263. What will this year bring?

31st January. Still strong winds and rain here.. I took advantage of a pause in the rain to go out to the garage yesterday evening to bring in a sack of logs.. When I came out of the garage 15 seconds later (at most) there was a downpour that had come from nowhere.. (as someone once said, "like a cow peeing on a flat rock!") 

30th January. This short video ('De roc et d'eau' translates as 'Of rock and water') shot from a drone shows what spectacular landscapes await the intrepid traveller if he puts the pleasures of the Basque coast behind him and ventures inland - and yes, they are griffon vultures that make an appearance at 2:35. Here's a story to put you off your breakfast!
I occasionally watch televised live sessions of the UK Parliament (please don't laugh!) and I'm often struck by the arcane and, to my mind, archaic procedures in use. This document may help in decoding what's going on! (Having read that link, I still think they're archaic!) The unexpected referendum result in June 2016 threw a large rock into the UK political and establishment pond and it caused widespread mayhem in all directions - except in the media. For them, it was manna from heaven - the story that gives and keeps on giving - we've had 2½ years of 24 hour rolling media speculation ever since.

It's taken 2½ years for the aftershock waves to settle down enough for the nearest thing to a political consensus to emerge. However, the approach of 29th March (the date when the UK will leave the EU) has focused minds and - finally - it appears that there is a majority parliamentary view that supports the approach that Theresa May wishes to take with the EU negotiators.

However, I suspect though that the EU is prepared to resist any attempts to re-open the Withdrawal Agreement (WA) - and forego the UK's £39bn - to show that they can stand firm as a "27" to protect the integrity (as they see it) of the Single Market and, perhaps more importantly, to discourage any member state from emulating the UK. If the EU refuses to re-open the WA, the UK negotiators may request that a codicil is added that addresses the Irish border question. The danger for the EU is that if they were to give way on the Irish border issue - a difficulty that they themselves have created - then that could well trigger further dissension within the EU ranks - which could, with a bit of luck, bring the whole rotten edifice come crashing down.. One can but hope! I think the outcome will depend on how badly the EU needs the UK's £39bn.. It should be remembered that Germany made a 48bn€ budget surplus in the first 6 months of 2018 - so they will naturally be keen to preserve the status quo. 

To all those who take a jaundiced view of the unruly House of Commons, the challenges we've witnessed to the elected government are all the evidence we need that the UK's democratic traditions are alive and well -  this is real democracy in action. This cannot be said for the serried ranks of nodding dogs who populate the EU Parliament, let alone the unelected bureaucrats who sit astride the whole structure.

29th January. The weather forecast for this evening is for 80mph (130km/h) winds on the Basque coast. I've just spent an entertaining minute or two closing the shutters upstairs! I should add that our shutters aren't the lightweight louvre'd variety as seen in Provence - no, these are sturdy solid wooden doors, with z-bracing on the inside - and when the wind catches them as you try to close them in a howling gale - well, that's when the fun starts! Traditional Basque shutters are made solid to resist the storms such as we've been experiencing over the last few days. Meanwhile, the wind is starting to whistle and moan around the rooftops now. 

28th January. Wintry wet weather is upon us in the form of squally showers that are blown in at frequent intervals by blustery winds straight out of the bay of Biscay. The dog's ears were unusually horizontal this morning when I took him for a walk on the coast! Wood burner weather..

We were invited out for lunch yesterday at the home of a former choriste. She hails from Arzacq in the Béarn and she served us her native speciality - poule au pot. She'd spoiled us once before with this magnificent dish and I was delighted and honoured that she'd chosen to prepare it for us again yesterday. There were six of us around her table and after a home-made chicken noodle soup (made, I'd guarantee, with the carcass of the chicken) she brought out a huge serving platter laden with the plat principal - a delicious distraction from the rain and hail rattling on our hostess's windows. What a treat! 
I was seated next to a lady who'd lived in many countries in Africa for almost 40 years and during the inevitable passionate discussion of all things edible, she turned to me to ask (at the very moment I was having that very same thought) if I found it astonishing that French people habitually talked about the pleasures of the table. Once upon a time I would have agreed with her, but now I see this passion for good food for what it is - the driver in the endless search for perfection - as opposed to the merely adequate - and I'm used to it by now. So no complaints from me!

