Turkey Curry and Party Poppers

The river from the 'high village' at
Angles-sur-l'Anglin. Spectacular!

So Tim, Amanda, Liana, and James have departed and we are left with the remains of a very large turkey. And it is true that the party poppers are all popped, but we are still recovering their remains from under the furniture!
So, turkey curry it is tonight.
And a day as a tourist for us. We visited Angles-sur-l'Anglin, an ancient medieval town, home to ancient cliff carvings, and called the "English Town". On the way we explored Chauvigny, also medieval. There are plenty of ruins in each of them, and tremendous views from their high places.
So why is Angles-sur-l'Anglin the English Town? We wondered this and finally read a history that recalled a cleft in the cliff that allowed the English to climb up and take the fortress. Perhaps this was it, but the history book at home claims the name is derived from the word "English" (French 'Anglaise') and the fact that to this day the inhabitants are called "les Anglais". Whatever the reason, the town is well worth a visit, even in the winter. And the carvings are strange!

A Sacrifice Forever

June and I had a lovely time at the 'Little Stone Church' Christmas eve service in Chef Boutonne. This was the first such service since it's renovation by Steve and Liz: Their web-blog. My few photos.

Steve explaining a dog's life

Whilst it was all fun, enjoyable, and great to worship together with new people, I also enjoyed a new understanding of an aspect of the Christmas story I had not seen before.
Perhaps it helps that Steve has an engineering background, he explains things in ways I understand! He explained that in order to understand something bigger than ourselves, it is sometimes helpful to step back and think in terms that start smaller than our experience. So for instance, to try and consider 4 dimensional space, one could first consider what it is like to be a 2 dimensional being, and then try and consider what that 2 dimensional being would think of our 3 dimensional space. Well it made sense to me anyway.
So then he went on to explain Jesus' view of the Christmas story, that is the Greater God becoming the lesser man.
He postulated us approaching a planet of dogs. And considered that our father wanted to sort out the planet. The plan was for us to go there, but as a dog. Once there the other dogs would finally tear us apart, but never fear, our father would rescue us. And then we would have eternal life- but as a dog!!!
I am not sure I would want to be a dog forever; not having known what it was to be human. But Jesus, having known what it was to be God, has accepted being a man forever.
Now that's amazing.

Christmas in Narcay

One can relax
once one has arrived

December 22nd and Tim, Amanda, Liana, and James arrived safely. "No snow here" we had told them, but from Le Mans to Tours was travelled in a snow storm at just over walking pace. But arrive they did despite this, and about 'on time' for the journey.
Christmas has started.

Car Wash, a Dry Clean!

With the cold weather, washing the car can take second place. But there comes a time when the car just has to be cleaned and, here in France, hand washing just does not work. A hand washed car ends up streaked white which is why all the French use car washes.
So I went down to the car wash and bought a ticket. "But the car wash is not working at present" I was told, "when the green light comes on, the car wash will be unfrozen, probably this afternoon".
And sure enough, that afternoon, the green light was on. I drove the car into place and started the process. It went through all the processes but without any water assistance. So the brushes re-distributed the mud, they did their best but the result was a still dirty car!
The attendant who gave me a replacement ticket explained that the air temperature has to be over 4 Centigrade for it to be unfrozen properly. The green light comes on at over 3 Centigrade. A fine judgement, but an important one.
I still have the ticket in my car. I am sure I will use it soon.....

The Hunt

The dogs (bottom right) are way behind their game which
went out of shot a long time before!

Saturday Morning, and no snow until suddenly there was a cold flurry about breakfast time. So whilst we were at the cottage I went out to take some snow photos.
What a racket! Shouts, barking, and a horn blowing. So I looked out over the countryside to see a deer coming out of the woods over the fields. The sound of the dogs remained behind the trees so the game escaped this time. A long time later the dogs appeared but clearly, even for a non-hunter like me, it was too little, too late.
Here's to one who got away, then- though, as June said, we do enjoy the meat. We have some in the freezer ready for Christmas in fact.

Minus Five

At minus 5, the frost is 4mm thick.
At minus 5, the cats stay in all day.
At minus 5, the foam scooter seat feels like a block of wood.
At minus 5, even warm bird water freezes in 10 minutes.
At minus 5, the stone we usually use to prop open the gate cannot be moved from it's frozen place.
At minus 5, the birds will risk coming closer for water that is not frozen.
Tuesday morning was centigrade minus 5.

Ok, some snow, but not no-go

Overnight flutters. Then warming by the afternoon- today reached nearly 10 Celsius.
A photo.

Del Zotto

No Snow still; which was good because the pastor and his family came to visit from some distance. There is snow all round - even at Barry and Pats place just 30 minutes away (they came too) - but not on the pastor's route. All clear.
We were a little surprised by the youngster, aged 3, but he fitted in very well, as often French children do. Did the food go down well? June was very 'English' for the occasion, but we have not a lot of feedback to judge it. However the 'vin chaud' was popular.
And an interesting evening which required English and French language skills to communicate fully.
Then the next day a covering of snow over, mainly, the road. We were out to collect our repaired car, and by the way, the last tiles for the rear patio, and logs from Domazan back to Narçay ('cause it is so cold and the fires are eating the logs real fast).
So now we hole-up for a while, but a thaw is forecast here over the weekend....

