Mile: 16530 Daily: 0000 Meteo: Overcast and fresh.
Today after a rather overcast and windy morning we took ourselves into 'town' for something to eat. As usual Andy drove. We Stopportons suggested they as locals knew where we could eat and left the decision to them. It seems that neither Andy nor Lal were on the same page on 'the menu'. They both had different restaurants in mind but had not conferred. Thus when Andy went speeding past the resto Lal thought she was headed for, sorry speeding and Andy should not and never has been written in the same sentence, they then decided to confer. Anyway Andy had the wheel and so we drove around for another hour or so until we found the resto Lal was 'headed' for. We piled out of the car and into the restaurant. It was late by now and Mike thought we would be turned away. We were! Back into the car 'speed 'past the first resto Lal hoped to visit, also now closed and back into Coulon. We parked. "Isn't this where you spent hours in that antique shop yesterday Andy"? someone asked. Andy all innocent replied "Oh, is it"? Lal laid down the law. "We're getting lunch before anything else". Lunch? It was very nearly supper time. OK, I exaggerate a bit but we were all Hank Marvin.
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The view from our table out onto the river. |
We walked towards the river.
Today it was quite busy, families were about and there was a pleasantly relaxed atmosphere to the riverside walks.
We spotted a café/bar which on enquiring was happy to serve salads, pate, toast etc. Not what we had originally envisaged for lunch for but hey. The food we ordered and the location was all pretty good.
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Enjoying lunch. |
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Exiting the Resto |
The guy who served us here as were all the other staff most obliging and very friendly.
We were told about the fireworks in the square later tonight to celebrate 'Fete National' and were even invited to attend.
We knew that tonight though we had an invitation to Pascal's house for cake and wine.
We returned home.
As we had not had a huge lunch somebody suggested a BBQ. This is Andy's speciality. He lit the BBQ and whilst we waited for the food to cook we boys wandered off. Lal's shouts of 'the grubs on fire' brought us back toute suit.
It was early evening and we had not long sat down to eat. As usual Pascal arrived part way through our meal. Sometimes this can be a bit frustrating but he's an OK Joe. We merely sit him at the end of the table give him a drink and offer him to pick away at the BBQ ribs.
Bernard calls with wife Dominic and granddaughters. The girls are about 9 and 15. Difficult to tell. We are all introduced and the girls lean towards me to offer their cheeks, we have the usual French double kiss, Dominic approaches and I do not know whether to shake hands or kiss. She pushes my hand away and we kiss cheeks. Can't get over these French customs. So unlike our staid English ways.
We are happy Bernard arrived after Pascal because although we had an invitation to take cake with Pascal he did not specify a time and Bernard had told Lal he would call around sometime in the evening. She was on the horns of a dilemma but this had resolved itself. We could obviously not go to Pascal's until Bernard departed. Whilst we all sat and chatted Andy took the girls into the field and they had a great time flying his remote model aeroplane.
It was getting darker and later. Eventually Bernard and the girls left for the local firework display. It was now darkish and pretty late. "Right" says Pascal "lets go to my place". "What" thought I "at this time of night"?
Anyway off we traipse, somewhat inebriated with the amount of wine that had been flowing. Pascal took us to the look at the veg patch on the other side of the canal he tends then further down into the forest along tracks to other woods he owns and cuts for timber. It is at this juncture that we realise Lal is wandering around in her bathing suit still. The shameless hussy. There is a photo somewhere but fortunately for Lal I cannot find it of her 'stood standing' like a contestant in a Miss France competition. Meanwhile Pascal is telling us of wood thieves and rabbits and hares which all conspire to steal from his woodpile or eat his crops. A goodly proportion of what he grows he feeds to his Pig. "Pig"? Jackie enquires. Next stop the pig shed.
Lal is against the idea of the pig held in it's pen being reared for bacon. Her standing Joke with Pascal is that she will creep over in the dead of night soon and 'liberate' the pig. Pascal's tales of hanging the pig on the tractor forks, killing, bleeding and cutting it up for the freezers turns the girls off. He also proudly shows us the three freezers, empty, waiting the date in November when the deed will be done. The pig is kept in a largish clean stall with plenty of food, to fatten him, it is not free range though.
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Pascal with Lal about to cut the cake. |
Now we are off into his maison for drinks. Here we meet Axel his son. A lovely chap like his Dad. Speaks pretty good English and soon we have consumed several bottles of wine. He keeps a large collection of model tractors, many of which he buys on E bay from England! There is much telling of jokes and merriment. The pig features heavily and Pascal is quick to remind Lal, as she is 'biting' that soon he will be in the 'micron' being cooked.
He is also very proud of his antique shotgun, handed down from his grandpere. It has lovely scrolling on the area of the breech and lovely walnut furniture. It is now well past midnight and we are conscious that although tomorrow is a National Holiday for Pascal it is work as normal. He has agreed to help out an 'amis'. We take our leave. The Stopporton's will not see him again this trip for we depart in the morning. He gives us both a great hug and offers his e mail address. All promising to keep in touch.
We stumble back through the bushes through the rear of our respective gardens and the Stopportons crash out in the camper. "No need to get up too early in the morning". was the last thing I remember Lal shouting over.
