Wishing and Hoping

I was planning to bring you the promised scenes of devastation and dirt from the mad broken house, but I can do that any day and this evening's party provided a happier picture of our life here.

But before the evening; the day. Market day dawned a bit cloudy, but regardless we headed into town to show our market off to my Mam. She was dutifully impressed, and I was duly talked into buying yet more plants for our veg gardens (after all the work Mam has put in, I think they will always be partly 'her' gardens now.)

After lunch, we planted a million baby leeks, making quite a good team: poke hole, drop in leek; poke hole, drop in leek. I could almost smell Mr B's leek and parmesan bake. Then off to Conor's party, conveniently in the same set of houses as our new house, where I was confused by his friend not being the boy I'd thought he was. Still, Conor seemed to have great fun at the party, while we mainly stood around in our new hall staring and trying not to hyperventilate at what we'd got ourselves into this time.

This evening was the St Jean fete in our local village. Normally this would be done next weekend, but there is a big festival in Lavaur - our local town - so it had been brought forward to ensure a good turn out. And good turn out there was with all the local residents and a good number of folk who had long since moved, but come back every year for the party.

The party was 'Spanish buffet' style - where everyone brings a dish or two of food and tucks into whatever they fancy. Mr B had brought his delicious lamb tagine (which gratifyingly disappeared quickly, but not so quickly that I couldn't get a plateful of it) and I took my chocolate brownies. A local band played and folk danced in that wonderful way that long-term couples have of dancing their own steps in perfect synchronicity.

The fire was lit, there were fireworks and then dancing round the fire. When it had died down people jumped over it, making a wish as they jumped - if they made it their wish would be granted, if not.... Well I guess they wouldn't much care about their wish.

A really lovely evening, particularly for my Mam to see the community spirit and friendliness around here. I don't she'll worry about us living so far away from 'home' now.