16 May 2012

20 years on

Les Chimères, Puylaroque, SW France
 20 years at Chimères calls for a party!
So, on Saturday last that's what we did with fingers crossed for good weather....thank you up there! Great surprise: my son, daughter-in-law and grandson arrived having sworn they couldn't make it...super to see them and my son (singer/songwriter/film maker) sang in the small hours with the other musician friends (I'd put notes in letterboxes warning people to use earplugs that night!).. GREAT TIME had by all though the hostess didn't manage much mingling cos she was on duty. Fewer people ...65... made it than planned so LOTS of chilli con carne (very French, n'est-ce pas?) left over....

6 May 2012

'I believe in miracles....'

Les Chimères = dreams & fantasies and even miracles?
"I believe in miracles...." Brixton, our 16 year old totally deaf black cat disappeared on 18th April and despite posters everywhere, no-one had seen him even in a defunct state by the roadside which is what we feared the most, him being deaf an' all....we'd given up hope and then on Friday night I dreamt I'd found him. Guess who turned up at 5 am this morning, miaowing at 60 decibels (if you're deaf, it's like wearing headphones: talk louder, non?) outside the bedroom shutters? Yep, wee Brickie, weighing a good 2 kilos less after 3 weeks AWOL. So today is dedicated to the one I love, vitamins, spiruline, milk,'croquettes' and all round TLC (tender lovin' care for those who don't know this nursing abbreviation). Have lost 11 cats on the road in 20 years here and wee Brix has outlasted 'em all plus 2 dogs....................Keep on, truckin', Brixton!
And if I dare take a political stance, not being a naturalised Frenchie, if it's 'bye bye, Sarco ce soir', EVEN MORE cause to rejoice and believe in miracles, n'est-ce pas?!

1 May 2012

Carboot sale in Puylaroque

Les Chimères CARBOOT SALE in Puylaroque (aka 'vide grenier') :1st of May bank holiday and luckily sunshine for the first time in yonks....the shopkeepers' association held an 'open day' and carboot sale where I found a delightfully kitsch 'Betty Boop' figurine to hold Les Chimères visiting cards....OK, VERY kitsch! Resisted the temptation to buy more jewellery and settled for 10 litres of wine from winemaker friends Domaine du Merchien (who appeared on 'Wish you were here'...ALL the Brits here get to be on the box or what?)
Carboot sale in sunny (yes, at last!) Puylaroque

Wine & beer making friends from Merchien vineyard had a stall....