Thank goodness for the café and invitations from friends

28.7.18: Out for dessert:
Missed going to the market as I was waiting for a parcel to be deliverd some time between 8 in the moning and 8 at night. Damn thing didn't arrive! Luckily, having opted out of a full meal, I have a date to join Michel and Anita to eat dessert (cheesecake) at his place. More later.
Weather:
29° cloud then sun. Not a breath of air

27.7.18: Out for apéros

Coffee with Nicole and another lethargic afternoon. Mojitos chez Michel livened up the evening especially as a young couple, his airbnb guests, arrived and joined us.
Passing through the square on my way home, the bar was thronged with folk listening to the music. Despite being better than the last concert, I resited requests to stay, preferring to try and catch the lunar eclipse from my terrace. Sadly cloud obscured the view for much of the time but I did manage to snap the tail end of it.
Weather:
34°, hot and sunny, cloud later

 26.7.18: Routine Thursday
Language exchange followed as usual with a stopover at the bar.
Weather:
37°, hot and sunny

25.7.18: Out for apéros

Had a change of coffee venue this morning (Joëlle's) though not of company.
This evening though was the highlight of the week with apéros at Jim and Mags'. A good mix of French (including JJ), Scots and English with endless Pimms to drink and a variety of goodies to eat looking out on a fabulous bit of scenery.
Weather:
36°, hot and sunny

24.7.18: Out for coffee
Coffee with Nicole P, worked on the association website.
Weather:
31°, hot and sunny

23.7.18: Out for coffee and tea
Supermarket with Nick, coffee with Nicole P and walked to Nicole S's for tea.
Weather:
31°, hot and sunny

A Week's a Long Time in British Politics

 30.6.16: Vivo México

Decided to have a day off from the language exchange taking it easy instead with a leisurely coffe at the bar. Made an Eton Mess (no reference to Boris intended!) for tonight.
There were 6 of us invited to Jacques' (Nicole S, Nancy, JJ, Michel and Véro) for a meal on a Mexican theme.
Margueritas , tortilla chips and guacamole
Chilli con carne
Pork mole
Passed on the cheese
Eton Mess
Nancy and JJ left earlier than the rest of us as she's back off to the States tomorrow and has an early start as does JJ who's driving her to the station.
Weather:
28°, Sun and a rain shower
News:
Boris Johnson withdraws from the leadership race as Michael Gove, his former ally, declares against him! Disarray in the Tory party. Only Nicola Sturgeon has any political credibility.

29.6.16: Another Serious Topic

Not a very energetic day though kept busy pottering around doing this and that until it was time to go to a presentation on Europe given by a guy that I avoid if at all possible. I'm glad that my prejudice didn't get the better of me as it was very interesting. If he'd been in the remain campaign he might have swayed the "blame Europe" voters and avoided the mess Gritain/Europe now finds themselves in.. There was an apéritif at the end; I don't know why I bother telling you as you'll know after all this time that that's how it goes whether it be called an "apéritif", a "vin d'honneur" or "un pot d'amitié".
JJ, Nancy and I came back to mine for cava and pizza from the new take-away that's just opened.
Weather:
28°, Sun

28.6.16: By the Fountain

Spent practically all morning in the café. First to meet up with Nicole P, then with Nicole S. We were also joined by Jacques, Nancy and Hans. Jacques decided out of the blue that he was going to do a meal on Thursday and Nancy and I were in charge of dessert.
More blog in the afternoon.
Back to the bar later to catch up with Terry, Ann, Lynn and Colin. There were a load of very excited kids running around while their parents enjoyed a drink after sitting through their offsprings' end of term concert. Inevitably, André and Nany had been there too and they too were in need of a beer. We sat chatting by the fountain and listening to the rock music wafting out from the Music Room until common sense said it was time to go home ready for another hectic (!) day tomorrow.
Weather:
29°, Sun
News:
Vote of no confidence in Jeremy Corbyn. Disarray in the Labour Party

