Mary's Visit: Off to a Good Start

22.9.16: Putting a Kick into Lunch

Mary slept in again while I went to open up the room for the language exchange. Didn't stay though as I needed to get back to my guest (thank you, Mary). Did a bit of preparation on the Scottish trip for tomorrow's AGM and then we both wandered over to the bar for a coffee and even said "no" to an apéro as we were invited to David and Laura's to talk about the Scottish trip over lunch and to see their new house at the same time. We were joined by Jim and Mags for a delicious curry followed by cheese then prunes in a rich armagnac syrup with vanilla ice cream. Oh, soooo good and it was lovely to hear all those Scottish accents. There are lots of recipes on the internet. Delia also does a wicked chocolate, prune and armagnac cake, pickled prunes in armagnac using lapsan suchong tea while Laura uses liquid cane sugar instead of making a sugar syrup. Mmmm, I've people coming round next week, maybe I'll give it a go.
Once back home, there was hardly time to draw breath before we met up with Jean and Françoise for a trip down to Argelès. An action replay of my birthday treat - walk along the prom to admire the photos, a couple of drinks and tapas overlooking the marina except this time it was for Françoise's birthday not mine. Same as the last twice we were there, the waiter was someone who liked to travel. This one was an older guy who said that he lived for most of the year in the Ivory Coast where he had a hotel and apartments . He also had hotels in Benin and Ghana. Jean went right off him when he said that he'd been in the military. I hadn't much liked him either; it all smacked of latter day colonialism.
Worked at home before finally going to bed at 2am.
Weather:
26°, sun, clouding over in the evening

21.5.16: Putting a Sparkle into the Evening

While Mary slept on, I plugged myself into my Spanish lessons and did an hour on the treadmill. Once we'd both done our own thing, we went over to the bar for a late coffee which we followed by a late lunch on the terrace at home.
In the evening Colin and Lynn came round. He to help me with the installation of a new photo programme on the computer now that Google have made Picasa obsolete. Lynn and Mary talked "Birmingham" which they both know well. Think I'll be able to get my head around it but no doubt there'll be some frustrating moments.
Mission accomplished, it was time to tuck into the tapas I'd prepared and to sip our way through a couple of bottles of cava. The photo shows just the starter nibbles which I put out to keep Mary and Lynn going if you think it looks a bit sparse. Well, if the more interesting stuff went out before hand, Colin and I might have found ourselves short changed!
Weather:
26°, sun and cloud

20.5.16: Flights of Fancy
Today was mostly about flights. Nicole S stopped by for us to book hers to Portugal. She wanted to be absolutely sure that she was on the same one as Margaret and myself. All worked well, Ryanair has greatly improved its site. She then headed off to teach her French class and I rather less nobly went off to meet the other Nicole in the café. She left and Nicole S reappeared as arranged, with a prospective new member.
The afternoon passed quietly enough until it was time to meet the other Nicole again to go to the airport to collect Mary. Being offered a lift was such help as public transport to the airport involves 3 buses. Her plane was in a little early but we still had time for a coffee. Once back in the village, we dropped off Mary's bag (20kg for a week!!) at the house and Nicole dropped her car off at hers. Sorry, if you get confused by the various Nicole's. There are 3 in the women's group, at least another 2 in the association and 1 who lives nearby. How I digress. Back to Mary's first evening which was spent over dinner at the bar. The three of us opted for steak and rosé.
Also there were Ros and Charles on holiday from the UK who had been told that if they had any few tourist type questions or problems, I was their woman. They did (fortunately questions not problems) and I was! You'll be relieved to hear that I'm not going to bore you with how they fit into my life.
Weather:
26°, very light wind

Testing Times

25.3.16: Testing my Patience
Treated Jacques to a coffee at the bar as a thank you for getting me some mini Easter eggs to put out as part of our street decoration.
After lunch, worked on the association website, moving last year's reports to the archives which involved making new pages, creating new photo albums for our online gallery and changing loads and loads of links so that the click takes folk to the new page. Spent hours and hours and hours ending up with an aching back, stiff legs and sore eyes. Still, what else would I have done on a wet Good Friday after eating my bit of fish? Certainly not going to Perpignan to watch "La Sanch" which strikes me as grim and spooky. Although the link is to a French site, the photos give an idea what it's about and google can do the rest. http://pyreneescatalanes.free.fr/Decouvrir/Traditions/ProcessionSanch.php
Weather:
13°, cloudy, rain set in  in the afternoon for the rest of the day

24.3.16: Testing my French!

