Bastile night

I had sent my friend a quick email with photos but no explaination, so here is my reply which covers a fairly typical day here in France
Ok, I will try to explain. last night we went to the centre of St Puy, still have not taken photos, to have a drink with the English lady, Pamela, who is helping run the small brocante and tea room, met her and her English friends, had a drink of Poussee rapiere, the local fiz and armangnac mix, then on to Roland's house, next to the Chateau, for dinner of canard, poulet and the gâteau Nadine made from the mirabelle at the Bergerie. Then to the fire works in St Puy and some Champagne with George and Denise, Tristan and Nadine, as well as other French couples at the local bar, Chez nous, one of the ladies ticked me off for being too advanced when I had massaged another ladies calf muscles after she had developed cramp, whilst and after, dancing with me.... The evening finished for us at about 01.30 in the morning because we needed to be up early, 06.00, to load up for the the outside market at La Romieu. I spent some time on the computer before sleeping at about 02.00 in the morning, then up at 06.30 for a wash and breakfast. Loaded all that we neede into the car and some bits into the van when we realised i would not fit into the car. Off to La Romieu at about 08.00, when we arrived we set up on the corner of a round about...see photos, and at first had little customers, it was the night after the Bastile celebrations and it was threatening to rain, but after a while there became a steady flow of French ladies buying the cotton voils at 1 euro a square metre, the paris price is 29 euros a metre, i also helped my friends nigel and Wendy, set up there stall when they arrieved at 9.40 , having slept in.....then i wandered around the stalls to see what was available and spotted white china for Nadine to buy for her future bed and breakfast enterprise. I also took photos as I walked around, see photos.



The church or Abbey has cloisters that can be seen behind the closed gates, so hence the photos. I spent my time chatting to Tristan and Nadine and their customers as well as seeing what Nigel and Wendy ehere up to. Had lunch of coffee and croissant, then a sausage roll and later more coffee. Just before we decided to call it a day at 14.30, an English couple livened up the day for all, by trying the take their new Citreon across the edge of the traffic island, the lady driver managed to get the car stuck on the stone curb and her invalided husband then had to reverse it , with the sound of crunched steel and the signs of hydraulic fluid left on the road !!!!!! shorthly after this two attractive ladies came past and looked at the fabrics, Tristan remarked to me that they seemed to be talking together in Portuguese, so i asked them in French if they where from Portugal, they replied no, they came from Brazil, one of the ladies was living in the next town, Lectoure, and presumably is married to a French man, although she came from Belem in Brazil, and in fact finds it too quiet here in France,the other lady is from Sáo Paulo, single, and presumably staying with her friend in Lectoure...

We packed our stuff at lightening speed and zoomed back to Nadine's house, where now she is making the food for this evenings soire of English and French couples, all in the aid of french language lessons, there will be 14 coming....I had quickly loaded the photos onto the computer and sent you a selection, then I had some tea and an hours drawing in the garden, my first sketch of Nadines house, made in water clour pencils and washed over with my wetted finger. Nadine has just asked to turn the large omelete, I have done that and taken a quick photo of the very same grande crepe, which I will now load and send to you....

by the way the other photos showed the stream down the lane were Nadine caught the fresh water crayfish, they were cooked last night, fried in butter with a dash of armangnac, and taken to Rolands for part of the starter. Tonight i am sure will be a boozy...every one is arriving now so I will send this ..
Hi Campbell, the French lessons are finished for the night and large quantaties of champagne and red wine have been drunk. here is the photo of Nadine and her omelete. I have been asked to make doors by two couples that have been to the lesson here tonight ......Stuart