27.6.16: Lakeside Lunch

A warm sunny day dawned, just ideal for lunch at the lake with Yasmin. We both had the tapas plate followed by ice cream. It went down well and it's on the list of places to take Reza when Yasmin can prize him away from the garden.
Rather than go straight home for the siesta that I felt in need of, I went with Yasmin to the Mairie to help her sort out a building  application. Couldn't have one after that either as Jean, Françoise and her brother, Jacques were coming for an apéritif. Completed our numbers with Nancy and very pleasant it was too sitting out on the patio.
Weather:
28° sunny

Home from Home

• 

  While Christian was at the Mairie I tried to bring the website up to date. Then it was lunch at the village restaurant (once again delicious) with Michel, Sylvie and Philippe who's here for a few days from the North of France. Hardly had I managed to digest my meal than it ws time to go back for the monthly rendez-vous with "les anglaises". This time we were joined by Lone from Denmark. The sun was still warm enough to sit out and it was good to make the most of it as rain is due tomorrow. Christian, in the meantime had a meeting at the Mairie and a bowl of soup at home.

A Good Meal at Last

During my fed up moments yesterday, I almost convinced myself to pull a sickie and stay in bed rather than going to Spanish. In the end, I did go and was pleased that I did as there were only two of us there. Nick came down in the afternoon and talked me through backing up the site which, by the way, I'd caught up with. Christian went to the Mairie, of course, as he's due to get the bulletin out again.

Rowena and Cindy are having an exhibition locally and tonight was their vernissage which we went along to. They have some very pretty stuff on show, so let's hope they sell well.

Christian was still in search of a restaurant meal that would make up for our disappointments over the last couple of days and wanted to check out the new Chinese restaurant that Nick had spoken about. Didn't find it so went to the restaurant in the village and had an excellent meal; a bit over the top but we had a lot to make up for. Just goes to show that that the grass isn't always greener.

A Heart Stopping Moment

While working on the Association's website, it disappeared completely. Nick, who is the brains behind it, had a few anxious moments too but managed to get us back to a previous version .. so, only a month's worth of work to redo. It could have been sooooooo much worse and the moral of the story is ..... take a regular back up.

Back to Work

Yesterday we spent a lazy day with lots of telly and a pheasant lunch which today we had to make up for. Christian with the Mairie during the day and his surgery this evening; me distributing association messages in the village and as Mike is away on two outlying estates. Not to mention, still trying to iron out website problems.

Going Live

Spent several hours in front of the computer instead of going to the market as even though the new website has gone online, ther are several glitches to sort out before anyone notices. It wasn't all work though, Jean and Françoise called in for an impromptu apéritif and they are always good for taking you away from navel gazing.

Out for Tea

Another sunny day so it was just right for a trip to the market where we left Mum and Maureen to wander on their own before meeting up for an apéro. Spent a bit of time on the website which grinds on before we went to David and Laura's for tea; homemade scones and jam, a lovely bit of nostalgia.

Upturn

Weather has fortunately picked up and the other good news is that Nick and I have finally sorted the disappearing photo problem. Christian's surgery and our usual dinner afterwards on Monday (even gave the duck a miss)and then this evening a council meeting for Christian and an EPLF meeting for me. Having gone 30 minutes early, I went to the bar and joined James and Beverley on the terrace for a glass o
f wine.

Miserable Weather

On Saturday there was another meeting and another early start for Christian. Weather chilly all weekend so I stayed in and had a very frustrating time with disappearing photos on the association's website.

Excuse for a Break!

Committee meeting and language exchange were for once a treat and a moment for the computer to cool down. Met Christian (another one)who invited us to lunch at the restaurant, so there wasn't even any cooking to do. In case you've been wondering what Christian (the one we all know and love) has been up to while I've been at war with the website well, he has been beavering away as usual at the Mairie.

Grinding On!