Restaurant des Chasseurs,
Ascain

Side view

Later on, she told me that the restaurant des Chasseurs, our erstwhile favourite hotel / restaurant at Ascain, a beautiful Basque village in the foothills of the Pyrenees, had changed ownership. We'd discovered this simple hotel / restaurant almost 30 years ago and we spent many happy summers there before we moved here 11 years ago. The original owners served country cooking of a very high standard that was beyond reproach. The prospect of another summer holiday there was always eagerly anticipated and the thought of our next visit there sustained us during the long dismal winter months in England - until the day came when they retired. The years that followed were sadly marked by a slow decline of everything - except the prices. We'd always had this dream of becoming regulars at the restaurant for Sunday lunch when we moved here but under the last ownership we regrettably had to set that idea aside. However, my neighbour at lunch yesterday told me that new management had taken over the restaurant a year ago (photos here), and so we are looking forward to a speedy return to the place where we spent so many happy times. Fingers crossed. (I'll update its entry in the restaurant map in the left hand column after our visit)

By the way, if anyone has visited "Des Chasseurs" under the new ownership, I'd be interested to hear your views. (Either use the 'comment' feature at the end of this post - or contact me via the email in the left hand column - just below the Translate widget. Thanks!)

Here's a montage of Ascain showing the pastoral life in and around the village at, I would say, around 1900 (turn the sound down!) - the restaurant appears at 2:42 tucked in besides the church:
 
24th January. It seems that we're in for some snow next week - according to Madame who believes the local forecasts! Since we've been here, I think we've only had snow twice - and then it only lasted a day.

We've been invited to an evening with the Mayor tomorrow evening to "receive his best wishes for the year" - but talking to someone who's already been to one, it seems that the occasion is one where we are told at length what the Mayor has done in the last 12 months. I'm tempted to plead a previous engagement involving tidying my sock drawer..

20th January. If, in an idle moment, you've ever wondered what the F1 - F12 keys do (on the top row of your keyboard), ponder no longer - look here. I realise that, in telling you this, I'm running the risk of getting dangerously close to proving the truth of the old adage that "life's too short to stuff a mushroom..". 

I took Nutty (aka "Bulldozaire" - our 17kg 4x4 cocker spaniel if you've just joined us) down to the beach this morning for a good morning run and a blow out. It was a blustery morning with broken cloud and showers blowing in periodically from the Bay of Biscay. I waited in the car for a couple of minutes while a shower blew through and then we set off. There's a jetty - although jetty's not the right word as ships can't moor up against it - they call it a digue in French - that sticks out (right - the nearest one of the three) and, as a small coaster was lining up to enter the river, it seemed like a good idea at the time to walk out to the end. There were quite a few surfers out there too. Just as I got out to the far end, a heavy shower made its presence known! I had to keep telling myself "It's only water..". It was a loong way back to the car. Nutty's a water-magnet - he took some drying off!

18th January. This is a well-known piano concerto that, despite being played to death on Classic music stations, can withstand repeated listening.. Here's Anna Fedorova and the North West German Philhamonic Orchestra conducted by Martin Panteleev at the Royal Concert Hall, Amsterdam with Rachmaninoff's Piano Concerto No 2 in C minor:

(I confess that I'll never be able to understand how anyone can play this demanding and complex piece with the music in front of them - let alone from memory!)

16th January. Went down to the beach early this morning to give Nutty a good run. According to the car at 8.30am, it was 2°C.. and it felt like every bit of it. The sea was almost a flat calm except for some beautifully formed waves that were rearing up at the last moment. Looking south down towards Biarritz, there was a silver'd mist hanging over the beach lit by the early morning sun that had just made an appearance. My shadow was about 20 yards (or 18.3m if you insist!) long. It was c-o-l-d ! 

