Empty Lofts

Another beautiful sunny day, ideal for the early morning dog walk, followed by a light breakfast. Today is vide grenier day. Vide grenier is empty loft, where people take out things from their loft they no longer want to sell. This weekend it was at St Macoux about 25 minutes from us. On route we stopped to fill up the tank in Paul's van... how can you resist 0.99 centimes a litre!!
That's twice this year diesel has been less than a euro!

St Macoux houses a stunning plan d'eau and is the venue for their Fête Annuelle. We have visited St Macoux through rain, wind and shine, and shine is definitely preferred. Stalls were set out under the trees, the RLM bar was already busy at 11am!! Pression o'clock as we fondly call it. There was lots going on, entertainment for the children, the local repas, cyclists touring through and plenty of buying and selling.  After a few purchases, 10 of us rounded up for lunch at the plan d'eau cafe/bar. 

When in France do as the French do and relax at lunch time. After agreeing that we would indulge in the menu of the day and not knowing what we were going to have, imagine our surprise at eating tender lamb shanks. The wonderful thing is that sellers  always come prepared too. They bring the family, gazebos, picnic tables, chairs, bottles of chilled wine and plenty of food. In true French style at mid day they step away from their wares and enjoy lunch too.

The overly warm weather, the lake as our back drop, long lunch, relaxed ambiance equalled the grand sum of the perfect Sunday in France. It was 'on y va' just after 2pm and time to return home and tackle that pile of ironing.

Laundry Talk

Friday was not a good day. Having sourced a new basket for my 2^nd hand bicycle Lucille, Paul unintentionally made my bike unusable. Having jimmied the handle bars off, one of the nuts must have over threaded and was unable to be threaded back on to keep the handle bars in place. I was looking forward to evening cycles around our lanes with my basket and bell. I was even contemplating a beret to complete the French look. I am not one to spend out for a new one, so I will have to keep a keen eye out for one at the vide-grenier on Sunday.

Saturday was a cracker of a day, weather wise. Up early while the sun was melting low lying mist from the fields, bundles of washing was completed and out on the rotary line, ready for mammoth ironing session over the weekend. I placed a post on Facebook during the week asking was it me or does anyone else get excited about having a new ironing board. Clearly it was just me.

I don't mind admitting it, I love ironing. And since taking ownership of a Bosch Sensixx B10L, no how matter big the ironing pile I can wade through it in no time. Truth be told for the last couple of months I have been a little less pleased with the ironing board so have been pondering for some time on purchasing a new wider one. During this week my purchasing eye cast over a reasonably priced one at our local Intermarche so in my basket it went, metaphorically speaking. I think it also timely to tell you of my sheer excitement of having a rotary line too! The French have unusual washing line facilities and buying these things at reasonable prices is not like nipping down to Tesco and coming back with plenty of change. I can now get 4 washes on the rotary line and get the ironing done toute suite!

So on a day like today I have been a domestic demon. All the washing done, fridge inventory carried out and cleaned. Pantry re-organised. Due to imminent storing of potatoes. Floors hoovered and washed. Made easier as Paul was working in the morning.

When I took five for a well earned brew, pleased that the washing was out, floors were clean, ironing board at the ready, I am wondering how long it will last in this blissfully clean state when Paul gets home.  

The fruits of nature and foraging

Summer is still clinging on.  There are good days where the sunshine bank is over delivering with hot rays and blue skies followed by violent 'orages' ... that's storms. One can't help thinking that Autumn will be sharing her glorious autumnal glow very soon.  Berries have ripened.  The sunflowers look like they have hung their heads in shame... that will be the storm damage and not having enough water through nearly 8 weeks of minimal rain. Conkers are falling. Road sides are laden with ripe blackberry bushes, each over burdened branch beckoning pick me, pick me.  Tips of trees are just taking on that burnt crisp tinge.

Paul and I have done our fair share of blackberry picking... to the point that we have cut short evenings out armed with white plastic bowls to pick the best crops that we have spotted!  We have received a donation of mirabelle plums.  Our French neighbour who is a retired farmer often knocks on the door with a glut of home grown goodies.   Very recently we were in receipt of some juicy tomatoes from him.  Timely I thought... as having recently seen the film Sugar... I am determined to make more sauces from scratch thus eliminating the need to use sugar.

We are also lucky to have 3 bramley apple trees.  In order to avoid interaction with the wasps, I have been getting up early to pick up off the floor the best of the 'drops' and stocking up on apple and blackberry crumbles for the winter.

Last night [Thursday] after exchanging 'ca va' [how are you] with our French farmer neighbour,  he asked if we wanted some pomme de terres.... now I am quite respectful of my elders, but I had to restrain myself from biting off his right arm!  As born and bred Brits,  Paul and I love potatoes, what Brit doesn't?  And for 3 years I have purchased sparingly, as they are quite expensive in France.  Quite surprising for a country that grows plenty of them.  In French he said he would bring the potatoes round on his tractor and quarante, quarante.... So my mind races thinking quarante is €40 and if he is bringing the tractor into our garden there's going to be a hefty load!!

Within in minutes our neighbour has driven his tractor into our garden, performed a 3 point turn on threepence... he clearly has still got it in terms of being a skillful tractor driver and deposits 2 very large sacks of beautiful potatoes.  Clearly 40 kilos, for a princely sum of €25... now that is what I call a good purchase.  You can expect to pay €3 for 2.5kg.

I will pay it forward with my potatoe purchase to those who have shared their fruitful wares with us and we will look forward to having more of our favourite staple in our Autumnal diet!