Unhappy Internaute, Happy Diners

26.11.18 - 30.11.18

Well, time to say "hello" again and bring you up to date until the end of November.
Of course there's been the usual things going on with Association admin, the language exchange, even a committee meeting (26th). Well in fact there were two committee meetings this week, the other was for the Twinning association (28th).
Trips to the café are now for a hot chocolate rather than  tea or coffee as not only is it cold outside but inside too. Apparently, if Nico is cooking and has the hood working, they can't light the fire as the smoke comes back down the chimney!
Anne who I haven't seen for ages called by on the off chance on 27th and stayed for tea. Sadly she's losing her memory which at only 2 years older than me is pretty scary. Putting that thought firmly in the box marked "not needed on the journey"! JJ came for a catch up the same day but this time it was a bottle of cava and a few nibbles that helped the conversation flow.
Good deeds included 3.5 tiring hours of cutting up melons and another couple of hours cutting up oranges for the Téléthon jam. Over 500 pots were made.
Tellywise, the gorgeous Jaimie Fraser (Outlander) kept me entertained. Not met a woman yet who doesn't share my 5* opinion of him.
Back in the present day and feet once more on the ground, I finally planted up the pansies I bought 3 weeks ago, was without internet for 4 days (fibre optique cable accidentally sliced through), had a power cut for an hour due to a power station failure that affected almost the whole of the Pyrénées Orientales.

There was some fun too. Jo organised a birthday cake at the bar for Kevin's birthday and then a karaoke evening in Le Boulou for 30 of us (30th). Not one nod in the direction of Bonnie Scotland's national day but having gone against my better judgement, it was more fun than I'd anticipated . Probably because it was a good mix of nationalities.
The new owner of the "Happy Diner"hasn't yet quite got to grips with managing group bookings. He phoned Jo to say that he was 4 plates short; she thought he meant servings but he actually meant plates to serve on. The DJ, a youngish bloke missing his front teeth doubled as the washer up. He abandonded the turntable to return to the kitchen to wash the starter plates so that the main course could be served.  When pay up time came, the owner gave up trying to sort out individual bills and charged us all 20€ each which with all the wine we got through, was a good deal. At least for us!
https://www.tripadvisor.fr/ShowUserReviews-g612419-d12921109-r532939693-Happy_Diner-Le_Boulou_Pyrenees_Orientales_Occitanie.html
Weather: 
Temperatures between 11° - 17°, sun and clear skies.