Thursday again. Language exchange again followed by soup at the bar again. Went straight from there to an association committee meeting then home to do some membership admin.
In the evening I went over to the Mairie to sit in on a Council meeting where there was a Belgian flag hanging from the table and a minute's silence at the start. The main agenda items where about a couple of new energy saving projects. The Opposition (3 out of 23 councillors) asked questions but otherwise didn't challenge anything. 
All agreed that the Maire should make a submission to the commission looking to choose a name for the new Region which amalgamates Languedoc-Roussillon (us) and the Midi Pyrénées (Toulouse). Of course, he wants a Catalan reference.
Jean-Jacques came back to mine afterwards for supper and to tell me all about his trip away visting family all around France. It also gave me the opportuntity to make sure that I'd understood what had gone on and what the acronyms were.
Weather:
16°,blue skies 

23.3.16: Upmarket Avon Evening
Worked on the website for most of the day. In the evening with some reluctance, I went round to Lizzie's (no obligation to buy!) for Rianna's (a South African) presentation of Neil's Yard products. Why did I go? Out of solidarity with Lizzie (her husband Nick gives me lots of help with the Association website and my computer glitches) and Rianna who's a young (ish) Mum who's trying to find a way of making a living. Also thought I might find something nice to treat myself to. Well, that's how these things work, isn't it? I bought a mascara and eye pencil but found the skin products too expensive. There were 17 of us, overwhelmingly Brits (+ 2 French, one Danish) though hardly anyone else apart from Maggie, who's even more of a soft touch than me, bought anything. There was loads of chat fuelled by a few bottles of wine and I had showed willing which will let me off the hook for the rest of the year!
Weather:
16°, blue skies

22.3.16: Apérobio

Easy going morning. Spanish in the afternoon and I felt like a kid when Paul told us that we'd got two weeks off. Well, two weeks to do a bit of revision everyday, says he. As if, says me!
In the evening there was our regular apéritif  and this time we were joined by Barbara who used to live here before returning to UK and her friend Olga. Once again some lovely bits and pieces and a couple of carafes of wine.
Weather:
18°, cloud
News:
Bombs at the airport and on the metro in Brussels resulting in 34 people dead.

21.3.16: First day of Spring
 Nothing special this morning unless of course you find going on the bus and back to the supermarket interesting.
This evening though, the women's group met. There were only 6 of us. Magda did a Qi Gong session and I did a "getting to know you" game which was a new idea for the rest. Was intresting but of course I won't be going into details here. Finished with a rum punch and nibbles.
Weather:
17°, light cloud, blue skies greying later

Clearing Out and Restocking

8.2.16:

Ann, Annette and I made an early start for Perpignan for our mamograms and glad to say we all came away with a clean bill of health. Did a fair bit of shopping (pair of cords, 2 sweathers, 2 tops and a skirt) and had a very nice lunch at "VIP" which has good reviews on Tripadvisor.
Weather:
 19° sunny

7.2.16:
A damp start to the day so coffee by the fire in the bar with Nicole (S) was not a bad deal. Just had a starter there for lunch before coming back for a very domestic afternoon - tv, ironing, throwing out piles of paper. Boring as it all was, it feels good to be getting things in order. This decluttering business is starting to become addictive.
Weather:
16°


6.2.16:
Went into the market with David and Laura but found it was too chilly to sit outside for coffee. In the afternoon, Maggie and I, thankfully with reinforcements, humped all the stuff back to our store room.
Called at the bar to catch the end of the Scotland v England rugby match which "Perfidious Albion" won. Joined, David, Laura, James and Martine for a bite to eat even though I wasn't particularly hungry. No invitation is spurned!
Weather:
Sun and a cold wind

In Sparkling Form

5.2.16:

Went off to the supermarket with Maggie to do the Association's shopping for tonight's tapas evening. We then "humped" it and a load of other stuff to the Foyer while wishing that we'd had a bit more help.
Back to the bar for lunch with Madeline from Scotland then over to see Martine who's not been well.
The tapas evening was well attended and just about everyone respected the sparkling dress code. Was home for 11pm after staying to clear up. Has anyone ever seen a cleaner in sparkling tights? Glad to say that they made it to the laundry basket unscathed and live to dazzle another day.
Weather:
Sunny

