Monday 1st April
Tempted as I am to write about the Government and all the changes to Benefits, bedroom tax, loss of Child Benefit, cut in top rate of tax for the wealthiest and all, let’s leave that all for another day. Suffice it to say that April Fool’s day is well named, as Government after Government introduces mad changes on this day, making the March hare seem positively normal.
I am sitting out in glorious sunshine in a thin shirt drinking Hoegarten outside the Café de Paris with Michael and Alan. Today was Issigeac market, where we came a year ago. We know a handful of stall holders quite well now, and had good chats with them like old friends. On the way home we tried to find a Cave where we had bought the most fantastic wine last year. We drove to Montbazilliac and round and round and then suddenly there it was, Chateua Lalande, with three barrels outside. It looked shut up, but there was a sign to sonnez ici, so we rang the bell. After a minute or two out popped a lovely old chap who laughed and joked with us. He knew no English and surprisingly he understood our French. It was his son who served us last year but he looked just an older version of the same man.
We bought a few bottles of Rouge Doux and Blanc Sec and all left happy. The familiarity of finding a little gem you found last year, and the simple pleasure of buying some wine.
And all day the sunshine kept getting stronger and warmer too.