Making the most of the Sunshine before Autumn Arrives

Well, October has drifted by and here I am in the middle of November doing my usual catch up job. Not sure how much longer I can keep this up so will do a rethink in the New Year.

 1st- 7th October: While pleased for them, I was sorry to learn that Lone & Jesper, my Danish friends, had sold their house. So that's another family that have reached a point in their life where a holiday home has become too much to keep on. Spent a pleasant farewell evening around at theirs with an international contingent: a kiwi, an American, some Scots and as many English. Started with drinks on the rooftop terrace and then went down a floor for dinner.

 

There was also a meal at JJ's on Saturday evening with Jean, Françoise and Sandrine. There was discussion as well as food, some of it, heated (feminism and women's eaquality).

Chez moi, the plumber came to call. Yep, another problem; a leak in a hot waterpipe. While he was here, he changed a leaking tap and fixed another. 

In the village, the other café/bar has transformed itself into a bistro with a hike in prices to pay for it. A cuppa is 50c more than in the other one. I have to admit it's of a superior quality so I'm not complaining and with colder days approaching, driving us cold souls inside, the surroundings are more comfortable and pleasing on the eye. 

Apart from that, the only other event of note was a checkup with a cardiologist who didn't find anything wrong so my elevated heart rate is a mystery.

 Weather: The coolest day was 19° and the warmest 28° so there was still plenty of opportunity to eat lunch on the patio and have a coffee with friends on the terrace of the café. Just one day with some rain.

8th - 14th October:  Birthday's were on the agenda this week. First there was a late celebration of Martine's at her house where 11 of us and a bored 14 year old drank champagne, ate foie gras, duck parmentier and two scrummy, calorific birthday cakes. After all that it was well and truly time for bed and with the promise to myself that I would give the treadmill a miss even if it was needed more than ever after the evening's excess.

JJ's birthday was celebrated a few days early. Started with champagne and foie gras at mine when we gave him the present that Martine and I had found a couple of days previously over the border. Had the priviledge of being the 1st passenger in her brand new hybrid car. What a bonus! It beeps when it strays over the white line and when obstacles are too close. Sigh of relief from all those who ever drive with her! Afterwards, JJ traeated us to dinner at the bistro where we had a "not copious, generous" (as the chef corrected us when he asked for feedback) 3 courses!

Also had an impromtu lunch at Jacques' with Sandrine and apéritifs at Beverley and James's to say "goodbye" to Sue and Harry who were heading back to UK after a few weeks getting the house back in shape after a long enforced abesence. Made the most of the clement weather to watch the sunset with a glass of wine in hand. Came home with next year's calendar and two paintings which I'll need to find some wall space for.

I had more contact with the Association this week than I've had in ages. The AGM was on the 8th and was held in the restaurant, or canteen as Christian would have called it due to it's size and lack of character, where we ate afterwards. It was late starting, boring and not well prepared. Plenty of people to chat with though and we were joined at the table by Michèle et Henri which is always entertaining. Michael was good company, too.

I also joined the walking group, as this week the walk was in aid of "Octobre Rose" which is a national month long event to raise awareness of breast cancer. About 30 of us sporting something pink strode out (well, some of us) on the 3km uphill route mostly on a back road which took us over a humped medieval bridge, to a history exhibition charting the history of the village, the church with it's fresco and views over to 3rd - 5th century Roman vestiges. Of course, our street did it's bit, too

Time for a cuppa so I will be back with you before the weekend's out to finish off this week and with any luck, the rest of the month. . . . ok, ready to go again. 

Let me think what else was of note during the week. Oh yes, there was the annual carboot sale though last year it didn't happen due to covid restrictions. Memories of 2019's event which was enlivened by the Pipe Band whose memebers got off the bus after 2 days travel and played in the sunshine. It was fabulous! It's worth going back to remind yourself what a good time was had by all concerned and how splendid they looked in their regalia.

This year was a pale reflection. As I arrived the first people that I bumped into were Martine and Robert (relatives of my friends in Colombia) who bore me off, via chatting to several people on the way, to the buvette. Sadly, when we got there, the only apéros were beer or coke so off we went, with several chat stops to the bistro. No luck there either, it was closed. Nothing else to do than head to mine for a bottle of chilled cava and put the carboot saleon hold until next year.

Weather: Temperatures between 20° and 26° though getting cooler first thing. Blue skies and sunshine. 

