La Fausse Compagnie

A little while ago I was fortunate to share a lift with friends to see and listen to  Le Chant des Pavillons produced by La Fausse Compagnie. 
If you go to their website you can access a document written In English that explains their philosophy, plus the work in progress as they study these instruments, bringing the songs of the horns to people in the street as public entertainment.

Phase Eight - fifth week

Monday: Checking the two French doors which access the courtyard, we realised they would not skim the surface of the new floor tiles and oak floorboards, both planned to be at the same level, as there was a miniscule rise in the chipboard level.  Slight planing necessary. Then, realised that bridging the gap between the oak and the tiles will be the oak cover strip and this will be a few millimetres deep. So it necessitates a greater amount to be removed from the bottom of the doors.  The doors came off and on, off and on, off and on, until down on our hands and knees yet again, we felt confident there would be no problems.  Problem solving, mathematics, anxiety, professional expertise, caution and two heads ensure the job WILL be successful.  If we hadn't spent time we would never have managed to remove the doors off their hinges. It really is not as easy as it looks!  Meanwhile, the rows of oak lengths have been chosen for one half of the room.  Lengths have to be considered so that the ends meet at staggered positions to avoid horizontal joints being visually displeasing.  I've mixed up the lengths from the packets so that a variety of colour, knots and grain look more interesting. I've tried to use the longer lengths as much as possible. Then they have to be stacked in reverse order.  We started at a central length in the room and went to the south wall.  Then he made a new oak splint to be the tongue so that we could go to the north wall. This was not easy as power tools are failing!    Each plank receives a number of screw holes, proportionate to length.  After ensuring the edge of the previous row is straight with the plumb line, which it normally is, he knocks the plank into position, ensures it is straight and level and screws home.  This not easy as the wood drill bits keep breaking....We've bought some recently and some were his older ones.  Got to buy more. Repeat along the length. Final piece has to be measured and sawn to create corrected length. A strap connected to the south wall edge pulls the plank into position onto this newly splinted tongue but which needed tiny splinters of oak to be pruned off with the stanley knife. 
End of Thursday - the 20th day: ¾ of oak parquet laid... but annoyingly two clicks at joints have occurred in two different places....I should have walked up and down each row as I did in the other two rooms!!!!

Phase Eight - fourth week

Continuing to get chipboard as flat as possible. I'm really impressed how my friend uses a straight metal bar to find the very slightest of rises on the cement floor. Although he used the grinder to make the cement more level, the chipboard began to move up and down very slightly in some places. Ingeniously, he manages to put 'mousse expansive' below the chipboard to counteract the problem.  Lots of vacuuming lifting every particle of dust made us seem obsessive but any minor particle can create a problem with floor level. We re-painted the walls with the same colour to erase the minor grubby marks. It was first painted 29 months ago! Day 3 - lengths of oak parquet are arranged on the floor starting at a central line.  Important consideration has been given to measuring and problem solving, so that doors can be trimmed to open and close above what will be the new floor level. there is a slight change of floor level between rooms.  Day 4 was a rest day but I took advantage to attend a pottery class. Day 5 - DIY shopping day and the TAX MAN!!!!!!

• I still won't pay to update Google Legacy storage plan.  HENCE even though I have just deleted some photos from Picasa, the system will not allow me to upload photos for this posting.
• Why has Picasa absorbed all the photos from my laptop?
• Does it mean this blog is full and I have to start another?
• How can I stop it doing that?
  Do I really have to pay to enter photos onto this Google Blog?

Black Banana Bread

with thanks to Nigel Slater for inspiration. However, my version is slightly different:

• 180g brown sugar and the same of butter 
• 3 eggs  
• 180g flour with a teaspoonful of baking powder
• one old banana at least a month old. For about two years, I haven't felt inclined to eat bananas, because they don't seem to have the correct taste, texture and ripeness.  This one was left in my cold larder when a visitor arrived at the end of October. 
• a handful of salted almonds (you could use walnuts)
• a large handful of chocolate GOJI berries
• a handful of oats
• drops of vanilla essence

1. Preheat a HOT oven and an oiled loaf tin or line with a baking paper container.
2. Beat the butter and sugar. 
3. Add eggs to butter and sugar mixture, then mix in toasted crushed ground almonds, flour, baking powder, vanilla extract, mashed banana and goji berries.
4. Mix well and pour into the tin. Dust with demerara sugar. Bake for about 1 hour.