Sub Zero but no Snow

So this Monday and Tuesday I delivered 'pub' as usual. Yes it was cold but no snow/rain/sleet and not much ice either.
So where is all the snow? The forecast is snow for tomorrow, perhaps tonight?
Until then we will have to be content to see it on all the news broadcasts!

Wildlife

Now in France there is a lot more space. And the wildlife is rather different too.
The other day I was returning from Domazan to Narçay (about 4km of mostly country roads). There was a shape ahead like a large sleek dog. It looked in my direction and walked out into the road and stopped. It was a female deer, and a second, smaller one followed her.
When they had decided I was continuing towards them they ambled off into the adjacent field.Trees stopped me seeing them again until I drove by opposite where they had gone. There I saw 4 animals who skitted a little as I passed and then stood and watched me depart.
No wonder the French are keen on going out with their guns?

Loubigné Soirée

A snapshot during the meal. June centre-right.

Loubigné Choucrute soirée.
We were the only English there (as far as we could see). There were several people we knew from Loubillé. It was lovely to be welcomed in our new commune (where our cottage is).
It was village life as you may remember it many years ago in England. All the characters were there- the village drunk, the flirt, the young men and ladies in their separate groups, the mayor, the mayor (who hopes) to be, and us ordinary folk too. June and I, perhaps naughtily, had fun watching the antics; they were all in a good spirit and we saw nothing of anyone being upset.
We saw that the Loubigné drunk made the Loubillé drunk (also present) look quite sober! We also saw that the flirt was also 'well oiled' but that no-one took advantage of her. She chatted to men and women, young and old, and encouraged us all to dance; but mostly she related to the young men. At one point she was surrounded by 5 of them. Later she beckoned to a young man who followed her outside(?), and whilst she returned, hair ruffled, in due time; he was ages before returning. "What has she done with him?" we asked ourselves without expecting an answer.
The Loubingé football lads chanted their song, to be answered from the other end of the room by the Loubillé football lads. It was all very rowdy and good natured at the same time. [Note Loubigné and Loubillé are similar names but 2 different villages about 4km apart]
The young men of Loubigné served; which made us think that the meal was a fund raiser for their sports club.
The tables were stacked close and the food took its time in coming- as is usual in France. The closly packed tables meant that not only did the largish lady make an impression on our backs as she passed, but so did the "mini-jupe"¹.
When we had danced (that is apart from Terry's earlier excursion into the conga, prompted by the famed Loubigne drunk who seamed keen that I should not miss out), and had drunk our coffee, when it finally came, we left 'early'; "Caution, c'est glissant!"² we were warned and it certainly was. We found that the car was completely iced up and that the time was 10 minutes to 2am. Out so late, and at our age too!
A lovely French style evening.
---

1.

Mini-jupe - French for mini-skirt, the point being that wearers of such are not usually large.

2.

Glissant - slippery under foot.

Frustrated with AngelFire!

If you know me you may have spotted that I now have several blog outlets, a sort of trial of each. The blog on AngelFire is managed by my MAC - the blog is created locally and uploaded to the site:
BUT
AngelFire have recently limited the depth of my entries to 4. So the MAC system, which uses 7, no longer works.
APOLOGIES
to anyone with an RSS feed for this blog that does not work. The RSS is at a lower level and so updated but the entry files it refers to were REJECTED by AngelFire.
----------
The entry was to have been quite simple:-

Clare, of course, has put all her graduation pictures on FaceBook. She did not put this one on though- probably because FaceBook will not accept gif files.

If the picture is static, click on the ‘play’ symbol and watch!

Oh, by the way:-

Congratulations Clare!

Family Trees

There are some family trees of the Westoby, Gasson, and Martin families.
See http://westoby.yolasite.com/.
Comments and further information are very welcome.

Graduation

So we went to England on Wednesday and stayed in the local Travel Lodge. The hotel was fine but the trip to the car and back was about as far as it could be. With the temperature near freezing, this was repeated as little as possible.

Then on to Chichester (The Travel Lodge at Fontwell) where the bath was as shallow as it could be- barely covering my legs and no way to lie down....

Clare and June the day before

But that was not the reason for the visit. Clare was graduating on the Friday at noon. See Clare's graduation photos.

The traffic was a shock. Like travelling in a permanent queue. The at the enormous car park- loads of cars milling around unable to park! We parked down the road, thanks to Clare who advised us to get there early!

Garden Restaurant

After the photos, a trip to the local garden restaurant. June and I had sussed this out the day before as 'excellent' (Routier cafe of the year (not this year!) photo left).

