The weather the last few days has been scorchio! Clear blue skys and wall to wall sunshine. It’s so warm, a Red Admiral butterfly was spotted sitting on the heather outside the patio door. The bumble bees have been hard at it too but it’s still only January and this is just a taste of things to come.
As always when the weather warms up so does the number of insects but it’s nice to have the windows open and circulate some of that lovely fresh air. The answer – Fly Screens.
I bought some fly screens for all the bedroom windows. Fortunately the width fits our windows exactly and although Steve had to do a little bit of trimming and fitting here and there, after a couple of hours the first one was in.
Once they are all fitted, we can relax with the windows open and not have to worry about those little critters. It will be especially good in the summer when you want the cooler air of the evening in but not the mozzy’s!
I carried on and my gears had improved a little but then it was back into the mucky stuff and my gears were playing up good and proper. I finished the last 8k or so changing up and down at the front only. The going was so slow, it was like riding through setting cement. My legs were tired and I was nearing the end. I came to a section where there was a fork on a forest trail. Blue to the left (short route) and Red to the right (36k route). I can tell you now, I was so tempted to cut it short but it was at that moment that I heard a little voice in my head saying “Anyone fool can ride when they are feeling good, it’s when you are suffering that counts” – 
It looked like they had spent weeks preparing the house with decorations and had cleared the living room to fit a table that would sit 15 of us. Now the group was complete and the party started. It was about 7.30 pm and out came the bottles of everything from whisky, pastis, muscadet and other indescribable drinks along with plateful after plateful with snacks of caviar, pates and pastries.
After about half an hour, the hosts appeared with a game of “zplat zee ‘azelnut”. The idea was to roll a hazelnut down the pipe then try to crack it with a small hammer when it emerged at the other end. Everyone had a go, but only Eric managed a smash. Meanwhile, the drinks were still flowing and no-one really cared anyway!
Each place had been laid out carefully with decorations, the right cutlery and even a menu. The first priority of course was to get the wine out and raise a glass to everything you could think of. I was asked what one would say in England and I replied “Cheers”……. “cheese, comme le fromage?”, was the reply. “Non, ‘cheers’”, I said prenouncing the word more like “chee ars”. So there it was, when we raised our glasses it was “CHEE ARS” from then on!
Two courses over so back to the dancefloor again to work up an apetite for the next.
with a lump of ice – revolting but Steve enjoyed it and had mine too! Then came the Chapon – castrated cock – only the “doodle doo left”. This was served with ceps, chestnuts and mash potato balls (not sure if the balls were relevant!) which all tasted extremely delicious – oh and of course a new round of wine.
