Monday 15 December 2008

Recent Happenings

We were very excited on Friday as we got to put up our Christmas tree! Actually, it belongs to Mamie but as she is away, I asked Papy if he minded us putting it upstairs, and unsurprisingly he didn't! It is pretty tall, made up of three sections, and there are lots of decorations too. Stella and the girls helped me put it together, but I have to admit I redecorated it after they had gone to bed, for a bit more aesthetic pleasure! Then on Saturday we decorated some little card frames Mum sent us and put various pictures inside, now these are hanging on the tree. I would like to put a few chocolates on, but I just know that CassCass will eat them all up! I have a bag of chocolate in the fridge that I have been keeping tied up, just to make sure it is safe and untouched!
When I went for my bible study on Saturday evening, Bertie took his girls to a Marche aux puces in Gosier, and they enjoyed eating pineapple cake and walking on the beach in dark, but with lights on (if you see what I mean!). They then went to Pointe a Pitre and heard a bit of the Jazz festival happening on the main Place de la Victoire. Their favourite moment though was finding a shop that sold bokits (our tea!) called Chez JoJo!
Bertie has finished mending his bike and celebrated by going for a long ride this morning - he is still recovering poor boy, and only just hobbled his way to church! And a good job too (it is mended that is) as another set of people are threatening more blockages on Tuesday. Honestly, this country!!!!
The girls love going to play next door at the neighbours, and all the more so as they have recently acquired a Charlotte aux Fraises playhouse complete with cooker! I can watch them out of my bedroom window and it is fun to see them with the big girls.
My menus have been going well and continuing to make life and cooking much easier. I made a couple of meals for Papy this week but he wasn't very impressed with the lack of salt, so I put a bit in for him when I made a colombo. The plate was scraped clean so I presume that it met with his approval!
Congratulations to Bertie's brother Abel and his new wife Martine, who tied the knot in Versailles yesterday. She is the fifth Madame E****** I have calculated! Apparently the weather was not too good but it was otherwise a marvellous day, finishing at 4am or so. Hopefully we shall get some photos through soon.
Still no sign of the pig, despite a long trek through the fields by Bertie. Sniff! I am still chuckling at the thought of it wandering across empty roads during the blockages, in front of a somewhat bemused audience!
We learnt last night that there are some trees that, if they don't bear fruit, you can hit them hard and they will start to. (It was used as a spiritual illustration during our bible study!) I have to check this out and ascertain if it is a Gwada Myth or not...

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Evie and I enjoyed reading all this on Monday morning but have just been too busy to comment. Now I am printing out the Christmas letter and have to wait...
Was the tree on the shelf above the washing machine? Thought I saw something tinselly there.
We decided that Charis takes after Evie and me in that we would eat the chocs on the tree well ahead of the big day! For instance why is there only half a packet of marzipan on the shelf and none in the kitchen??? and its not Evie's fault.
Must have a photo of ChezJoJo soon! Were the bokits nice - or trop spicy?
What do they sell at a Marche aux Puces?
Were there lots of stars visible from the dark beach?
Are the neighbours on the same side of the road as you - those 3 little girls?

Anonymous said...

Franchment Heather! don't you just hate it when people come from abroad to live and then complain about their new country...!!

Hevs said...

Oh no, that is a much smaller tree. It is in the big box in the hallway upstairs. I have no idea where your marzipan has gone, you greedy lot! It is not me anyway, as i dont like the stuff!
Bokits were lovely - have never tasted spicy ones since, how odd! I should imagine they saw the stars. The marche had second hand things, like toys. The nighbours are just on the left from us, on the quiet road down to our school.
I am not complaining about the country I am complainging about the french obsession with striking...!!!