Gourmets

Having had a couple of days to put the brakes on eating and drinking, it was time to pick up where we'd left off. After the morning language exchang we went off with Geneviève and Daniel to buy cava at Caramany. For lunch we went to La Plaça but were a little bit disappointed. The wait was just a bit too long and the usual attentio, to detail was missing. Still we ate well and that's the main thing. Home for a cuppa and then on to the bar for a "dégustation" of the "Primeur", the new seasons wine. Luckily Jean-Louis has the support of the Anglophone community; there were 9 of us tasting and five others regulars at the bar drinking what they normally drink. It was all a bit sad really. Then came the highlight of the day.

This week is the week when good food is in the limelight. Kids in school are taught how to develop their palates and events are organised throughout the country. We were lucky enough to inherit the Mayor's invitation to one such event. It was "la Cuisine Catalane révisitée" with a menu devised by two 3* Micelin chefs. It was delicious with pigeon breast as the main course. I was just delighted with the thought of fewer pigeons in this world. Each course came with a different wine and it was all scrummy.

Change of Scene

13th -14th Oct:
Living upstairs while out two brave workers attack the plaster in the sitting room ceiling. Christian went back to the Mairie and I tried to catch up with things on the computer. The view is better from up here and I can't see the plaster that is everywhere.

Bien Fatigués

The Normans left at 8.30am this morning and after we'd seen them off Christian went straight to bed. I kept going until 8.30pm and then it was big ZZZZZZZZs all the way until morning.

Another Busy Day

Again all day at the forum with a break for lunch to eat with the troops and the concert with Al Cimist at the end. More speeches this evening with presents from the Catalans to the Normans and a chance to try drinking with the poro. There was no escaping having a go without loosing face so .... Christian did well and glad to say that I didn't disgrace myself either but sadly I don't have the photo to prove it. All this in the hallowed presence of the "Bouclier de Brannus", the shield won this year by l'USAP, the rugby team from Perpignan.

After all that it was once again back to ours along with Agnès's uncle and aunt, Jean-Pierre & Jinette who live not far from here until 1.15am.

All in a Day's Work

Forum all day with lunch down at the recreation ground with the Normans. Lots of talking, tired feet from standing but it was all good fun. This evening's dinner was marked by a few speeches and presentspromising co-operation and future visits. Then our band of new friends came with us to the bar where Yvon had us in stiches with his I- don't- think- I -should- be- laughing jokes until 1am.

On Duty

Things are starting to get busy, what with preparing the Association's participation in a two day forum and keep up with the twinning obligations. Lunch in the foyer but in the evening we went to Martine's house warming party and only caught up with our " twins" as they were having coffee. A whole lot of them weren't ready for bed so they came back to ours for a drink and a game of darts. Glad to say that Agnes had more than recovered!

Twins have arrived!

After two days of cleaning the house, the members of the twinning committee from Normandy arrived but sadly one of our two lodgers had to go straight to bed as she wasn't well. She was insistant that she was best left alone which when I knew that she was a nurse, I felt I could do with a clear conscience. It was an informal evening and people started to make links with their counterparts. Christian and I had a bit of a head start on the rest as we'd already met the mayor when we delivered the cherries in May. We all ate the first of our six meals together and although there was a caterer it was up to us to serve and clear up. Can't even say "there's no such thing as free lunch" as we paid for all our meals except the one offered by the Normans, ourselves.

At the Mess!

Simone and Francis who are in the old military vehicles association invited us for lunch al fresco at their place and were joined by Alain and Monique. Alain, nicknamed, the Minister of Parades, is one of the assisstant maires and he just loves protocol, pomp and circumstance.
Later on we went around to Juste and Joséphine's for an apéro and ended up staying for Pan Consato, the giant Sicilian sandwich and to be sure, a couple of glasses of wine.

Comme d'habitude!

Saturday's agenda was the market and lunch at the Auberge and as today is the 1st Monday of the month we made our regular pilgrimage up in the mountains for Christian's 'surgery'. As usual we ate at the auberge, this time with Michel and were joined by Jean and Marie-Lourdes.

AGM

Lots of behind the scenes hard work and the Association's AGM went well. After an apéritif in the Foyer, 43 of us went to the Auberge for a meal, a few tunes played on the harmonica by Dick,(Dutch, though I'm not sure if that's relevant!), some new recruits and lots of chat.