Bonne Fete......

Yesterday, I spent the morning with a good friend, whilst our 4 children were looked after by Sam.....it was raining, but our spirits were high as we drove to the market and the second hand shop for some last minute Christmas goodies......aaaahh time out together without interuptions, stopping for a coffee and watching people young and old with colourful umbrellas and gumboots to escape the wetness of the morning....Clementines(mandarins)were in abundance packed into quaint little boxes to take when visiting friends or family...stalls full of fresh oysters and smoked salmon, a popular delicacy on Christmas day......bright coloured candles shaped as fruit and vegetables bundled together neatly into baskets to give as a gift......warm scarves and long woollen socks to add to stockings......buskers singing happily, their money drowning in hats filling up with rain water....assorted old french games from the second hand shop to be wrapped for small children....and home for hot pumpkin and pear soup and bagettes lathered with butter!!
The snow arrived quietly overnight, and this morning small tufts of grass were showing and little robin red breasts were twittering about, and it is cold and windy outside..........but warm and festive inside........