Here's Hoping for a Better Year

Happy New Year! 

 

 

Peace, Health and Happiness to Family, Friends and anyone visiting Chitchat!  

Spent a good, cosy evening with Martine. We kept going until 1h30 with tasty food and more than a few bubbles seeing the New Year in twice;  first at midnight in France and then at midnight in UK. Went to bed feeling self righteous as I even cleared up before going to bed! A good start to 2022, n'est-ce pas? 

 1st - 7th:

New Year, new resolve and the search for a new format to make Chitchat more chat than catalogue. No guarantees though. Every month will feature my friend James's calendar which I receive every year and I'll try to give you more of a flavour of life. 

With no tradition of sales or important sporting events, (just the occasional dip in the sea), New Year's Day  was a quiet time. The weather was fabulous and with an afternoon tea that fell through, I took myself for a walk up the back track, as I call it. Sat in the sun and started to read "The Promise" which I'd received for Christmas. Champagne, foie gras and chocolate on my return started the year with a bit of self indulgence.

As the week progressed continues to dominate the news President Macron is planning to try and force people into being vaccinated. Both here and in  UK the new Omnicrom variant is rolling through both populations with more deaths. Also continuing in Uk are more blood boiling revelations about Government chronism and sleaze which leak out daily. And of course, Prince Andrew is trying to wriggle out of the law suit being brought against him. In the village, the Maire has cancelled the usual presentation of his New Year wishes normally involving a long speech followed by drinks and nibbles in front of the population. He has opted instead for a video taking just a couple of minutes and was a sorry lackluster affair. But there's more to life than politics, n'est-ce pas?

Went to the café for coffee a couple of times; once with Nany and Martine and the other with Françoise. Also had coffee and Swedish traditional biscuits at  Monica's and two days running had two British couples for Christmas cake and cava. Delia never fails to deliver.

The 6th was the Epiphany so the few decorations that I had scattered around were packed away and lunch at Jacques' inevitably involved a "Galette des Rois" (a frangipane flaky pastry tart). This one was without  a ceramic charm in it; maybe Dominique felt we were too grown up to go through the ritual of finding it and wearing a golden paper crown. What a spoilsport!

Apart from the oldies gym, the walk and two treadmill sessions, exercise has been sadly lacking and only one night did I get myself to bed before midnight. Oh, and I've not tried any new recipes either as I had hoped. Better be better organised next week. However, I'm still reading the papers and doing some puzzles. To the online ones that I already do, I've now added "Wordle", the latest craze. Six attempts to find a five letter word. Letters come up green if the letter is right and in the right place; amber if the letter is right but in the wrong place and grey if it's completely wrong. It's a fun and frustrating challenge. Luckily you can only play once a day. 

 https://www.powerlanguage.co.uk/wordle/ 

 

Weather: Started the week with 22° but by the end, with the onset of the Tramontane wind it dropped to 10°.

 

31.1.22:

So, here we are at the end of January and my intention to write up Chitchat every week has, as can been seen, fallen by the wayside. Sadly, it's not the only one. Bed before midnight couldn't stand up to various "just one more episode" crime series; haven't cooked a new recipe nor scanned any photos.

I have, however, returned some long overdue invitations.

 

First up were five of the neighbours. As I've decided that six around the table is the most that I can cope with at one time for a sitdown meal I've was able to divided the neighbours into two groups; those who've been vacinated and those who haven't. Avoids people getting hot under the collar.

 

The rest of the neighbours included the young couple who run the restaurant: so, no pressure there!

Lunch with friends from Céret started well with the bag with a bottle of wine in it, giving way. Luckily there was a spare in the fridge. Otherwise, all went well. There were plenty of leftovers  which meant that I was able to invite Jacques the next day. 

Also had Nicole round for a simple apéritif dinatoire.

Needless to say, the scales were weighted on the being invited side. There were several meals (5) at Jacques', one at Gérard and Anna's (neighbours) and at Michel's where I was on appetisers.

Can't claim to have provided the olives or air dried duck slices though. Goodness knows how we managed to keep our hands away while waiting for a couple who were very late arriving. Maybe that's why André is looking a bit fed up!      

An apéritif dinatoire chez Jean and Françoise and an apéritif chez JJ before we went off to Empuriabrave with Dalilia for lunch.

Have you noticed how sunny it's been this month? 

 

Lunch with Michel and Eric after Figueres market was an inside affair in the restaurant as you'll probably have guessed from the photo in the background, that was frequented by Dali.

Talking of whom, despite passing over this plaque embedded in the pavemant in Figueres loads of times, none of us had ever noticed it. Just follow them and you'll arrive at the Dali museum. You may be asking as I did what the insect signifies. Apparently, it's an ant and they march in single file and are therefore easy to follow.

Also went to the restaurant in the village with JJ after Dalila had to call off our trip to Gerona and to the Pablo with Martine and Carmen.

