Superstitions

Here's hoping that the day goes well and nothing untoward befalls you! In France people believe that Friday,13th is the best day to do the lottery and a black cat brings bad rather than good luck. This evening we're off to the "Opening" of the local art group's exhibition when Christian comes back from an all-day seminar in the big city.

Could have been better

Today, the national newspapers are on strike and the lorry is still blocking the road. We were expecting friends for lunch to day but something cropped up and they were unable to come. Unfortunately, I didn't get their message until they arrived at 1.30pm for a coffee. Christian had to go off and be on duty but at least we had the chance to catch up on their holiday and house exchange experiences. The afternoon wasn't much better when I found myself in the middle of village "politics". Thankfully, the evening was better as we we were invited to Joëlle and Michel's for an apéritif and to meet their Roumanian friend. Let's hope that Friday, 13th is a better day!

Stoned!

The title refers to the 3kgs of cherries that I stoned and soaked in brandy to bring a bit of summer pleasure to cold winter days. During this time Christian was away doing important things on the frontier where no one at all was stoned, just the opposite. Every year the mayors of communes on both sides of the border meet with representatives of Spanish and French police, customs and excise and the frontier police to verify that the markers are still in the places that they are supposed to be in. This year it was our turn to host the event and provide lunch. All went well despite the 20 minutes uphill walk to the marker, a drenching downpour and a lorry across the road. It seems that a driver of an empty car transporter tried to avoid the frontier blockade by taking to a forest road in the mountains. Not the brightest idea as the lorry partially vered off at a bend and got stuck! A crane is supposed to be going up to deal with it today and no doubt the company is in for a hefty bill.The highlight of the evening was watching our neighbours' cat leaping up at the door between the kitchen and the stairs, pushing down the handle and opening it. You've never seen anything like it.

Mundane Day

Christian ~ meeting, doctor (all well), garden, meeting, telly
Me ~ housework, website, garden, apéro with Joëlle and Andrée who came back from the garden with a lettuce, blog and no doubt an hour's reading before lights out

Changes afoot

Oh, it was a struggle to get going this morning so apart from taking a couple of photos of the work taking place in the square for the web site and chatting to folk I didn't do much. In the afternoon went down to the garden to try out the sickle and cut our first round courgettes. Life is not so calm nationally, however. The frontier was blocked by lorry drivers protesting about the price of fuel, the fishermen have just gone back after 3 weeks, the railways and government workers were also on strike and of course .... the European Cup, yawn, yawn has started.

Fête des Voisins

Up bright and early to make a couple of cakes for the neighbourhood get-together this afternoon. Weather fine but windy. Then, up to the war memorial for another wreath laying, this time for the war dead in Indochina followed by an apéritif or as they call it on occasions such as these, "un vin d'honneur".
The square with out cars, about 60 people young and old who came bearing food and drink to share, what a pleasure!The kids loved the balloons which Joëlle, Jany and I blew up and tucked into the cakes while the older folk were more interested in the rosé and the sangria. Finally wound things up about 7.30pm, ie, after 4 hours on our feet.

Another busy day

Of course we went to the market in the morning and had our usual apéro in the shade of the plane trees where we were joined by Michel and Joëlle. There was a table of Brits next to us with a "Queen Bee" holding court. They asked Christian if he'd take a photo of them all which being the oliging sort of bloke that he is, he did despite the antics of "Madame B". With sign language and 2 words of French she insisted that he put the camera strap around his wrist and laughingly said to her companions that Christian obviously wanted to practice his English when he replied in my mother tongue. Snotty b---h! It's people like that who give the rest of us a bad name, sniff, sniff. By the time we left it was 1.30pm so rather than bothering to cook we went to the auberge.In the evening there was an official invitation to the gym-danse club's end of year show. We'd never ever been before but were pleased that we went along. The hall was packed and by the time we arrived there was standing room only.Costumes were very colourful and the scenarios imaginative. There must have been about 60 participants, tiny tots to adults; only one was a bloke! We were invited to join the organisers and cast at the end but before you get over-exited by the high life we're living, it was only cider and biccies (not sure that's the right spelling but I bet Bernadette can put me right!)

On the go...

Garden in the morning to do some hoeing, rewarded by an invitatin to Michelle and Jean-Jacques' for coffee and tiramisu. Yummy! I shouldn't leave doing the blog for so long as it's hard to remember what we did when. Anyway, back to Friday ... a bit of food shopping and tea with Philippe's Mum. In the evening there was a public meeting to talk about the plans for the square - water in the fountain (only here could we have a fountain without water!), marked parking spaces, disabled parking, flower troughs. Needless to say there were people pleased with the idea of a more attractive square and those who were freaked out about having to walk farther. The sun was stil shining when we emerged so we went for an apéro on the bar terrace, conveniently next door to the Mairie. Joëlle and Michel came back to ours for another apéro and a bite to eat. About time we returned the favour, I say!

Another BBQ

What better way to spend an evening than with another BBQ at Michel and Joëlle's to finish off what was left over from last night.

Wednesday Already

June came in with rain so we didn't venture very far from the house. To make matters worse there was no Sunday paper. Even Nono and Evelyn gave up and moved on after we'd had lunch! Monday Christian was "outposted " to the other village for his duty session after being at a finance seminar for most of the day.
Still, he and six others of us went for something to eat in the local hostalery. As usual, duck breast in Banyuls sauce or me. Last night there was a team meeting so Michelle and I enjoyed some late evening sun on the terrace of the bar with a glass of wine to help pass the time. Then, we all trooped back to Michel and Joelle's for supper, getting to bed at 1am.
Woke at 6am this morning with a busy time in prospect. Drafted an invitation on the computer to the centre of the village "fête des voisins" which is basically a neighbourhood get-together where everyone brings something to eat and drink to share with the others. Planned for Sunday, we can only hope the weather is good. By 9.15, the garden girls were off to buy some tools before coming back to the allotment to have it's boundaries verified. Never a dull moment, as they say. Scuttled around in the afternoon with Joëlle and Michelle delivering the handbills for Sunday. 300 in all for the centre of the village. Weather forecast is promising.
In the evening we had the relocated BBQ on Michel and Joëlle's terrace. 13 of us altogether, far too much to eat and at times enough smoke to elect a pope!