The mayors reception

Last night we were invited to the village hall to celebrate new year with the mayor. The invitation stated that it started at 6.30, but we are a bit wiser now and didn't get there until 7pm. I was quite surprised to see how many people were there before us but there were still plenty who arrived afterwards. A very good turnout, I would think most of the villagers were there. Sophie was there and we had a chat to her and she pointed out various people and introduced us to the mayor. had a chat with people we had met before and then it was time for the mayors speech. He welcomed us all and wished us a Happy and Healthy new Year, "Bonne annee, Bonne Sante". He said that during the year 5 new lots of people had moved into the village and proceeded to name us all, a nice touch I thought. This year it is the municipal elections so he told us who was staying on the coucil and who will be standing for election. After his speech we were all invited to partake of an aperitif. We chose the pastis but many people were drinking whiskey which seems to be a very popular pre-dinner drink in France. A late arrival was the Abbe, the parish priest, and he was introduced to us by Sophie. A very nice chap with a good sense of humour, I would think he must be about 80. One thing we have noticed on meeting local people is how many have come back to their "roots" to retire. Maybe many of them have inherited parents properties and come back for that reason; whatever the reason there is a very strong sense of communtity in the village. We then got into conversation with a retired journalist who told us that he had worked in Paris, Corsica and several other places before coming back to Castandet and working in Mont de Marsan. He turned out to be a fan of "Tauromachie", bullfighting and told us that he had travelled extensively, Mexico, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, to watch the bullfights there. In the summer he says that he can watch about 5 fights a week in this part of the world. Nearly every town of any size has a series of bullfights when they have their annual fete. He was very surprised when I told him that my friends' (Nadine) niece, Patricia Pellen, is a rejoneador (fights bulls from horseback). He had seen her fight as well as her father Gerard. As well as talking about that he also recommended several good places to eat in the area, so we shall have to check them out at some point!!
After standing around for a couple of hours the time came to sit down and partake of the (free!) meal which we had been told was "grillades" grills?? We were all seated at long tables, all nicely laid out with bread, water and of course red wine. We sat with Sophie and some neighbours who we hadn't met before, Jean-Marc and his wife who have the poultry farm at the edge of the village. Opposite me was a volunteer fireman who was very chatty and had a good sense of humour. The meal was, I think, just an excuse to prolong the evening and was very basic but most welcome by the time it arrived!! Pate and vegetable mayonnaise to start with, the grillades were cooked outside on the BBQ and were sausages and bacon and to finish "creme anglaise" and pastis ( a local cake, very dry). A very pleasant evening and we now know a few more local people.

La Galette des Rois

Epiphany, the 12th day of Christmas, is celebrated here by a cake known as the Galette des Rois. It is a round confection, almost like a brioche but bigger, and decorated with sugar and crystallised fruit.
We were invited, along with the occupants of the other 3 houses at our end of the village, to our neighbours to celebrate this event. Th hostesses were Cristel and her mother who live in the house above us. We were the first to arrive and were amazed to see a long table laid with a beautiful tablecloth, plates, cutlery, glasses and bottles of champagne. Soon the other neighbours arrived. Sophy and Philippe with their children Anna and Thomas, Alain, Philippes father and his wife, Dominique and Christine and their daughter and (from further away) Phillipes brother, wife and 2 children. We were seated and offered petit fours from a huge tray and the champagne was poured. After we had all eaten our fill of petit fours the galette was served along with more champagne. An extremely pleasant afternoon terminated about 5pm with coffee. A very good occasion to get to know our neighbours who are a very nice bunch. Alain and Nigel get along very well despite the language problem. Alain can manage a few words of English and it is very good for Nigel to have someone with whom he can practise his French.

The next day.

The next day got off to a wonderful start. The pc had been making a noise and we thought that the fan was on its way out. I took it into Mont de Marsan to the repair shop. First surprise was that I was able to park in front of the shop. Second was that they confirmed that it needed a new fan and not only did they have one in stock they replaced it there and then. On the way back I called in at Leclerc, here again all went well, not too busy and no long queues at the till. I arrived back home feeling on top of the world at having such a successful morning.
Martin and Mieke arrived at lunchtime, they had spent Christmas with friends in the Gers and were visiting us for a couple of days. Martin and Nigel went out for a long walk with the dogs whilst Mieke and I chatted!
Saturday we all went into Mont de Marsan, visited the market and the museum area before having lunch at "La Cidrerie" After lunch Mieke and I went to drapers shop where she was able to buy some things she couldn't find in Pamiers. Rain started so back to car and we all went on to Landes Partage, big charity type store on edge of town. Back home for meal and played cards. Said goodbye to them on Sunday morning.