 

Although the treadmill has only seen a small amount of action, I've m&naged to get out and about, too. Walked on three occasions with Jacques going in different directions around the village.

 

 This one took us 1h45 going up and over and back and was all on a quiet back road.

 

This one took us up and down through the retreat and involved mostly tracks.

 

And this one was a bit of both.

 

As well as the trips to Empuriabrava and Figueres, I had a trip to Perpignan with Françoise where to take a break from the shops we had coffee sitting out on the Place de la République. Small things much pleasure.

Having actally written something and not knowing when I'll get back to tapping the keyboard again, I'll do a Sue Grey and post an update to finished later.

Gosh, less than 24 hours later, here I am poised to finish off January. Not that there's anything much to relate ...

 

A trip to the opthalmologist resulted in leaving with a prescription for distance glasses; at least I'll find it easier to read the subtitles on the tv. A day without an internet connection left me frustrated and smoke in the bedroom left me puzzled as I couldn't find where it was coming from. Could only think it was from outside which turned out to be the case. I'd forgotten that the waterboard were testing smoke flow through the pipes. Hadn't expected it to travel so far. It also entailed a water cut which we hadn't been warned about!

Art, film and "literature" were also on the agenda in January. 

There was a Scottish wildlife photo exhibition at the Mairie.

Watched the 2009 film "The Secrets in their Eyes" set in Argentina and apparently superior to the 2015 Nicole Kidman/Julia Roberts/Chitwetel Ejiofor remake round at Jacques and "Passing" which I watched twice chez moi; once with JJ after a quick supper and the other time with Jacques and Geneviève (tea and cake). Both were excellent.

I actually read a real book but there again, I had a vested interest. At long last, I found a copy of this Glasgow crime novel written by one of my previous colleagues. Not only did he borrow people's surnames but he also used some physical descriptions, too. Apparently, some team mates recognised me .... I'm keeping schtum! Published in 1982, it hasn't aged well.

 Have kept up my usual activities of: the weekly oldies gym session, some daily puzzles including Wordle over a cuppa, a bit of knitting, the daily papers, plenty of moaning about Boris and his accolytes, a fair bit of screen time and coffee breaks at one or other of the cafés; usually with Françoise though sometimes on my own. Can't complain .... who knows what next month will bring.

December brings a Seasonal Chill and then Unseasonal Warmth

 1st - 7th December: Don't put it down; put it away!

Came across this advice in one of the many magazines that I read and have adopted as my mantra of the moment. You know what? It works! 

A lot of fun activities leaving little time for anything else apart for a good walk with Jacques. First off:

• A folk night at the bar though I didn't stay for too long. Then came:

•  An apéro chez moi before Jacques, JJ and Martine went to the restaurant for at long last, their first service after several weeks of voluntary closure. What a treat for us but poor Maud was having to do a brave job hopping around the restaurant on one leg.  A night cap at Jacques rounded off the evening. 
• A trip to Figueres with Nicole S. Went on the trans border bus and headed straight to the market where we looked for warm socks to deal with the cold weather that's hit us. Had lunch at "Kornig" which was pretty mediocre. Shame, the best restaurants are outside the town.
• Back over the border again the next day; this time with Jacques who went for an estimate on some body work (for his car!). Prices are less than half that they would be in France. Went from La Jonquera to Figueres for a walk around and a hot chocolate. 

 After yesterday's experience we went for a drive through the countryside visiting one or two small villages on the way in hope of finding a restaurant open. Finally ended up in Llers where I knew of a one that was short on chic but full of character. Ca la Franisquetta did a no choice 4 course meal with lemonade, water, wine and coffee for 10€!!! Needless to say it was full with a lively crowd; some were on their work lunch break, others were celebrating a birthday amid lots of hilarity. It's quite an experience anf of course, Dali visited back in the day.

• Sunday coffee at the bar with Martine and JJ turned into a apéro of a rosé which was accompanied by a little dish of olives; now there's a surprise! We then stayed on for a bite to eat as a menu has been reinstated; now there's another surprise! Yet another surprise was that the starter of serrano, manchego and pa tomate was much more generous than of late. Food is still nothing special though but no one promised a perfect world and with the other café doing food, they seem to be trying to up their game
• Lunch of steak and chips at Jacques'. Didn't put up much of a fight when he proposed a bottle of cava to accompany his culinary efforts.

• Ventured forth to the first of the neighbourhood Christmas "open doors". Well, that was the idea but 3 of the 4 groups of neighbours who've signed up are opting for a pavement get together. Still it's the first time for this new initiative. Sad to say, there was no one other than the usual participants of our fête des voisins. Have given up hope that other streets will follow our example.