Four days spent chained to the computer trying to get the website done. It all takes so long, especially when you're a raw amateur..... and the photos are still disappearing..... and my shoulders ache like hell..... Grrrrrh. This evening however, we were invited to Daniel and Maud's for dinner along with their English neighbours. It was too cold to be outside for other than the apéritif so the bbq was eaten inside. Hope the weather cheers up soon.

Some Work, Lot's of Play!

2.9.12

Even though it was Sunday, Nick came around and we tried to sort out some of the website issues. I learnt a bit more about working with the site and have a couple of things to try viz-a-viz the photos. He stayed for an apéritif before he went home to Lizzie and we headed to the restaurant where we had a lovely meal of a beetroot starter with goat's cheese cream, chicken with grapes and a new take on cold rice pudding.
By chance, Michèle and Henri came in with a couple of friends and ended up sitting next to us. Now Henri, an ex-rugby player, is a pretty big bloke and the restaurant is small and he ended up knocking a glass of red wine of Christian. Imagine our surprise when we went to pay and found that he had already done so. We could have bought a new pair of jeans for the price of the meal!
Later on we were invited up to Juste and Joséphine's to watch the flamenco group rehearse outside and have a bbq even though it was still windy and chilly.
3.9.12:
Website work and then in the evening the monthly pilgrimage up to the mountains for Christian's surgery and our meal at the restaurant. Not as sophisticated as yesterday but nonetheless very tasty
4.9.12:
Went over to the bar to collect some figs that the Mayor had left for us and decided to stay for lunch.Going more downmarket as the week goes on!
5.9.12:

Tonight, there were no excuses to go out to eat as I'd invited people here to help eat a leg of wild boar that Maggie had given me awhile ago (don't worry it was in the freezer). Around the table were Izzy and Richard, who are in the village on holiday, Jean, who is still in his wheelchair and Thérèse, Juste and Joséphine. Just look at the cake that Izzy brought ... it was scrummy. Finished off the evening down in the cave with music from Jean. Not quite sure what time we went to bed but there were an awful lot of bottles to go out the next day!
6.9.12
Committee meeting, language exchange and more website stuff, so that counts as "work" and Christian has been at the Mairie everyday.
7.9.12:
This morning was neither work nor play as we went to the funeral of one of the Association's members at the crematorium. Only 63, Babette was diagnosed and dead withing 6 weeks. Such a kind and friendly person,never wanting to be in the limelight. She and her husband came on the trip to Scotland and just loved every minute.
Gaby, Robert, Maggie and ourselves felt the need for a bit of time together after the ceremony that lasted less than 10 minutes, so came back to the bar for a coffee, yeeees, a coffee, though we did have a rosé afterwards. Decided to go on to Mas Salelles for lunch which helped us to get back to normal and raise the bar foodwise.
Once home, it was time to work and prepare stuff for the forum tomorrow where associations lay out their "stall" in an effort to recruit new members. Was up until 1.30am and there were no bottles to take out the next day!

A Welcome Change

After three days working solidly on the website and, yes, the photos are still disappearing, a committee meeting and language exchange was good reason to leave the computer and go out into the outside world. Even better was taking Françoise out for lunch to celebrate her birthday. Had planned to go to Pont de Molins but as Jean had to do some work for their son in the afternoon we contented ourselves with a restaurant closer to home. The chef there is classed as a "Toque Blanche",a title given to the best chefs in a Départment, a toque being a chef's hat. Gin and tonic was of course, Françoise's apéritif of choice and one of the little canapés was a cherry tomato done like a toffee apple. Original to say the least.
Ps. We've finally had some rain!

Domestic Stuff

Took the car in yesterday to have the scratches dealt with and shopped for meat, both of which cost less than in France. Nick came down in the afternoon and I've resolved (once again) to give the association's new web site some of my attention.
Today Michel and Daniel came for dinner whch gave me an excuse to leave early from the Congo association's AGM and just look at the yummy tart that Daniel made.