After all the hectic activity of the last week or so we then had a very quiet new year, just the two of us. Peace reigns!!




































































We had a very quiet New Years Eve, just N and I in front of the fire and a good meal.

A Happy New Year to all of my friends who read this.

Extra photos

Thursday 27th December.

Sadly the day of the departure. They were up early packing and preparing to leave. Quite a job packing the car with presents, wine, golf clubs and all their stuff. As usual I shed a few tears when they left at about 10am. Still it was wonderful to have them here. After a short break I changed the beds in readiness for our next visitors the following day.

Boxing Day
In France Boxing Day is not celebrated and all is back to normal. I was woken at 8.30 by Steve brandishing the phone and asking me to call the golf course and see if they could have a game. I rang and booked them in for 9.30. We arranged to meet up at the Chinese restaurant in Mont de Marsan at 1pm. A lazy morning for the rest of us and then off into town. The Chinese does a wonderful 4 course buffet, as much as one can eat for 12 euros each. Jason particularly did justice to it and the rest of us did our best! Afterwards Nigel came back home and I went with the others. We went through town and out to the "cave" to fill up the wine container which surprisingly was empty!! 10 litres of vin de table for just under 10 euros. Then on to Leclerc where they wanted to buy wine and supplies to take back with them. On the way back we stopped off at Lily and Arthurs as they wanted to see her garden. Back home about 6 and a lazy evening with only nibbles for supper after the big lunch.

Christmas Day.

For the first time in almost 30 years there were no animals or poultry to attend to on Christmas morning. Well the dogs needed letting out but that was all!! What luxury. I lay in bed with tea and toast whilst Steve and Jay cooked breakfast. We got up when it was served and went straight to the table, amazing!! After breakfast we opened our stockings that Sasa had done for us. Then after a short break onto the presents under the tree. N had bought me a French Scrabble dictionary, I had dropped many hints about wanting one. So many nice presents and everyone seemed pleased with what they got. I poured myself a glass of Baileys, my annual Christmas treat, and then hid the bottle in the bedroom as it would have disappeared in a flash!! Then into the kitchen to prepare the capon for the oven. Jason prepared the vegetables and Steve was my right hand man in the kitchen and Sasa did the table. That sounds as if it all happened in a flash but it was about 5 pm when we sat down to eat. After starter and main course we were all too full to eat Christmas pudding so we saved that till later. Once again, after the meal, I thanked my lucky stars for the dishwasher although I did have to wash up the best plates and serving dishes which had their annual outing! Everyone collapsed in front of the TV and I am afraid to say that I fell asleep about 10pm! I woke up after about half and hour and tried to stay awake but in vain, I had to go to bed!! A wonderful, wonderful day. Only sadness is that we weren't able to share it with Rob, Dannielle and Jonny.

Monday 24th December.
Another foggy day. I had said that I didn't want to go out again but that mustn't stop anyone else doing what they wanted. Jason wanted to go up to the mountains but Steve and Sasa decided that they would rather stay here as well. Jason was happy to go on his own and he had a good day in the snow at Le Mongie, a ski resort about 2 hours from here. The fog cleared when he got to Tarbes and he had bright blue skies. Steve and I took the dogs for a walk in the afternoon. Apart from Jason we all had a relatively lazy day. I did some preparation for the Christmas meal and cooked a piece of pork that I bought from Lily and Arthur who killed their pig last week.

Sunday 23rd December.