Phase Eight - third week

Exterior and Interior doors have been adjusted to accommodate the new flooring. Interior ones need  double glazed units but otherwise these 4 doors are ready for painting. The new boiler had to have a new pressure valve so I may have to investigate a water softening system. Plastic film and chipboard are laid but we ran out of floor screws. The week skittled past fast.

Aerial view of the Chateau

A friend is not sure where this photo was found on the web. 
It is exceptionally wonderful where I live!

Phase Eight: second week without a fashion label

Day One:
Took two heavy, double glazed units, broken on delivery two years ago, to the dechetterie.
Acquired from the skip 6 rubber backed, blue carpet squares.  My friend wanted two.  I have 4. I don't know why except that two will be very good under the feet on a cold kitchen tiled floor whilst dining for breakfast or lunch.  I vacuumed them, scrubbed with carpet shampoo, a bottle of which I found in this house when I bought it and they now are a lovely, bright blue.
Yesterday woodburner would not create much heat. Today, developed a better technique.  Tip: Use a  firelighter as well as kindling wood. Overlap the unfinished oak log with another log so that a pocket of air is between and under the logs.
Retrieved clean washing from the line and hung out the washed dirty clothing.
Picked the last of his grapes, removed from stalks, ensured no tiny slugs fell into those we needed, washed several times. He'll whizz them into juice using the 20 year old Kenwood mixer that I gifted.
Assisted with preparing worktable and tools, responded to requests, cleared up at end of day.
My friend removed one French door, removed old glazing and prepared it for receiving the new double glazed unit.
Lunch: Chicken and Potato pie in Flaky Pastry. It contained onions, carrots and flageolet beans.
Created Lemony Apple crumble with crême anglaise which I now have to perfection!
Day Two: Erased by depression. Slept 36 hours in darkened room,cosy and comfortable and without a fire it was a pleasant 16 degrees in the room. Not hungry or thirsty.
Day Three:  Normality resumed by the end of the day. I started taking the tablets! Today was a two bath day since the nice new thermodynamique has not enough hot water since Friday.  Calcaire is the monster. I await the electrician.  I must remember to turn off the red mallet to stop the machine wasting water. It's just like the wonderful French toilet cisterns when they get stuck!  I must remember to flick the switch on the electricity feed as I don't want the boiler heating water all day!
Door two is being prepared. Door one is being sanded. Slow progress, but progress. Measured and neatly packed apx 6 square metres prefinished (brushed and oiled) oak flooring, either for sale or to my son's boat. Lunch was too much with Carrot, garlic and ginger soup made with chicken stock, leftover pie and apple crumble.  That was me for the day apart from liquorice root tea.
Day Four:  Awoken by the distant sound of the doorbell. Yikes!!!!!!  We both worked at cleaning my chimney because I had been worried that there does not seem to be much draw. I haven't been that warm in the evenings.  In fact, the chimney was not very sooty! However, now I will not worry and took photos with date stamp to prove that ramonage had been tackled!
As the weather looked glorious my friend decided that we would tackle the temporary repair of the valley between the two roofs until such time as I have decided who will replace one roof and when!
With his head out the rafters we took some good shots of rooftops around my house. Then the 3 cans of SprayFoam (mousse)  did not work. In haste I drove several miles to return the two cans we bought last week. The entire stock in the shop (all the same batch) was useless and behind the counter two other cans had been returned. Re-imbursed, I bought 3 smaller cans.
TIP: Always shake the cans to check they are healthy.
NOTE New lesson: Some aerosols are used UPSIDE-DOWN and others used at 360 degrees.
Job done, roof tiles returned on new rafters with several broken - old and crumbly, like me!  Fortunately, we had spare tiles. My concern is that the former barn roof also needs attention but maybe not in my life time.  I can't afford to repair two roofs!!!!!!!! I would love also to convert both attics to living accommodation but that would be serious money!
Lunch was goats cheese on toast with beetroot in walnut oil followed by apricot coconut cake from last week which is now beautifully moist and yummy!  I just love store-cupboard cakes because they always improve!
Day Five: (Day 4 of toil) My friend scraped off the dried, bulging yellow foam, neatening the view. We further propped up the beam with stones.  The test will be when it rains but it JUST HAS to have improved. I am so pleased for this gift for now I will feel less anxiety about the beam rotting further from water ingress. Then he moved onto sanding the doors even more and are ready for primer / undercoat. Lunch was a very thin slice of rumpsteak, sweet potato slivers, steamed carrots and broccoli, leftover apple crumble and yoghurt.