In need of a Fix

As Christian was having withdrawl symptoms from driving the car, we went out to lunch over the border. The meal was fine but overpriced - there was no menu and we had to pay for the bread so I don't think we'll be going back there again.
In the evening there was the latest "vernissage"which gave a chance to look at photos and pen and ink illustrations of some poems and of course the chance to chat yourself hoarse!The final chapter of my "official" involvement with the village website is now closed after a handover meeting a meeting after the vernissage. I will still be involved as an occasional contributer so I can now go to events with my own hat on and not that of the site's. It feels as if the days without obligation aren't too far away!

Three Snow Queens

Well, I've finally done it. I've given in notice to the village web site that I'm finishing in February. No more St Jordi to organise, no more Christmas market, no more feeling guilty though I'm sure that won't mean that life moves over into the slow lane. After three days of damp weather and watching snow bound UK and Normandy on the tv, the snow has started to come down here. Christian is at the Mairie until 5pm and then has a meeting at 6pm. I've been fighting with the computer trying to create a forum to attach to the association's website. I never seem to learn but we do need (well, "moi" in my wisdom, thinks that we do) a means of quick communication between members. A bit ironic really given where I started this post but at least once this one's up and running I shouldn't have much to do.

This morning we had the traditional galette des rois (see last year's post around this time) with about 40 members of the association. All very jolly. Last year there were three wise kings, this year the women are fighting back... and that's before we hit the traditional accompaniment of cider!

A busy weekend coming up socially so you'll notice there's no comment about the diet. Christian's back a wee bit early and has just shouted up that tea's ready so we'll light the fire and and feel glad that we're not having to live rough.

3rd Christmas Market

I've been looking at the sky all week, hoping that the good weather would hold and it did. Temperatures dropped and during the day a snow alert was received at the Mairie for later on. Still at least it was dry and not too windy. Christian was enlisted to help set up the tables at 7.30am which he did with a good grace - he's a real wee treasure, isn't he? Glad to say that the market went well with a good atmosphere and only one complaint from someone who didn't sell anything and was freezing cold. Christian made and sold mulled wine for the website's coffers and we were next to the Association who were selling cakes and I find it hard to believe myself but I didn't have either a glass or a cake. It's amazing how far you can go on a bowl of porridge. Instead I saved myself for the paella which was prepared by the butcher and eaten outside. Mad or what? Had to send it back once as it was cold and when it came back it wasn't much better at which point we gave up. With both Father Christmas and St Nicolas in attendance, the kids were really excited and so was I when I won a couple of things in a raffle. We're obviously on a winning streak, Christian last week, me this. Maybe my one and only premium bond will come up for the first time... At the end of the day when all was cleared up we'd hoped to have a lazy evening but instead Flo (website supremo) asked us to eat with Father and Mrs Christmas at the bar. Thank goodness they were good company but I could have done without the extra calories.

More Téléthon

People are ready to take your money for the Téléthon at all hours so up we went to the village hall for a Catalan hunter's breakfast of bread, cold meats, cheese, red wine and coffee. In the afternoon I put on my village forum hat and with a lot of help from Christian did a bottle stall on which we made 186€ His good heartedness was rewarded as he won a microwave in the raffle! The British tearoom made 1,100€ which was a great effort given the economic climate. Straight after all that there was a choral concert for three male voices in the church . One of those voices was Jean-Michel ... you see I told you you'd be hearing more about him. It was just superb. They sang in French, Catalan, Corsican, Occitane and Latin and quite made your spine tingle. Rounded off the evening with an apéritif back up at the hall.

A Late Dinner

After talking about it for ages we finally made it to the restaurant with Flo and Philippe to celebrate the end of the village forum's second year. It was in a lovely old building serving grills including a "cargolade" or grilled snails to you and me. As Flo works and then had to settle the kids down, we didn't leave here until nearly 9pm - almost bedtime for us! Godd job were made of stern stuff!