Continuing the Christmas Cheer

27.12.15:

Up before 8am to wave the family on their way back to Normandy then made a leisurely visit to the bar for a Sunday morning coffee. Nicole came by and we ended up staying for lunch and for the 3rd time in a week, I was treated. No soup this time, just a goat's cheese salad. It was late by the time I got back and got started on preparing dinner for Terry, Maggie and Ann. On the menu:

• Foie gras toasts, petits fours, cherry toms, cranberry relish topped boudin blanc (good idea)
• Duck breasts, green beans, sauté potatoes with red berry sauce
• Cheese 
• Chocolate and kirsch soaked cherries Mousse
• Champagne (thanks Maggie), Monter Red (thanks Terry and Ann

One of Those Days

It's an ill wind ..... the family had originally planned to leave today but for the last couple of days, poor old Guillaume has been suffering from really bad back pain so, they decided to stay an extra day to give him chance to rest up. So, one more day of company and the pleasure of being with the family.
Rather than wait for everyone to get organised to go to the market, I decided to take the bus but what do you know ... the damn thing came at least 8 minutes early according to François who'd also hoped to get it. We both waited hoping that something might come along but it was a forlorn hope. So the tenor of the day was set.
On my way home, I met Geneviève who was heading off  to the market so all was not lost as she gave me a lift in thus, saving me a euro.
 Some of the other things that went wrong:

• Lost my (empty) shopping bag
• Didn't have enough money in my purse to pay for the wine I'd bought
• Couldn't find my telephone even though I heard it ringing!
• Lost my front door key
• No space at our usual café for a drink so we ended up at the patisserie for hot chocolate
• Valérie went to the garage to find that her tyre was almost flat

It wasn't all negative though:

• Valérie found someone in the village to repair the tyre
• My new reading specs were ready and my insurance is coughing up for them. There's a second pair to come for 1€, something that the guy would have "forgotten" if I'd not reminded him.
• Found my telephone in the depths of my bag
• We had a good lunch at the bar in the village which Valérie and Guillaume treated me to. While the family went out later in the afternoon I started to catch up with "Downton". Happy endings all round.

Dinner was left overs  and in need of some escapism, I spent far too long watching tv instead of getting some even more needed rest and recuperation.
Weather:
13°, sunshine, cloud later

Best of Both

25.12.15:

After getting to bed pretty late, we were up relatively early, even Hugo. I think it was because I'd spoken about having brunch and he'd interpreted it as a "full British".  I managed to put together some rashers of bacon that were diverted from barding the turkey, eggs and white pudding (traditional in France at Christmas).  The main thing we'd planned for today was to take a trip up to the cemetery to show Emma, who hadn't been at the funeral, where we'd scattered Papy's ashes. I'd thought it might help to write messages to him on balloons to let go. once all was ready, Maureen pointed out that as they weren't filled with helium, it wouldn't work .... dahhhh! Anyway, we managed as best we

could to attach them to a nearby tree instead.
Christmas dinner was a late affair and even then we weren't very hungry.

• Foie gras and petits fours
• Turkey stuffed with chestnuts, figs and apples, cranberry and orange relish http://www.deliaonline.com/recipes/main-ingredient/cranberries/cranberry-and-orange-relish.html
• Roast potatoes, carrots, parsnips and green beans
• Cheese
• Christmas Pud (still in the cupboard)

Weather:
Unseasonally warm

24.12.15:

We've planned a Franco/British Christmas in traditional manner. Valérie is in charge of the Christmas eve meal and my good self will do the honours tomorrow.

• Foie Gras and smoked salmon in front of a blazing log fire
• Filet Mignon en Croûte Italienne (The website has some great recipies on it, if you can deal with the French) http://www.marmiton.org/recettes/recette_filet-mignon-en-croute-a-l-italienne_310084.aspx
• Wild rice and boursin sauce
• Cheese
• Bûche de Noël
• Champagne and Baron de Rothschilde

Wee Emma is become more excited while her older brother and sister remained an adolescent cool but eventually midnight came and we went up to the nest to see the full moon know as "la lune des nuits longues", the like of which hasn't been seen since 1977. Have to say I was somewhat disappointed as it didn't seem anyway different perhaps because I was looking at the wrong time or because of the humidity in the atmosphere..