Here's the latest picture of Nutty - glaring at the camera, as he'd been left alone over lunchtime (we'd been invited out). The object that looks like a gift-wrapped parcel between his front paws is his new rubber 'squeak' - and he guards it jealously..!  

George & Janet,
Pyrenees 1955

Regular readers might remember references here to the Comet Line - the Belgian-run WWII network designed to repatriate shot-down Allied aircrew. Sadly, I have to report that George Duffee DFC, one of the more notable wartime RAF evaders, passed away peacefully on 21st December aged 94. His beloved wife Janet predeceased him by 2½ weeks - they'd shared 72 years of a very happy marriage together. They were a lovely couple and I was very fond of them both - they'll be greatly missed. Here's George up in the mountains (above) during their annual visit to the Pays Basque in 2012.

RIP George and Janet.

13th January. There was a feature on Penne-d'Agenais (Lot-et-Garonne) on the box a day or two ago - and a very charming village it looked too. Might try a short break there in the Spring.

Down to the beach this morning for the first time since the New Year.. a grey blustery morning with showers blowing through every few minutes. Very low stratus with the cloud down to the sea. Not a day to linger down there. It can only improve!

A former British Prime Minister (aka John Major) is pushing for a second Referendum (how on earth did he ever make Prime Minister?) Are we heading for best out of three? If our MPs and our brilliant Oxbridge-educated Civil Servants - with all the government facts and figures at their fingertips - can't agree on what's best for the UK, how on earth does Major expect the average 'Joe on the street' to be able to when 'Britain's brightest' can't? It begs the question why we are paying them.

Churchill got it right: The best argument against democracy is a five-minute conversation with the average voter. I certainly wouldn't go for a second Referendum.

12th January. Watching a cracking game of rugby this afternoon between Leinster and Stade Toulousain.. (It finished 29-13) It reminded me that the Guinness 6 Nations starts in just under 3 weeks time.. with a mouth-watering clash on the Friday evening (terrible time to have a game of rugby) between France and Wales.

7th January. Biarritz staged another mass release of some 3,000 Chinese/Japanese lanterns from la Grande Plage last Thursday evening (3rd).. A pity we had to miss it - but I picked up a real winter cold the other day and it wouldn't have been a good idea to have gone. I'm wheezing like an old set of bellows! (aka Man Pain!)
2nd January. This beautifully restored Bentley straight six engine is from a Mark VI model (1950-ish). I could look at this for hours! Period review of the car here.
Looking ahead, the opening round of the Guinness 6 Nations Rugby Tournament is only a month away.. 
We spent the New Year at the home of Madame's sister-in-law on the bay of Arcachon.. where, on New Year's Eve, we and three generations of family enjoyed a wonderful feast of the freshest of fresh seafood - coquilles Saint-Jacques (scallops) to start with; then gambas and crevettes (prawns or shrimp for English readers) of all sizes, followed by sea bream in a creamy sorrel sauce. We'd brought a crisp white Irouléguy. After that, it all gets a bit hazy - but I do remember having some magnificent cheeses (with a red Irouléguy) before we finished up with an assortment of decorated ice cream logs!

On New Year's day, we took the dog down to the sea-front and tried to walk some of the excess off. For lunch, we had a delicious veal stew (can't remember the correct term) - Madame's late brother knew his wine and with it we enjoyed a memorable 2001 Premières Côtes de Blaye from the dwindling reserve of his bottles. It struck me that drinking and enjoying a wine that he'd chosen - 5 years after his passing - was a touching way of remembering him - it brought him near to us all - and I silently toasted his memory. I hope you don't think this is a morbid thought but I think I'll lay down a few selected bottles in the cellar for friends to enjoy around our table one day, hopefully far in the future.

As always, the year stretches ahead as a series of blank pages. Who knows what the coming weeks and months will bring? All I know is that these are days to be filled with laughter and good times - and I'll try to share as many of them as possible with you. Madame and I hope that 2019 will bring much happiness to you and yours.