Mr Forgetful

Instead of being on the train back to Amiens, Alain was here with us enjoying an apéritif in his honour. Luckily for him, the guard was able to find berth for him on what was the busiest travel day in France and when you consider he'd managed to buy his return ticket for 10€ he really does have someone looking out for him.

Get Well, Mr President

Our esteemed leader is now out of hospital after a 'turn' whilst out jogging. He has to take it easy which for someone as hyperactive as he is will be difficult almost impossible..... and talk about double standards ....
when Raschida Datti, the then Justice minister, went back to work one week after having her baby there was an almighty outcry. A fat lot of good it did her as she was still pushed out of the government. Nicolas, on the other hand, was back at work the next day. Possible heart problems are apparently more normal and less serious than having a baby.

Four Days of Fun

27.7.09
Just when we thought our stomachs could take a break, Di invited us around for an apéritif (or several). Of course, Bruce was there as was Maggie and Ellie. Drank lots of cava, more than was good for me but tomorrow is another day .....

26.7.09

Today is the 3rd and last day of the Festa Major and Catalan traditions took centre stage. Sardane in the morning (the wise ones sought out the shade) and early evening and a concert given by Albert Bueno, Catalan singer/song writer) around 9pm. Despite our good intentions to give the meal of squid rings and chips a miss, we were inveigled into joining a table of Christian's colleagues. He never could rsist a plate of chips! The evening finished with more dancing, tired feet and eyes.

25.7.09

The market was just heaving with people and we didn't have the energy to enter the fray, settling instead for a coffee at our usual haunt; At lunch time we beat a path once more to Joséphine's to help eat up the left-overs from last night. Juste once again cooked the barbeque, there were more cocktails but no music. and that's not all, folks ...... in the evening we joined the Association (27 of us all together) for a meal of pork and peppers at the village "Festa Major". Lasted until about midnight then we went up to the bar to catch up with Izzy, Irene and Kelvin.

24.7.09

The time finally arrived to see if all the preparation for the inauguration of the new mairie had paid off. The Secreatary of State didn't make it after all but the MP did along with a whole clutch of local mayors. The sun split the sky as we listened to the speeches then the sardane was danced before a very nice apéritif. Christian joined those and such as those for lunch while I went home for a sandwich. In the evening we took ourselves off to Joséphine's where we celebrated Joëlle's birthday. Maurice and Rosie provided some music while we sipped a cava cocktail and Juste cooked the barbeque.

Great Outdoors

Heather and Andrew stopped over last night on their way to a holiday rental not far from Carcassonne but they didn't arrive until 12.45am. Was a shame as there wasn't really any time to catch up with 10 year's worth of news. This morning was all a bit of a rush as we were due to leave with Michelle, Jean-Jacques, Alain, Joëlle et Michel for a picnic at 10.30am so once again, no time to chat. Maybe they'll come back before the next 10 years are up.

The barbeque didn't take too long to cook so no sooner did we arrive than we could break out the apéritifs. After lunch I went for a walk with my caveman friends while the others slept or tanned. The scenery in the Haut Vallespir was superb and after the really hot weather we've been having caused by the wind blowing from North Africa a drop of a few degrees was welcome.

In the evening we again ate al fresco but this time on Lone and Jesper's terrace. Richard and Linde came too. Inevitably we talked politics but we also had some fun trying to think of what we knew about Austria and Denmark; one thing I didn't know was that the population of Denmark is only about 5m and to think they invaded Britain all those centuries ago.

One Small Step, One Big Lie?

Of course, I couldn't let today go by without a mention of the moon landing 40 years ago. Now we know who the 3rd and apparently the only well adjusted astronaut is Michel Collins and you all thought that he was an Irish Republican.Did it really happen or was it created in a studio. There were reports on French news that in fact the film footage was erased so that the cassettes could be reused. Early recycling or cover up?
Where were you when history was being "made"? I was in Leicester at Arthur and Maureen's where I had a holiday job. They were away on holiday I and Joanne, Rob and various other friends stayed up to watch. It was all very much of a youth hostel. Christian, too, stayed up to watch but he was in France, married with 3 children.

Birthdays Galore

Joyeux anniversaire" to Ann in Scotland, Michelle in the village and Nelson in South Africa! Michelle served an apéritif dinatoire with a lot of style which went on until about 11pm. then we went along to the square to catch the tail- end of a fiesta. By this time the music was jazz/rock and people were enjoying themselves in the warmth of the evening. Andy (a young British man who when recently interviewed by the local paper said that there wasn't much going on in the village) came back to ours for a last drink or two. Into bed for 3am, asleep by five past!

Sardanes and Sardines

The market was very busy this morning as a huge sardane competition was on all weekend with groups from all over Catalunya north and south taking part. Spent most of the afternoon making chutney and stewing plums for the freezer. Well, what else can you do when you're given about 15kg of fruit? During this time Christian was following every shot of the British open from Turnberry. What a feast for the eyes we've had of late what with views of the Ailsa Craig this week, the Scottish Open from Loch Lomand last weekand the Tour de France which seems to go on for ever. In the evening there were grilled sardines on offer before the disco but we gave both a miss opting to stay home and watch the telly. Tomorrow evening promises to be more lively so it doesn't hurt to take it easy now and again.

Birthday Girl

Like last year we took Jean-Jacques and Michelle out for lunch for Michelle's birthday. Several of you have been with us to the same place; can anyone guess where? As usual we had a good meal made even more enjoyable knowing that the Mairie couldn't find either Christian or Jean-Jacques. That's not to say that we didn't have to gat back for 5pm as the two of them had a quick meeting there. Still, I was able to catch up with the first episode of Jimmy McGovern's "The Street" which I found absolutely gripping. Does anyone agree? Then the 4 of us + Françoise went around to Linde's for a supper of wild mushrooms that she'd collected the day before. Richard produced his famous whisky sour so we ate and drank well while listening to the Tromantana howling through the bunting in the street outside.

Back in Action!

Both myself and the washing machine have sprung into action this week. Having finally emptied the waskets of ironing, I could at last get some washing done as there was somewhere to put it. Result ...... the baskets are full again!

Fête Nationale

We were on parade early this morning, arriving in our sister village in convoy. The jeep that we were in ran out of "chug" half way up the windy road so we had to transfer to another vehicle. Coming down was a whole lot easier though. The morning ceremonies took their usual form with another wreath laying in the village, speeches, presentation of medals and an apéritif. Lunch was a bbq at the bivouac. In the evening we were invited to another bbq at Hazel and Ade's then it was down to the recreation ground for a superb firework display and disco. The disco was cut short as there was a violent thunderstorm so the Mairie didn't really have to lay out on the fireworks, did they?