Sharing Memory Lane

Had a lovely day out today with the family down on the coast in Spain. Started off in L'Escala and a brisk walk along the coastal path. Stopped of for a beer at the hotel where Christian and I spent our last St Valentine's together. A really beautiful spot. Refreshed, we set off again to continue our walk to St Martí where we had lunch in the square after a little walk around. It's hard to believe that the family despite their numerous visits had never been here. to say that they were enthusiastic about what they found would be an understatement.
https://www.tripadvisor.fr/Attraction_Review-g580329-d10751203-Reviews-San_Marti_d_Empuries-L_Escala_Costa_Brava_Province_of_Girona_Catalonia.html
Before walking back to L'Escala, the family headed for the beach; Tanguy even went in for a swim. Me, I found a bench where I could read more of "Outlander" even though I'm watching it on tv. So far, it's pretty true to the novel. I just can't get enough of it!
Stopped off in Capmany on the way home to buy cava which was as well, as Margaret called in after her language workshop and stayed for an apéro.
Weather:
23°, blue skies

Looking Back

It's Thursday so this morning there was the language exchange followed by a glass of rosé at the bar. Again stayed for soup and cheese with Ann and Terry.
Spent the afternoon doing admin stuff, mostly for the association but did come across the cards that I received for my 50th. So, as I'm in  clearing out mode, I wanted a wee reminder before they go to the recycling bin.
These three made me smile:

The Card says " Rumours that the Tunnel would bring closer links with France sent panic round the village pond!" 

From Guess who?
Joyeux anniversaire "me love". You did half of the way, now there are 50 more to go but with me - so courage! Love is all you need.

From Mary Kate
Do you remember ........?

• our long weekend in Egypt
• our first year in Queen's Drive when we partied for a year
• oue Sunday brunchies with Buck's Fizz
• the bloody Marys in the New Orleans bar
• when we thought work was so important
• when we dressed up as Princess Anne and Mark Philips
• drinking cider at Glastonbury waiting all night for Richie Havens to play
• that package holiday in Tunisia and the Belgian
• finishing at 4 o'clock on a Friday and going to the Lea Rigg
• me driving that car home late one night in Marin County with Jack, Jay's friend
• Sunday afternoons at the Riverside listening to folk music
• jumping over that wall in Texas or was it San Francisco and your grazed knees
• our Jewish breakfasts in San francisco and that great hotel where the Japanese stayed

Reunion

Christian not on top form so while Andy and I walked down to Pollokshaws Road for coffee, he and Maureen went in the car. The area's a lot more trendy than when I used to live around there! Stayed in during the afternoon before Maureen drove us over to the West End where Eamon and Liz were kindly hosting a get-together for people  that I used to work with. Their hospitality was generous and the evening went really well even though they didn't know everyone around their large kitchen table.
We took a taxi back but wouldn't you know it, we had a driver who didn't know the address and didn't have a sat nav. I only had a rough idea of where we were going so sadly for Andy and Maureen we had to telephone and wake them up for precise directions!
Weather:
12°, cold and wet

Daily Doings

13.1.14:

Worked at archiving and relinking all last year's posts on the association website. Boring as it was, I was going great guns until the afternoon when something strange happened. Luckily for me, Nick is on hand to help sort things out.
Finished off the two remaining quails, this time in a curry sauce
Weather: 13° Cloudy with rain in the afternoon.
News: Ariel Sharon was finally buried after remaining 8 years in an a coma. No comment.

12.1.14:

Set to today and cooked a lunch for once. Quails with Potatoes and Prunes. Very tasty and one quail each was ample so there were two left over for tomorrow.
You can find the recipe on www.allrecipes.co.uk
Weather: 14° Cloudy but bright

11.1.14:
The market as usual this morning. Had an apéro with Jean in one bar and then with Chantal and Gaby in another
Weather: 12°  Sunny in the morning but clouding over later

10.1.14:

This morning, our Spanish group joined forces with the other two groups to mark "Los Reyes" which is a bigger deal than Christmas for Spanards. So, another "Galette des Rois" to eat, washed down with either cider or sparkling wine.
Christian fancied going out to lunch, so we went to Pont de Molins and on the way back, called in to see Juste, Joséphine and La Mama who's staying with them for a while. Had a cuppa with them but couldn't stay long as Christian was going to the "Vœux" in a neighbouring commune and I had an "apérobio" with les anglaises.
For once we couldn't go to the restaurant as there was a big party in so we went to the bar. Exceptionally, les hommes were invited to join us at 9pm as Barbara is returning to live in the Uk on Monday.
Weather: 13° but felt warmer. Sunny
News: Great consternation! It's been revealed that Hollande is having an affair with an actress.

