Fingers crossed that Chitchat will contine to see the light of day

 2025

As those of you who've dipped in and out of Chitchat over the years know, I'm often looking for a new, more interesting format and always saying that I'm going to keep things up to date . . . and so 2025 starts with no posts since July and another resolution to streamline Chitchat so that I can keep on top of things; starting from now (19th Jan)!

1.1.25:

 

After walking up from the village, 10 of us (including 2 Germans, an Austro/American and a Brit) saw the New Year in chez Linde until 3am.

 

Good to have some fresh air on the walk to Nicole's for lunch with an English and a Dutch couple.

2.1.25:

Entertained Dominique & Marilyse to tea and Christmas Cake

No words necessary

3.1.25:

A fire in the centre of the village left a woman and her child and two single women homeless. Needless to say, the Mairie found accommodation for them and people rallied round with donations of clothes, bedding etc.

 

My first mimosa of the season

4.1.25:

 

A goodly number of us trailed behind the young, knowledgable guide as he put the turn of the 20th century photos displayed in situ, into context. An apéritif followed and the crowd swelled! Sadly, a couple of days later, the main display was minus two photos.

Later: cooked dinner for 5 of us.

5.1.25:

Cavalcade at Figueres celebrating the arrival of the 3 Kings. Bright, colourful, busy and noisy.

6.1.25:

 

JJ, Jacques & Suzette for dinner

Epiphany, the day when the Spanish give gifts and the day  when the French eat a galette des Rois. Find the ceramic token in your slice and get the crown. This time it was JJ.

8.1.24:

The Mayor presented his New Year wishes; that's to say a round up of all the wonderful things the Mairie had done last year and all the wonderful things they'll be doing in the coming year. An apéritif followed with numerous galettes to tickle the taste buds. Mine remained untickled!

9.1.25:

The neighbours came for a long awaited curry evening chez moi. Anna brought dessert . . . a galette fait maison . . . a bit off piste but Geneviève enjoyed being crowned.

10.1.25:

AGM of the twinning association which I left before they could bring out the galettes; dinner at JJ's awaited me. There were 3 desserts and you'd be right if you thought they were galettes; yes, all 3!

Tonight's sunset

11.1.25

Took my kettle along to the newly established monthly "Repair Shop"  but there were no miracles . . . it was kaput! At least I can now dump it with a clear conscience.

 

 

12.1.25:

Impromptu lunch chez Jacques

 

Galettes; there were 2, chez Nicole later on

 

13.1.25:

 

First meeting of the knitting group. So far 4 members; plenty of talking but only me knitting. 

 

 

15.1.25:

Geneviève and Nicole came round for tea and to watch the Netflix film "Emily Perez". Left us with plenty to talk about afterwards.

 17.1.25

 

 Au café with Jean & Françoise

 18.1.25:

 

 

Dinner chez JJ who's starting to get into cooking.

Dessert was a belated Xmas pud (M&S) with a rum butterscotch sauce (me).

 

19.1.25:

Impromptu lunch chez Jacques after our regular Sunday Kaffeeklatsch. 

Who knew I had a smattering of German, eh?

  20.1.25:

 

An afternoon walk under cloudy skies, which happen here, too

 

A light apéro before the dinner I'd prepared for Jacques. Well, I have to show willing from time to time. Even made Cream of Jerusalem Soup to start and tried a new chilli recipe. Enough of both left over to see me through the next couple of days.

21.1.25:

 This afternoon's walk out of the village, which was like the Camps Élysées, reminded me why I prefer the treadmill downstairs. While meeting people and chatting is pleasant, it does interrupt the rhythm and therefore the cardiac benefits. Think I'll need to alternate; fresh air and nature + audio Spanish lesson + interruptions with interior + next episode of the current subtitled series I'm watching and a better workout.

22.1.25:

 

Out of bed early enough to see the sunrise on Canigou

 

25.1.25:

Lunch at Martine's is always something to look forward to. First off, apéros on the terrace. Such a great cook (see the soufflé starter) and an attentive host.  She always includes my favourite "Époisses" on the cheese board when I'm invited, keeps the bottles coming and puts on a good spread. The prunes preserved in Armagnac with the coffee were the finishing touch. 

 

By which time the sun was setting and there was just enough light to set off on the much needed walk home.

27.1.25: 

 

Have taken myself back to Duolingo Spanish; progress is slow but there are moments when I go up through the promotion zone.

31.1.25:

A good lunch chez Michèle & Henri made an agreeable end to the month.

Nature Notes:

Mimosa and broom brought a welcome splash of colour and snow on Canigou reminded us that despite the sunshine, blue skies, no rain to speak of and a clear view of the full "wolf" moon, it was winter. 

 

Happy New Year! Bonne Année!

