This post starts Tuesday evening. After the WiFi conclave had ended, we stopped in at Pat’s for a glass of rose and some snacks because it was practically our only chance to see her before she headed off for the Jura to teach. We also met Malcolm and Francoise, who are staying in the Mairie until Rosanna and I get there. Malcolm and I have been recruited to take on library duties the next two Wednesdays. We had a little training session yesterday afternoon on the software for checking books in and out. I also had some special instruction on the opening and closing of the place. It should be quite fun!
On the way home we checked out some damson plum trees we had been told were not cultivated so we drove up the road to have a look. The road was unfortunately narrow, but I was happy to note a turning around spot so I did not have to back up 500 metres. Glenn and Rosanna clambered up (halfway up in her case) the hill to gather plums and hand them to Peter.
The majority of my Wednesday was spent getting ready for our dinner guests, Nick and Ellen, whom Glenn and I had met last year. Our wee oven is perfect for making tomato confit (aka 7 hour tomatoes) because it has a really low temperature setting. We had those tomatoes on a bit of toasted sourdough bread with some warm chevre. We also had Carpentras melon with ham from the mountain men (from the Auvergne I think) in the market. Then we had soupe au pistou, a green salad, some bread and a St. Marcellin and a beaufort cheese, and another (better) plum galette with crème fraiche (63 centimes the tub!!). We also had some cookies furnished by Ellen. There was a lot of fine and lively conversation and much rose was consumed. I had a bit of a headache this morning, so I retired to my darkened room with a bottle of water (and an advil) shortly after breakfast, while Glenn and Peter went for a final ride and Rosanna did her laundry and read.
After lunch (the expensive egg noodle pasta from Bedoin) and loading up the Picasso, we headed to Avignon. I made Rosanna show me her driver’s license first because I was quite intent on getting her added on as a driver. In fact, that is practically the first thing we did after dropping the boys and their luggage in the station. I was so intent on achieving this outcome that I even paid .50 euros for exceeding the 20 minute free parking. We sent Peter and Glenn off with lots of snacks for their journey, and they left Rosanna with lots of riding snacks.
Happily ensconced in the navigator’s seat for the ride home, I immediately proposed a detour to the Velleron market. It is an evening market that occurs each weekday from about 7 pm and lasts about 45 minutes. It is all fruit and vegetables – no soap, or herbes de provence, or cheap linen shifts. It is also all small producers. We got a flat of 34 black figs from Caromb (8 euros), green tomatoes, bumpy red tomatoes, green beans, potatoes for a gratin, peaches, and eggplants. Then we went to the pizzeria in Mazan (my third visit in less than 2 weeks), which received good reviews. From there, home to retire early (maybe 9:45) and read. Friday was, after all, to be the start of a “new regime” – getting up and going early for a ride and being home for lunch before the heat of the day became oppressive and drinking “little, if any, alcohol”. Needless to say, I did not draft the Constitution of the new regime.
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