While we were enjoying ourselves, Paris was under attack.