 May peace, health, happiness and success in realising your projects come your way in 2023.

Bonne Année à Toutes et à Tous!

 

Bonne Année à Tous et à Toutes!

Initiative Citoyenne

1.1.19: Initiative Citoyenne!
Couldn't have a long lie; things to do and all that. Nany and I had to be ready with our New Year apéritif in the square. A new event on the village social calendar. Nany was worried that we wouldn't have enough to eat and drink; I was worried that there wouldn't be enough people to eat what we had. Neither of us needed to worry. All went well. A good turn out and everyone seemed pleased. Even Jean and Françoise came over.

The food that was left over went to the local homeless centre so, all in all apretty good start to the New Year all round.

Just a few photos https://photos.app.goo.gl/4QYu3NNyNC24NSsi8
Weather:
18, sun and blue sky

.... and as Joey Adams, the American comedian said,
"May your troubles last only as long as your New Year resolutions!"

Here are a few photos of the time between Christmas and New Year to flick through https://photos.app.goo.gl/76qzpfxSV6bHmSEQA

and a link giving an explanation about the "Pessebre" which I visited on 29th. https://www.elpessebre.cat/eng/frameeng.htm

Seeing in the New Year

31.12.18

Did this, that, made mulled wine for tomorrow's apéritif and smoked salmon canapés for dinner this evening.
There were 8 of us around my neighbours Gérard and Anna's table until 2.30am. Good food, fine wine, plenty of champagne, lots of merriment. Welcome 2019!
Weather:
20, sun

In with the New!

Happy New Year to one and all!

Bonne Année à toutes et tous!

Happy 2017 to You All

I hope that 2017 will bring us all Peace, Happiness and the Resolve to

"Live Well, Love Much, Laugh Often and Leave Good Memories."

Chez Papa for Christmas

Will we ever forget an afternoon at the pantomine where there were remarks from the stage about visitors from France and teaching young and old afterwards how to play "Tell Harry". How we rolled about laughing .... the auld alliance is alive and well.

• Merci pour cet agréable séjour. nous avons pu aimer découvrir les fêtes de fin d'année en Écosse. Nous avons aussi été très heureux de rencontre des personnes très sympathiques. Merci pour tout, on reviendra ........! (Valérie)
• Merci beaucoup à tous les deux, ainsi qu'à vos amis pour ces merveilleuses soirées que nous avons passées. Je vous fais 10,000 gros bisous. (Guillaume ,une des pièces rapportées)

It all starts here!

1st January1995 is where it all began thanks to the gift of a Visitors’ Book from Mary Kate long before we were ever users of the internet. It was sporadic at first as we didn’t always like to ask or simply forgot to ask people to write a few words but then it took on a life of its own especially after we moved to France. People became more imaginative with their entries and started to read who had said what since their last visit; I started to record the menus we’d had so that I didn’t offer the same thing to the same people and to decorate the entries wth wine bottle labels and other reminders of the event recorded. A small library of visitors’ books started to grow and inevitably, things evolved. More and more it was me that recorded not just visits but also other things that were happening in our life until the time came at the beginning of 2008 to let the dust accumulate on the books and hit the keyboard instead. Never having kept a diary before, I wasn’t sure that I could keep up a blog but apart from the occasional backlog, it’s still alive and although our audience isn’t large (not that it was ever meant to be), our “daily doings” are read by a few faithful friends and family who have said that they enjoy catching up with our news. Well, they would wouldn’t they? We enjoy reading it too, by the way!

So, now for a digital version of all those entries nestling in the six now-redundant books that as time goes by will appear on this blog in italics in chronological order. It will be a laborious, long, slow process but here goes ...... 

New Year 1995

Back at ours after to continue partying after celebrating Hogmanay in a local hotel.

• How on earth can I make amends for my faux pas in 1994 - can I have a clean sheet for 1995? Lots of love, Sheila. (Shame we can't remember what her faux pas was!)
• I don't think Sheila should have a clean sheet, do you? Happy New Year from the "baby, sometimes on the train girl", Julie xxx
• Have really enjoyed visiting you for the passage of '94 and the arrival of '95. Look forward to many other visits with yourselves and friends in the future, Colin
• All time is space, Johnny
• Having a lovely time. Lots of lovely people!! Ann
• A wonderful time and great time. Looking forward to 1995 and hope all yer wishes come true, Mary Kate
• Happy New Year, Morgan. That was easy!
• Hope '95 is a good year for you, love from Laura
• Happy New Year and all the best in the future, Lynn
• Don't forget us because we won't forget you. Maybe (?) we will be neighbours in France sometime, Bill
• A' the best for '95, June

The writing was shaky and sometimes illegible but it was Hogmanay and we hadn't stinted ourselves.