Seeing out the Old

So, it's the last day of the year and I was feeling pretty half-hearted about having signed up to the village shindig with the neighbours. I'd have much prefered a home based evening but this does have the advantage of not having to cook and shop.
Started off with an apéritif at my place for 7 of us and Anne who we're starting to worry about arrived an hour early even though she'd phoned me at least 3 times to check out the timing. We joined 6 others at the village hall where Eric and Mimi had done a good job of decorating it. There were 110 of us booked in so as they were a bit short handed I gave them a hand serving and clearing the plates away between courses. The meal was very good and there was more than enough for even the heartiest appetite. There was also a DJ who had people up on the floor without any difficulty though, the line dancing that folk here (well, of my age group) are fanatical about, is absolutely not my thing. there was way too much of it for my taste.
Made a discreet exit with Anne about 1.15am to go home and straight to bed.
Weather:
17°, cloudy

Taking My Foot of the Pedal

30.12.17: Unseasonally Warm Wind Blowing

Managed to have a longish lie as there wasn't any need to get the bus to the market as Jacques phoned offering a lift. There were more people on the terraces than buying at the usual market stalls though there was quite a large crowd around the stall selling truffles. I didn't even try to get close to see the price as it was no doubt eyewatering. Made do instead with treating Jacques to a coffee and chatting in the sun.
End of the afternoon, I met Nicole for tea at the bar which I augmented with some Christmas cake. It's a big cake that will take ages to finish! What's not to like?
Weather:
19°, blue sky and a warm wind. Cloud later

29.12.17: Stay Home Day
Didn't set foot outside all day!
Weather:
16°, cloud and showers

28.12.17: Christmas Cake and Lady Grey
All was very quiet in the square when I went along to have my hair colour done this morning. after lunch did some association admin until Terry and Ann came to pick up the logs that I don't have any use for anymore. There visit coincided with teatime so it was all the excuse I needed to cut into my Christmas cake. Ooooh, I do love afternoon tea.
Rest of the day was spent doing the usual. No need to tell you what.
Weather:
10°, showers on and off

27.12.17: Saving the Day with a Packet of Smoked Salmon

Despite having an irritating cough, Nicole didn't cancel our lunch date chez moi. I'd looked out a really interesting quail recipe but when I read the label after I'd defrosted them, I found that they were rather too much out of date to safely serve up to a guest! Scrabbled around in the fridge for a last minute substitute. Luckily, Nicole's a friend who likes smoked salmon with pasta. And there was a tasty homemade beetroot and parsnip soup to start and small mincemeat cakes and cream for dessert. So what with a bottle of cava and chocolates as well, my honour was saved.
Weather:
11°, cloud some blue sky and rain on and off

26.12.17: Not a Public Holiday here

Another late start then, with the café being closed over the holiday, it was coffee at the other bar with Nicole. Rest of the day was spent with my feet up in front of the telly.
Weather:
13°, sun and cloud

Merry Christmas!

With nowhere to go for a coffee this morning, I made the most of a leisurely start until it was time to meet up with Ann and terry with whom I was having lunch at the Café de France.
Christmas is so much less commercialised here; there was a special menu of 2 or 3 courses but if you wanted, there was the everyday menu too. How refreshing that people don't have to dig too deep into their pockets. Foie gras and vension tempted me and then Terry and I shared a dessert.
Left the table to head back to theirs for an afternoon of talk, musical nostalgia, tea and Christmas cake.
Of what joy! I've been hankering after turkey sandwiches all week but found that it was impossible to buy anything for one so you can imagine my pleasure when some cold turkey appeared on the supper table. And joy of joys, I came away with some for sandwiches tomorrow. as I've said many a time before, simple pleasures are enough to make me very happy!
Weather:
14°, sun and cloud
 

All's Well that ends Well

10.12.17: Christmas Traditions enlivened by Mulled Wine

Set the alarm for 7am and found that it had rained overnight but was now dry. Luckily, I could hear the Mairie workers setting up the tables so I assumed that even though the sky wasn't visible at this time, the market was on. Made the wine and sold it all and with our other sales we made a respectable sum to go towards "Project Cornemuse". (If you've missed previous posts, it's our plan to bring some pipers over from Comrie near Perth). The treasurer came and it would seem that a line has been drawn under her bruised feelings.
The café was exceptionally busy; so much so, that Nicole and I had to have our lunch sitting at the bar. Would you believe it? There was liver on the menu so of course, I went for that.
The market was a great success; plenty of stalls, Santa with his horse and cart giving the kids a tour around the village, Christmas carols from an Internation choir and from a Catalan choir, sardane and the traditional Catalan "Caga Tio". If you're wondering what this is, if you can be bothered, have a look at last years's post where it's explained.
Having only had an hour to sit down at lunch, 7am - 4pm was a long day to be on one's feet. Didn't want to do anything other than eat my soup (disappointingly, in need of being pepped up) and watch the telly. I'll be honest; that's exactly how I'd have spent the evening even if my feet and legs weren't protesting.
Weather:
12°, cloudy

9.12.17: Much ado about Nothing!