Well, what do you know? While no one was looking Papa Noël had crept into the house and left presents under the tree!

Doors, Bells and Flying Plates.

23.12.15:

The family went off to Spain for the day so it was a quiet time for me catching up with all those bits and pieces (mainly to do with the Association) that have been waiting to be done for days. I did take time out though to have a coffee.
Weather:
16°

22.12.15:

Dani, Emma and I jingled all the way to the after-school care centre. Two groups of eight each to learn "Jingle Bells" while shaking the ones that we'd managed to gather together. The under 7s really just made a noise but the eights and up had a surprising level of English vocab. Despite my failing voice and tickly cough that I've had since Sunday (I blame the damp at the market), the time passed quickly and we departed unscathed; Emma with a bag of chocolate Santas. We needed a drink after that and Jean-Jacques who'd come to the bar to say "hello" to the family, came back with us for lunch.
Supermarket in the afternoon and then in the evening over to Jean and Françoise's for dinner. Emma was a great hit as was Jean with the kids. They couldn't believe that he'd been a maths teacher especially when Françoise asked him to pass the plates and he said "catch" and threw plates to Hugo and Valérie frisby style. Of course, caught unawares, neither of them did! Françoise called a halt at this point while there was still somethinh to eat off. There was also great fun taking photos through a kalaedascope. The photo is of Hugo though on second thoughts you could be forgiven for thinking at first glance that it was a football.
Weather:
13°, cloudy


21.12.15:

Spent the morning following our neighbourhood advent calendar. 24 houses were issued with envelopes with a number on and on the day corresponding to the number, they were opened and the card (individually decorated) were displayed. It was fun going through the streets looking to see who had done what. Just by chance, the trail ended up by the bar where we stopped off for an apéro before lunch.
Wee Emma who's nearly 8 sat on my lap, cuddled in and asked me why Papy had left me. I explained he hadn't as he was always with me in my heart. I could almost shed a tear thinking about her concern.
Ann and Terry called by and came in for an early evening drink. Dinner then early to bed early.
Weather:
Mild, blus skies

20.12.15:

In need of a quiet day and lucky for me all was ready for the arrival of the family. None of the women

who come for a coffee at the bar were available so there wasn't any temptation to linger.
Valérie, Guillaume and the three children arrived in time for an apéritif and diner "en famille".
Weather:
Mild , cloudy

Christmas Traditions

19.12.15:

Another early start, toddling over to the Mairie for 8.15am to help set up the Association's stand for the Christmas market. There were Santa hats, holly mistletoe, British carol singers and the Catalan traditional "Caga Tió", the story of which you can find by following this link. http://www.livingit.cat/caga-tio/
Spent the day there until 4.45pm with only an hour's break for a bowl of soup at the bar where I joined Philippe and Françoise who treated me. We did a good trade and made 300€ which we donated to Médcins sans Frontière. Went home feeling tired and didn't budge for the rest of the evening.
Weather:
16° Damp, cloudy with a couple of sunny spells

Non-stop

This morning brought a shock to my rather sluggish system with a 7am departure with Maggie for the supermarket over the border. Of course, so early we sailed through the frontier and had to wait for it to open. That must be a first! Anyway, it was worth it as we got around in record time and were back home before 9am. I had a "Jingle Bells" meeting over a coffee with Dani later on in preparation for our visit to the kids at the after-school centre. Starting to get nervous already.
Jean-Claude, my neighbour, kindly came by to
 fix up a curtain rail for me and in the afternoon, I set to and made 20 litres of mulled wine for tomorrow's Christmas market.