9.1.14:
After the language exchange and apéro in the bar, it was back to the restaurant for lunch
Weather: 14° Cloudy

8.1.14:

Les Vœux du Maire was  the main event of the day. It was well attended and all went without any problem. The guy who is standing against André was there and even kissed me on both cheeks. Years ago we used to buy our wine from him until he gave up working his vines. Some of you will remember coming with us carrying a five litre jerry can to buy our wine straight from the huge barrels. Although you wouldn't know it from this photo was taken at the end of the evening when only the diehards were left finishing off the apéritif, the hall had been full with a large number of women present. On the way home we stopped by at the restaurant for a bite to eat even though we weren't really that hungry. Well, I wasn't anyway!
Weather: 14° Cloudy

7.1.14:
Weather: 14° Cloudy
News: Spanish princess charged with tax evesion and money laundering

All Aboard!

Time to pack and give the house the once over. Said  “goodbye” to the cat that had eventually come out of hiding to sleep with us from time to time and went over for our last meal with the family. I'm sure they'll be pleased to be back to normal. We had a cuppa with our b & b hosts, Anne-Laure and Virginie and then it was off to the Gare de Lyon in good time for our TGV going South. If you've never been to the station, next time you're in Paris, it's worth a visit. The edifice is impressive and the "Tain Bleu" restaurant legendary. We had lunch on Valentine's day there when we were living in Paris in 2004. https://www.google.fr/search?q=train+bleu&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=Q5PGUqjEBMqH0AXVtIHYBA&sqi=2&ved=0CEIQsAQ&biw=1199&bih=623

The train was 20 minutes late so we were home for about 20 minutes past 12. Unpacked the few bits and pieces that we'd taken with us. Christian slept straight away but I had things going around in my head until about 3am but as there's nothing for me to do tomorrow other than to catch up on the blog, no matter.

Weather:
Cloudy 12°

News:
Sale of cannabis legalised in Colorado

Feel Good Factors

A walk followed by a coffee has fast become our morning habitbut at least it gives the family a bit
of respite before we descend upon them. Lunch time today we all took the métro to the station Stalingrad which comes out opposite the Communist Party HQ, to go to a bar/restaurant where Léo used to work. He quickly slipped into role and looked after us and other clients extremely well. there was a very pleasant atmosphere, we ate well and were treated to dessert and a digéstif. Christian and I went for the Malian dish, beef maafé and weren't disappointed. Maafé is Wolof for dish and is made with a peanut sauce http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maafe#Recipes
On our return to the house there was time to catch up with "Midsommer Murders" before headingout for a soirée with Jean-Jacques and friends at his neice's wine bar and restaurant http://www.domainesdesophie.com/ a nice wee, unpretentious place where we ate well and drank the wine from her family's vineyard. http://www.berenas.com/
The evening was dedicated to Michelle and his nephew, Christophe who both died this year and I'm sure it did him (as it did us) good to be surrounded by the warmth of family and friends. 
 

Sad News

A Friday night out with friends, a pint and some music who could have predicted what next. A police helicopter crashed last night onto the Clutha bar in Glasgow.It wasn't one of our regular pubs as we prefered the Vicky bar next door but it took us back to our time there and thoughts of our friends who are still there. All spoke of the Glaswegians on site who didn't hesitate to help with the rescue before the services arrived. Yes, it has its fair share of urban problems but none can deny that Glasgow is a city with a heart and a spirit like no other.
Once again, a reminder to make the most of life because you never know ....... 9 people died this night.

Absent Friend

Yesterday would have been Michelle's birthday, had she not died earlier this year and today would have been her's and Jean-Jacques wedding anniversary. To mark this first milestone Jean-Jacques organised a meal at his place for a few friends and family. Samia came in to prepare and serve the meal which meant that there was no stress for our host. But before all that, I got stuck into several hours of cleaning and boring and tiring as it was, it was good to see the house looking so clean. Easy pleased, me! Quite funny really, Claudie is partially sighted and probably wouldn't have noticed the dust anyway!

Remember the 60s!