Movie view

Saturday Movie Nite  -  I loved 4½ hours of art house cinema, seats of basic velour, red and orange,  with vinyl flooring and not a lot of heating.  No sound or smell of popcorn, chocolate being unwrapped, slurpy drinks or smooching in the back seat (quel horreur or I wish!)
I never like to read detailed reviews of films before I view them but always happy to do so afterwards to see what I've missed or if I got it right. In a good film, like a good novel, the unanswered questions are fascinating.
First of all AMOUR, in French.  I had tissues at the ready and yes they were needed!  Poignant. The opening, rolls up the names of artistes in silence. Then BANG, an explosion of sound as les pompiers (the firemen) break in and the scene becomes apparent. I wished to have seen the flower gilded woman reappear at the end, but that was not the director's plan. If one can have a favourite part in a film as serious as this, it was at the end:  before the loving couple go out she reminds him to wear his shoes and coat.  Thought provoking too, was the daughter's last visit to the house. For me, to know the pianists had lost the power to play, was upsetting.  Like in THE PIANO.  On my first viewing when I couldn't stop sobbing, nor watch the screen, I had to make a swift exit to the toilet room until I'd gained courage and control.  I missed seeing THE PIANO TEACHER (same director as AMOUR).  I wouldn't say this a film projected violence BUT for me it was brutal.  Who cares for whom when the time comes?  Reminder of feeding my aunt when she could not swallow nor speak as she suffered with Alzheimer's condition. The arguments for and against hospice / retirement home  / domestic care and euthanasia are apparent. I know my choice given someone to help me (only if necessary you understand).  We are born alone and alone we die.  I very much liked the viewing of pastoral scenes to depict the passing of time.  I wondered about the light and dark of the skies within the paintings and thought of the metaphor with life and death.  The paintings were in their house. A beautiful film if you look for the beauty within life's harsh reality. Deeply disturbing throughout but every now and then I caught a smile within me.

Secondly, a different type of tragedy - LA CHASSE, a Swedish film with French subtitles.   Several times I was on the point of walking out once reasons for the HUNT had been established.  I don't mean the killing of a stag which also I'm not in favour of.   So I braced myself to the chair!  It was a very powerful film. One that is quite disturbing as a former teacher. With gender related issues and the global sexual climate as it is the film was explicit.  History does not change. Again many questions unanswered. Thought provoking and shockingly violent.  I was in tears.

To add,  there was a trailer for AUGUSTINE and a third short film (maybe 5 minutes or less)  ALL MEN ARE CALLED ROBERT.

At the moment I don't intend to see the former.  The latter was about a naked man (subsequently many like him) running through the forest, hunted and shot at by actors wearing deer and boar masks, collected in a van and I know not what after that because my eyes were seriously covered with my hands until I considered that the ultimate horror had passed.  Weird but not weird. Rather 1984 but shows the cruelty of deer and wild boar hunting. Shown in France too!!!

It was an excellent night out, just what I needed to get me into the real world of people, events and places.  Nice to understand most of the French language too and hard work!   In UK evidently, car parking can cost more than the price of a cinema ticket.  In France, I paid 6.10 euros for each film.  The man on the desk and in charge of the film operation saw my grey hair and gave a reduction!   There have to be some benefits to old age!!!! Haha. Most of the the 30 or so viewers for each film were of an age, mostly women,  some couples but interestingly more threesomes and double couples, and just a few like me "toute seule".  I like that! No one has to bear the embarrassment of my weeping, occasional expletive of shock or sometime comment or laughter......