4.2.16:
Our usual venue for the language exchange is being rewired so we decided that the best alternative was to go to to the café. Stayed on for soup with Ann and Terry. Flower making in the afternoon for a short while until we ran out of crepe paper. Nicole came back for coffee and chat. The evening was spent quietly.
Weather:
14°, chilly wind

Day Trip Close to Home

Went into town early to call into the lawyer's to try and chivvy things up. Apparently, they've been busy and nothing's been done! Even had time for a coffee before the rendez-vous at the Museum of Musical Instruments for a day out organised with the association. http://www.music-ceret.com/  Françoise, she of the French conversation group, was the guide and in her element. The museum was a lot more interesting than I'd expected and one of the group is a flautist so she was able to fill in the technical details which led to a couple of tense moments as competition mounted.
Twenty of us had lunch together but with another group of 30+ elderly (ie hard of hearing) folk so conversation was difficult. The restaurant, as usual came up with the goods http://www.restaurantalcatalaceret66.com/fr
The afternoon there was a walk through the old town and a visit to the church. Then home for a quiet night in.
Weather:
11°, cloudy

Oh dear what can the matter be?

Having read until very, very late, it was difficult to get out of bed but needs must as there was the French conversation workshop to go to. Most exciting part was us leaving Hanele locked in the loo! Fortunately she had Françoise's number so we were able to rescue her.
Made paper flowers in the afernoon and in the evening was just warming up my soup when Robin came round to invite me to supper with Diana and Martine. I just love impromptu invites especially those which bring good company, tasty food and of course, cava.
Weather:
13°, sun and later cloud.

Bon Provecho!

Started the day with a trip to the recycling with Maggie. Slowly but surely though goodness knows if I'll ever get rid of all the unnecessary stuff in the house. Revived ourselves afterwards with a coffee at the nearby bakery which is a recycled service station. They're springing up all over the place here as the supermarkets become the main petrol suppliers. Don't have any recollection if it's the same in UK.
A good job done, there was just enough time to get ready to join the others from the Spanish workshops on a lunch out over the border at "El Jou Vell" which serves a good buffet meal starting with an apéritif and canapés. http://www.restauranteljouvell.cat/fra/home.html
Lots of choice and thankfully the clientelle is not one that piles it's plates greedily high.
Weather:
4° in morning rising to 11°. Cold but sunny

How the Mighty are Fallen!

Forgotten was  yesterday's claim to grandeur as today started behind a broom, mop and bucket! Well, someone had to clean up after last night's bun fight. Coffee at the bar, supermarket with Michel who then came back with me for a quick lunch. This afternoon I joined the paper flower making team in their effort to make 4,000 of them to decorate this year's carnival float.Seems like no time at all since I was last doing the same thing. There was another galette to sweeten the task but I'm relieved to say that it wasn't made with frangipane but was brioche style.
Weather:
15° cloudy
News:
Research shows that there are credible links between alcohol consumption and various cancers, notably breast cancer. The advice is cut down. Oh dear!

Listen Up There!

Had a good sleep and a lovely hot shower so was a little late arriving for the French conversation group. Françoise was in the process of organising the traditional "Galette des Rois" (Frangipane flaky pastry tart) traditional at this time of year. As you all know there's such thing as a free whatever; Françoise hardly paused for breath while "educating us about the history of religion in France and when she did our two Belgian members were in like a shot!
Lunch time, James, my Kiwi artist friend took me for a pizza after we'd collected some of his paintings that had been on show in a winery (as he'd say) in Trouillas. While in town I went with him to help pay a cheque into his local bank and I went to mine to try and sort out my new cheque book. Not sure if I mentioned that I was sent one to replace the one that had been in both our names by one in just Christian's. You can only despair!
Rest of the day was spent sorting out a room for the English conversation group that were facing a last minute eviction for this evening then calmly catching up with phone calls and admin stuff. And after all those calories there was no Xmas cake with my cuppa nor my usual rummage in the fridge supper.
Weather:
11° sunshine and cloud

Three Twices in One Day

Early trip to the supermarket with Nick who invited me to meet him, Lizzie and Roger later for a lunch of soup and cheese at the bar. Set me up well for our last Spanish lesson of the term. What joy; no homework just encouragement to revise the present tense (indicative and subjunctive) and the pronouns. Of course that will wait until after the New Year.
Then it was a quick meeting with Marguerite and Françoise to synchronise our membership lists.
In the evening it was back to the bar for the monthly apérobio, proudly presented and explained by Nico. Among other things there was fresh artichoke and stuffed pattypan squash and for the second time to day, onion soup.
Weather:
17°, cloud