Spanish first and after that out to Figueres for a look around the shops.as a change from looking at shoes, there was a very noisy demonstration infront of the Town Hall protesting anbout Municipal corruption. To make up for yesterday's rather sad lunch we went to Garriguella where we ate well and bumped into some association members.
Would you believe it, it's 50 years today since the Beatles released "Love, love, me do" - oh how I remember it well and as Mary Hopkin said "those were the days, my friends
"!

Living it Up

Yesterday we had an easy day to give Mary time to settle in. Just went into town for a coffee and while Christian went to get the car back, Anne came up for tea and to give me some advice about disguising the hideous downpipe on the upstairs terrace.
Today was a different story. Made an early start for the mountains where Christian had some council business to do. This didn't take long and we were able to go to our favourite café over the border for café con leche and churros (can't you just feel the calories going on from here?)The weather was very warm and Mary wanted to see the see, so we drove down to Calella and then had a very good lunch at EL Far. Perched on a rocky headland, the restaurant overlooks the Mediterranean and offers a touch of stylish living.This photo was taken at the little church next door and reminds me of the Welsh weather predictor that I always bought my Mum when I went on the school outing to Barry Island. When it was going to be sunny, the woman came out of the door and when it was going to be rainy, the man came out.
Came home via Capmany where we sampled and bought their new line in cava which is more fruity than the one we usually buy.

Embedded!

Hard to believe that we've been here for 15 years! It's just as warm now as it was then. Just hope that the rain that came in a few days later and continued more on than off for six weeks is not repeated.

Travel and Twist

Luckily we didn't have to leave for our trip to Normandy until late afternoon on Wednesday. Flew from Béziers to Beauvais and then hired a car to get us to Christophe's. Pity our luck didn't hold .... I managed to twist my knee getting into Ryanair's confined seating space. Result was that it became swollen and I spent the best part of the next day in bed sleeping. some "bank holiday". Still, it was wet so I was perhaps best off snuggled down. I did manage to get up to join everyone for a cuppa in the afternoon when Valérie's Mum and Dad came around.
today we thought we'd remenice a little with a trip to Honfleur and a nice lunch of seafood. We had neither Honfleur which has sprouted loads of new hotels and was cosequently hyper-busy nor the seafood. Ate instead in this place which was fine. This evening it was our turn to do dinner and we opted for prawns and smoked salmon

Yet Again

This time we went to the village restaurant with the Mayor as his wife was out of town. We ate well and are hoping to be offered a loyalty card! Did I memtion that the young woman who is front of house worked in a country house hotel which in it's seedier days was my local disco when I was still at school. While there she had a flat in the town where my sister lives. Small world, eh and who says that the Catalans don't travel?

Then there were 8

Frank, Stéphanie and the kids arrived and it's been a couple of days of domesticity. We did get to the bar for an after dinner coffee and we finished the bottle of "Monkey Shoulder" as a tribute to Eddie who gave it us on his last visit here before he died a year ago on the 13th July. Just for your interest, the name refers to the injury sustained by the maltmen from turning the malt. There was also an internetless day which was annoying both to be without it and to realise that you're annoyed to be with out it!

Life in the Slow Lane

4th May:
A leisurely start after a hearty breakfast before wandering around to Ann & Noel's. There was nothing more energetic on the agenda than going over to the "Waterside", a new café cum tearoom overlooking a fishing lake. Ann's Mum was able to come too which was nice for us especially as it was her treat!
5th May:
You'll be surprisedto know that this afternoon I went along with Ann, who is the new President and her Mum to the Prestwick Baptist Women's Union for a flower arranging demonstration. Afternoon tea anad homebaking was served and proceeds went to charitable work in Japan. In the evening we went out to Laigh Coylton for an early dinner so that Ann's Mum could come with us. The last time we were here was years and years ago when it was the venue for Ann & Noel's "thank - goodness - the - house - is - finally - finished" celebration. It's definitely come up in the world as far as the restaurant is concerned but glad to say that the bar has stayed the kind of place that the locals are happy to go to for a pint and a blether.

Bob Dylan concert with Chris and Rosie at the NEC in Birmingham. From our seats a long way back it took us a while to work out which musician was Bobbie Boy!! Sadly he didn't do much old stuff so it wasn't a trip down memory lane after all and those songs that he did do were rearranged. Ah well, a good topic of dinner table conversation to bandy around.