Golden Oldies

It's that time of year when the finery comes out, more makeup than usual is slapped on and a good time is had by all. Yes, folks, it's the OAPs' lunch! There was however, time for a coffee at the bar with James first. I felt and looked overdressed for the place but what the heck.
Arrived at the hall half an hour early to help Dani and Ann save our table. They'd learnt last year that Senior Citizen's are not averse to moving in on places that have been saved; they're pretty lethal with their elbows when the apéritifs are made available too. Another first under my belt; this year I was in the body of the hall rather than at the Councillors' table. Ours was an international affair with Brits, French, Swedes, Belgians and a Bolivian. The food was good, the wine flowed and the dancing helped work off some calories. Stopped off at the bar on the way back with Ann and Terry for a cuppa and more chat. Once home I realised that I'd left my camera in the hall but it was too late to do anything about it. Hope someone has it safe. This photo was taken by Nicole, so for once here's me!
Weather:
14° Sunshine and cloud

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

Plain Sailing

Gave French conversation a miss in order to get myself organised for a cava buying trip in Spain with Dani and Bryan. Despite the (in theory) increased border controls while the COP21 conference is on in Paris, we sailed through without neither checks nor holdups. Weather was gloriously warm and sunny for the time of year.
Stocked up well ready for the festive season and Paula gave me a good bottle by way of a thank you. Usually, it's a bottle of plonk so she obviously thought it was a good order. Apparently, busness is quieter since the Paris attacks.
By the time the car was loaded it was time to think about lunch so we just went on to the next village and ate in a restaurant that Christian and I have always by-passed. It was good value for the 11€ we paid but not very exciting. https://www.tripadvisor.fr/Restaurant_Review-g2424757-d2406739-Reviews-Restaurant_Mas_Ullastre-Sant_Climent_Sescebes_Province_of_Girona_Catalonia.html#REVIEWS Came home by way of the scenic route over the Coll de Banyuls and stopped of in Collioure to buy red wine.
This evening I took the English beginners' group as Margaret is away. We told the time and practised ome Christmas vocabulary. It was more fun than I'd anticipated and I think the participants enjoyed it as well!
Weather:
18°, Sunny

Starting and Finishing in the Bar

Had a late coffee at the bar where Marie-Louise treated Martine and I to a coffee as it was her birthday. Afterwards took the bus into town to meet "blonde Anne" as my Mum calls her, for lunch. She was kind enough to bring me a couple of boxes of Xmas cards from UK. You just wouldn't imagine how dear they are here. Had a simple but pleasant lunch at the Café de France.
Spanish in the afternoon and attendance at the Council meeting in the evening. Christian's name came up again. Michel mentioned him in his passionate response to EDF's desire to put wind turbines on a ridge above the commune. Now I don't have a  personal insight into what's going on, this will be one way to keep up to date. Finished the evening with a glass of wine in the bar sitting next to the fire with Martine and Maggie.
Weather:
16°, sun and light cloud

Would You Believe it?

If last night was depressing, reading the paper this morning was even worse. The FN have made a strong showing everywhere coming in first in half of the 13 new regions. cleared my head by walking over to Maggie's to ruthlessly sort the left over stuff from the Téléthon ready for a run to the recycling.
Everyday should hve a bit of excitement and today's came in the form of parcel wrapping for the commune's Christmas trees. If anyone had told me that I would be wrapping up emty packets and the tubes from inside toilet rolls to look like crackers, I would have laughed. still, all in a good cause. Here's hoping that there isn't any rain to spoil our handiwork.
The women's group met for the second time over wine, pina colada and nibbles. Went well with one or two interesting ideas coming up. The two Nicole's, Muriel and myself called in at the bar on the way back, so no telly for me this evening. Heard later that Christian's was mentioned at the AGM of the twinning committee for the donation he gave from his hospital bed for the bus going to Normandy and how much he would be missed. Quite unexpected but good to hear.
Weather:
16°, sun

Christmas is Coming

Nicole and I didn't linger over our usual Sunday coffee at the bar as we had places to go and people to see. The first Christmas market of the season was on in a nearby village and the first person that we met in the hall was Santa who gave me my first Christmas kiss. I wasn't fooled though; it was Frank under all that facial hair. There were carols sung by an almost totally British choir making for quite a festive atmosphere and I was able to buy my Xmas pud and some crackers. Met up with both Penny and Pauline and a shopping trip to Girona is on the cards in the New Year. Oh yes, I won a litre bottle of J and B whisky in the raffle. Things are looking up.
After the excitement of the morning, I spent the afternoon trying to work out six days' menus for when the family are here over the holiday period.
In the evening, I wandered over to the Mairie to watch the count for the Regional elections and almost got roped in to help until someone said that as not being able to vote, I wasn't eligable. There was only a handful of other interested citizens to hear the depressing news that the National Front had come in first with about 40% of the vote. There'll be a rerun next week with the first three lists fighting it out.  Sadly the "Republicans" who came in 3rd are not withdrawing unlike the Socialists in the same position elsewhere. Let's hope that the Left can pick up enough votes to keep the FN out. Home afterwards for once again a liberal dose of tv.
Weather:
16°, Sunny

