Archive Article: 2001/12/21

21 December 2001




WE ARE keeping our fingers crossed that the French air traffic controllers are not going out on strike again because Beth is flying home from Norway for Christmas tomorrow. She has already missed some of the fun – she always likes to go with her Dad to man the phones at the French Telethon, a little like the British Comic Relief idea where all sorts of activities are organised and sponsored to collect money for children in need. Tims job was converting the francs offered into ks, a very good way of picking up the new system. I regret not doing that myself, but I was at the local mairie serving cider and orange to the cyclists making one of their many stops on their circuit, so many in fact the vision of them wobbling their way down to town or dashing behind a nearby tree kept me smiling all day, my own comic relief.

Weve had the Christmas dinner organised by the Lions in the local retirement home, and weve had our end of session rocknroll "do" in Le Country Club which has a cowhide bar front. Cherry was in on that one, suitably impressed by her Mum and Dads progress since September. Our big advantage there is knowing the words, it sort of compensated for what was lacking in the footwork – but give us time.

Of course the rocknroll night was just a warm-up for the marathon to come. I, along with 18 other ladies, abandoned husband and family for a girls night out at a discotheque. With ages ranging from the teens (two daughters) to – dare I say it, the late 40s – there were some of us extremely gratified to be jigging about in mostly subdued lighting, but it was all good fun and I crawled into bed as Tim was washing up for milking. It wasnt only the lighting that was subdued the next day, and all this at the beginning of December.

All the girls will be home to help Tim find a tree in the wood and to go carol-singing at Michael and Marys. It is funny how they like tradition and we wouldnt have it any other way.

We have a large pumpkin sitting in the corner of the kitchen waiting for Yvette to come tomorrow morning (she cleans for me one morning a week). She makes a wonderful creamy, peppery pumpkin soup and, as we will have a houseful for 10 days, I thought it would make a tasty starter one night – it freezes extremely well.

Everyone has been hoping that the restrictions on what food can be brought into France following foot-and-mouth would be lifted before Christmas. It is such a long time since we tasted bacon and British beef and pork sausages, and Christmas wouldnt be right without Stilton cheese and some tasty cheddar and pickles. With Marks and Spencer in Paris closing down we wont have a second option.

Never mind, as the French teenagers and some not so young were singing in the discotheque the other night -"We will survive" and have a Merry Christmas.


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