Well, that's February on its way out

28.2.19:

Language exchange in the morning, impromptu lunch at Jacques with Bernard, Geneviève, Hans and Marie-Madeleine which I had to leave early to go to an association committee meeting.

27.2.19:

Went with Nicole to Perpignan. Stopped at a coffee shop where I failed utterly to resist a pastry. Didn't stay long in the big city, however, as we were meeting Martine at the restaurant in the village. Not one complaint was voiced.

This afternoon had a short time working on the computer before Nicole S arrived for tea.

Then it was telly time with my feet up.

Weather:

19, sun, blue skies

26.2.19:

Coffee at Joëlle's, a bit of cooking then off to Perpignan with Martine. Ate at "Café Catalogne" which until now has only been a coffee stop. It's a modern brasserie serving very tasty, well presented, creative food. https://www.facebook.com/le.catalogne.perpignan/

Back home did some work for the association on the computer then prepared some supper for JJ.
It's amazing how just one flower can perfume a room. A real pleasure for the senses as you walk by.

Weather:

18°, sun, blue skies

25.2.19:

Treated myself to breakfast in bed and then met Lynn and Ann over coffee and pan au raison in the other bar.

Some computer work then met Nicole at the bar for a drink. It was as cold as charity in there, so didn't linger long even though we had the pleasure of Jacques’ company.

Weather:

16°, sun and blue skies

Michèle's Birthday Bash

Usual Sunday coffee but a different venue due to the bar being closed. Stayed until André came to collect Nany, JJ and myself to go to "La Belle Vigne" for Michèle's birthday lunch. http://www.traiteur-brial.com/
Apéritifs were out in the garden with Canigou rising in the distance. About 30 of us sat down to a good meal, speeches and a few songs. How priviledged I, a non Catalan, felt to be among such company. Charged with taking some photos, I clicked away with abandon. Here's the link  https://photos.app.goo.gl/GPSjnhAnftbxJr736

Weather:

17, sun and blue skies

February rolls on to its End

18.2.18 - 23.2.19:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/92bCiRM1CMrvtKQ17
Of course, there was routine admin work to do for the association. When isn't there? Françoise came to correct all the mistakes I've made on the website and had a grammar lesson at the same time.

The pipe band visit took up time too. There was a meeting at the Mairie to drum (sorry about the pun) up help and support from other associations. 5 out of over 40 were there! Came away with things to think about and to do. Sometimes, I feel like running away!

Luckily, rather than going home to stew, there was music at the bar. Lots of people, Beatles' songs, a glass of wine and a portion of chips lifted the spirits.

Friday, 22nd we left the car in a neighbouring village to give ourselves more possibilities for the return from Perpignan on the bus. Jacques and I were on a mission to time and firm up the Pipe Band's visit to the Catalan "capital" in the North.

Started with a visit to the tourist office to talk about parking the bus. Walked the proposed circuit, decided we liked the first restaurant we went to while all the time enjoying the unseasonably warm sunshine.

Had a cheap and cheerful lunch at "Les Copins" and then job done headed back for the bus. https://www.tripadvisor.fr/Restaurant_Review-g187156-d10033209-Reviews-Chez_les_copains-Perpignan_Pyrenees_Orientales_Occitanie.html

Decided to make the most of the sunshine so went to Ceret for a cuppa. Not wanting to finish there, back in the village we had an apéritif on the terrace at the bar where we were joined by Martine, then by Michelle. After that it was an impromptu dinner at Jacques and finally home.

There was yet more work to do for the association. Gilles and I cornered the U3A pétanque players who come to the village every Tuesday to see if they're interested in a game. They were keen to join us but less keen on mixing up the teams. Aye, they're clanish and I'm not sure they speak a lot of French.

Gilles lives on the same estate as Terry and Ann so was able to give me a lift over to their's for lunch. Nick and Lizzie arrived by bike. Roland made the numbers up to six.

Walked home in an effort to rid myself of some of the calories I'd consumed and then undid any good by sitting around watching tv for the night.   

Jacques got in first this time so I arrived at the market in style in his Megane convertable.

Met up with Jean and Françoise and then after lunch joined them for a walk at Port Vendres.

Then in the evening dinner was at Nick and Kathy's. Curry and tiramisu in the company of Maurice, Rosie and Don who told lots of tales about what they'd done and where they'd been. And there was another lovely sunset.

And apart from all that, I watched my fair share of tv and attended the last flower making session for this year.

Before signing off,I should say that I do have some culture in my life. I went to the cinéclub with the neighbours to see "Cold War" which is fimed in black and white (how Stalinesque) and was nominated for an oscar. As you can imagine it was complicated and didn't end well.     https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/sep/02/cold-war-pawel-pawlikowski-review-mark-kermode 
Just to let you know, next year, I shall be leaving public life to spend more time with myself! I'm throwing down the gauntlet, just need to make sure I pick it up while I've still the energy to do so!

