Archive for July, 2005

Well, what a week, on the Saturday we all went to the local village féte, Moules et Frites, followed by fireworks and a dance. This happens every year on the same date and marks a holiday for all the people in the commune. Over the years it has grown from only 70 people attending to more than 400 this year. Mainly due to the power of advertising, party goers come from far and near to partake of either the Moules or Jambon with cassis and champagne, melon, sticky cake and cheese, all followed by a very strong black coffee. We all arrived dead on time at eight p.m. I had crammed all the kids and the neighbour into my little white car and we had special privlege parking as my neighbours partner was in charge of the parking (and later crowd control!) This year we ate at 8.00, previous years due to trial and error in serving we have eaten as late as 10. Then we sat and chatted about life and everything for three hours, waiting until it got dark, then the fireworks would commence. Unfortunately the guy in control of the fireworks was still eating at 11p.m. so, much to the disappointment of the crowd (by now 450strong) we all had to wait till around midnight, all standing in the village square. Still when they came, the fireworks were worth the wait and was much enjoyed by everyone who agreed it was the best display out of all the fétes this year. There is much rivalry regarding fireworks and fétes in this quiet corner between the communes! Then with a big rush, all 450 plus, headed to the tiny salle d’féte for the disco, bit like sardines really, but everyone got to dance! A few days later we were invited round to our neighbours for a “a few drinks” with some friends and family, just to get into the party mood for the wedding on the following Saturday. We arrived around eleven when it was dark, for the fireworks, the party was in full swing, though the meal wasn’t over with, so happily we’d arrived in time for a lovely chocolate ice cream dessert! A few hours later (and a few bottles of wine) saw everyone in the middle of a field watching the future groom and a few supporters digging a and one and a half meter deep hole. After enquiring why we were out in the middle of nowhere in a field digging a hole, I was told that we were all taking part in a very old tradition, whereby a box with wine, is buried before the wedding, so that when the first child is born the box is dug up and the bottle is taken from the box and drunk with a meal. The main worry from most participants was, would they be able to find the exact spot where the wine was buried! Still it set everyone up in the party mood for the wedding in a couple of days time. The morning of the wedding dawned bright and sunny, all the grooms family left at six thirty sharp. We went to the church for two thirty in the afternoon, for the blessing, it was wonderful, practically everyone who had been at the village féte was there. The weather was perfect and after the blessing in the church to the music from the film, Titanic we all moved into the Salle communale for a glass of wine. Though not before everyone had the chance to to take lots of photos of the happy couple. After an hour or so of conviviality, we all left and formed a huge long convoy of cars and wound around the country lanes and villages making as much noise as possible, great fun (I didn’t know my little car had such a loud horn!). The party finally finished at five thirty the following morning but everyone managed to get up for Sunday lunch and a final goodbye to all those friends who had travelled from faraway, to come and celebrate the wedding. As the father of the groom said later it was a bonne féte, but took a lot of organising with over 400 guests and 95 to the meal. A grand Affair! As a wedding present to my friend I gave them a painting I had done of thier house, and to my suprise a few days later the grooms father came round asking me to do a painting of his farm complete with barns and tractor.This is to replace an aireal photo that was taken back in 1975 of the farm. The only thing is he wants it quite large, roughly three feet by two feet! The painting I gave to my friend was around ten inches by eight!

Last Sunday on the 17th I took a trip to Cherbourg and went to look at the Tall Ships Race. The craft of many types and sizes were in Cherbourg from the 14th to the 17th, having arrived from Waterford in Ireland. The whole of the town was alive and bustling, there had been many events over the previous days with parades and parties and many visitors people had travelled from far and wide over to enjoy the spectecal. With such a wide variety of craft, ranging from only 10 meters in length to as much as 108 meters, there was plenty to see! Teams were from all over the world including, U.K. Canada, Portugal, Poland, Russia, Germany, and Indonesia. A lot of teams had members from as young as 15 taking part. The whole town had a real party atmosphere and when the first boat La Belle Poule, used by the marine Nationale for training young sailors, left at 15.20 in the afternoon they had such a send off with loads of cheering, whistling and klaxons. One boat left port with all their team sporting green wigs and playing tamborins, drums and flutes! It was marvellous to watch as the boats left the inner harbour and as they passed through the bridge began to unfurl their sails and head out to open water and on to Newcastle. Planning to arrive on the 25 July. The route takes the ships past Le Harve, Fécamp, Dieppe, Boulogne, Calais, Dunkerque, Ostend then across to Middlesbrough, Hartlepool. The port of Boulogne have organised a féte from the 21st to 24th. The last craft to leave was the Pride of Baltimore an American ship at 19.15

Music at Briouze (61) 22nd and 23rd July www.festival-art-sonic.com