Phase Eight and I don't mean fashion

Day One - a cold and foggy morning entailed taking rubbish to the recycling yard, transporting tools from house to house,  searching for Monday morning 40% supermarket reductions, making the kit into a wheelbarrow, correcting a spotlight, investigated the leaking roof valley, discussing the plan.  Fish lasagne for lunch.
Day Two - removal of bedroom / office furniture around the house. One job leads to another. The sun shone in the afternoon but a cold day. Lasagne is always much improved on the second day.
Day Three - My friend worked so hard, bent doubled, wielding a heavy angle grinder with diamond cutter to level the concrete floor, rather than levelling with compound. It was a very dusty day.  Roast Chicken and Coconut Apricot dessert were delicious but could not improve the grubby tiredness that only soaking in a hot bath can restore a feeling of well-being.
Day Four - An extremely bitter, dank, fog-held-hunkered-down-to-earth day.  The sun would not appear to burn it away.  My friend worked outside preparing wood battens for double glazed units that will replace the single pane brittle glass of French window doors. The doors have to be shortened to accommodate the "to be laid" oak flooring and adjusted to prevent external draught entering the room.  Last winter the gaps were stuffed with newspaper, a very effective draughtproofing material.  I helped to move tools, garden waste, re-organised diy materials,  swept and tidied, then became lazy in front of the woodburner.  It's not good for my body or my brain to stop moving around.  Leftover roasted veg, newly cooked broccoli, remainder of onions roasted in the pan, chicken gravy sauce, leftover fish lasagne chopped small made the most delicious country cottage soup followed by cold baked Bramley apples with date stuffing and cream.

We made much progress. I am eternally grateful. I appreciate much in my life.

Phases of renovation for my very own French house

Phase One - 1st May until 1st July 2010 - an enormous amount of emptying, taking apart, destroying, disposing, burning, correction and constructing was achieved in madness and mayhem.  My friend, my son and I tackled all that by ourselves accompanied by physical, mental and emotional breakdown.  Unrealistic, over-ambitious, grand ideas, with long hours and labour-intensive days were part and parcel of those two months. Survive or die!
Phase Two - July and August 2010 - escape to UK friends and family, tears but no sweat.... I holed up inside my property with severe sadness, loss, bereavement and depression. Negativity had to be swapped for Positivity. Unsuccessful. Despair had to be swapped for Hope.  I tried.  Making plans and doing research was meant to happen but thoughts took me to other places.
Phase Three - September 2010 to June 4th 2011- my friend and I tackled the reconstruction and redecoration of three rooms but in November and March I headed back to UK.  I obeyed instructions, learnt how much I could weep, learnt that fun could be summoned, learnt to keep to the regime being imposed upon me and which was GOOD for me, learnt to work hard and know that I can do it with a little help from some friends and a kick up the rear.
Phase Four - July 2011- escape to UK friends and family and then to Greece.
Phase Five - August 2011 to October 2011 - escape to Nimes and Arles then cycling, walking, swimming, exploring my village, attempting research for the plans for my property!  Sounds grand! November - escape to UK and return with flu like symptoms.  I decided not to take any more tablets for depression which had beset me on and off probably for all my life. Now is not the time to explain as it would be self-indulgent!
Phase Six - November 2011 to June 2012 - the drainage problem is revealed and we solve the problem after much digging!  Work started for a bathroom in a newly created bare room. It developed and like a butterfly it emerged to be a truly beautiful room. Bathrooms should be a joy!
Phase Seven - June and July 2012 - escape to UK friends and family, enjoy my son's wedding and have birthday beach parties.  August to November - time to consolidate, research, plan again for a roof repair that got cancelled, escape to Brittany, relax, become lazy and help a friend.
Phase Eight  - November 2012 - the start of bedroom flooring, door / window insulation of two rooms.
Future phases to further phase me include
1. roofs
2. kitchen
3. budgeting
4. sort, dispose and declutter LIFELONG STUFF - a VAST project occupying my attic and soul ... boxes of uncatalogued photos, craft materials, kitchenware, antique kitchen ware, lovely things that have nowhere to be displayed, beautiful things I have no need of anymore, books, sheet music, vinyl records to convert to CDs and so the list goes on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's just the tip of the iceberg. I still have my marbles which roll about a bit, but I do have good health and they say that is all that matters until the day we disappear! Ha!

It was intended to be a light lunch!

