We met Tony Martin
at the latest
gathering of our
"Association des Vieux Cépages".
This very senior officer in the British Army in retirement travelled all over the world and served at many places. He has kept a vivid sense of humour and has an ironic view on many a topic. His wife is charming, full of wit and, as we discovered today, a very good cook. Their daughter is presently studying to become a mid-wife.
We met again a few weeks later and he invited us to join in for the goigs dels ous at his place, on the lower side of the lovely village of Saint-Martin-de-Fenouillet, with a smashing view on the valley below and the horizon on the far side - the usual location for any decent horizon.
As it came, we found ourselves "lost" in a pleasant way amidst André Domine and his wife Mechteld, the driving force behind our yearly "Fête des Vieux Cépages", another English army officer and his wife, at least three other couples involved in the production of wine in one way or another, and of course our hosts, their daughter and a good friend of hers, sharing the same studies.
I'm not so used to social gatherings and parties, and know I tend to do too much of the talking. Yet, booze was available in a plenty, the "tapas-like" cocktail snacks were excellent and, before I knew what was happening, I had been introduced to about anyone around and was involved in three different discussions at the same time.
On the count of ... several times three, we heard that "Madame est servie" and there came the starters, all made in the house with top-quality ingredients. What a dilemma: "Should I shut up and eat, or should I go on blethering?". Well, I opted for an in-between solution, eating and making decent conversation at the same time. And booze kept flowing, unrelentlessly. This is very much to my liking.
Would you believe me, the main course followed suit and so did I. And more wine came in.
We had a well-chosen cheese-platter, before our sweet, in the French way ... and more wine.
And some more wine was served with the pastries and fruit salad.
The last topic I know of concerned Syrian citizens, which I insist on calling "refugees" rather than migrants. But what we made of them, or with them for that matter, I'm not so sure. Christine got hold of the wheel and it is as well. She safely delivered me to the very entrance of our home place ... It was close to seven o'clock at night.
I did not collect the right gear in my cistella for tomorrow's omelette but who cares: my cholesterol level is such that eggs are very much a forbidden item in my diet.
Thank you, you there on the "rue des Jardins", for a lovely Easter feast.
And thank you all, the company, for a great atmosphere.
We'll come again!
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