aici sén pla: 2014

Aici sèn pla

This blog started as a daily record to mark our fifth year at Segala. Daily it did not turn out to be but after the year I have decided to continue as an occasional diary - after all I do still like it here or "aici sen pla".

Its our fifth year living at Segala. I have decided to try to mark this year with a daily post ( some days it will be just a photo) of our life over the year. I have trawled my brain for witty titles without success then I remembered the slogan on the T shirts at the fête in Espinas in the summer.

A friend translated it from the occitan for us. It seems to mean something along the lines of I like it here. Very apt for us, "I like it here " is a refrain we use to each other at least daily so that's the plan - Aici sén pla - a year of daily musings from a contented retired expat who thinks herself damned lucky every single day.

Wednesday, 31 December 2014

wood warm

Yes indeed - despite the freezing temperatures we kept warm outside this morning. There was a huge pile of logs waiting to be cut to size - luckily although the logs were still covered with frost the sun was shining near the wood sheds

And so some hours later all was done and neatly stacked away.

A late "lunch" of English beer and crisps was just the thing before a good long soak.

We are eating our New Year's Eve dinner early this evening so that we have time to recover and get second wind ready to go out to party. As usual we are off to Puylagarde to the bal organised by our dance association - hoping we won't be the first to leave this year . We made it til 1.30am last year which put us amongst the first to go.

Tuesday, 30 December 2014

stone cold

When we found our house I was pleased it was built of the beautiful golden stone of the area. The stone lights up in the morning sun and is the perfect background for the climbing roses of summer. Our walls are unpointed so provide shelter for hundreds of sparrows every year.

English visitors often say " how lovely, a stone house cool in summer, warm in winter" - wrong! Yes the house does stay cool in the heat of summer but in winter the stone soaks up the heat and the house really does take some heating. We do not have central heating but have electric radiators, a gas fire and our wood fire and they've all been working hard in the last few days as the temperatures have plummeted. Luckily Trevor seems to be feeling the cold more these days so I haven't got to argue as much for extra heating.

Tomorrow we have a lumberjack day planned - cutting up logs to replenish the wood pile. One saying that is true is that wood warms you twice, once when you cut it , once when you burn it.

Monday, 29 December 2014

last walk of 2014

One of the reasons we chose this area of France to live is that it is great walking country. We always thought we would spend a lot of time in our walking boots but for assorted reasons, the gnu, the garden but most of all our generally busy weeks we do seem to have a problem fitting it in.

Puylagarde seen from Loze

Loze

So with a break in activities for the holidays and a lull in festivities coinciding with a couple of beautiful frosty sunny winter days we have grabbed at the chance to get out - the supermarket can wait 'til tomorrow!

Looks like a lunch stop[

Welcome view getting back to the car!

We stayed close to home but still managed to find new paths to explore - now aching a touch even after a hot bath but it was worth it.

Will give gnu a rest tomorrow as I want to dance the new year in on Wednesday.

Sunday, 28 December 2014

so that was Christmas

Christmas behind us for another year and all in all a good one. Kidsmas was great, we enjoyed a sociable Christmas eve followed by a nice day à deux on Christmas day, opened lots of nice pressies, watched too much TV and had a game of French scrabble.

In traditional style we did a boxing day walk thanks to a lovely crisp sunny day.

In traditional style we did a boxing day walk around Parisot thanks to a lovely crisp sunny day, finishing up with coffee and Christmas cake looking out towards the Pyrenees from the belvedere.

So now its time to get back to normal. Today we were back in the garden where there is much to do. Trevor discovered a heap of about 3 dozen eggs laid in a flower border - Charlotte had obviously been misbehaving for weeks before we went away! Lets hope she has acquired better habits after being shut in for a couple of weeks.

Thursday, 25 December 2014

merry christmas!

Wednesday, 24 December 2014

la veille de noël

Christmas Eve is the day for the main family celebration meal in France so we were touched to be invited to a friends family's lunch today.

A lesson in family manners as the fourteen around the table included an ex wife, parents of in laws as well as us but otherwise much the same as an English Cristmas day - lots of lovely food, including a roast turkey,an entertaining infant playing with the wrapping paper, after dinner games and at least one asleep in the corner.

We introduced the fascinating English tradition of the christmas cracker and some even wore their paper hats. As Eric is one of Trevor's musician friends there was also music and I taught some French ladies some French traditional dances.

We had a great time and returned home this evening to an evening by the fire with much wine and a special whisky watching a lovely French film. Merry Christmas everyone!

Tuesday, 23 December 2014

not mad enough for the attic

I decided that today's temperatures would place too high a demand on our electricity supply to get my attic den warm enough to work in. I did however need to get some sewing done if our Christmas tablemats were to appear this year not next.

So downstairs came my small (ie light) machine into the kitchen - much warmer there - on went the Christmas John Kirkpatrick CDs to get me in the mood and violà.

We felt very festive this evening and had an extra glass of wine!

Had to make mince pies too - we've been invited to a French family Christmas Eve meal tomorrow - excited as Christmas eve is the main event for French families and this is a first for us. We have been told not to bring anything but we are taking crackers bought in England and mince pies as a conversation piece.

Monday, 22 December 2014

winter solstice

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After a somewhat chilly and damp couple of weeks in England it is nice to be having some crisp winter weather here now we are back at home. It wasn't too cold while we were away so the house had not got as freezing as it sometimes does when we leave for two weeks in December. But since our return we have had some sharp frosts (the first of the winter) and clear blue skies and sunshine during the day. And the best news of all ( for those of us who hate the winter) we have now passed the shortest day and can start to dream of the Spring!

Sunday, 21 December 2014

The fourteen days of Kidsmas

Well that's it - Christmas over, can't work out why everyone else still thinks there are days to go before it starts!

We are safely and thankfully back home after our Kidsmas trip. After 3500 kms of driving and several strange beds we were glad to be back at Ségala yesterday afternoon. There were some dodgy moments (see the sixth day of kidsmas) and the weather was somewhat damp but overall we had a successful trip, saw lots of friends and family and celebrated the festive season in good style in a lovely house in one of our favourite parts of the Peak District.

We can now settle down to a "quiet" Christmas on our own - well maybe not. We have been invited to a French friend's family Christmas eve meal ( that's the main celebration for French families) which is lovely - it will be our first taste of a real French style Christmas meal. As for our Christmas day I'm not sure yet what the meal will be, we'll see what the shop has to offer tomorrow.

This afternoon we have been to listen to the Parisot choir Christmas concert - it was in the little church at Parisot which has great acoustics ( makes up a bit for the crippling seats!). Tomorrow we are planning a last bit of shopping (hoping to miss the crowds by going at lunchtime) and a quick trip into Villefranche to see the Christmas market.

It was lovely to see everyone and to spend time with friends and family but by 'eck it's good to be home!