Four arrived to chat whilst nibbling smoked almonds with cashew nuts to complement bubbling Cremant de Loire.  Two woodburners kept my L shaped ground floor cheerful against the rain. Lunch was served:
Leek & Potato Soup
Cut lengthwise 3 or 4 leeks, wash to remove all dirt, then cut horizontally into fine ribbons. Into a large saute pan add a large shaking of olive oil, the leeks as well as 4 cloves of crushed, chopped garlic.  Add 800 to 1kg of peeled potatoes chopped into small cubes, with one litre of chicken or vegetable stock. Season with bay leaves. Simmer until soft. Use a potato squasher to squash some of the cubed potatoes. If you prefer fewer lumps you could whizz half of the quantity in the blender.  Add one pint of milk. Season to taste with more salt and pepper and I also added fennel seeds.  You could add a large dollop of sour cream or creme fraiche or add a spoonful to each bowl of soup which I think looks prettier.  Sprinkle with dill, paprika and black pepper.
Fish Lasagne served with Riesling
Prepare:
1. Saute onions and garlic.
2. Separately saute chopped chunks of red pepper and tiny chopped sweet chilli style pepper.
3. Make cheese sauce with a roux of flour, milk, cheddar cheese.
4. Cook diced carrots.
5. Cut filleted and deboned hake/pollack/colin fish (lieu noir) into large cubes.
6. Part of a inexpensive packet of smoked salmon pieces.
7. Packet of tomato puree.
8. Seasoning, herbs plus paprika.
Contruct:
1. Oil a lasagne dish. Scatter cooked onions onto base. Place 3 leaves of Lasagne pasta.
2. Scatter more onions, red peppers, carrots, seasoning, fish, tomato puree + 3 leaves pasta.
3. Repeat 2.
4. Cover with runny cheese sauce. Grate cheese on top. Sprinkle with paprika.
5. Bake in a hot oven for apx 20 to 30 minutes.  It can be left to cool but cook for another 15 minutes.
6. Serve with Mesclun salad or broccoli florets. 
St Maure de Touraine Goats Cheese with Mesclun.  
We donned wet gear to walk to Witches Rock. On our return we enjoyed 
Spicy Ginger Pear Roulade with Earl Grey Tea
1. Peel and core 3 or 4 large Conference pears. Dice into a saucepan, add 30g butter plus 60g sugar and simmer gently until soft but pears still in their shape.
2. 120g plain flour, teaspoonful bicarb or baking powder, spices of ginger, cinnamon, allspice, mace, nutmeg, tagine mix as you wish.
3. In a pan melt 30g butter plus 1 large spoonful golden syrup and the same of black treacle. Beat in one egg and juices from pears.
4. Mix 2 and 3 together... beat hard...
5. Pour into a rectangular Swiss roll tin lined with baking sheet paper twisted at corners which has been scattered with sieved icing sugar.  Bake in a hot oven for 15 minutes or so. Leave to cool for a few minutes and roll the paper and sponge cake. Unroll. Add pears (use remainder for breakfast!) and thick cream spread over the top... use the paper to help you roll. Keep wrapped tightly and put in the fridge or a cold place. Decorate with sieved icing sugar. Serve alone or with extra cream but that WOULD be naughtily over indulgent!!

NB  Mesclun is a  Provençal salad.  Mescla means "mixture".  The salad should include chervil and  rocket,  lettuces and endive in equal proportions, but the modern version may include spinach, Swiss chard, mustard greens, endive, dandelion, lamb's lettuce, radiccio, sorrel  or other leaf vegetables.

I have a problem loading photographs because Google tells me that Picasa wishes me to purchase more space... I am going to have to work on this because it appears that some photos on my blogs are too large... Oh tedium!!!!!! I do not like Picasa but I suppose I need it! 

UPDATE:

I received two suggestions but cannot find the 'purrfect' one that Ron Ron made.

No Humming update

Wasps clamouring to reach the light on the outside of the windows make themselves an easy target for a shoe or flybat! Sleepy wasps on a tiled floor get stamped upon. Today, increasingly colder weather brings another 60 or so, in their death throes, fallen to the ground at the double doorway below the nest entrance.  One lies dead in the spotlight above the bath in my brand new bathroom!!!! The crack in the wall received another spray on Tuesday but being inappropriately dressed, 'though well covered, swiftly did I descend when wasps appeared from east and west!  Thursday, the crack was indirectly blocked by a sheet of metal but as the wall is wonky, they can still exit and enter.  Evidently, green ant powder will do the trick....me thinks I need to drill a larger hole into the wall plus pump it in somehow. The week has passed and the poison control man never even contacted me! Hmph!  My granddaughter was very brave, especially when she found a sleepy one on her clothing.  I look forward to their full departure and am grateful that they don't appear to be humming anymore!

