A warm southerly blew in a mild autumn weekend during which we welcomed more visitors. TwoJay arrived on Friday afternoon for baby viewing and wine tasting purposes. They both quickly made friends with la petite before la bienheureuse got home from work and the epicurean weekend got off to a good start with roast lamb, tarte aux framboises and Chateauneuf-du-Pape. And a little whisky supping for the seasoned and foolhardy later in the evening.
Next morning, once hangovers were sufficiently suppressed with croissants and copious cups of tea, the advance party set off for the main event of the weekend, the Salon des Vins. While JonEboy, Crystal Tipps and stay-at-home papa set about the wine tasting with gusto, la bienheureuse et la petite followed in their own time and had lunch accompanied by clear liquid before any of the red, white or sparkling varieties were tested. In a perfectly conceived and executed operation, papa then handed over the wine tasting and purchasing duties to sa femme and took le bébé home again for her lunchtime nap. Ulterior motive was of course a certain football match on TV. And what a match it was - the Russian mafia funded blue mercenaries blasted into submission by the superior firepower of the red and white Dutch cannon.
Smoked salmon & prawn cream bake followed by filet mignon cooked in milk was on the menu in the evening, followed by la bienheureuse's signature dish. The pork main dish was suitably complemented by La Truffière, and the entrée and dessert by Gewurztraminer. No digestifs and earlier bedtime meant clearer heads the next morning. J+J finished off their trip with a visit to Les Halles, with chocolate and cheese on the shopping list. With luggage allowance filled by wine, there was no room for the latter in the suitcase, but it made a very nice lunch before they headed off to the airport at the end of a very convivial weekend.
The mild weather continues into November, and Toussaint means a four day weekend for la travailleuse, lengthened to five so that she take can advantage of a welcome-baby gift tomorrow with a much-needed massage. Not much extra rest though, as the clock change means a little voice chirps a welcome to the new day an hour earlier each morning…
