Work, Rest and Play

4.12.16: Christmas Cheer

Oh! So good not to be on an early deadline. A change today from the usual Sunday routine as I accompanied Kitty to a nearby village for their Christmas market. She was singing carols with a predominately expat choir. I'm not much taken by sacred chorale music but I can do carols and they sang "Gaudate" (means rejoice in Latin) which I love to hear. There are loads of versions on You Tube but I finally sttled on this one by Steeleye Span because of the glass of wine brought to the stage by one of the band members, the clarity of Maddy Prior's voice, and plain old nostalgia for a youth in which the band figured! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDc2FD-vy8M
Enough of that .... back to the present ....
Met Hortense by chance so, coffee and a catch up was in order. As well as a load of other people, I also saw Penny which wasn't a surprise as she was working hard with her "Cancer Support France" stall. Frank was there too sweating under a Santa costume which ever year he swears will be his last.
Came back to the village for lunch where we were joined by Gilles and Martine.
Sunday being a day of rest, I just chilled out for the rest of the day
Weather:
16°, heavy cloud and rain

3.12.16: Roll Up, Roll Up

An early start to the Téléthon big day. By 8h30 I was up at the village hall along with Maggie and Marguerite to set out our wares and apart from a half hour lunch break, I was there until 6pm. There were stalls, a Catalan hunter's breakfast (including red wine!) accompanied by Joan singing Catalan songs, the apéritif was accompanied by the village banda in which the Mayor plays trumpet and the British tearoom, including "guess the weight of the Xmas cake" (2.9kg) and guess the date of the photo (April 1971) was animated by the babble of voices while a whole range of musicians and singers (even carols) gave their best under difficult circumstances.  Our stall made 638€ selling accessories and running a bottle lucky dip; the village made 17,049€; even more than last year.
I was invited to stay on for the helpers' meal but my back and legs made a stronger plea to go home to the comfort of the settee.
Weather:
12°, sun (not that I saw much of it!)

2.12.16: Sigh of Relief
Spent the morning updating the Association website; yet another long overdue task and then in the afternoon, I went up to the foyer to make up goody bags for those children who turned up for today's Téléthon activities. Stayed on a bit afterwards but beat a rapid retreat when told there wasn't any need to stay on. A lucky escape from noise and youthful buzz.
Weather:
15°, sun