No Humming now!

Most wasps appear to be dead...but tomorrow I will buy more spray just in case.

What a saga!!!! We finished three cans that had been previously started to kill wasps nests in his and her houses!  My friend wore a plastic decorator suit with a clear plastic bag over his head, pegged together and rubber gloves.  He managed to do the deed without suffocating himself, nor getting stung. Another bonus was that he couldn't breathe in any of the fumes.  That was good!  I borrowed a ladder so we could put wooden planks over the plastic corrugated roof to tread on, to reach the crack in the house wall, which is above the roof, above the exit door.  You can see that there is cement on this wall! Not good!!!!!
The wasps came from east and west, swooping over the rooftop but most got sprayed. It was lunchtime, not the righttime, but needs must! The vital task was to spray directly into the crack and this he managed. Within the afternoon there were 50/100 wasps in the salle de sejour, yet with all windows and doors closed.  Attracted by daylight, they met their end by shoe and flyswat as they collected on the French doors.  Then an equal number fell dead or almost so, into the atelier below the roof outside the exit door.
Some sprays destroy wasp nests, others kill only wasps.  Although expensive I didn't have to pay the wasp man.  Fortunately / Unfortunately he is too late.  I expect he will be annoyed!   He came and looked, then had to order the powder but meanwhile it rained a lot. He didn't come at the weekend because this is France although he knew I needed them to be removed urgently!

My friend suggests that we fill the crack with mousse foam to be doubly sure that surviving wasps do not return to the nest even though I have read that the queen flies and starts a nest elsewhere.
Now, another job will be to go around the external house walls, filling cracks and holes with chaux render!  However, it is easier to own a French property when one has a pragmatic and skilled friend.
Ah!!!!!!
No humming now!

Linked to the previous posting

Seated Art

I do find it annoying when Blogger does not allow me to edit a posting in the way that I wish!
I refrained from taking photos of artists' works ( see previous posting ) but felt that outdoors, being in the public domain, the art of seeing with an eye, was permissible. Years ago, in the 1980s I once walked in the Forest of Dean following the sculpture trail. My children loved the giant forms transformed from nature.

L'Art et Lard - Le Petit Pressigny

The rain fell. Sadly, people did not appear until the afternoon when the sun shone, but as quickly as it arrived, so also did the temperature drop after an electric storm.  Gusty winds eventually blew the grey sky full of rain into differently sized bulbous clouds of varying shades of white and grey.  However, despite the gloomy weather, some people brought laughter and smiles and I was glad to have made an effort in order to support those who had worked so hard to present the event.

Glad too to have entered the tart competition because I learned from it, tasting the winner's offering.  It was won by an English lady who'd added ground almonds, which was interesting in that we were not allowed to have any other form of tart e.g. Tarte Tatin, Tarte Alsace.  So, I'd decided to let the pastry and apples speak for themselves rather than add cinnamon or other flavourings that I love to put in pastry and fillings. Many of the recipes I researched used apple puree as a bed for the sliced apples but I followed one where apples were on a bed of home-made Creme Patisserie!  My apple tart was tasty but did not stand alone in taste as it needed cream or yoghurt.  I discovered THAT afterwards. The Ariane apples were too acidic and too crunchy.  I needed an apple that will squidge down more and cook until soft. I need to cut the slices more uniform. My shortcrust pastry was not sufficiently cooked despite having been baked blind and being in the hottest of ovens as well as baked on metal.  However on the plus side I liked the rustic look of my effort!  Well, it was fun to do. I was Number 4 of 12 entries - usually 30! Every participant received a litre of freshly juiced apple from the apple press. Not bad!