On the way home I can recommend the 10:30pm Saturday Newhaven-Dieppe ferry. There were 17 cars and 3 lorries. We were off at the other end in about 10 minutes. Very refreshing.

All together a well worth it few days with family, even if it was a bit rushed.

Cottage Industry

Andy and Sean are here and have started work on the cottage at Domazan. Whist the weather has been kind, they have started on the lime rendering to the front and side. Now complete, the team have discovered some new skills and the meaning of 'lime burn'! Advice and assistance from Geoff next door has been invaluable (except perhaps the whisky tasting evening). So now a well-earned day off? Tomorrow will tell.

Wildlife and me

Hoopoe

When you travel the lanes on a scooter you meet all sorts of animals. Buzzards are common, so too are grass snakes in the summer, some flat as they sunned themselves too long on the tarmac. I have seen praying mantises, frogs, stoats, herons, green woodpeckers, jays, and hoopoes to name a few. Most of these animals are viewed from behind as they flee from the scooter. This includes cats but not dogs!
The French have 2 sorts of dogs. There are hunting dogs. These are kept outside, often in small enclosures about  12 x 6 feet (is this because fence wire comes in snugly fitting 10m lengths?) with a concrete base. The others are pets. These are also kept outside but tend to have the run of the garden. Almost all of them bark wildly at scooters.
Barking does not hurt. Ok, one terrier made me jump as it snuck up to the gate unseen before it leapt at me. But in the main, I know who they are and what their trick is, so I am prepared! Usually they are behind gates and fences, and if they are out, they defend their territory up to the edge of the property. Not so the farms! You have to go into the farm to get to the box, so you are right in the dog's territory. One sheepdog spent the whole delivery period snapping at my heals. This can be unnerving as you try to concentrate on driving and depositing leaflets. I try to work on the theory that if the owner leaves the gate open, the dog is probably ok, however noisy.
But one dog is silent and completely free. No gate. No fence. And the box is just inside the edge of the property. This dog became more and more confident as it sniffed me out. Then one day I felt his teeth against my leg. No damage this time, but ever since the publicity has been rolled up and thrown into the drive as I pass. I wonder what the owners think?

Raspberries and Yoghurt

Today was a long day delivering publicity. Not because there was a lot of it to deliver, nor even because I needed to catch up - I was ahead on the day. No, it was just that the back wheel of the scooter exploded!
Now, we do have an aerosol tyre inflater and glue. It appeared to work at first but it was soon apparent that the tyre was too far gone for a quick fix. It limped home to the trailer and I swapped it for the other scooter at the depot - also with a badly worn tyre! All this cost me over an hour.
So it was a real pleasure to find that June had picked some fresh  raspberries  from our newly acquired 'potageur'. I had them with some Greek yoghurt. Lovely.

Anywhere blog

One thing about this blog format is that I can edit it from any computer, and from this laptop sitting in the living room which is better than retiring to the office.
And we can note the discovery of another Emmaus in Ruffec. As we arrived in good time for the gates opening, our acquaintances from Loubillé also arrived. We had not seen them for several weeks (see blog: French ambassador to Cuba). It should have been no surprise that their home here is their second one and that they had been away until now. Still, it is a good testimony for this Emmaus that they should be there for a specific item.
Quite a different sort of 'junk shop'- organised into sections with helpers at every one, even the books were categorised! When the gates opened the stampede rushed in and each was given a small piece of paper, each stamped with the Emmaus heading, for use how? as a bill for the checkout. I loved the interesting warning dotted round the place: Translated from the French it stated

'No naughtiness will be tolerated among the bric-a-brac'.

They take cash- oops! The train station had automatic machines, ticket machines, but at the other end of the road, hidden behind a tree, was a bank sign. The bank machine took my card very slowly. Then it continued to advertise its services culminating with 'please insert your card'! Ahh! I pressed 'abandon' but selected cancel. It asked me for my pin number and after proceeded normally. Phew. Emmaus was still on!

Aeroplanes

Today, as we came home from church, we saw a light aeroplane very slow and low over Loubillé. We were not aware of an airport in our village so we stopped a while and watched for smoke and flames. Thankfully there were none!

So we drove round to about where we saw it come down. And as we got closer we noticed a windsock. At the end of a field there were 2 planes - the one we saw and another, more modern, yellow single seater. Both were parked next to a car and a large shed that appeared to be a small hanger. All we need now is an air-traffic control tower (and customs I suppose) and Loubillé will become an international destination!

Fish and Chips in France

View from the end

The path ahead

You can get fish and chips here. Apparently there is a shop too, but we have not found it yet. The fish and chip van that we know was in Sauzé-Vaussais today so we slummed it. Still, slumming it by the nearby lake (plan d'eau) was hardly unpleasant. We even found the strength to walk round the lake afterwards. A lovely end to a warm day, and the sun was just going down too. 

The sun was just going down

The fountain at the far end
Just to prove we got there!

Ok, a blog spot- but you can also look here: blog.westobyweb.com.