Birthdays

It's been nearly a week since I last got around to writing anything here, which is a bit rubbish, I know - but it's been busy and the days seem to have flown by.

Last Friday it was my birthday - just another forty something birthday so not that important but it is now less than 365 days until my first fifty type occasion, so I better start thinking about how to make that a bit different next August. As for this one - well there was an airport pick-up to do after getting a room ready - and the plane was late so there were two trips to the airport and no lunch opportunity as a result - and then canapes for both sets of guests - then the heavens opened just as we were all about to wander out for dinner in different directions. So, actually, it was a bit of a working birthday and then when Debrah and I did get to dinner we ended up having a very serious conversation about our life and our future and our children - which was all relevant but not very light-hearted or celebratory.

To be honest, I was very down about everything after that and still feel a bit upset about it.

A barbecue 'chez Nathalie' on Saturday evening helped to cheer me up. Naturally, it was extremely frustrating trying to talk French to the assembled friends (all lovely and all doing their best to help us with their English) but we had a good night with the more sophisticated crowd that Nathalie always invites and whom we would love to know better if only we could speak and understand the lingo!

There was a Sunday night dinner with our guests and a Monday lunchtime departure for both couples, which took us neatly around to Anna and Aib's visit for Debrah's birthday, today.

Actually, they arrived on Tuesday and we spent a lovely evening at the 'Jardin en Ville' - very relaxed, very chilled.

Debrah's birthday treat was a wine tasting at VinÉcole followed by lunch at Maison Gayda. For some time we have been meaning to try the new wine school run by Matthew Stubbs MW and what a fabulously informative and entertaining two hours it was. I highly recommend it and we will be trying to get our guests to try it too because I think it's just the sort of thing they will all enjoy.

We went on to enjoy a delicious and long lunch well into late afternoon looking at the stunning view of the Pyrenees from the open terrace. Matthew joined us too so we carried on improving our wine knowledge as we ate. Perfect.