Just before I get to recounting the week, I have some wonderful news to share. Amy and Dave are going to have a baby! It will be due in June and both Amy and the baby-to-be are doing fine. I actually found out when I was back in the UK, but they were awaiting some tests results before making it official, so I’ve been biting my lip till now. We are utterly thrilled for them! As if that wasn’t enough excitement, I got an email from Dad on Saturday morning to say that it looks like he and his siblings have found a buyer for the house in Spain that my grandparents left them! This really would be the icing on the cake, so fingers crossed it goes through smoothly. Dad also now has a fixed date for the sale of his business (14 January) and I am sure he can’t wait for the day when he never has to make another bench kit again. It’s all coming together for team Roberts at the end of 2017!
Anyway, on with the recap. We got home from Angoulême station at around 8.30 pm, had a light dinner and then an early night. The next morning we both did a little work and then chopped wood. After lunch I became aware I had a sore throat and was a bit sniffly. By the evening I was sure it was a cold, and indeed for the next two days I was woozy, snotty and had sweaty, feverish nights. It has already cleared up now, so although it was severe it was very shortlived.
On Wednesday morning, Matt had an appointment in Périgueux to have an endoscopy. This was at 9:30am, and he was forbidden from eating or drinking anything the night before. If you know Matt and how much water he consumes, you’ll be impressed he managed this. The exam was just to ensure that there was nothing serious behind his acid reflux, for which he takes daily medicine. Luckily, the test showed up nothing out of the ordinary and he’s free to carry on taking the meds.
Matt’s had little bits of work this week but I’ve not really had anything on, which given my state was convenient. This close to Christmas, things tend to grind to a halt anyway. We did a quote for a new project that looks like it will happen in early Jan, and I got paid my first chunk of cash from the christians, which was very welcome. Other than that, it’s been a very dreary, grey and above all, rainy week here and little happened of note.
I shall skip ahead to the weekend, when we were invited to Benoit & Virginie’s for a meal on Friday. We got there a little after 8 and had a few drinks and nibbles by their fire. Virginie had been at work all day, but Benoit had the day off, and had apparently spent it cooking. He’s a massive foodie and I think he wanted to put on a lavish meal of his own after experiencing Matt’s thanksgiving – an event that’s fast becoming the stuff of legend in Mazeroux. We were only too happy to indugle Benoit’s whim.
We started off with a butternut squash velouté which was amazingly light and smooth and quite delicious. Next up was a Thai chicken curry with a coconut sauce that was to die for. Benoit had saved the best for last though. He’s not normally a dessert person, but he’d tried his hand at an elaborate cake called a gateau bretonne. This, along with some amazing homemade custard, took him several hours to prepare. But it was well worth it we can assure you. After the meal we stayed for a few more drinks and then made our way home to bed.
We had a quiet Saturday at home in front of the fire. I played some guitar in the afternoon and Matt took advantage of a break in the rain to go on a walk. Sunday was another grey unpleasant day in which we just chilled in the morning. In the afternoon we had band practise with Christian – our first in several weeks. This went OK, but I’m finding our practises less interesting in general as I am mainly just strumming a few simple chords while Christian takes the lead parts. I am also happier playing electric than acoustic, whereas it’s the other way around for him. Still, we’re sounding OK all told.
Ok, I think that brings us up to date! We’re gearing up for a busy Christmas break that kicks off around Benoit & Virginie’s on the 24th. We’re then spending the 25th round Marie & Christian’s with their kids (and grand kids!). We wish you all a very joyeux Noel!