Lost in Translation !

 This morning we had a visit from the Assistant Mayor to give us our Christmas box of goodies because we are over 75 years old ... foie gras, terrine, pate, chutney and Walnut gateau.

I answered the door and received a box, but then Madame Adjointe asked if I knew, what sounded to me as, Mme Vallère.   No I replied.  It was only later that I began to realise that, underneath the French accent, she was saying Mme Waller ... Sue!  Here in France ladies retain their maiden name for all official business, normally saying Mme Waller, wife of M Herring.  This afternoon Mme Adjointe returned, having checked the records to see where Sue lived.  She and Sue had a good laugh when Sue said that I had forgotten my wife.

Sleigh bells ringing

 St Germain du Bel Air started it's Christmas celebrations on Sunday with it's 'traditional' Christmas Fair in front of the Town Hall.  As you can see it was well supported!

It all began about 10am with old-fashioned table games for the children, face painting for everyone, the drawing of the village raffle, horse-drawn carriage rides and a free glass of hot chocolate or mulled wine.

The children loved the carriage rides!

We met up with some of our good friends ...

... before we all moved on to champagne or wine (which was all sold at very reasonable prices) and just to prove my increasing Frenchness, I had a plate of oysters with my glass of champagne!!!! Needless to say Sue didn't risk it.

A great way to get into the Christmas spirit.

At the same time Guy and Lucy were at a Christmas fair in Taipei, Taiwan. 

It always seems bizarre to us that Taiwan, which isn't a Christian society, would go overboard in celebrating Christmas, but perhaps it is too good a marketing opportunity to miss.

Happy Christmas everyone.

Boar Attack

 The first sign of a visit from sanglier (boar) was when I walked down the Allée.

That in itself is no great problem but then, upon further investigation and following the trail of disturbance to the beds where we have spread compost and where Sue then planted plants ...

 

So, an unexpected job for the Head Gardener ... replanting uprooted plants!

The joys of living close to Nature.