Several artists were not in their appointed places...too wet a day!  I 'm not sure how the artistes and artisans fared with sales but it could not have been rewarding!
Unfortunately, I couldn't muster a wow about much of the art.  My favourite work was by a photographer who was being interviewed by the press. His description of passion for his mother and her pasta making was a joy to listen to, although I did not understand all. I almost bought his book documenting French cafe-bars.  Had I seen before the wonderfully large portraiture, where the crepes were to have been enjoyed?  Feeling tempted to commission a study of my grand-daughter,  I resisted the thought and edged away.  Dominique's decorative pottery is always wonderful. The Illuminated painting on different materials was a marvel with detail and exactitude.  The photography of a red paper dress was appreciated because there was no one present so I had the building to myself!  I would like to see more craftsmen or women working as did Magalie, Eliane, a jeweller and someone who makes the zinc work for rooftops. There was jewellery made with hand made lace which though very interesting was not my style.   Although solitary, I met people I knew. I enjoyed the event, as much as anyone could in such weather, but previous years were better. Such a shame for it was not the fault of the organisers.

The English tea stall had doubled the quantity of cakes they had made and seemed to do a fine trade in keeping us warm.  Thank you Joyce and her team for English scones and Earl Grey tea! Nothing like a cuppa!  

I enjoyed wandering the lanes and having my umbrella turned inside out around the muddied-watered lake but sunshine makes all the difference to an Autumn Fair.

Roof Art

15 kilograms Loaf Art

Door Art

Liquid Art

Camer'Art

Tart Art -'ard to win!

Almost Midnight

......and savouring the first glass of red as I look at the first ever attempt at making a

"Tarte aux Pommes Classique"

Yes, of course I have made many an apple pie that might even have looked me in the eye like this one....... but...... this has had to be special because it is for a competition. It will be my first ever "concours" if I can get it to the destination intact.  The weather is forecast with an ORANGE alert meaning that there are going to floods and floods means RAIN RAIN RAIN... We've already had 18mm in 24 hours and before that 60 mm since Sunday evening. 
It will be scrutinised and tasted by French experts!  I don't favour my chances but everyone who enters gets something, so that in itself will be a reward.  I am doing it for the fun of FIRSTS.  I don't fancy being a judge. They are going to have to taste quite a few tarts!  If there is part of my tart looking still edible, then I am allowed to collect it after prizes have been distributed! 
I WOULD LIKE THE MIDNIGHT FEAST NOW!
Eventually after much decision making I decided not to add lavender to the pastry and not to add cinnamon to the apples.  I thought the taste and texture should speak for itself.
Cheers... I deserve this glass of red!
It's been a wet and whiney day! 

Five green bottles

After administrative visits to CPAM and then the Tax Office in order to have explained to me, yet again, the Avis d'Imposition, I took lunch at Fred's in the market place, Chatellerault.  Highly recommended.
I understood much more as to how tax figures are calculated but now I must go to the Bank and ask them to explain other calculations! It is complicated living in another country and having to learn so much, but inevitably it must keep the brain active!

Now, five green bottles standing in a row were placed upon my table after I'd ordered a 'Croque Saumon avec graines de cumin et Salade et Tomates".  In response to my asking for a glass of red, Fred starts to tell me the choice, gives up before he has started to speak, brings the large "ardoise" (blackboard), gives up quickly again, then brings a choice to the table!!!!!!!  It's all very fast, furious and fun in his cafe-bar where he has no kitchen but telephones to the charcutiere one's order! I choose the central bottle because it is almost empty.  I only have a small glass!!!! The food arrives with a flourish and he asks what it is in English. I say a toasted sandwich.  A lady client amuses me as she tries to say "toasting sandvich". I meet my hairdresser and then a lady from my pottery class dining with her husband.  We speak English, because he is, and now I was on my way to the next venue.
It was to "La Gourmandine" restaurant where there was an Independent Financial Adviser company presentation to us British Nationals living in France. I learn one or two useful facts.  One is that I am poor but not as poor as some.  However, I try to take no notice for I have other riches! Afterwards we are presented with Kir Royale and mise en bouches. There were small glasses of cold pea soup which was deeeeeeelicious, morue with waffle biscuits on tiny wooden platters, other savoury morsels, French honey cake and strange sweet nibbles with coffee! A bizaare 4pm gouter!