Weather:

15°-23°, sun and blue skies

Spring is in the Air

13.2.19-17.2.19
Photos have been added to February's album
https://photos.app.goo.gl/5JXZsBkTRgjrZm6e6
Recent days have been dominated by eating out. No complaints there, then.
Wednesday it was at Danish friends Lone and Jesper's. We talked politics, don't we always?, British and Scadi crime dramas and of all things "Dating Naked". This kind of reality tv left us all shaking our heads with mouths wide open. We also talked about Michel's travels to Thailand which resulted in an invitation for all of us to his house on Saturday for a Thai meal.
Thursday, I sat at JJ's table with a different set of people, i.e.,  the Mairie connection. Pata Negre dry cured ham cut there and then off the bone was the centre piece. Conversation, champagne and wine flowed meaning that it was nearly 1am when I toddled off to bed.
For a change, Friday brought a lunch rather than dinner out. This time it was at a restaurant with the pétanque group. No, I didn't play but instead prepared the apéritif for those who did.
Saturday came the market and the meal at Michel's. I went an hour in advance to help him prepare and was rewarded with two macarons from Amiens. You might be interested to know that they have been made by Brigitte Macron's (French President's wife) family for 145 years. https://www.196flavors.com/france-macarons-damiens-amiens-macarons/
Managed an earlier night last night thanks to Michel's 10pm curfew so that he could be up at the crack of dawn to go snowshoeing. Coffee in the morning and this afternoon reluctantly worked on the Comrie Pipe Band visit budget for tomorrow evening's meeting. It was a lovely sunny day outside which I should have been making the most of but there ..... Thus are the cosequences of of procrastination!
Weather:
Sunny days and blue skies. Temperatures ranged between 16 -18°

February's Story so far

Follow the link for a few more photos https://photos.app.goo.gl/5JXZsBkTRgjrZm6e6

If you've been wondering where I've been, my addiction to the "West Wing" has continued so less

time for "Chitchat". Finished the last episode of series 7 earlier this afternoon and there are no more. So, here I am! Still, it's not as though there's been a lot else happening in my life so my guilt is under control.

On the routine side, I've made a few flowers (now all finished), worked on the Pipe Band visit (panicking at all the balls to keep in the air), been to the language exchange (think reward in the next life), been to the market (Michel and Jacques vying to give me a lift) and drunk coffee at the bar. Last Sunday, there were 13 women there (English, French, Catalan, Welsh, Danish and Bulgarian) and two blokes who sat to one side huddled together.

Foodwise, the fridge fairy seems to be on strike, so thank goodness for a meal at

* Jacques' along with Erika, Doug and Annette (cassoulet).With an ex roadie, singers and a guitarist  we talked rock music.
* Michel's (pot au feu) with his cousins and two musician friends. Conversation was lively revolving around music, hiking and motorbikes.
There were some restaurant meals too:
* Al Catala with Maggie  https://www.restaurantalcatalaceret66.com/
* The restaurant in the village that has reopened under new management with Jean Jacques and Martine. We could only feel sorry for them with all the roadworks going on around them. There was a welcome cocktail offered and while the portions were more generous than before, the style and price are the same. https://fr-fr.facebook.com/pages/category/French-Restaurant/Restaurant-66-sur-Vins-194087887375672/
* A Moroccan buffet in Canet followed by a short stroll along the seafront with friends who were involved in a now defunct schooling project in DRC. Can't bring myself to spell out the words for this African country. https://www.lepetitmarrakech.fr/
 And there was the association's tapas evening, for this time only, in St Jean's village hall as ours is being repaired. About 70 people turned up and we raised 265€ on the raffle for the Pipe band visit.
And surprise, surprise ....... the President had to leave to take her husband home leaving the rest of us to clear up and put everything away back at base.

As for culture, I attended a vernissage in Christian's room and sadly, I missed out on going to the "Cinéclub" to see "The Rider" https://www.imdb.com/title/tt6217608/ as there was a rendez-vous mix up and I was left behind.

Healthwise, there was a trip to the Opthamologist who noted that the cataract is growing but no need to do anything until it starts to bother me.

Positives:
* I haven't succumbed to flu (fingers crossed)
* I've been on the tredmill a couple times.

Negatives:
* Sauveur, the electrician, is playing Scarlet Pimpernel
* The "Gilets Jaunes" are still demonstrating and confrontation destruction and pilaging is getting worse as other organised groups hide behind them.
* Too many examples of anti-semitism coming to the fore that are reminiscent of 1930's Germany
* Brexit leaves us all unsettled


Now, I'm off to find another box set to fill my waking hours.
Weather:
One day of rain (5th), mostly blue skies and sun giving temperatures going from 10° - 17°