Fundraising

5.12.15:
Spent the whole day at the village hall doing the bottle stall. Sandwich lunch in situ, lots of chat, tea and a piece of Christmas cake in the afternoon. Stayed to help clear up and then spent a very quiet evening in front of the telly.
Our stall made 747€ and the village made 16,380€, the second highest total in the Département.
Weather:
16°, Sun

4.12.15:
Walked over to Maggie's to help organise things for our accessory stall at the Téléthon. Then made a trip to the supermarket. Isn't life interesting? Yes, even in the South of France chores have to be done if a woman wants to keep body and soul together.
At the end of the afternoon, I went up to see the release of balloons for the Téléthon, an event organised primarily for kids, But every euro counts so the inner child in me bought one and wrote a wee note to Christian on the attatched label. Wonder where it will finally end up.
Weather:
15° cloudy

Keeping Abreast of Things

Took myself (or rather Colin and Lynn picked me up at the bus stop) back to the tax office to try and tie up both sides of the channel and my new status. The woman I met was very pleasant but told me that that the best thing to do was to wait until May and the next tax year. It was all a bit of a waste of time though shedid  said I could make an appointment with her and she'd help me with the two returns that I need to complete. That can only be useful even if it does feel as if I'm just putting off the evil day as I just know it's going to be complicated. Bumped into Françoise in the town and we went for a coffee before I got the bus home. Met the exchangers at the bar and stayed on for soup with Ann and Terry. Not convinced that it was homemade but whatever, it was very tasty.
Back in the house, I caught up with the blog before meeting, David, Martine and Maggie at the restaurant for dinner. My dessert was chocolate coated chocolate mousse a bit like an inflated "Tunnock's Teacake" but with the addition of a raspberry sitting on the top. Scots among you will know what I'm talking about but at the end of the day it was very like a breast complete with nipple!
Weather:
16° Feeling humid, warmed up in the afternoon

Speaking in Tongues

Finally got to bed at 2am after washing up last night's dishes. French conversation or the "lesson according to Françoise" in the morning. Gave the walk this afternoon in aid of the Téléthon a miss this afternoon in favour of doing Association stuff on the computer and getting my papers in order for my appointment with the tax woman.
This evening I sat in on the beginners' English group as preparation for my taking them next week while Margaret is away. They were telling the time which was fun. Margaret is a hard act to follow; hope I can come up with the goods.
Took this photo on my over.
Weather:
16° Sun

Officialdom, Spanish and a Flying Scot

Did manage to get up in time to get to the association committee meeting. Ah yes, my good intentions to keep my nose out have gone by the wayside in favour of my belief that I can get a bit of order back into the organisation!!
After that it was time to put my own affairs in order with a trip to the lawyer's and then into the tax office to get an appointment. From what I could gather from the receptionist's one-sided conversation, the woman responsible wasn't too keen to give me one, obviously thinking I should take a ticket and queue. Anyway, the receptionist kept insisting that I was foreign and recently widowed; I left successful.
There was even enough time for a trip around the supermarket before the bus and as luck would have it, I bumped into Michel who gave me a lift back.
Went over to the Mairie in response to a letter from EDF, the French electricity supplier  who I think operate in the British free market. This philanthropic organisation wants to help us users to make economies. Secretly, I think they want to get me off an advantageous tariff  that they're wanting to phase out. He advised that I should make sure the roof is well insulated and put an insert into my open fireplace. Yes, that may make it more energy efficient but there's nothing like an open fire. My reward for listening to his lecture was the gift of an energy saving bulb and his promise to send me more energy saving tips by internet!
This photo is of the Christmas Angels made from newspaper at the after school centre in the village.
Spanish class went well but progress is still slow.
This evening I finally managed to start working my way through my "I owe you a meal" list. David, who's on a flying visit from Scotland, Nick, Lizzie, Brian and Dani came to sample the delights of my cooking. Maybe, I shouldn't have thrown away so many of those cookery magazines.
On the menu were tapas, cinnamon and lemon pork with couscous, cheese and Delia's Christmas Compote with vanilla icecream. All very tasty even if I  do echo the verdict of my guests. Don't blame me for crowing, I need to get my confidence back after so long of eating out rather than in.
Weather:
18° Sunny