It wasn't all hedonistic pleasure. I did do a good deed though; helped serve tea at the Téléthon tearoom. Well, that's until Françoise arrived when I hung up my pinny and had a cuppa myself while we sat through the raffle draw which had 66 lots! As well as my own ticket, I had those of three other people and none of us were lucky. What was I saying about a perfect world? However, the village raised 12,500€ thus topping the list of villages/towns in the Département.

Weather: 10°-14°, sun, cloud cold and a bit of rain

8th - 15th December:

Drank a lot of tea at Jacques, at the café with Françoise and up at Nicole S's. Ate at Jacques' twice. One meal organised with his friends from up the valley; and an impromptu meal after the jolly, little village Christmas market. It was followed by a brass band concert in the village hall and that by Bastille day's postponed firework display.

Shame that the photo doesn't do it justice. I also took a turn at entertaining friends. Jacques for tea, JJ, Jacques and Martine for a curry lunch.

 I also took Ann & Terry to the restaurant for lunch by way of a thank you for Ann acting as chauffeur when I had my eye problem a couple of months ago.

This week there were two pavement "open doors". 

The first get together took place at the end of the road and my goodness it was cold. We were the same group as last time minus Jacques plus a new resident from another street who was passing with his son who've just moved here from New Caledonia. Four days later it was there neighbours from near the church who offered us their hospitality. wine, pastis, vegan food and even some silly games. The presence of two children added another dimension which didn't go amiss. Next week it's my turn with the help of my neighbours Jean- Claude and Marcelle.

Weather: 11° - 17°, cold wind, a days heavy rain and several of sunshine and blue sky

16th - 23rd December: 

Yesterday's curry did service for several days. What joy, no cooking to do

apart for some nibbles for the apéritif that I hosted for Ann and Lynn, neither bar being open on a Wednesday. Frankly it was more comfortable and the food tastier so no hardship. There was more work and preparation to do a couple of days later as it was my turn to host an "open doors" and this time that's what happened. Worked perfectly as we were able to invite in passers-by and could eat and drink sheltered from the cold. Even better, the mulled cider which no one had ever had before, went down well as did, the wine and cava. As luck would have it, a young woman and her two daughters had moved into a house at the end of the street that morning. And that's what's behind the idea.

On the spoiling myself side there was also a coffee with Nicole P at the café and then with Hortense at mine.

It was not all food and drink though. Made some time for the treadmill, the oldies gym on a Monday plus a good walk with Françoise and Théràse which went some way to try and combat the calories.

In preparation for Christmas, I made my festive calls to people in UK and went to the hairdresser's with the voucher from the Mairie that I'd opted for instead of a food "hamper" (it's actually a box). Thought it was better to keep the money in the village.

Sadly, my only other activity of note was the funeral of a 55 year old woman who'd been on the Council with Christian. Sent shock waves through the village. But as ever sadness gives way and we move on to other things that help us forget the fragility of our lives.  

Weather: 11° - 14° mostly sunny 

Getting in the Christmas Spirit

As usual houses in the street was decorated with tinsel, greenery and fairy lights (nothing brash) and our well worn homemade snowmen and Father Christmases.

Christmas Eve: No big meal lasting until midnight this year as the French do, as I was invited to spend the evening with Maggie and her family ~ an all British affair.

Our Hosts

There were 8 of us for canapés (a big thank you to Mr Picard), a superbly rich chocolate log made by Rachel from a Nigella recipe, wine and pink champagne. 

 

I had a really nice time and came home feeling thoroughly spoilt.

Weather; 15°, cloudy, fine drizzle in the evening

Christmas Day:

Merry Christmas to One and All

No porridge this morning. Yoghurt and stewed apple seemed more reasonable. Linde, Jean and Françoise came for an apéro. Each had their own drink (Françoise - gin, Jean - red wine, Linde who discovered Black Grouse, me - cava of course).

 Saw my guests off and put my coat on to walk over to Ann and Terry's. Mr Picard once again had a place at the table. . It was a real Christmas cracker - something of everything  - good food and wine, laughter, music, sport and political shenanigans but above all, nice people to share it all with! "Excess is not enough" is a favourite expression of mine but this time it was more than enough!!!

Weather: 17°, sunshine and cloud

Boxing Day:

Coffee with Françoise at the café then spent the rest of the day quietly watching Christmas specials on tv, thrying out a "Poinsettia" cocktail and munching without restraint on any goodies that my eye alighted on.

Weather: 18°, sun and blue sky 

27th - 30th December:

An early morning phone call from Maggie brought the news that she, her daughter, husband and one of the women at the Christmas Eve get together had tested positive for covid. Of course, I then set to and phoned my Christmas morning guests, my Christmas lunch hosts and cancelled the lunch date I'd organised with Martine. Phoned my nurse (here they are self employed and when needed you choose who you want) who advised me that I should self isolate until Thursday when she would come and give me a test. She duly did and it was negative, so New Years Eve could go ahead. 

Weather: 19° - 21° warm and sunny; not like December at all