Onwards to the supermarket where I was brave enough to ask a lady which apples she would recommend for a Tarte Pomme Classique. She did not know in English!!!! After we'd summoned further help and I settled on Reine de Reinettes and also Ariane I asked her where she had learned her English. She became quite wistful and told me how she used to work with Nato and missed an opportunity to go to Germany with a certain gentleman but subsequently worked with the oil trade where she met her husband. 
It is a joy to meet French people and hear their remarkable stories!
I don't often praise myself but today I have been called "adorable" by one lady, then by another praised for my shape in the diet foods aisle, whilst discussing the merits of BIO biscuits containing sunflower, sesame and lin seeds....as a potentially nourishing biscuit to give my grand-daughter and prise her away from "rubbishy snack foods".  My daughter is having a terrible time trying to get the little one to eat properly!!!!!! They will be with me soon just for 3 full days.
Yes, today I felt positive. Happy to be out and about in "April showers" and sunshine, with movement and colourful people, but dismayed at the emptying of the wallet and purse!!!!!!

... and my last

accordion, owned since the age of 10!!!!!!!

August 2012

My first accordion

When I was seven years old Santa gave me this little accordion.
And for a little bit of nostalgia: 
I was told by my father that during the war he was mostly in the back of a lorry on signals, but whilst in Ancona, Italy he heard many an accordion. Today the factories still exist and museums too.  Though I would love to go, I feel I would be filled with sadness, as well as, joy to hear the many sounds and styles of such an instrument that I love to play. It represents freedom for me!

A  few days ago, an English lady whom I met 3 years ago arrived for guidance on how to play it. She had bought one exactly the same but darker red!  I thought she'd paid rather a lot of money but I would need to research that!  It was fun to teach and she made quick progress whilst I made a cup of tea.  It's a very limited instrument as it is child-size.

When I was seven years old, it was my French teacher or she was a teacher who was French (possibly Madame Boucher who taught mathematics) ... who gave me lessons.  I learned to play Three Blind Mice.  She was impressed. It was my earliest recollection that I could be successful at something!  After about three after-school lessons, she visited my house and told my mother I needed to have professional lessons more or less immediately.  I started studies with Martin Lukins. 

I can't wait until my grand-daughter who has already shown interest and ability at the age of 4, is ready to learn to play seriously.  It would be nice to think that I could pass on 'heritage tracks' !!!!

Changing my mind

Change the mind and change my world!
I've just had several days or was it weeks when apart from trying to organise the mess that I create  and cleaning for a friend, I now feel optimistic!
Being lazy on a Sunday afternoon with the sun shining warmly, I decide it's better to be a social human being.  I decide not to shut the world out of my courtyard but to achieve what once a friend and I said we would do in France ... I open the gates, meet people, see places.  

First port of call was a small Brocante at Bonneuil Matours.  No more than a dozen stalls.  But no vide-grenier which was a welcome change! Then I wandered to where I thought there was a Park, carrying my picnic basket. Realising it was too far, I returned to the car. However, with a 'no entry' to my right I decided to explore, driving into narrow streets of the old town.  I wished to go into the church but at mid-afternoon the riverbank wall, warm with sunshine, urged me to eat my raw salad, yoghurt, scone and plums with Earl Grey tea.  The dam was automatically operating and seeming to clean the vanes of the barrage.  To my surprise, it is an old moulin which once created flour and now creates electricity.

I have to practice my French to read / understand more  here and here.  The noticeboard outside the mill was very interesting but I couldn't absorb all the history.

Then I found a park which will be ideal for my grand daughter as there is mini-golf, zipwire,  climbing apparatus, the usual roundabout things for younger children PLUS space to play ball or fly a kite and in the summer a place to swim or paddle with lifeguard present.  FREE!

Feeling quite buoyant I set off for home but took a different route and came upon L'Abbaye d'Étoile which was absolutely stunning.  It is a redundant, salvaged Cistercian Abbey.... the only one in the region of Poitou. The Cistercians lived in Silence but used Sign Language to communicate.  Unlike the Benedictines at St Savin, the Cistercians lived in austerity and poverty.  Some of the buildings have received much preservation work but more is required.   It will cost a fortune! How come I have not discovered this in the last 9 years of my knowing this region?  I definitely wish to return. After my solitary visit, apt to get a feeling of the vastness and the space that monks created and prayed in,  I had the opportunity to listen to the guide speaking to descendants (?) or people interested in, Les Acadiens. There was I think a twinning group from Archigny.  After a while I sloped off, for I did not wish to be "Who's that woman in our photographs?"  

A model of the entire site

Stars and Moons

The Chapel

There is quite a lot of history to learn!