A miserable day, very foggy and damp. I had wanted us all to go down to Eugenie les Bains for lunch but when I rang the bistro to book a table I had a message to say that they were closed over Christmas. Plan B was to go down to Aire sur l'Adour, have a look round there and try and find somewhere to eat there. Not a lot happening in Aire and no reasonable restaurants, thought we may try one but Steve said he wanted somewhere nicer! Wasn't at all sure where to go but had been told that the hotel in Garlin was good so we went down there. Hotel was closed and I was starting to panic, they didn't seem to realise that finding somewhere to eat in rural France on the Sunday before Christmas was a problem. We drove back via Miramont, where we stayed in the summer, to show them Lilys' cottage and I decided to drive back via Geaune where I knew that there was a bar restaurant. This was the last hope really as it was after 1p.m. but I crossed my fingers and hoped. I pulled up outside the bar and Nigel went in to see if we could eat. He came out saying it was OK so we went and parked the car. After going in through an unimposing entrance and through a long empty room we were surprised, stunned even, to find ourselves in a beautiful room, log fire burning, tables beautifully laid and only 2 other lots of people there. The menu was good and at 16 euros for 3 courses cheap for a weekend. The food was some of the best I have had a we were all very pleased with our meals. Steve and Jason had steak with shallot sauce. The shallot sauce was amazing, so rich, and I couldn't resist dipping my bread in it to try! Sasa, Nigel and I had lamb shank with honey and it just melted in the mouth. A meal to remember and the relief I felt at finding such a wonderful place was indescribable!! Stuffed to the gills we drove on to Eugenie les Bains and had a walk round the gardens there, not for long though as it was so cold and miserable. Another brief stop on the way back to show them the chapel of Notre Dame de la Rugby, a small chapel that is dedicated to rugby and has lots of rugby shirts and memorabilia on display. It could only happen in France!! Back home to prepare nibbles for the evening as we had invited some neighbours for an aperitif. Three lots of neighbours came, Cristel and her mother who live up the lane from us, Sophy, Phillippe and their 2 children who live over the lane and Phillippes mother who lives next door to them. A very convivial hour and the Christmas cake was much appreciated!!

Saturday 22nd Dec. First morning without frost for a long time and sun shining. Rang up the golf club in Mont de Marsan and arranged for Steve and Jason to have a game later in the morning. Sasa and I went into town and had a good look around the shops. Nice to have someone to wander round with at leisure. Sasa wanted a pair of boots but couldn't find any she liked in her size. We had lunch at La Cidrerie, never eaten there before but it was Ok if a bit basic. Very busy though, lots of people in the bar area as well. It was the nearest to an English pub that I have ever seen in France. After lunch we went to La Halle de Chaussures on the ring road and not only did Sasa find a pair of boots so did I !!. Very difficult to find footwear in a size 41. I did ask in one shop why there was such a shortage and apparently it is because that is the size that goes first. We had a look in Gemo afterwards at the shoes and clothes there and then we both decided that we had had enough and it was time to wend our way back home. The boys arrived back very happy after a good game and thought that it was a very good course. A small world as they had met, in the car park when they arrived, a couple of English chaps who live down here. They got talking and it transpired that one of them used to golf with the father of Steves friend Gary with whom he was at university. They had called in at Leclerc (big supermarket) on the way back and apparently it was heaving with people. I had a wonderful evening as chef Steve, accompanied by sous-chef Jason was cooking. I'd previously bought a whole frozen wild salmon for the grand sum of 2 euros 99 so I suggested that they cooked that. Whilst they toiled in the kitchen I relaxed in my chair and watched the final of Strictly Come Dancing with a glass and some nibbles, what luxury!!

So that was Christmas

Thursday 20th December

Finally the day that Steve, Sasa and Jason arrived. They left the UK the previous day and spent Wednesday night in La Rochelle. I was so excited at the thought of them arriving at last. I had put up the Christmas decorations, wrapped the presents,got the house tidy and done mountains of shopping. Nigel had been down to the farm to pick up the capon and a bottle of Armagnac so all was ready. They stopped for lunch in St Emilion and arrived here at about 5.45, just before it got dark. So happy to see them. They came with 2 sets of golf clubs, lots of pressies and "supplies" for us from the UK. Many tins of baked beans, mango chutney, branston pickle, cheddar cheese and the Christmas pudding!! The dogs were happy to have a fuss made of them and were pleased to see them. Once they had unpacked we celebrated their arrival with a glass of fizzy white and sat down for dinner, boef bourguignon.

Friday 21st December

Jason is sleeping in the garden room on a bed settee, the dogs sleep in there as well and I told him not to let the dogs on the bed. Poor lad spent most of the night pushing Rambo off the bed so we gave in and put a cover on top of the duvet. Jason not bothered and Rambo very happy for the rest of their stay! When we were all organised we went into Mont de Marsan. Walked around town and went for lunch in a small restaurant by the river. After lunch we went to the gardens by the river and had a look at the remains of the big sculpture exhibition. The sun was shining and it felt really quite warm. Steve stretched out on a bench and had a little sunbathe.

Back home I prepared for the evening when we were expecting Arthur and Lily for supper. I had put a leg of lamb in the oven to slow cook whilst we were out so the kitchen smelled very appetising when we returned. We had a very convivial evening, lots of laughter, lots of food and a few glasses of wine.

I am just beginning to realise what a boon my dishwasher is!!