The day of two parties

Very exciting day. First trip for me to the Saturday market since last summer. It was pouring with rain in celebration, which keeps the market nice and quiet! Really lovely to be liberated back into the fray post-vaccination. And it seems I can still speak passable market-French.

The platter in the photo was ordered so that no-one had to make much effort on our wedding anniversary. 21 years today. The platter was accompanied by Billiecart Salmon Champagne and a rather tasty Medoc (and CarbBoy’s favourite treat from the boulangerie - torsade aux tomates - to persuade him to join us!)

Then the habitual Saturday quizzes at which we were totally victorious. Mr B did some well-earned napping, while I baked the world (well, until the slightly out of date butter ran out).

Tonight was the community (illegal) party for our recently departed neighbour, Yves. His son lives here too, so there was a gathering in the garden to celebrate Yves’ life. His sister had put up a diaporama of photos and also done lots of copies of the photos so we could all take one or two that meant something to us - such a lovely idea.

It was all round a super evening and, rule-breaking aside - was so lovely to be with people again. Although I think my good-enough-for-the-market French is not really up to 5 hours of chit-chat and philosophical conversations about the difference in attitudes in the UK, US and France to extra-curricular activities in schools and universities. But my neighbours are very tolerant!

There was also nearly a fight over my cookies (“But I haven’t had any and there are people outside who’ve had two”). Honestly, they’re just ordinary cookies which would pass unremarked anywhere else. Next time for the benefit of the whinging man-child quoted in brackets above, I will pipe his name on three (and make double quantities).

And turns out I *still* can’t say grenouilles. Mind you, the man gently mocking me for that mispronunciation says frog with a New Jersey accent, so I think we both have some work to do.