15th - 22nd October: Feeling obliged not to keep giving village activities a miss, I attended the Carnival AGM which was of course followed by an apéritif. Not exactly earth shattering. Still, the Saturday market earlier on in the square was something else. A group called the Black Kilts made a welcome addition to our usual coffee/apéro break and didn't they just gave it "laldie" as the Scots would say. What a lift to the spirits and the sun was shining, too. 

 The rally around the village up in the mountains, organised by the Association, was cancelled due to lack of participants however, the apéro offered by a local group and the meal at the restaurant went ahead thus brownie points were more pleasurably won. I even put in an appearance at the Association's game of pétanque during the week and took some photos for the website though truth be told I was there as Hortense had said that she'd been invited to play. Luckily for both of us, she was knocked out early on and joined me for a coffee at the café.

 The week was pretty full on with much to enjoy. Went to Girona with Jacques and Suzette.

Early start so no treadmill but walking around the town taking in the sights gave me more than enough steps to compensate. The curry we had at lunch time, however, might have undone most of the good.  

 As legend dicates "Qui besa el cul de la lleona retorna a Girona". If your linguistic skills are not up to it, it means if you kiss the lioness's "bum" you'll return to Girona. However, at the moment the actual statue is protected from covid ladened smackers! So, perhaps that's why there are so few Ryanair flights flying in these days.

The actual day of JJ's birthday, we were invited along with Suzette and Jacques, Lone and Jesper to Jim and Mags' where we had a very sociable evening over an Italian themed meal A little bird had told them that it was JJ's birthday so there was a cake complete with candle and a rendition of 🎶 "Happy Birthday"🎶. A pretty late night; what a  joy of not having to go to work the morning after!

Lone and Jesper continued to be in the limelight as their departure came ever closer. 🇩🇰 There was farewell dinner at Jacques'. Charged with taking responsibility for dessert, I baked my 'always works' orange cake. The easiest ever as you just whizz a whole orange (peel but no pips) and all the other ingredients in a processor and cook. Another farewell to L & J followed; this time organised by themselves. Aperitifs at the bar out on the terrace with Jesper always on hand to fill up the wine glasses!

Finally managed to get a date for JJ and myself to eat at the bistro with Robert and Martine. Started with an apéro chez moi beforehand. A meal ofMoroccan soup and a couscous didn't leave room for a dessert so with much relief, I made it home for 22h15. Best laid plans and all that ..... 5 minutes later JJ was at the door, not as usual because he'd forgotten something but because Jacques had invited us to have a drink with Jim and Mags who were there for a farewell dinner. They won't be back until February so how could I refuse. What I did refuse though, was alcohol and dessert. Water was all I could face. 

And then there was the apéritif dinatoire chez moi. Spent the whole day, and I do mean all day, preparing tasty morsels for Jacques, Suzette, JJ, Jean and Françoise. Can't believe that there's not any photographic eveidence of all the effort I made. We were all flagging a bit by 10pm so it was an earlier evening than of late. Is it any surprise that my body is starting to feel the effects of too many dinners and apéritifs?

Weather: 23°, autumn sunshine and blue skies

22nd - 29th October:  JJ had left for family visits, Jacques and Suzette for Gruissan and Michel is still in Thailand so the social calendar was empty. What a relief to leave the excess aside for a while. Did however go to Collioure with Jean and Françoise on Sunday where we had quick trip around the much diminished market and a walk through the town which was decorated with pink umbrellas for " Octobre Rose". Had  coffee with Lucille and the boys overlooking the sea then took a stroll along the path at the sea's edge. 

Had a trip to Perpignan on the bus (took 6 hours all in) for one of my routine checks and had the nurse come to the house to give me my flu vaccination, had a coffee with Lynn and Ann at the bistro, tea with Nicole S. at her house and a walk with Françoise.

Before the week was out, Jacques was back and there was an invitation to his for dinner. It was a good evening with a different set of people; Christiane & Denis from Carpentras, here on a stopover and Camille, the youngest resident on the square, who strangely enough is from there also and found they had common connections. 

Weather: A drop of 1° to 21° by the end of the week. Sky is still blue and the sun still shining.

30th -31st October: The month ended quietly with the clocks changing and a good long walk with Françoise. Otherwise, life continues with much routine: treadmill and oldies gym for the body with exercises getting more complex. Shame my co ordination isn’t getting any better. Newspapers and magazines for the brain; tv and knitting for relaxation; a sprinkling of household chores because they can't be avoided any longer and a weekly visit to the village market  where the bar does a good trade even though there are less and less stallholders present.

Weather: Another 1° drop in temperature. Think it's time for the background poppies to give way to autumn leaves.