Awoke to a phone call from the Association President who had had an upset treasurer on the phone. Apparently she felt excluded as I'd not invited her to help Maggie and I sort the Xmas market sales. Hadn't realised until that point that I was the organiser! To make matters worse, I'd asked (hold my hand up to that) her when she'd asked me when she should come, to help on the stall in the afternoon when she normally helped set up in the morning! Hadn't realised that it was a trick question. I had to do a lot of back brushing to stop her resigning! Here, I should add that she'd already resigned from another association as she didn't get on with the President. Fragile or what? In the end, I let her know that there were difficult things that I have to deal with too and she started to back peddle. Crickey, life is far too short for this nonesense.
What a relief it was to go to the market with Maggie who is a down to earth, take things in her stride Yorkshire woman.
Bumped into Nicole S who joined us for coffee ; what an age it is since I've seen her.
A quick trip to the supermarket followed but to my disappointment I didn' find any liver which I'd fancied for lunch. Not to worry, I didn't starve as I stopped off at the restaurant for the "plat du jour" which was an entrecôte steak; so, my desire for red meat was satisfied with the added bonus of no dishes to wash.

In the afternoon Maggie and I loaded her van with our wares for the Xmas market (didn't ask the treasurer to join us!) then came home and made some carrot and parsnip soup (a Joyceline Dimbleby recipe) for tomorrow.
Normally, I would have made the mulled wine for tomorrow this evening but the weather forecast is iffy and rather than risk having 20 litres left on my hands, I decided to get up early and do it when it was clear what kind of weather we were in for.
Weather:
11° sun

8.12.17: Telly Dependant?

Coffee at the bar and then another one at Jacques over which we talked about last night's film. In the afternoon I had an impromptu walk around the lake where it was pretty windy with Flo. No other excuse was needed to head off and have a cuppa in the warm afterwards.
As I'd opted for a goodie box rather than the OAP's lunch, Cédric who works at the Mairie next door, delivered mine and Nicole's to the café where we were having a glass of wine.
My social diary being blank this evening, it was a night in front of the telly (again). Do you think that I should be starting to worry about my attachment to the square screen?
Weather:
13°, cloudy with a spell of sunshine at the end of the afternoon

Chugging Along

7.12.17: A Relief from the Domesticity

Language exchange, a cuppa at the bar and then home to do some admin. Attended the Council meeting this evening and escaped without picking up any of the cold bugs that are obviously doing the rounds.
There was half an hour to spare before it was time to set off to the Cinéclub with the neighbours. This week's offering was "The Other Side of Hope", a Finnish film about the new beginnings for a shirt salesman turned restauranteur and the aid he gives to a Syrian refugee. https://www.theguardian.com/film/2017/may/25/the-other-side-of-hope-review-aki-kaurismaki-refugee-crisis
Weather:
11°, sun and cloud

6.12.17: More Domesticity
Another day of domesticity: chores, computer and sorting out things with Maggie to sell at the Christmas market.
Weather:
12°, blue sky


5.12.17: Domesticity and a Welcome social Interlude
A domestic day cooking rabbit and preserved lemon for lunch, a bit of cleaning and some computer stuff. The evening was a lot more interesting as JJ and I were invited to Jean and Françoise's along with Hélène and Mohammed for an impromptu apéritif.
Weather:
11°, sunshine

4.12.17: Out for lunch, Out for Tea and Out for an Apéro
Went into Céret with Maggie. She, to get her feet done, me to do a bit of shopping. I would have done it if I hadn't bumped into Bridget and gone instead for a coffee. Met up with Maggie in the another bar and had an absolutely awful hot chocolate that was not in the least bit worth the money. Never again.
From here we went and did a bit of supermarket shopping and searched for a restaurant that was open on a Monday.

We ended up at the "La Via Domitia"which was a first for both of us and well pleased we were too and it was only 13€ for 3 courses.  https://www.facebook.com/Laviadomitiabyeric/
Had tea at Jacques's to plan for New Year's Eve and in the evening there was an apérobio at the bar. The logical choice was a bowl of soup and not to hang around too long as it was still feeling chilly despite sitting over the fire..
Weather:
12°, blue sky and no cloud

3.12.17: Brrrrrh!

Coffee at the bar and computer time. Feeling cold in the house and I've still not yet got to grips with the stove. Of course, when I wasn't in front of the computer, I drank tea and watched tv.
Weather:
8° sun, cold wind

2.12.17: Doing One's Bit

Arrived to help set up the Association's stall at 8h30 and spent all day there selling our cast off accessories and running the bottle stall apart from an hour's break to have a solitary lunch at the restaurant. came away from the foyer having not won anything in the raffle despite there being about 50 prizes. Oh and I did eat far too much home made cake.
Once home, all I wanted to do was put my feet up and drink tea.
Found out later that the village raised over 15,000€. Pretty good, eh,
Weather:
4°, blue sky, strong wind

1.12.17: Oh, So Cold

Too cold to get out of bed without a great deal of thought. When I did, I had some time sorting the bottles with Maggie for tomorrow's bottle stall and some computer time.
There was a vernissage this evening but due to some kind of hold up on the motorway, the artists (a sculptor and painter) didn't arrive until after I'd left with Nicole P to go to Ann and Terry's for dinner. Once again, art lovers were thin on the ground which was a shame as the exhibits were interesting . http://artpunch.com/Artpunch/Artpunch_home.html
Weather:
7°, blue sky and cloud