Two engagements this evening. Incredibly, I'd turned down another 4. First a whistle stop visit to one of the English language groups for their Christmas celebrations where I sat through some seasonal vocabulary, had a drink, received some flowers from Jean-Pierre (on my right) and then ran for the bus.
Jean was at the bus stop to meet me to go around to Mohmmed and Hélène's for a tajine. Sadly, I managed to leave the Christmas cake I was taking to my hosts on the bus. My head is all over the place at the moment. Lucky for me I had my flowers. Didn't like giving them away but that was better than going empty handed. Needless to say, it was a good night.
Driving home, we passed the recreation ground and I had to laugh seeing a group of young people sitting at a portable picnic table having a drink. It looked so bizarre!
Weather:
16°, cloudy

Bienvenue!

Language exchange and as usual back to the bar but this time it was only for a drink and no soup. Maybe I should have done as in the afternoon I was working on the computer and lost a table so had to re-enter all the info ***** !
This evening was the Association's welcome apéro for new members. It all went well. People mixed and created a good buzz. And, the icing on the cake, it was held in Christian's room.
Weather:
17°

Signs of Christmas

Spanish yesterday, French today but not in the classroom. Françoise had invited us to hers for chat over coffee, pastries and fizz. This photo is of her crêche, the figurines of which have been collected over 50 years. While not relious, I can't help but admire the craft of it all. Conversation flowed along with the wine. The combination of the two lead me into a heated discussion with two Belgians about colonialism and its aftermath. The occasional coffee at the bar won't be the same again even though we parted all smiles.
Christmas festivities were on this evening's agenda too as it was the Mairie Christmas apéritif where presents were given out. Councillors received a gourmet box. I received one too for Christian which was a nice gesture.
Weather:
18° cloudy

Three Twices in One Day

Early trip to the supermarket with Nick who invited me to meet him, Lizzie and Roger later for a lunch of soup and cheese at the bar. Set me up well for our last Spanish lesson of the term. What joy; no homework just encouragement to revise the present tense (indicative and subjunctive) and the pronouns. Of course that will wait until after the New Year.
Then it was a quick meeting with Marguerite and Françoise to synchronise our membership lists.
In the evening it was back to the bar for the monthly apérobio, proudly presented and explained by Nico. Among other things there was fresh artichoke and stuffed pattypan squash and for the second time to day, onion soup.
Weather:
17°, cloud

Islands of Pleasure in a sea of Ordinariness

14.12.15:

• Good news: my camera was handed in at the Mairie

• Bad news: Internet off until 9.30pm so there was no excuse not to do my Spanish homework.

• Chores at home: Clearing a basket of ironing.

• Chores at Maggie's: Helping wrap the things we'll be selling as cheap Christmas presents for "Médecins sans Frontière" at the village Christmas market. It's amazing how much better people's unwanted stuff looks wrapped in cellophane tied  with a bit of ribbon. Really boring but needs must. The walk over was pleasant though and this pyracanthus is rather splendid.
• Welcome distraction: Jean and Françoise's visit at apéritif time

Weather:
15° cloudy

13.12.15:
This morning the two Nicole's and I were joined at the café by Geneviève. The idea is catching on; it wasn't that long ago that I was there by myself. As I was on my way out, Jacques and Mireille invited me to join them for lunch which I did of course. Scurried home about 2.45pm to bake a cake with the over-ripe bananas that were in the fruit bowl. hurried out for 4pm for the Christmas concert in the church. Was really good and over 600€ was raised for the "Restaurant du Coeur". This was followed by an apéritif in the village hall which gave enough courage to go to the Mairie for the count. Anxious times with the National Front making headway. This week they were just beaten in the village but I'm ashamed to say that they came in first in the Département. In the end they didn't win one single Region due primarily to tactical voting. Let's hope that they can be defeated in the Presidentials' when they arrive in 2017.
Weather:
14° Sun and cloud

12.12.15:
As I was given No12 for the streets' Advent calendar, my turn arrived  today so my first job was to open up the envelope. Then went to the market with Michel and finally got around to ordering my glasses. A quick whizz around the supermarket followed and once back home I wrote a whole load of Christmas cards. Sure to have forgotten someone! Well, doesn't everyone?
Weather:
14° Sunshine and cloud