At last we’ve found it, a business that’s going to make us millions! I’ve been in two minds as to whether I should put details of our latest enterprise in writing but felt that it would very churlish not to share our good fortune with all my thousands of readers. So here it is... buy some chairs in France, clean them up, advertise them on Ebay and sell them for four times what you paid for them. Sounds good doesn’t it? Only problem is finding enough chairs and getting them back to the UK at a reasonable cost. This time we were lucky as we’d already booked a return trip and as luck would have it the winning bidder lived only six miles from Matthew’s. Bolstered by our success we’ve spent the last few weekends tracking down local vide greniers and brocantes looking for bargains. Unfortunately it would appear that we’re not the only ones who have had this money making idea, bargains are few and far between. Still it gives us something to do and keeps us out of mischief until we find something that will actually make us a million or two. In the meantime you can always browse, or better still buy, our items on Ebay by clicking here.
Life in Lagarrigue hasn’t been without a little drama. Guilbert, our retired neighbour, decided that his chimney needed sweeping and that the best way to do it would be to drop a stone tied to a rope down the chimney. All went well until he got his foot stuck in the ladder and couldn’t climb down. After much deliberation it was decided that the pompiers had to be called and after a twenty minute wait there was great relief all round when three vans turned up. However it wasn’t long before the relief turned to frustration as they hadn’t brought a ladder with them! Fortunately and with the help of our neighbours, P & P, Barbara rushed back to the house and brought ours over. Guilbert was down in a flash and his two hour ordeal stuck up a ladder was over. Although a little shaken it didn’t appear to have put him off cleaning the chimney as the day after the ladder was back up against the house. I should add that I was away during this minor crisis and I’m sure had I been there I’d have been up that ladder giving him a fireman’s lift to safety. And if you believe that you didn’t see me climbing up the scaffold when we pointed the outside of the barn.
The night markets are once again in full swing in Najac and we were lucky enough to have great weather on the night that Jane & Derek were here. They weren’t the only celebrity visitors to the event. When a blue police box suddenly materialised in the middle of the village square Barbara got all excited at the thought of the David Tennant emerging in his flowing coat and trainers. Alas it wasn’t to be and she had to be content with the seventh incarnation of The Doctor, Sylvester McCoy.
Once again it’s the party season and we attended one of the best events in Najac on Bastille day. The local football club organise a meal which, dependent on the weather, is held in the village square or the salle de fête. There was obviously no bad feelings about the performance of the French national team in the recent World Cup as the bands opening number was a celebration of everything Spanish. 
This year with a thunderstorm forecast it was an indoor event but that doesn’t put a damper on the festivities. As usual the wine flowed and although the food can best be described as basic the quality is fantastic. Escallop of veal with Truffade. This is fantastic potato dish and there are several variations of the dish in rural France. Here’s one that best re-creates the local Averyon dish.
Ingredients (serves 4)
6-8 large potatoes
250g Tomme or Cantal cheese
Four fat garlic cloves
Half a large onion
Mixed herbs
50g butter
Salt and pepper
Method
Slice the potatoes to the thickness of a pound coin and par-boil in salted water for six minutes. While this is boiling melt half the butter in the pan and add the lardon, herbs, garlic and then the onion. Sweat on a low heat for a few minutes, until the onions are soft. Drain the potatoes and add them to the frying pan, breaking them up ever so slightly with a wooden spoon. Add the rest of the butter and the Tomme or Cantal and cook for another ten to fifteen minutes, stirring the mixture together and scraping the bits that stick to the bottom into the middle. Season generously with salt and pepper and serve with a juicy steak and a green salad. Sorted!!!!!!!!
And where are we now? Back in Blackpool for a couple of weeks enjoying the sun, sea and sand of the Lancashire Rivera. There’s lots of sea and sand but there’s been a distinct lack of sun. It feels like it’s rained everyday since we’ve been back and it’s hard to understand why there’s a hosepipe ban in place!
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