Aperitifs...

Well, we're ready!!

Dave and Annie came round an hour earlier to do the sausage rolls and make the mulled wine for our French guests. There were so many bottles on display that you would doubt our tea-total status.  In fact, other than the youngsters, we were the only alcohol-free couple. I've not included the photos of all the drinks on offer, but it was an education in itself finding out about the preferred tastes of the rural French in terms of drink.

Starting to bring some things through.

 Dave preparing the the mulled wine.

Not keen on these, but the French love them...along with the nuts, crisps, olives, cheeses, chocolates, cake and yes, the mince pies.

These are all blurred photos but they are all we have to remember the evening.

Sophie, Isabel, Pascal and Bev.

Pascal is a retired architect who now keeps bees and produces the most amazing honey. 

Pierrick rears horses and seems to have a finger in every pie.  My painting entitled 'Young Guns' was from a photo of his cows. He's been a really good neighbour to us and lives in the next hamlet.

Isabel and Sophie no doubt talking shop. They both work at the animal rescue centre.  Sophie lives next door to us and also rears horses (and other animals). Isabel is Pascal's wife. 

Marthe is the deputy mayor of Cruguel and we gather at her house in St Yves every Thursday afternoon for French. Quite a character...we love her!

Karen and Hubert ('oobare). Hubert lives in St Yves (a mile away) but grew up next door. His dad was Joseph (sadly no longer with us). Karen, his wife, is English. Also in the picture is Colette who lives just out the back of us with her husband Martin.

The photos of our other guests are just too blurred to use, but it was really nice to have Therese and her family with us along with Pierrick's lovely family.

Finding space between the general chat was difficult, but we managed some prepared entertainment. In this shot I think we were finding things out about each other that weren't common knowledge....hilarious!

I played the guitar and we had traditional songs from our guests along with some carol singing in English and French. The whole evening went like a dream.

Aperatifs are supposed to last an hour or so, but our last guests left just before ten.  The evening should have concluded some time after 7pm.

I guess they were enjoying themselves.  I know I was!  In the words of one of our guests..."A perfect start to the Christmas festivities".

We slept in this morning.