A Bunny, some Chocolate but no Bonnets.

April 2025:

Well, if anyone can tell me where February and March have gone too, please let me know.  Nothing out of the ordinary; food & friends, Figueres market & films, this and that. Can't think of any convincing reason that despite all my good intentions in January, Chitchat has been neglected yet again. 

For the time being here's a glimpse of the Easter decorations in the street and maybe, I'll manage to do a catch up with more photos than blabla.

    

                                         Life happens, Chocolate helps! 

Happy Easter, All

Easter: 

So simple but I defy you not smile back as this bunny that could be seen on Bute (in Scotland for those of you who are unlucky enough not to have visited). Thanks, Liz, for sending it. Don't know about you bring I can't bring myself to say "thanks for sharing" which is up there with "thanks for reaching out"!

My Easter started on Thursday with a "wee" apéro chez moi for Jacques, Suzette et JJ. Friday there was coffee in the morning with Linde and an apéro at the bar with her and Françoise in the evening. Good Friday here is not a public holiday, however, in Perpignan, Arles sur Tech and Collioure, the centuries old tradition of the Sanch Procession takes place. Black robed "penitents" in pointy hats walk in silence. Too spooky with shades of the K.K.K. for me so I've never been. 

Saturday there was lunch over at Trevor's. Roast lamb, of course; lots of laughs of course and full glass to be sure. Much to my amazement , later on I managed to make a simnel cake (only the second time ever) to take to Michèle & Henri's. Shame one of the flowers is a bit askew. Traditionally made for either Mothering Sunday or Easter, with the 11 marzipan balls representing the apostles minus Judas, I don't think you see them often nowadays. Probably the majority of folk won't even know what it is.

Apparently, the Easter Sunday congregation was bigger than usual as the café was busier than usual. Didn't succumb to a glass of wine in order to enjoy the champagne the was sure to be on offer before lunch. Yes, my confidence was well founded! 

Easter Monday was low key. Walked over to Ann & Terry's for coffee and cake, enjoying views of Canigou on the way. Gave the communal Omelette Pascale  a miss in favour of taking it easy at home.

21.4.25:

 Jasmine chez  perfumes the air chez moi and walking around you cal also catch the scent of mock orange. La vie est belle, n'est-ce pas? 

23.4.25:

 Whether you're in England or Catalunya, "Happy St George's/Sant Jordi's Day. Not forgetting "Happy birthday, Will Shakespeare", which I now know from my friend Bernadette, is his 461st.  Here, a red rose is traditionally given to a loved one and since the 1920s a book is offered on 23rd April, World Book Day. Sadly, neither one nor the other has come my way. Neither did a knight in shining armour come galloping across the village square. Maybe he' ll arrive on Sunday morning when books and roses will be available on la Place de la République. 

24.4.25:

Michel and I went on our usual trip to Figueres where we followed our usual routine of coffee on the terrace of the "Centric", whizzed around the produce market and paused at the café/bar for a beer and a white wine (4€50 for both!). Simple pleasures made even nicer with blue sky and sunshine. The guy in the background of this selfie was nothing to do with us. 

25.4.25:

Fish n Chips at a vineyard run by a Brit and a Kiwi. 

26.4.24:

 Braved the rain to go for coffee with Henri & Michèle, their daughter and s-in law and let me tell you, it was well worth the effort. A beret wearing Basque all male voice choir sang inside  the crowded café and then outside taking shelter from the heavy rain under a parasol. Spine tingling, to say the least.

 

Spine didn't tingle this evening but hopefully palates were tickled by the apéritif dinatoire that I gave my guests. 

 

27.4.25:

After coffee in the village with JJ, we all came together again for lunch in Collioure. The sun was back so a walk by the sea was called for before returning and going straight to a concert in the village hall. Thankfully only just over an hour long as I was feeling sleepy; too much red wine or maybe it was the fancy banyuls sangria, methinks.

 

29.4.25:

Poor old Michel and his Thai visitors were in Barcelona yesterday and what a time they had trying to get back to their accommodation 40km out. Luckily they made an early decision not to hang around hoping for the best and managed to get a taxi. Others had a pretty miserable time with nowhere to sleep or stuck on a train in the middle of nowhere. Needless to say, even though the electricity has been restored, there's a lot of uncertainty. Michel didn't know whether Prae & Walter will be able to fly back to Bangkok

 

What has my life come to?

 

Last night a small knitting group that occupied its members hands with a glass of wine rather than needles and today this was my "one I made earlier" effort at an over 65s group! Amazing what you can do with a a dishcloth and a bit of dental floss but I didn't fancy the alternative of burning a design into a small piece of wood!!! Luckily there's a different focus each week. In the meantime, I'll try and up my street cred.